Passenger Vessel Services Act -- (not Jones Act)

[VentureMan_2000]

Canada may close their ports to cruise ships until July.  So I started to wonder how the cruise lines will handle the Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA) where a passenger ship must include a foreign port.  That is, how they will keep from violating this law ?  I'm a West coast guy, so Alaska cruises come to mind.

Given the pandemic, would the US allow an exception ?

[Stick93]

13 minutes ago, VentureMan_2000 said:

Canada may close their ports to cruise ships until July.  So I started to wonder how the cruise lines will handle the Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA) where a passenger ship must include a foreign port.  That is, how they will keep from violating this law ?  I'm a West coast guy, so Alaska cruises come to mind.

Given the pandemic, would the US allow an exception ?

Don't worry - not much longer until the ships are put into hibernation for a while with the bears. That will solve the issue.

[amyotravel]

14 minutes ago, VentureMan_2000 said:

Canada may close their ports to cruise ships until July.  So I started to wonder how the cruise lines will handle the Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA) where a passenger ship must include a foreign port.  That is, how they will keep from violating this law ?  I'm a West coast guy, so Alaska cruises come to mind.

Given the pandemic, would the US allow an exception ?

I would think so. They do make exceptions.

"Waivers from the PVSA can be requested in case of national-defense interest."

 

Defense against a virus?

[Sean_B]

18 minutes ago, VentureMan_2000 said:

Canada may close their ports

It's not "may"; we definitely did. Canadian ports are closed to cruise ships carrying more than 500 people. Ships < 500 people will have additional screening to go through.

[ontheweb]

I guess in order to be in compliance with the law, they will have to send the passengers out in the lifeboats, all of which are smaller than 500 passengers. I'm guessing a lot of passengers will skip the port and just stay on the ship,