Back-to-Back Cruise Question

[Av8tor]

Just booked the Golden next month for back-to-back cruises - 1 night Seattle to Vancouver followed by 6 nights Vancouver to Los Angeles. Unfortunately, there were NO cabins available so that we could've stayed in the same cabin for both cruises. Therefore, we'll have to switch cabins after the first night.

 

Has anyone done something similar?

 

Will we be forced to disembark the ship in Vancouver and wait to reboard, or can we stay onboard?

 

When/where will we get our cruise cards/keys for the 2nd cruise?

 

We'd like to tour vancouver, but what can we do with our luggage? Do they have a storage room, or can we move our bags to the 2nd cabin (if it's been vacated) before we leave the ship to go touring?

 

Thanks for any info,

Paul & Jackie:confused:

[chasetf]

Just booked the Golden next month for back-to-back cruises - 1 night Seattle to Vancouver followed by 6 nights Vancouver to Los Angeles. Unfortunately, there were NO cabins available so that we could've stayed in the same cabin for both cruises. Therefore, we'll have to switch cabins after the first night. Has anyone done something similar?

Never done a 1/6, but have done 7/7s and 10/10s. We have had to switch cabins and the crew came and took our hanging clothes. We packed the suitcases with what was in our drawers. They moved the clothes and bags to our new cabin. In your case you may not need to unpack much for the one nighter.

Will we be forced to disembark the ship in Vancouver and wait to reboard, or can we stay onboard?

More than likely to at least go through immigration. Then again maybe not. Cannot say because we never turned around in Vancouver.

When/where will we get our cruise cards/keys for the 2nd cruise?

We got ours the night before the disembarkation for the first leg...... so in your case it would be the night your board. They may not be ready with all the folks boarding, and may not get it to you until the next day.

We'd like to tour vancouver, but what can we do with our luggage? Do they have a storage room, or can we move our bags to the 2nd cabin (if it's been vacated) before we leave the ship to go touring? Thanks for any info, Paul & Jackie:confused:

For us we moved in the morning, so had our new cabin by mid morning. We unpacked and either wandered around the ship (had the pool to ourselves) or in other cases went ashore. You just need to be back aboard by the time they announce.

[chasetf]

Just booked the Golden next month for back-to-back cruises - 1 night Seattle to Vancouver followed by 6 nights Vancouver to Los Angeles. ............Thanks for any info, Paul & Jackie:confused:

I just was thinking after posting my previous post....... How were you able to book these B2B cruises. You are sailing from one US port (Seattle) to another US Port (LA) without visiting a distant foreign port (Vancouver does not qualify under PSA).

 

You should make sure they will allow you to board the second leg given you have completed the first leg. I have seen posts where people questioned why they could not book this particular itinerary and they were told it was the PSA.

 

Now if you have booked with different TAs or booked one under wife and other under husbands name, beware you could still get caught and denied boarding.

 

If you have it figured out..... Lets us know what we are not seeing.

[Coral]

I just was thinking after posting my previous post....... How were you able to book these B2B cruises. You are sailing from one US port (Seattle) to another US Port (LA) without visiting a distant foreign port (Vancouver does not qualify under PSA).

 

.

 

I looked at this also and it looked illegal to me.

 

I saw these on a flash special and thought about combining them and realized that PSA would not allow me to do this.

[Druke I]

I don't think it will be allowed.

[LARGIN]

This is a legal cruise as the ship will dock in Victoria after it leaves Vancouver. While Vancouver is not, Victoria is considered a foreign port. Go figure...

[frofro]

I know it's not a very bright question, but why do people do back to backs instead of longer sailings? Is there a reason other than wanting a longer vacation? I wouldnt mind doing it myself, just wondering...

[Druke I]

Sometimes these short back to backs enable a person to try a ship they haven't been on before, or enable them to completely eliminate flying to or from the ship.

 

We have taken them (coastal repos) up the Left Coast, and then return by Amtrak, or vice versa. Makes a great "quickie" getaway.

[Av8tor]

Thanks Largin,

 

I just found out about that particular "restriction" on the roll call boards and was wondering if I'd get caught up in a mess at Vancouver. I made the reservations for both cruises with a single TA at the same time and was hoping that he'd know the restrictions and wouldn't try to book me into an illegal itinerary... I forgot about the Victoria stop, but it makes sense now.:)

 

Bon Voyage,

Paul

 

This is a legal cruise as the ship will dock in Victoria after it leaves Vancouver. While Vancouver is not, Victoria is considered a foreign port. Go figure...

[frofro]

Sometimes these short back to backs enable a person to try a ship they haven't been on before, or enable them to completely eliminate flying to or from the ship.

 

We have taken them (coastal repos) up the Left Coast, and then return by Amtrak, or vice versa. Makes a great "quickie" getaway.

 

I understand doing these back to backs for the reasons you mention, but ive noticed a few times that people have done say a certain roundtrip, 7 night itinerary. back to back. Basically doing the exact trip 2xs in arow. I was more curious as to why people do these rather than the back to back the OP mentioned.

[SharkieRools]

I would still doublecheck, it's not just a foreign port that must be visited on a one way cruise, but a "distant" foreign port.

 

Nearby foreign ports are:

All Canadian ports

All Mexican ports

Bermuda

Most Caribbean ports (except those in the Netherlands Antilles, such as Aruba and Curacao)

So a "distant" foreign port would be any port not included above.

 

On the otherhand, cruises that start and stop in the same US port can visit any foreign port to satisfy the PSA requirement.

[ggprincess2004]

Our one experience coming in to Vancouver via a b2b was that we had to stay on the ship until the disembarkation process was complete, then we were taken off as a group to go through immigration. After that we were free to do whatever we chose for the remainder of the day, being about 11:15 or so.

We had planned to meet friends early in the morning, and start touring - it kind of killed our plans for the day in Vancouver.

If you clear US immigration in Vancouver, you may be fine with the issue of b2b and different US ports. We did a LA to Vancouver, Vancouver to Whittier AK, and back to Vancouver b3b to see what we wanted in Alaska - and also hit Victoria, and get extra sea days in. My niece joined us on the LA to Vancouver and Vancouver to Whittier portion. No Problem. We did hit Victoria before Vancouver, and Victoria qualifies as a foreign port if one is coming out of Seattle (we weren't) but it seemed to work anyway. Go figure. I just decided if Princess allowed the bookings, we were fine. And we were.

Have a great cruise.

[SharkieRools]

We did a LA to Vancouver, Vancouver to Whittier AK, and back to Vancouver b3b to see what we wanted in Alaska - and also hit Victoria, and get extra sea days in.

 

The PSA would not have jurisdiction over this itinerary since the cruise ended in a foreign port

[chasetf]

I would still doublecheck, it's not just a foreign port that must be visited on a one way cruise, but a "distant" foreign port.

 

Nearby foreign ports are:

All Canadian ports

All Mexican ports

Bermuda

Most Caribbean ports (except those in the Netherlands Antilles, such as Aruba and Curacao)

So a "distant" foreign port would be any port not included above.

 

On the otherhand, cruises that start and stop in the same US port can visit any foreign port to satisfy the PSA requirement.

That is my understanding of the PSA. I know when we did FLL to SF (via Panama Canal) all the Caribbean / Mexico / Central American ports we stopped at did not fullfill the "DISTANT FOREIGN" port requirement. Only Aruba did.

[chasetf]

Thanks Largin, I just found out about that particular "restriction" on the roll call boards and was wondering if I'd get caught up in a mess at Vancouver. I made the reservations for both cruises with a single TA at the same time and was hoping that he'd know the restrictions and wouldn't try to book me into an illegal itinerary... I forgot about the Victoria stop, but it makes sense now.:) Bon Voyage,

Paul

It would be interesting to know how your trip turns out. Let us know if you run into any trouble, and if Victoria does qualify (and satisify for your itinerary) as a Distant Foreign port.

[sultan_sfo]

I still have my doubts that Victoria is a "distant" foreign port. Remember that if it violates the PSA rules, there is an automatic fine. What I would do is have a friend call Princess Booking and pretend that he/she wishes to make such a reservation and ask explicitly whether it is OK and of course say that he/she will call back to reserve. Most TAs are not that well informed. /Sultan

[jschutz]

It is not illegal.........have a nice cruise.

 

"The Passenger Services Act, however, does not prohibit foreign-flagged ships departing from and returning to the same U.S. port. Nor does it prohibit foreign-flagged ships departing from a U.S. port, visiting a foreign port, and then continuing to a second U.S. port. Nor does it prevent a ship from taking on passengers at a U.S. port and then returning them to another U.S. city by ground or air, or vice-versa."

[SharkieRools]

I believe that was taken from the Wikipedia definition of Pasengers Services Act. Here is an excerpt from the Code of Federal Regulations:

 

If the passenger is on a voyage to one or more coastwise ports and a nearby foreign port or ports (but at no other foreign port) and the passenger disembarks at a coastwise port other than the port of embarkation, there is a violation of the coastwise law.

 

The coastside law being refered to is defined on the page as "46 U.S.C. 289" which if you look up is the Passenger Services Act.

 

Some other definitions on that page:

Nearby foreign port means any foreign port in North America, Central America, the Bermuda Islands, or the West Indies (including the Bahama Islands, but not including the Leeward Islands of the Netherlands Antilles, i.e., Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao). A port in the U.S. Virgin Islands shall be treated as a nearby foreign port. Distant foreign port means any foreign port that is not a nearby port.

 

Coastwise port means a port in the U.S., its territories, or possessions embraced within the coastwise laws.

 

Source: Code of Federal Regulations Title 19, Volume 1

Do a search on "Coastwise transportation of passengers" to get to the relevant section, it's near the bottom of the page.

[katmai]

According to PSA, the itinerairy of OP is ILLEGAL.

However, it is likely that Princess booking system will not find out.

There is definitely some risk involved.

 

Another poster's LA-Vancouver-Whittier-Vancouver experience does qualifies, because it is simply a LA-Vancouver trip, ending at foreign port.

However, his niece's LA-Vancouver-Whittier is definitely illegal. Stopping at Victoria doesn't matter at all. Somehow she didn't seem to have problems (kind of lucky). I know the cruiselines and customs sometimes missed it, especially if you tried to hide it. But because it is indeed illegal, you might want to have second thought if you plan to do that or anything similar.

 

The best way for OP is to call Princess and talk to a superviser who understands PSA. (apparently not all does.) And have the 1-nighter cancelled and take the Amtrak train or quick coach instead from Seattle to Vancouver.

[ggprincess2004]

If the original embarkation is Seattle, then the stop in Victoria makes this itinerary legal, since one of the quirks is that Victoria qualifies as a foreign port for sailings out of Seattle.

Go figure - some legislator from Washington State introduced the amendment a while ago, and it passed. Ensenada MX qualifies as a foreign port for sailings out of LA. Same reason, different legislator.

[chasetf]

If the original embarkation is Seattle, then the stop in Victoria makes this itinerary legal, since one of the quirks is that Victoria qualifies as a foreign port for sailings out of Seattle.

Go figure - some legislator from Washington State introduced the amendment a while ago, and it passed. Ensenada MX qualifies as a foreign port for sailings out of LA. Same reason, different legislator.

They (Victoria / Vancouver / Ensenada) only qualify as foreign ports on round trips.... which the OP's is not.

 

I sailed from San Diego to Hawaii. .....Well the ship did. We checked in at SD, our baggage was loaded, and the ship departed. We were bused to Ensenada where the ship met us for boarding. ........So our trip, as far as PSA was concerned, was Ensenada to Honolulu.

 

Now .... the 15 dayer RT to Hawaii from LA can embark and disembark from LA with the stop in Ensenada because it is a RT.

 

That is why the Seattle RT works because it is a RT.

[katmai]

These topics have been discussed in cruise critics hundreds of times.

PSA does allow a roundtrip itinerairy to stop at a "near foreign port", like Vancouver, Victoria, or Ensenada, to qualify as a legal trip.

However, for a one-way itinerairy both starting and ending at different USA ports, like the situation we were discussing earlier, then Victoria & Ensenada & Vancouver can't do any good. The "closest" remote foreign port from USA is Aruba.

Therefore, unless the ship stops at Aruba, a passenger cannot embart at LA and disembark at Whittier or Seattle or Honolulu.

This is why the Panama Canal reposition cruise from LA to Fort Lauderdale always stop at Aruba. This is the closest remote foreign port to qualify a one-way US-to-US itinerairy.

 

That's also why the one-way Hawaii itinerairy is usually from Ensenada (non-USA) to Honolulu, but a roundtrip Hawaii cruise can only start & end at LA.

 

My point is, there is no magic with Victoria or Vancouver or Ensenada. They are as good/bad as "ANY" foreign ports in Canada, Mexico, most Carribean ports, Virgin Islands, Bermuda, etc.

 

Indeed, some cruiselines are picking alternate ports for Pacific northwest cruises these days. They are trying Prince Rupert or Nanaimo or Campbell River instead of the overcrowded Victoria.

[CassCruise]

I understand doing these back to backs for the reasons you mention, but ive noticed a few times that people have done say a certain roundtrip, 7 night itinerary. back to back. Basically doing the exact trip 2xs in arow. I was more curious as to why people do these rather than the back to back the OP mentioned.

frofro we did a b2b to Alaska last year - one of the main reasons being is the distance for us to travel to Alaska from Australia (and the expense associated with)and wanting to take every opportunity to see this wonderful place - there were sooo many excursions we wanted to do - remembering also we would have had to have paid for an airfare to/from Anchorage helped reduce the price a little - our holiday was simply amazing and by doing the b2b it also meant we could relax a lot more 7 days would have been WAY too short.....

[Coral]

There is so much to do in Alaska in the ports - I have done a B2B there 2x and hope to do it again.

 

Also, Alaska's weather can be unpredictable. I booked a B2B after having a very bad weather week in Alaska (no visibility, rain that felt like ice at times, very windy, etc..). I figured if I booked a B2B, hopefully one week would have good weather.

[frofro]

frofro we did a b2b to Alaska last year - one of the main reasons being is the distance for us to travel to Alaska from Australia (and the expense associated with)and wanting to take every opportunity to see this wonderful place - there were sooo many excursions we wanted to do - remembering also we would have had to have paid for an airfare to/from Anchorage helped reduce the price a little - our holiday was simply amazing and by doing the b2b it also meant we could relax a lot more 7 days would have been WAY too short.....

 

Sounds nice, hope to do a b2b 1 day :)