Canada no cruise ships til Feb 28 2022

[Desert_ Dweller]

You may or may not have heard.   There goes Alaska.  Maybe from Seattle ??

https://www.travelweek.ca/news/canadas-cruise-ship-ban-extended-until-feb-28-2022/#:~:text=The news was announced today,until Feb. 28%2C 2022

[kdmbluerzr]

Wow. That's a bit extreme. 

 

[DCGuy64]

Bad news indeed, but not necessarily until 2022. From the article:

 

"According to Transport Canada, cruise vessels in Canadian waters pose a risk to Canada’s healthcare systems, and that the Government of Canada will continue to evaluate the situation and make changes as necessary to ensure the health and safety of Canadians. Should the COVID-19 pandemic sufficiently improve to allow the resumption of cruise activities, Alghabra has the ability to rescind the Interim Orders."

So in theory this "ban" could be reversed at any time.

[njhorseman]

24 minutes ago, Desert_ Dweller said:

You may or may not have heard.   There goes Alaska.  Maybe from Seattle ??

https://www.travelweek.ca/news/canadas-cruise-ship-ban-extended-until-feb-28-2022/#:~:text=The news was announced today,until Feb. 28%2C 2022

No...not from Seattle, at least not on the major cruise lines such as NCL, all of whose ships are flagged in countries other than the US. Those cruises still have to make a foreign port call, meaning they would have to enter Canada.

 

There are a couple of small US-flagged ships, such as those of the line UnCruise that can do Alaskan cruises without a foreign port call.

Edited February 4, 2021 by njhorseman

[njhorseman]

4 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

Bad news indeed, but not necessarily until 2022. From the article:

 

"According to Transport Canada, cruise vessels in Canadian waters pose a risk to Canada’s healthcare systems, and that the Government of Canada will continue to evaluate the situation and make changes as necessary to ensure the health and safety of Canadians. Should the COVID-19 pandemic sufficiently improve to allow the resumption of cruise activities, Alghabra has the ability to rescind the Interim Orders."

So in theory this "ban" could be reversed at any time.

Yes...but given the relatively short cruise season in Canadian waters and the slow roll out of vaccination against COVID-19 I wouldn't hold my breath hoping that the ban would be ended in time to save the cruising season.

[DCGuy64]

4 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

Yes...but given the relatively short cruise season in Canadian waters and the slow roll out of vaccination against COVID-19 I wouldn't hold my breath hoping that the ban would be ended in time to save the cruising season.

Very likely, to be sure, but I don't necessarily believe this will remain in effect until February of 2022, though. It could, of course, but I think the Canadian government was wise to put that caveat out there about being able to rescind it if conditions warrant.

[Snowrose]

I was thinking our NY to Canada cruise in September was looking pretty unlikely. Canada isn't even scheduled to vaccinate general population until at least August.

[Bramcruiser]

I believe this is it. Yes, it does allow for the order to be rescinded but I agree with those who said the sailing season for Alaska and New England are short. Also, no one wants to publicly admit it, but Canada is way behind in the vaccination progress and so there are no guarantees on their promised deliveries. More excuses and finger pointing than anything. It would be more of a surprise if Canada allows cruise ships in this year. I count 2021 as a write off. As a Canadian, I am disappointed.

[fun69ohguy]

Does anyone think the US would ever temporarily suspend the Jones Act for cruise ships? This would allow the Alaska cruises, just would have to skip the CA stop. I bet the Alaskan government would be begging for it.

 

[HaveWeMetYet]

18 minutes ago, fun69ohguy said:

Does anyone think the US would ever temporarily suspend the Jones Act for cruise ships? This would allow the Alaska cruises, just would have to skip the CA stop. I bet the Alaskan government would be begging for it.

 

0.00 is the only answer.

The 2021 Alaska season was over with anyway. NCL is sending all there non essential crew home and no way were they going to be back to start the season up there by June. When they do start up it will be short cruises from Florida for awhile.

[julig22]

16 minutes ago, fun69ohguy said:

Does anyone think the US would ever temporarily suspend the Jones Act for cruise ships? This would allow the Alaska cruises, just would have to skip the CA stop. I bet the Alaskan government would be begging for it.

 

It's the Passenger Vessels Services Act that applies - there were some rumblings earlier that both Alaska and Hawaii had people pushing for it but not a lot of momentum.  I saw somewhere that the fine is in the neighborhood of $800pp so maybe just pay the fine???

Not trying to be political but wouldn't it be nice if the politicians did something to try to help the vacation industry by suspending it.  Or use that executive power to help?

[njhorseman]

26 minutes ago, julig22 said:

It's the Passenger Vessels Services Act that applies - there were some rumblings earlier that both Alaska and Hawaii had people pushing for it but not a lot of momentum.  I saw somewhere that the fine is in the neighborhood of $800pp so maybe just pay the fine???

Not trying to be political but wouldn't it be nice if the politicians did something to try to help the vacation industry by suspending it.  Or use that executive power to help?

If  a cruise line were to intentionally violate the PVSA there would be a lot bigger cost than the $778 per passenger fine . The cruise line could very well be denied the right to enter and operate in US waters.

 

Unless the law were amended... and there's likely zero chance of that happening, the PVSA can only be waived for national security reasons, not to help the vacation industry.

Edited February 4, 2021 by njhorseman

[farmersfight]

2 hours ago, Desert_ Dweller said:

You may or may not have heard.   There goes Alaska.  Maybe from Seattle ??

 

2 hours ago, njhorseman said:

There are a couple of small US-flagged ships, such as those of the line UnCruise that can do Alaskan cruises without a foreign port call.

 

Also, American Cruise Lines;

 

https://www.americancruiselines.com/cruises/alaska-cruises

[atanac]

3 hours ago, njhorseman said:

 

.... the PVSA can only be waived for national security reasons, not to help the vacation industry.

Wouldn't a crushing financial loss to the people and state of Alaska contribute to some form of

security concerns? Those Alaskan cruise ports have suffered terrible losses in 2020 and are now in the dumpster for 2021 due to the Canadian ban.

I'm sure some smart lawyers & politicians could make a case for a temporary targeted waiver .

[Named-Tawny]

4 hours ago, Snowrose said:

I was thinking our NY to Canada cruise in September was looking pretty unlikely. Canada isn't even scheduled to vaccinate general population until at least August.

There could still be *SOME* New England cruises happening in 2021, if they make a stop at St Pierre et Miquelon.

I don't imagine there will be many (and they'll probably just be the luxury lines) but, unlike Alaska, it's still at least a possibility.

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, atanac said:

Wouldn't a crushing financial loss to the people and state of Alaska contribute to some form of

security concerns? Those Alaskan cruise ports have suffered terrible losses in 2020 and are now in the dumpster for 2021 due to the Canadian ban.

I'm sure some smart lawyers & politicians could make a case for a temporary targeted waiver .

How is that a national security issue any more than people who were working in hotels, restaurants, theaters, retail stores or any number of businesses impacted by the pandemic everywhere in the country having lost their jobs ? It's a serious economic and human problem, but a national security issue just because some of those affected live in Alaska?

Edited February 5, 2021 by njhorseman

[DCGuy64]

So the gist is: the industry is screwed, the government isn't going to help, and we all just have to sit around and wait for the cruise lines to go out of business. Cool. I'll stop hoping and just face the cold, hard facts. At the rate we're going, the US and Canadian governments won't allow any sailing until every last citizen has been vaccinated 100% against every possible strain of every disease. Well, it was fun while it lasted. I'm going to be interested to see how much my taxes go up when all of the unemployed from the the tourism industry start asking for a handout. It would be so much easier to just allow the industry to resume safely (just like restaurants, bars, hotels, airlines, theme parks, barbershops, retail stores, etc.), but apparently that's never going to happen. Oh, well...

[roger001]

And here's a USA Today link to the same story basically.   

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2021/02/04/canada-bans-cruise-ships-canadian-waters-until-march-2022/4396613001/

[MsTabbyKats]

And once again...I got burned at the stake for being realistic.

 

Oh well...going to cancel my 10/2021 to Canada.  

[njkate]

18 hours ago, kdmbluerzr said:

Wow. That's a bit extreme. 

 

Agree! A year out is jumping the shark unless it's payback for Keystone

[SouthLyonCruiser]

17 hours ago, fun69ohguy said:

Does anyone think the US would ever temporarily suspend the Jones Act for cruise ships? This would allow the Alaska cruises, just would have to skip the CA stop. I bet the Alaskan government would be begging for it.

 

There is no way the current administration is going to do that.

[Turtles06]

1 hour ago, njkate said:

Agree! A year out is jumping the shark unless it's payback for Keystone

 

Please come down from the grassy knoll.   The decision by Canada to do this will have large financial ramifications for Canada as well.   The tourism industry in ports like Halifax is already suffering from the loss of the 2020 season.  

 

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

19 hours ago, Snowrose said:

I was thinking our NY to Canada cruise in September was looking pretty unlikely. Canada isn't even scheduled to vaccinate general population until at least August.

Try September at best.  Now, some of the Atlantic Provinces are saying by year end.  Either way, it's all slow as molasses!

[ilovetotravel1977]

1 hour ago, njkate said:

Agree! A year out is jumping the shark unless it's payback for Keystone

Seriously?  You think this is a tit-for-tat decision?  lol

[All-ready2cruise]

Amazing how some are thinking these days.   

The decision to keep cruise ships away from our ports is strictly based on Covid-19 infections and how easily they can spread, especially these new variations of the virus.  

 

Canada's population is not even close to that of the US and we don't want to lose as many citizens as some other countries.  Why shouldn't Canada protect itself?

 

Stay safe everyone.