Flying to Seattle... what would you do??

[OldCodger73]

Another issue, and I may be mistaken about this, is that if the ship is missed in Seattle, a passenger cannot fly to Alaska to board since that would be contrary to the Passenger Services Act (one US port to another without stopping at a distant foreign country).

 

If I am correct on this, there is no way to "catch up" with the cruise :eek:

 

Bonnie

 

Bonnie, my guess is you're mistaken. The Osterdam leaves Seattle. stopping in Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan in that order, with its final stop before returning to Seattle in Victoria, the needed foreign port. So it shouldn't make any difference as to which US port the passenger boards.

[RuthC]

Bonnie, my guess is you're mistaken. The Osterdam leaves Seattle. stopping in Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan in that order, with its final stop before returning to Seattle in Victoria, the needed foreign port. So it shouldn't make any difference as to which US port the passenger boards.

Except that then the passenger would be embarking in one US port and disembarking in another US port without visiting a distant foreign port.

There very well may be a problem with trying to catch up with a missed Seattle sail-away. (I don't know; I said "may".)

[PathfinderEss]

Except that then the passenger would be embarking in one US port and disembarking in another US port without visiting a distant foreign port.

There very well may be a problem with trying to catch up with a missed Seattle sail-away. (I don't know; I said "may".)

RuthC is absoultly right. There happens to still be this little law on the books called the Jones Act, if you embark in a US port you have to go to a foreign port before you can disembark or embark passengers in another US port. The cost to break that act was over $600. per person, and that was 5 years ago.

fatcat04 you are right on picking your second choice of flying your parents in the day before. It may cost more but in the long run it could end up being cheaper, especially if they were to miss the ship flying in the same day.

[john kraft]

Nashville! Hop on southwest for a good ,cheap flight and the Pioneer Best Western is right near the waterfront.We stayed there in sept when we went to Alaska.

[747girl]

As a former Flight Attendant I have seen MANY unhappy passengers miss the boat because they tried to fly in the same day. Always leave early and expect the unexpected.

 

Weather, mechanical aircraft issues, the flight crew going "illegal" (no more legal flying time left for the day due to delays), lack of crew, overbooking, lost luggage, Airforce One showing up at your airport, security threats that temporarily close down terminals, etc., etc. I've seen it all.

 

This would be especially important for the Alaska cruise, which seems very difficult to catch up with.

[fatcat04]

As a former Flight Attendant I have seen MANY unhappy passengers miss the boat because they tried to fly in the same day. Always leave early and expect the unexpected.

 

Weather, mechanical aircraft issues, the flight crew going "illegal" (no more legal flying time left for the day due to delays), lack of crew, overbooking, lost luggage, Airforce One showing up at your airport, security threats that temporarily close down terminals, etc., etc. I've seen it all.

 

This would be especially important for the Alaska cruise, which seems very difficult to catch up with.

 

I bet you have... dealing with the frustrated traveling public must be a tough job. Goodness, I always think abt weather being an issue but you know, I guess any one of a million things could happen and delay or even cancel a flight. Thanks for your insight.

 

Thanks to your advice and the advice of so many other great folks here on CC, we did book an early flight on the day before they set sail. We will get them a nice hotel room in Seattle and then a town car to the port the next morning and then they will be able to relax. The flight is not non-stop but only one connection and they have an hour and 45 minutes between flights so that will give them a chance to grab a snack to take on the plane and go to the restroom before hoping on the next flight. Plus, the early day before flight gives them many more options should the unthinkable happen.

 

Thank you all!! :)

 

Mom and dad can't wait to be on the Oosterdam and off to Alaska. Even I am getting excited and I am not even cruisin'!! What fun all this planning is!! :p

[OldCodger73]

Except that then the passenger would be embarking in one US port and disembarking in another US port without visiting a distant foreign port.

There very well may be a problem with trying to catch up with a missed Seattle sail-away. (I don't know; I said "may".)

 

Ah Ruth and Melodie, since, I believe 1958, Alaska gained statehood and is an official part of the US. So after Seattle the first three ports are in the US, then the ship stops in Victoria, CANADA, which is the required foreign port. Distance doesn't enter into it in this case. So it shouldn't matter which US port someone, who missed their Seattle embarkation, boards other than, of course, missing a portion of their cruise.

 

Anyway, flying in the day before and not taking the last flight of the day to Seattle is great information.

[RuthC]

It was 1959 that Alaska became a state; before that it was still considered part of the United States, and that is what could make it a problem to embark in an Alaska port then disembark in Seattle.

The Passenger Services Act requires that a passenger who embarks in one US port, then disembarks in another US port must visit a distant foreign port.

The reason that the Seattle-Seattle passengers don't have a problem is because they are using the same US port at each end; they only need visit a foreign port. Distant or near port serves the purpose in that case.

If the passenger embarked in a Canadian port, then disembarked in Seattle (or any Alaska port, for that matter) it would not be a problem. But Victoria does not come at the beginning of the cruise, but rather at the end, so that's a moot point.

It remains apparent that for a Seattle-Seattle passenger to miss sail-away then there could be a PSA problem attempting to catch the ship later on.

[Spender Nui]

Thanks everyone. I too think that option 2 is the best bet. :)

 

Absolutely the right choice. I'm sure they'll enjoy.

[OldCodger73]

Ruth, while in my own mind the "distant port" question is a maybe, I'll bow to your 7264 post and possible knowledge of what might be the correct information. Sounds like something the lawyers might need to decide.

 

Anyway, the original poster made the correct choice and her parents won't be faced with this dilemma.

 

Happy sailing and only the best in chocolates.

[yakdaddy42]

hi

haveing lived in seattle and still living with in 150 miles of seattle, fly in one day early, take a cab from airport 20 miles to the edgewater inn. the edgewater inn is less than a mile from the ship dock. some of seattles best resturants are on the waterfront in seattle. dont forget to look at the pikeplace market it is the oldest farmers market in the us. it is where the flying fish are at.