Short Back to Back Problem

[ssolomon56]

I just got off the phone with Princess, and I'm so frustrated I could scream!

 

We noticed a couple of short re-positioning cruises being offered in May '09 that we wanted to link as a back to back. The first is a 2-day from SF to Vancouver, and the second is a 1-day from Vancouver to Seattle. We live just outside of SF.

 

First, I called and explained what I wanted to the VERY ditzy woman, and it took a long time for her to even find the cruise listing. Finally, she did - and kept trying to talk me into the Alaska cruise that goes out of Seattle. I kept explaining that this would just be a quick weekend getaway.... She finally told me that I couldn't book both cruises, as it would be a violation of the Jones Act. Huh? :confused:

 

Does this sound valid to anyone? Should I contact a different travel agency - or just forget it?

[CL-JW]

I just got off the phone with Princess, and I'm so frustrated I could scream!

 

We noticed a couple of short re-positioning cruises being offered in May '09 that we wanted to link as a back to back. The first is a 2-day from SF to Vancouver, and the second is a 1-day from Vancouver to Seattle. We live just outside of SF.

 

First, I called and explained what I wanted to the VERY ditzy woman, and it took a long time for her to even find the cruise listing. Finally, she did - and kept trying to talk me into the Alaska cruise that goes out of Seattle. I kept explaining that this would just be a quick weekend getaway.... She finally told me that I couldn't book both cruises, as it would be a violation of the Jones Act. Huh? :confused:

 

Does this sound valid to anyone? Should I contact a different travel agency - or just forget it?

 

The short answer is yes it is a valid response from Princess. Booking it as a B2B would be a violation of the Jones Act or Passenger Services Act.

[Toto2Kansas]

.... She finally told me that I couldn't book both cruises, as it would be a violation of the Jones Act. Huh? :confused:

 

Does this sound valid to anyone? Should I contact a different travel agency - or just forget it?

 

Yep, the agent gave you the correct info. This can't be done because it does violate the Jones Act.

[sultan_sfo]

Check the cruise line schedules -- find a different Princess ship / different cruise line for Vancouver to Seattle. We stayed overnight in Vancouver and then took another ship. You will have only a carry-on and Vancouver is a nice city to spend a day there.

[megessey]

The problem is you are starting in one US port and ending in a different US port. That's what the Jones Act is about-- you can't use boat transportation to and from different ports in the USA. Its a stupid outdated rule, but that why you can't combine those specific cruises.

[lvtotrvl1]

Sure is a valid response. If search is working , there are quite a few threads on this subject.

[Guest carlogesualdo]

Not the Jones Act, but the PVSA (1898, I think). You can use the advanced search function in Google to search just the boards on Cruise Critic. Works faster than the search function here, too, when it works.

[paul929207]

I just got off the phone with Princess, and I'm so frustrated I could scream!

 

We noticed a couple of short re-positioning cruises being offered in May '09 that we wanted to link as a back to back. The first is a 2-day from SF to Vancouver, and the second is a 1-day from Vancouver to Seattle. We live just outside of SF.

 

First, I called and explained what I wanted to the VERY ditzy woman, and it took a long time for her to even find the cruise listing. Finally, she did - and kept trying to talk me into the Alaska cruise that goes out of Seattle. I kept explaining that this would just be a quick weekend getaway.... She finally told me that I couldn't book both cruises, as it would be a violation of the Jones Act. Huh? :confused:

 

Does this sound valid to anyone? Should I contact a different travel agency - or just forget it?

 

The Princess Rep is correct, it is against US law for a cruise ship to carry passengers from one US port to another without making a stop at a distant foreign country unless they meet several conditions. Princess ships do not meet these.

[ssolomon56]

Thanks everyone. We'll just book the short trip to Vancouver. That was my original preference anyway.....my husband was the one who wanted to end the trip in Seattle.

[womancruiser]

We have book the Coastal cruise for May 9, 2009.We live in northern California. Got a cheap airline ticket to LAX.

Has some nice ports of call along the way. Should make a good seven day getaway.

[Phamer55]

I am booked on the May 7th SF-Van coastal cruise as well. But fear not, you can still follow it up with a 1-night Van-Sea cruise on the Westerdam. I am booked on that as well. Not every travel agent seems to have access to book this 1-nighter, but I was able to book it at a very popular online travel site.

[Colo Cruiser]

Must be 24 hours between the cruises. :)

[Phamer55]

Nope, the 24 hour rule would not apply because these are different ships and therefore different voyages.