No more "cruises to nowhere".....

[Prose]

http://cruisefever.net/0611-cruises-to-nowhere-will-no-longer-be-allowed-starting-in-2016/

 

[3Down1Up]

Thanks for posting. Wonder if DCL had an idea this change was coming and proactively didn't include the Cruises to Nowhere in the 2016 itineraries.

 

[GatorMomInNC]

So there is another thread about the 4 days after the WBTA ends in 2016 that don't have any cruise scheduled. Someone mentioned it was supposed to be a cruise to nowhere, and speculation is it will be a DVC cruise. What are some foreign ports you can do out of NYC in 4 days RT? Canada, I presume, but what about Bermuda?

 

[mmouse37]

Wow, very interesting. I now think those 4 days will be more of a press/publicity junket. Probably just remain docked and allowing for TA visits and such. That would be my guess. It takes 1.5 to 2 days to get to Bermuda. We had one sea day from NY before we got to Canada. You could go to Baltimore or Rhode Island or Boston but does that violate the Passenger Services Act?. Will be very interesting to see what itinerary those 4 days become.

The Fantasy was docked 2 or 3 days when it was in NY for its Christening in 2012.

MJ

 

[dittymau]

I believe as previously posted it is chartered for a TCM event...

 

[KLB9]

I would like to hear the"rational" behind this law.

 

[mmouse37]

I believe as previously posted it is chartered for a TCM event...

Didn't read that it was confirmed dates for 2016. Still begs the question of the itinerary.

MJ

 

[Mickeyhugger]

I would like to hear the"rational" behind this law.

So would I.

 

[Prose]

There is general agreement on Cruise Critic that it has to do with the type of work visas given to the ships' crews. Due to an arcane law (aren't they all), they would need a different type of visa to be in compliance on cruises to nowhere, since no distant foreign port is visited. Apparently, cruise lines have been non-compliant all along - who knows why this has suddenly become an issue. It is causing quite the uproar among Carnival customers, since cruises to nowhere are fairly common with them.

 

[lucas]

http://cruisefever.net/0611-cruises-to-nowhere-will-no-longer-be-allowed-starting-in-2016/

Thanks for the link.

 

[WicketsMom]

Hmmm, we ended up on a "cruise to nowhere" thanks to Hurricane Sandy. I wonder how that would be handled with the new rules? (I would assume that it would be OK if a weather situation prohibited docking at any foreign port.)

 

[over50visits]

I would like to hear the"rational" behind this law.

This newly enforced restriction only applies to foreign registered ships. I'd like to hear the rationale behind Disney not being registered in the US. And "everyone does it" isn't a rationale.

 

[Prose]

The only US registered cruise ship I'm aware of is the Norwegian ship that cruises Hawaii. Not being US-flagged allows ships to have primarily international crews, which is a considerable cost savings for the cruise lines.

I am sure one of our maritime experts can provide more details than I know....

 

[KLB9]

This newly enforced restriction only applies to foreign registered ships. I'd like to hear the rationale behind Disney not being registered in the US. And "everyone does it" isn't a rationale.

Cost

 

[over50visits]

The only US registered cruise ship I'm aware of is the Norwegian ship that cruises Hawaii. Not being US-flagged allows ships to have primarily international crews, which is a considerable cost savings for the cruise lines.

Lots of advantages to a non-US registration. Pay crew less, don't have to meet US working condition standards. The Bahamian (for Bahamas registration such as DCL) authorities "investigate" crimes at sea. More options a to where to build the ship. Company can be headquartered outside the US (as is DCL).

 

[jdb in AZ]

To be flagged as a U.S. ship, it has to have been built in the U.S. None of the DCL ships were built here.

 

[GatorMomInNC]

Wow, very interesting. I now think those 4 days will be more of a press/publicity junket. Probably just remain docked and allowing for TA visits and such. That would be my guess. It takes 1.5 to 2 days to get to Bermuda. We had one sea day from NY before we got to Canada. You could go to Baltimore or Rhode Island or Boston but does that violate the Passenger Services Act?. Will be very interesting to see what itinerary those 4 days become.

The Fantasy was docked 2 or 3 days when it was in NY for its Christening in 2012.

MJ

So, I looked up Canadian and Bermuda cruises on other lines, and I think they could do a cruise with a short one day stop. It is actually 4 nights, so they could get to Bermuda on the morning of the 3rd day (after the second night), then head back to NYC. Same for Canada, and more likely since they are having the other cruises already docking there. If they do this the question is, DVC or TCM?