What if you leave the ship early at one of the stops to come home?

[trock]

Well maybe I haven't explained it well enough. He's coming over to the states for several day before the ship sails. He spending a couple days on the ship because there's a group of people there that lives in the states and won't ever meet again.

 

The surgery is scheduled that he would have to leave before the cruise is over. He can get back to the states and can get a flight back home.

 

Why go at all? Because he's already paid the airfare and the cruise was paid for him without travel insurance. So $300 is nothing compared with what's already spent on this trip. So why not enjoy 6 days out of a 10 day vacation?

Could be.. I dont know if i would do it.. But if its worth it to him Enjoy and have a fabulous cruise.. Let us know how it works out with him leaving...

 

Thanks

[bobandkelly]

None of this makes sense. He paid for a cruise, the cruise was paid for him for services rendered. (Out of curiosity I wonder what the service were?) He is not from the US but will come back to the US for MIL surgery? or is he coming back to the US to get a flight to somewhere else?

kelly

 

OK I see some of my questions were anwered? Won't he have to pay to change his airfare too? That will be on top of whatever fines for the Jones Act.

[trock]

None of this makes sense. He paid for a cruise, the cruise was paid for him for services rendered. (Out of curiosity I wonder what the service were?) He is not from the US but will come back to the US for MIL surgery? or is he coming back to the US to get a flight to somewhere else?

kelly

 

OK I see some of my questions were anwered? Won't he have to pay to change his airfare too? That will be on top of whatever fines for the Jones Act.

 

 

Very strange... I agree..

Wonder what country he is coming from..

[Kurbanfan]

Very strange... I agree..

Wonder what country he is coming from..

 

Sound to me like he just wants to get off the ship and disappear:cool:

[BusBoy]

depending on the date of the cruise couldnt he just buy insurance now?

[Cruise-Crazy]

Just curious how they get around the Jones act with a repositioning cruise. I was looking at doing a cruise on the Pride that started in LA and ended up in Miami.

[Cruise-Crazy]

depending on the date of the cruise couldnt he just buy insurance now?

I think you can buy insurance up to the day before the cruise. Not sure if insurance would cover that though.

[SATXLady]

Most insurance won't cover pre-exisiting conditions (either for the travelers or to invoke a cancellation or change due to a family member's illness or surgery) so taking insurance to cover early departure from a cruise when the surgery was scheduled before the insurance was taken likely won't work.

[BamaCruiser20]

Just curious how they get around the Jones act with a repositioning cruise. I was looking at doing a cruise on the Pride that started in LA and ended up in Miami.

 

If I'm not mistaken, as long as the ship stops at a foreign port inbetween the US ports the rules of the Jones Act have been covered.

[yst347]

Not just any foreign port will do. The term "distant foreign port" must be satisfied, what ever that means. At any rate US courts have interpreted it to mean farther than Ensenada, Vancouver, Freeport and Nassau for example. Visiting Panama does count so the PSA requirements are satisfied with a transcanal repo.

[mikedx]

Ok. We went from one US port to another. He told the information desk that his wife was having surgery and he wanted off. They told him he had to pay $300 due to the Jones act. He paid, and left the ship. He flew back to Holland the next day for the surgery.

 

By the way, you can't get travel insurance after the final payment deadline has passed.

 

I was there at the information desk. They didn't seem to care what the excuse was as long as they got their $300.

[richkinkade]

Not just any foreign port will do. The term "distant foreign port" must be satisfied, what ever that means. At any rate US courts have interpreted it to mean farther than Ensenada, Vancouver, Freeport and Nassau for example. Visiting Panama does count so the PSA requirements are satisfied with a transcanal repo.

"(2) 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.

(3) Distant foreign port means any foreign

port that is not a nearby port."

19 CFR § 4.80a Coastwise transportation of

passengers.

http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2005/aprqtr/pdf/19cfr4.80a.pdf



Although there has been efforts to designate Panamanian ports as distant foreign ports, I don't believe those have succeeded. http://www.washingtondiplomat.com/03- 11/a3_03_11.html



"The Panamanians requested that a maritime chapter be included in the FTA that would allow Panama to be designated a “distant foreign port.” This was rejected by the United States. In the past, the American-flag maritime industry has successfully lobbied against including maritime issues in free trade agreements, and prevailed again in the U.S.-Panama FTA."



Aruba Bonaire and Curacao, and Cartagena, Columbia seem to be the closest distant foreign ports.

[Ship Addict]

 

By the way, you can't get travel insurance after the final payment deadline has passed.

 

 

I think you can get travel insurance from a 3rd party up until the day before sailing. Different companies have different policies.

[basill1970f]

Ok. We went from one US port to another. He told the information desk that his wife was having surgery and he wanted off. They told him he had to pay $300 due to the Jones act. He paid, and left the ship. He flew back to Holland the next day for the surgery.

 

By the way, you can't get travel insurance after the final payment deadline has passed.

 

I was there at the information desk. They didn't seem to care what the excuse was as long as they got their $300.

 

Mike,

I hope he enjoyed the portion of the cruise he went on and I hope surgery goes well.

[tess2cruz]

Hey, glad it worked out for him, AND thanks for posting, learned something new today!!!:D

[10splyr]

Even if the cruise is a gift, or won in a raffle, or acquired by whatever means other paying for it yourself, you can always purchase trip insurance. There are a lot of trip insurers on the internet, www.insuremytrip.com is just one. It may cost more if it's closer to the travel date when you purchase it, but if the trip was free in the first place. . . it's a bargain.

[firefly333]

You said that:

 

"Federal Law prohibits travel between two contiguous U.S. ports."

 

So if he stayed on board on the first US stop, the 2nd stop is in Mexico. Would he not get fined getting off there?

 

No, the cruise was paid for by other people for services rendered, and it didn't include travel insurance.

 

Yes, he can get off in Mexico. One lady I cruised with on the Conquest did just that, got off in Cozumel and because of circumstances, the purser's desk even helped her get a flight out of Cozumel and she flew home to Calif. before the end of the cruise.

[Cruzin2paradise09]

forget it

[VillaHappy]

Just playing devil's advocate here for a moment... why can't the MIL just reschedule her surgery? :confused: :p

[FrogCruiser]

Heck, I'll play a much more devlish advocate here. Unless he's the surgeon why they heck does he need to be there anyway, not like he's going to be a lot of help!! Enjoy the trip... what mother-in-law is so obnoxious to wreck you vacation so you can sit in a waiting room while she's cut on? When I had my first major surgery, my wife went to play tennis...what the heck, I told her, go play, I'll either be here when you win or lose, or I won't and either way your playing tennis will not have an impact on the outcome! :p

[jmcdon7230]

Over the years I have never seen anyone post on these boards that they have actually had to pay either a cruise line or the government a fine due from the Jones Act.

 

From my own personal experience of a missed departure from Seattle and a subsequent boarding in Juneau.....I think they use the Jones Act as a threat but rarely, if ever, follow up on it.

[figs]

Err....guys? The OP already posted what happened. Read your thread.

[mzloolue]

I have read the whole thread, but I have a question.

 

Apparently if I get on the ship in say for example Jax and then get off in Key West I am subject to a fine.

And the fine is paid to the cruise line?

 

What happens if I run late, or maybe get drunk and fall asleep, in Key West and miss the ship?

Do I still pay a fine?

If so to whom is it paid?

When?

 

What if I go to Goodwill and get a suitcase of clothing and leave in in my cabin so it really looks like I missed the boat and then get off in Key West?

Am I still assessed a fine?

Will I be sent a bill?

 

All hypothetical, but just wondering?

[Kurbanfan]

I have read the whole thread, but I have a question.

 

Apparently if I get on the ship in say for example Jax and then get off in Key West I am subject to a fine.

And the fine is paid to the cruise line?

 

What happens if I run late, or maybe get drunk and fall asleep, in Key West and miss the ship?

Do I still pay a fine?

If so to whom is it paid?

When?

 

What if I go to Goodwill and get a suitcase of clothing and leave in in my cabin so it really looks like I missed the boat and then get off in Key West?

Am I still assessed a fine?

Will I be sent a bill?

 

All hypothetical, but just wondering?

 

 

Good questions.......also did Carnival have to pay a hefty fine when they left Galveston but came back to Houston:confused: Although same state different port...........

[gtalum]

Good questions.......also did Carnival have to pay a hefty fine when they left Galveston but came back to Houston:confused: Although same state different port...........

 

They visited distant foreign ports, so they're covered.

 

I suspect the government would have waived Jones Act fines if they had been incurred in that situation, though.