Did the Feb 6 sailing of the Anthem violate the Jones Act or

[stipmom]

was it okay because it never docked in an international port?

[pjnj40]

Please remove this port. Why people like you are like a marine police. Give it a rest.

[Sam.Seattle]

I think it is an intersting question.

 

The answer will prove no value, but still interesting.

 

Perhaps the better question is... Why do we still follow the Jones Act?

Edited February 16, 2016 by Sam.Seattle

[Goofyisme]

There was no violation of the Jones act since this was a passenger vessel and not a cargo vessel.

[MommaBear55]

Easy answer:

It's not the Jones Act, it's the PSVA. No, it did not violate the rules about not stopping at a distant foreign port, as it was a closed loop cruise to nowhere.

 

Harder question: If the rule disallowing cruises to nowhere going into effect in March had been in effect, what kind of problem would this particular cruise to nowhere have caused?

[LMaxwell]

 

Harder question: If the rule disallowing cruises to nowhere going into effect in March had been in effect, what kind of problem would this particular cruise to nowhere have caused?

 

Monetary fines; though likely to be avoided given the nature of the return to port. I doubt the gov't wants to set a precedence of imposing a fine when the return to port is clearly in the name of safety of US citizens and to check / repair potential damages to a vessel. That's not the intent of the fine.

Edited February 16, 2016 by LMaxwell

[Susie51]

Safety should be the priority whether or not the ship has been to a port.

[DonnaK]

This is a very interesting question. Thanks for asking it!

[Erwin Family @ Sea]

This provision of the Jones Act makes as much sense as the Volstead Act!

Edited February 16, 2016 by Erwin Family @ Sea

[bouhunter]

It's never going to end........................:rolleyes:

[A&L_Ont]

It's never going to end........................:rolleyes:

 

Correct.

[foxgoodrich]

Okay...the Jones Act (Merchant Marine Act of 1920) has nothing to do with this situation as it applies to maritime commerce and commercial vessels only.

 

The PVSA (Passenger Vessel Services Act of 1886) is the law you mean. Since Anthem of the Seas (a foreign flagged vessel) did not transport American citizens from one US port to another US port, the PVSA does not apply either. The cruise started and ended at the same US port with no stops in between.

 

You can find the PVSA on Wikipedia at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passenger_Vessel_Services_Act_of_1886

and the relevant part is:

"The PVSA does not prevent a ship from taking on passengers at a U.S. port and then returning them to another U.S. city by ground or air, or vice versa, as long as the cruise ship returns to its departing point without stopping (a "cruise to nowhere"), or stops in at least one distant foreign port."

 

The 2/6/2016 cruise on Anthem was essentially a 'cruise to nowhere.'

 

This law had nothing to do with safety. It was about protecting American shipping interests, specifically sea transportation between US ports, from foreign competition.

Judy

[Clarea]

Cruise to nowhere has nothing to do with Jones or PVSA. It was prevented by some customs regulation:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=6402

[Merion_Mom]

Cruise to nowhere has nothing to do with Jones or PVSA. It was prevented by some customs regulation:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=6402

 

Or, simply stated: crew work rules.