Why do All Princess Japan Cruises Stop at Busan

[donaldsc]

I am looking at several Princess cruises in Japan.  All of them seem to stop at Busan Korea.  This seems to be a waste of sea time to get to and from Busan to stay only a very short time in Busan.  Is there a rational reason for this or is it just typical cruise line stupid itinerary planning?

 

DON

[Brisbane41]

Same reason foreign flagged ships cannot cruise from the US without visiting a foreign port. Almost all countries around the world have customs and other laws that stipulate ships must hit international waters or visit a foreign country to get tax exemptions, ability to sell duty free goods etc. There are multiple reasons depending on country. I believe Princess in the US cannot sail from the mainland to Hawaii and return without going to a country like Mexico. The alternatives to Busan in the Japanese cruises are Vladivostok and Korsakov in Russia. 

[satxdiver]

US Federal Law PVSA (Passenger Vessel Services Act of 1886) requires that foreign flagged ships that sail between US ports must visit a foreign port during the voyage.  Only US flagged ships may sail between US ports.  The NCL America is a US flagged ship and can therefore sail around HI without visiting a foreign port.  However most cruise ships are foreign flagged for various legal reasons and therefore must visit a foreign port if sailing out of and into a US port.  The cruises from the west coast to HI must stop in a foreign port which many times is Ensenada, BC Mexico which is located 78 miles south of San Diego.  

Edited December 22, 2019 by satxdiver

[riffatsea]

There are a couple that go to Taiwan instead of Korea.

 

[patrickmoran]

Same reason alot of Alaskan cruises stop in Victoria after everything closes.

[dockman]

i actually liked the port call in busan ..the fish market was interesting to visit.

[Bruin Steve]

Not just Princess...

We booked a Celebrity Japan cruise for April 2021...and they also stop in Busan...

my wife likes the idea because it adds another country to her list...

[HappyCruiserettu]

5 hours ago, donaldsc said:

I am looking at several Princess cruises in Japan.  All of them seem to stop at Busan Korea.  This seems to be a waste of sea time to get to and from Busan to stay only a very short time in Busan.  Is there a rational reason for this or is it just typical cruise line stupid itinerary planning?

 

DON

I suspect it is similar to the "mandatory" stop in Ensenada for roundtrips to Hawaii. I know that is in response to a particular US maritime regulation, but perhaps Japan has some similar restriction.

[HappyCruiserettu]

3 hours ago, satxdiver said:

US Federal Law PVSA (Passenger Vessel Services Act of 1886) requires that foreign flagged ships that sail between US ports must visit a foreign port during the voyage.  Only US flagged ships may sail between US ports.  The NCL America is a US flagged ship and can therefore sail around HI without visiting a foreign port.  However most cruise ships are foreign flagged for various legal reasons and therefore must visit a foreign port if sailing out of and into a US port.  The cruises from the west coast to HI must stop in a foreign port which many times is Ensenada, BC Mexico which is located 78 miles south of San Diego.  

Absolutely true, but does little to answer the question at hand. But your point is valid, and suggests that Japan has some similar regulation. I suspect that is the case.

 

[ginabab]

One of our best tours was in Busan It’s lovely

[Wehwalt]

As far as I know, every Europe cruise includes at least one non-EU stop (often Kotor for the Med). Similar thing, I'm sure. 

[chengkp75]

1 hour ago, Wehwalt said:

As far as I know, every Europe cruise includes at least one non-EU stop (often Kotor for the Med). Similar thing, I'm sure. 

No, non-EU flagged ships can do a fully EU cruise, as long as they don't carry passengers from one port in an EU nation to another port in the same EU nation, as embarkation and debarkation ports, without a port call at a port outside that nation.  The reason for the non-EU port call is to remove onboard purchases from VAT, which must be charged if the itinerary is fully within the EU.

 

To the OP, yes, Japan has cabotage laws very similar to the US's PVSA, as does China, Russia, Brazil, and most maritime nations.  EU coastwise trade is limited to EU flagged ships.

[gottagocit]

We found very little interesting to see or do in Busan and the air pollution and traffic were awful last year when visiting there. This also caused a huge wait processing immigration in Japan ports due to exiting and reentering the country. I can’t recall if it was our exit or reentry but one of them created a two hour long wait in a massive line to clear immigration and board the ship. 

[pablo222]

On 12/21/2019 at 9:32 PM, satxdiver said:

US Federal Law PVSA (Passenger Vessel Services Act of 1886) requires that foreign flagged ships that sail between US ports must visit a foreign port during the voyage. 

Um ... the original poster was asking about a cruise originating in Japan, and visiting Korea

 

Unlikely any US Federal Law has the slightest impact.

 

Japan may have cabotage laws of their own ... discussion of those would be interesing to read.

 

[Hlitner]

Interesting (re Japan).  Our HAL cruise does not go to Busan, but it does have the intervening port of Vladivostok.  Personally I would rather go to Korea :).

 

Hank

[chengkp75]

40 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

Interesting (re Japan).  Our HAL cruise does not go to Busan, but it does have the intervening port of Vladivostok.  Personally I would rather go to Korea :).

 

Hank

Most nations have some sort of maritime cabotage laws, last I saw, there were 80 nations that had at least some form of maritime cabotage.

[Pam in CA]

Thoroughly enjoyed my port day in Buzan. I found it very interesting and would do it again.