Princess R/T HI Saved...For Now

[ccrain]

The long promised and anxiously awaited changes to the PVSA (Passenger Vessel Services Act) that would have forced Princess to move their R/T Hawaii cruises from LA to a foreign port, or spend 50% of the time spent in HI ports in a foreign port, has been rejected by OMB and apparently is on hold pending the next administration.

 

http://www.boston.com/news/local/maine/articles/2008/08/15/controversial_cruise_ship_proposal_rejected/

 

In short, it looks like the Golden's R/T's from LA to HI and back are ok for the 2008-2009 season unless CBP gets real ansy.

 

2009-2010 is another matter...

[jhannah]

The proposal was deep-sixed, just as it should have been. I'm delighted that common sense prevailed ... and in a Federal agency to boot! How refreshing! ;)

[Druke I]

I don't agree that it was deep-sixed. It was tabled, perhaps with the hope that it will be forgotten.

 

I think that the issue will come up again, during the next Administration.

[dforeigner]

Out freaking standing.

[paul929207]

Thanks for the good news.

[san diego sue]

However, instead of Encenada Mexico as being a late night two hour stop with no one getting off ship, it now gets there at 1PM until 8PM and it is a port for passengers to enjoy.Don't know how enjoyable it will be but will let you know after our December 2008 cruise.

Regards,

Sue:D

[Bucky3]

Good News!! Now, PLEASE, PRINCESS, put Kona back on the Hawaiian itinerary and GO BACK TO THE 15-DAY LA RT!!

[rcacace]

However, instead of Encenada Mexico as being a late night two hour stop with no one getting off ship, it now gets there at 1PM until 8PM and it is a port for passengers to enjoy.Don't know how enjoyable it will be but will let you know after our December 2008 cruise.

Regards,

Sue:D

 

Sure they stop at Ensenada for the extra hours but at the expense of dropping Kona & shorting the length of the cruise to 14 days.

I'm really wondering if that move was in anticipation of a change in the ruling?

I'd have to think long & hard sailing Princess after that move & we sail mostly on Princess.

[49er]

Hi ccrain,

Thanks for the update. Looks like we might just make that 9/27/09 sailing after all. Too bad about adding a few hours in Ensenada but that will give us time to pack:-) 13 months and counting......

 

49er

 

PS I think the new administration is going to have a "full plate" of other problems to deal with for awhile. This is small potatoes and hopefully will just die on the vine.

[Colo Cruiser]

Great to hear. :)

[LARGIN]

That was a no-brainer decision.. I doubt if the new administration will touch it..

[ccrain]

I think the reason Princess went to 14 days is to keep sunday departures and arrivals. That make the cruise more palatable for people that arrive a day early, Saturday, and go home on Sunday, only to go back to work the next day.

 

15 day cruises tend to spread arrivals and departures across the week and really screw with vacation schedules..

 

In fact Princess is highlighting the Sunday to Sunday itinerary in their marketing.

[ccrain]

Hi ccrain,

Thanks for the update. Looks like we might just make that 9/27/09 sailing after all. Too bad about adding a few hours in Ensenada but that will give us time to pack:-) 13 months and counting......

 

49er

 

PS I think the new administration is going to have a "full plate" of other problems to deal with for awhile. This is small potatoes and hopefully will just die on the vine.

 

And its possible that NCLA will fold its tent and reflag the last Pride ship, making their this entire episode an object lesson on how not to spend political favors.

 

Third time is hopefully a charm for us and hopefully the Golden will have her Gem class upgrade and have all the amenities of a Super Grand, sans the extra deck of people.

 

But seriously, I would not have done the bus trip to Ensenada. No way...

[ccrain]

That was a no-brainer decision.. I doubt if the new administration will touch it..

 

McCain's on record against the PVSA and with California firmly against any changes like the one proposed, I doubt Obama would cross Pelosi, Feinstein or Boxer.

[ColoRockiesFan]

I think the reason Princess went to 14 days is to keep sunday departures and arrivals. That make the cruise more palatable for people that arrive a day early, Saturday, and go home on Sunday, only to go back to work the next day.

 

15 day cruises tend to spread arrivals and departures across the week and really screw with vacation schedules..

 

In fact Princess is highlighting the Sunday to Sunday itinerary in their marketing.

 

Except that the RT Hawaii is Wed to Wed (at least for 2009). I would have preferred the Sunday to Sunday.

[ccrain]

Except that the RT Hawaii is Wed to Wed (at least for 2009). I would have preferred the Sunday to Sunday.

 

In the fall of 2009 the Golden starts the Sunday to Sunday itin...It was highlighted in the latest CC Quarterly.

[bdjam]

Sure they stop at Ensenada for the extra hours but at the expense of dropping Kona & shorting the length of the cruise to 14 days.

I'm really wondering if that move was in anticipation of a change in the ruling?

I'd have to think long & hard sailing Princess after that move & we sail mostly on Princess.

This is not correct - I have done two Island Princess round trips from LA with four hour stops in Ensenada mid-afternoon. Both of those trips included Kona - stopping in Ensenada is not at the expense of Kona.

McCain's on record against the PVSA and with California firmly against any changes like the one proposed, I doubt Obama would cross Pelosi, Feinstein or Boxer.

Feinstein's official stance on this issue - at least in the letter she sent to me - was that she is in favor of the spirit of the PVSA in that it should protect US interests in the shipping industry. However, because this change would overall adversely affect US interests, she questioned the change. She also questioned some of the under-the-table actions taken by CBP when dealing with cruise lines to try to get this passed.

 

Otherwise I agree this is a drop in the bucket compared to the mess the new Administration will have to clean up.

[ColoRockiesFan]

In the fall of 2009 the Golden starts the Sunday to Sunday itin...It was highlighted in the latest CC Quarterly.

 

Figures. I'm going in Feb 2009. Oh well. :p

[Solara]

Great news, maybe I'll finally get to Hawaii. The Sunday to Sunday departure is much better when you still have limited vacation time.

[karatemom2]

You just made my day! Thanks for sharing the great news!!!

[karatemom2]

This is not correct - I have done two Island Princess round trips from LA with four hour stops in Ensenada mid-afternoon. Both of those trips included Kona - stopping in Ensenada is not at the expense of Kona.

 

I agree Brian. We were on the Diamond last Christmas and our itinerary included a full port day in Kona, but we still spent almost a full day in Ensenada as well with a seven hour port time of 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. I would say that whatever the thought process behind dropping Kona was, it had nothing to do with the stop in Ensenada.

[abbydancer2003]

This is good to hear - someday I'd like to do the RT Hawaii cruise.

 

We were talking about this earlier tonight actually. Our dance studio owner takes a group on a cruise every spring. The next one will be the Pride of whichever-one-is-still-there. I think they chose that one because of the shorter time - he likes the group cruises to be under 10 days because he can take more people (I think it's a big moneymaker for the studio). That got us talking about whether we'd bus to Ensenada and whether the cruises actually directly compete.

 

My thinking is that some people want a longer cruise with lots of sea days. If so, you'll do the LA R/T. If you just want to go to cruise Hawaii, and not spend a lot of sea time, you'll do the Norwegian cruise.

 

I'm curious how our friend will react to his cruise. He's taken groups on Princess (Sapphire), RCI and Celebrity. In general, he doesn't think they're upscale enough. So based on what I've heard about this line, I'll be real interested in his reaction.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Sure they stop at Ensenada for the extra hours but at the expense of dropping Kona & shorting the length of the cruise to 14 days.

I'm really wondering if that move was in anticipation of a change in the ruling?

I'd have to think long & hard sailing Princess after that move & we sail mostly on Princess.

 

As others have said, the two are separate issues. We had to skip Kona because of high waves and instead got a full day in Ensenada (oh, joy:rolleyes: ).

 

I was so happy to log on here last night, after being sick in bed for a couple of days, and finding out this great news. At least the guvernator did one good thing during his administration and spoke up the California's tourism industry that doesn't need to take another big hit. Just heard a news story earlier today that the decrease in international flights coming into LAX is going to cost the City of LA in tourism dollars (hotels, restaurants, attractions, etc.).

 

As for the NCL cheerleaders who claim that the other cruiselines were circumventing the rules by doing a quick stop in Ensenada: if this was such a big deal, then order the cruiselines to increase the port stop to a doable six or eight hours. But don't try (under the table tactics) to promote revisions that would require cruiseships to completely change their itineraries just because one cruiseline is suffering from mismanagement.

 

Hey, look at Disney. This is a cruiseline with only a few ships without casinos and they seem to be doing fine, even with incredibly high fares compared to Princess, RC and Carnival. The only advantage they have over NCLA is that they can hire foreign crewmembers. But they also have better management.