Why can't you book both?

[Mccavity]

I wanted to book the cruise from Galveston to San Juan and then San Juan to Port Canaveral in early 2017 on Friday -- but I've seen a couple of post that says DCL it's not letting me book both of these back to back does anybody know why?

 

[dclpluto]

I wanted to book the cruise from Galveston to San Juan and then San Juan to Port Canaveral in early 2017 on Friday -- but I've seen a couple of post that says DCL it's not letting me book both of these back to back does anybody know why?

That will be against the law. Forget what the law is called. Someone will help you out soon got to get to bed

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I wanted to book the cruise from Galveston to San Juan and then San Juan to Port Canaveral in early 2017 on Friday -- but I've seen a couple of post that says DCL it's not letting me book both of these back to back does anybody know why?

It's against the law. Specifically the Passenger Vessel Services Act. It states that no foreign-flagged ship can transport passengers from one US port to a different US port without a stop in a distant foreign port. A distant foreign port is defined as any port NOT "... 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)." 19 CFR § 4.80a(a)(2).

What are the port stops on each of those cruises?

 

[Mccavity]

It's against the law. Specifically the Passenger Vessel Services Act. It states that no foreign-flagged ship can transport passengers from one US port to a different US port without a stop in a distant foreign port. A distant foreign port is defined as any port NOT "... 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)." 19 CFR § 4.80a(a)(2).

What are the port stops on each of those cruises?

From San Juan --> At Sea --> Castaway Cay --> Port Canaveral


From Galveston --> At Sea --> St Thomas--> Tortola --> San Juan

 

[PrincessShmoo]

From San Juan --> At Sea --> Castaway Cay --> Port Canaveral


From Galveston --> At Sea --> St Thomas--> Tortola --> San Juan

Yeah, none of those ports are DISTANT foreign ports. So, while they are two separate cruises, the ship legally cannot transport you from one US port (Galveston) to a different US port (Port Canaveral). The PVSA looks at a B2B as one cruise.

 

[Mccavity]

Yeah, none of those ports are DISTANT foreign ports. So, while they are two separate cruises, the ship legally cannot transport you from one US port (Galveston) to a different US port (Port Canaveral). The PVSA looks at a B2B as one cruise.

Thank-you... This is really sad for me ... I live in Texas And have a good friend who lives near the Port... She was going to fly here - we were going to do a girls cruise - then I fly home... Guess that is no longer an option

 

[southerngirl528]

Sorry about your plans, Mccavity. Shmoo is a reliable source here for certain.

Along the same lines as the OP's concerns Shmoo, I know there was a lot of discussion here about not being able to do B2B on the just completed DCL Hawaii cruises because of the PVSA, but 3 of our table mates on the Honolulu to Vancouver cruise were doing the B2B. I heard there were about 500 B2B cruisers on the Hawaii cruises last month. Any idea how DCL WAS able to provide the B2B cruises in that case?

Mccavity, on the Hawaii cruises I referenced above DCL did 2 one-way cruises for Hawaii. The first left Vancouver, BC on 9/07/15 and completed in Honolulu, Hawaii on 9/17/15. My DD and I boarded the Wonder in Honolulu for the 2nd cruise 9/17/15, cruised the Hawaiian islands then sailed back to Vancouver, BC. disembarking on 9/27/15.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Sorry about your plans, Mccavity. Shmoo is a reliable source here for certain.

Along the same lines as the OP's concerns Shmoo, I know there was a lot of discussion here about not being able to do B2B on the just completed DCL Hawaii cruises because of the PVSA, but 3 of our table mates on the Honolulu to Vancouver cruise were doing the B2B. I heard there were about 500 B2B cruisers on the Hawaii cruises last month. Any idea how DCL WAS able to provide the B2B cruises in that case?

Mccavity, on the Hawaii cruises I referenced above DCL did 2 one-way cruises for Hawaii. The first left Vancouver, BC on 9/07/15 and completed in Honolulu, Hawaii on 9/17/15. My DD and I boarded the Wonder in Honolulu for the 2nd cruise 9/17/15, cruised the Hawaiian islands then sailed back to Vancouver, BC. disembarking on 9/27/15.

The first Hawaii cruise started in Vancouver, while the second ended in Vancouver, not a US port. B2B would make the total cruise be Vancouver to Vancouver, the PVSA has no effect on that sort of cruise.

What wasn't allowed was the people who wanted to book the second Hawaii cruise (Honolulu/Vancouver) with the next repo cruise (Van/San Diego). Then the ship would be transporting people from Honolulu to San Diego (two different US ports) with no distant foreign port stop - that's illegal.

 

[southerngirl528]

Ahhhh. That makes sense. For whatever reason I was remembering it as folks saying those wanting to B2B the Hawaii cruises could not…… Mahalo!

 

[sandiedvc]

The intinerary that was given for the Galveston to San Juan was for the 2016 repo.

The 2017 goes from Galveston to Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Falmouth, Jamaica.

The 3 day cruise does just hit Castaway and goes onto the Port.

I tried to book the back to back this morning and was told that they were not allowed to do that. I guess none of those ports work.

I wonder how they can go from Texas to San Juan. Do territories not count as part of the US?

 

[bumbershoot]

I wonder how they can go from Texas to San Juan. Do territories not count as part of the US?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passenger_Vessel_Services_Act_of_1886

As of October 30, 2003, foreign vessels are also allowed to transport passengers (but not cargo) between the U.S. mainland and Puerto Rico (46 U.S.C. § 55104).
However, this exemption will disappear if U.S.-flagged ships resume passenger operations of this type.[2]

(if I were in charge, that would mean that you should be able to do that B2B...alas I'm not in charge)

 

[Ofinn]

I wonder what DCL's purpose for doing these two repos is? I can't see many people interested in these especially the 3 day. I would understand it if the Wonder was staying in San Juan. Seems odd.

 

[Ofinn]

I wonder what DCL's purpose for doing these two repos is? I can't see many people interested in these especially the 3 day. I would understand it if the Wonder was staying in San Juan. Seems odd.

I'm going to answer my own question. They can't sail from Galveston to PC..duh. The light bulb went off after the second cup of coffee. I'm a little slow this morning. I like the price of that cruise...maybe I'll be one of the few that books it.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I wonder how they can go from Texas to San Juan. Do territories not count as part of the US?

Yes, territories count as a part of the US. The prohibition of transporting passengers between different US port if one of those ports is in Puerto Rico is waived.

From the PVSA:
EXCEPTIONS
Transportation of Passengers Between Puerto Rico and Other U.S. Ports—46 U.S.C. § 55104
An exception to the PVSA permits non-coastwise-qualified vessels (vessels not qualified to engage in the coastwise trade) to transport passengers on voyages between ports in Puerto Rico and other U.S. ports until qualified U.S. vessels are available.

If anyone is interested in reading up on the whole thing:
http://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/documents/pvsa_icp_3.pdf

 

[NancyIL]

The first Hawaii cruise started in Vancouver, while the second ended in Vancouver, not a US port. B2B would make the total cruise be Vancouver to Vancouver, the PVSA has no effect on that sort of cruise.

What wasn't allowed was the people who wanted to book the second Hawaii cruise (Honolulu/Vancouver) with the next repo cruise (Van/San Diego). Then the ship would be transporting people from Honolulu to San Diego (two different US ports) with no distant foreign port stop - that's illegal.

DCL was pretty slow to realize that they weren't allowed to do that - even though several of us posted here that it violated the PVSA! Seems they didn't remember the Alaska + repo fiasco from a few years back (2012?).

 

[SillyInventor]

I'm going to answer my own question. They can't sail from Galveston to PC..duh. The light bulb went off after the second cup of coffee. I'm a little slow this morning. I like the price of that cruise...maybe I'll be one of the few that books it.

Yep!
Same thing with the Magic repositioning from New York to Miami in November 2016: two cruises New York --> San Juan and San Juan --> Miami which will not be allowed B2B, otherwise there would have to be a non-passenger repo of 2 days. There will be a 1n non-passenger repo from Miami to Port Canaveral on Feb 3, 2016 for this reason.