PVSA Question

[JamieLogical]

I was just looking at a cruise on the Summit in October. It is a one-way cruise out of Fort Lauderdale to San Juan. What I am not clear on is how this itinerary doesn't violate the Passenger Vessel Services Act for any Americans onboard. It only stops in Antigua, Dominica, St. Lucia, and St. Kitts. I don't believe any of those qualify as a distant foreign port?

[omeinv]

Puerto Rico is a special case.  Puerto Rico is a named exception written into the law.  Puerto Rico is a US territory so San Juan is a US port but the PR exemption allows a cruise line to sail from the US mainland and end in Puerto Rico (or vice versa) and not violate the PVSA.  This is the only US port to US port itinerary that is excluded from the PVSA (no distant foreign required).

 

Harris

Denver, CO

[JamieLogical]

6 minutes ago, omeinv said:

Puerto Rico is a special case.  Puerto Rico is a named exception written into the law.  Puerto Rico is a US territory so San Juan is a US port but the PR exemption allows a cruise line to sail from the US mainland and end in Puerto Rico (or vice versa) and not violate the PVSA.  This is the only US port to US port itinerary that is excluded from the PVSA (no distant foreign required).

 

Harris

Denver, CO

 

Perfect! Thank you so much for the quick reply!

[mayleeman]

@omeinv So I am guessing this is why people need to understand the differences between the PVSA (excluding PR from being restricted) and the Jones Act (PR not excluded). There was a lot of trouble and controversy over Jones Act exemptions for PR declared by Presidents Trump (hurricane Maria aid) and Biden (diesel and LNG during energy shortages). Lobbying by American shippers and longshoreman unions impelled Congress to restrict exemptions to 10 days and for military purposes. These restrictions seem very important to pretty powerful groups.

[cruisestitch]

 No, that’s not correct. The PVSA feels with passenger vessel. The Jones act deals with cargo vessels.

 

A lot of people who ought to know better, including some employees of the cruise lines, call them all the Jones Act.

 

we may feel like cargo after eating at the buffet, but we are still passengers, and the PVSA is what we need to obey.

Edited January 18 by cruisestitch

[JamieLogical]

38 minutes ago, mayleeman said:

@omeinv So I am guessing this is why people need to understand the differences between the PVSA (excluding PR from being restricted) and the Jones Act (PR not excluded). There was a lot of trouble and controversy over Jones Act exemptions for PR declared by Presidents Trump (hurricane Maria aid) and Biden (diesel and LNG during energy shortages). Lobbying by American shippers and longshoreman unions impelled Congress to restrict exemptions to 10 days and for military purposes. These restrictions seem very important to pretty powerful groups.

 

I am aware of the difference between the Jones Act (cargo) and PVSA (passengers). I just did not know there were any US ports exempt from either one. So I learned something new today: PR and USVI are exempt from PVSA and USVI is exempt from Jones.

[mahasamatman]

3 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

I learned something new today: PR and USVI are exempt from PVSA and USVI is exempt from Jones.

 

American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands are also exempt from PVSA, as are Canadian vessels on some routes in New York and Alaska.

[mayleeman]

4 hours ago, cruisestitch said:

 No, that’s not correct. The PVSA feels with passenger vessel. The Jones act deals with cargo vessels.

 

 

What I wrote is correct, but my editing (from a very lengthy initial post) did accidentally cut which law was cargo and which was passenger. I assumed by now after a few dozen threads over the 5 years I have been reading that people knew the PVSA was passengers, but I realize there are new people so your clarification is good.

Edited January 19 by mayleeman

[Essiesmom]

I have read here that the exception was made because Carnival lobbied for it.  They wanted to run cruises to and from San Juan.  But the itineraries didn’t sell well, so they were abandoned.  But the exception remains.  EM

[Alakegirl]

Interesting.  I thought the exception allowed for only ships repositioning to San Juan.

[PTC DAWG]

18 hours ago, JamieLogical said:

I was just looking at a cruise on the Summit in October. It is a one-way cruise out of Fort Lauderdale to San Juan. What I am not clear on is how this itinerary doesn't violate the Passenger Vessel Services Act for any Americans onboard. It only stops in Antigua, Dominica, St. Lucia, and St. Kitts. I don't believe any of those qualify as a distant foreign port?

Thats a nice one off itinerary, price looks good too..but we already have a cruise booked late Sept…

 

I would like to try an M Class one day..enjoy,..