Will the US suspend the Passenger Vessels Services Act?

[insureman]

I read this this article on Cruise Radio that had an interesting idea that if the United States suspended the law cruise ships could sail between US states without having to stop in a foreign port such as Canada or the Bahamas. They also mention the Jones act. Here's the link.
https://cruiseradio.net/the-jones-act-passsenger-vessel-services-act-1886-maritime-law/

 

[DisneyConvert]

Yes, please! We are booked on a NYC=>San Juan cruise during the Fall'21 and would love to do B2B from SanJuan back to Florida . . . but PVSA prevents us from doing this . .. how/who does this ridiculous law help?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I read this this article on Cruise Radio that had an interesting idea that if the United States suspended the law cruise ships could sail between US states without having to stop in a foreign port such as Canada or the Bahamas. They also mention the Jones act. Here's the link.
https://cruiseradio.net/the-jones-act-passsenger-vessel-services-act-1886-maritime-law/

While that's true, I seriously doubt that changes to, or a revocation of, the PVSA will occur due to the pandemic.

The Jones Act has nothing to do with cruise ships, it relates to the transport of cargo.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I think they are after clicks. No one in Congress has seriously spearheaded this.

 

[OKW Lover]

I think they are after clicks. No one in Congress has seriously spearheaded this.

Agree. And the unions would heavily contest the change.

 

[insureman]

While that's true, I seriously doubt that changes to, or a revocation of, the PVSA will occur due to the pandemic.

The Jones Act has nothing to do with cruise ships, it relates to the transport of cargo.

I think they are after clicks. No one in Congress has seriously spearheaded this.

Funny that you mention about no one spearheading this. I just found this from the Grassroots Institute of Hawaii. See the pdf that's is in the body of the article. I'm sure the congressional delegation from Hawaii already has a copy.
https://www.grassrootinstitute.org/2020/10/a-law-that-limits-ocean-cruising-for-hawaii/

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Funny that you mention about no one spearheading this. I just found this from the Grassroots Institute of Hawaii. See the pdf that's is in the body of the article. I'm sure the congressional delegation from Hawaii already has a copy.
https://www.grassrootinstitute.org/2020/10/a-law-that-limits-ocean-cruising-for-hawaii/

Well, the last time the it was brought under discussion about changing/revoking the PVSA, the proposed changes to the law were worse than how it's set up now. Including, on any given cruise the number of foreign ports must equal the number of US ports. Foreign port stops must be at least 48 hours.

And let's not overlook the fact that the PVSA also covers ferries, water taxies, commuter boats, whale-watching boats, sight seeing boats, etc. And was a safety issue initially that caused the PVSA to be written. Revoking or changing the law could mean that all passenger carrying vessels (remember PASSENGER vessel services act) would not be required to meet safety standards. And a river cruise from St Louis to New Orleans could be on a vessel built without the safety standards that US ships require.

 

[insureman]

Here's more from Hawaii.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Here's more from Hawaii.

Again, Jones Act has to do with cargo. It won't affect Passenger vessels.

 

[insureman]

Again, Jones Act has to do with cargo. It won't affect Passenger vessels.

Just wanted to show that people are interested in amending these acts.

 

[insureman]

Again, Jones Act has to do with cargo. It won't affect Passenger vessels.

Also near the end on the video they speak about the PVSA.

 

[tvguy]

I just wonder if there is enough interest in routes just between U.S. ports? I would think if the cruise industry thought so they would have lobbied for changes years ago.

 

[spiders]

I like cruising but I would be opposed, even during COVID. If you want the benefits of a US flagged ship then flag it in the US. If you chose to flag it elsewhere for financial or other conveniences then you need to live by the rules or reflag.

 

[jdb in AZ]

I like cruising but I would be opposed, even during COVID. If you want the benefits of a US flagged ship then flag it in the US. If you chose to flag it elsewhere for financial or other conveniences then you need to live by the rules or reflag.

To be a U.S. flagged ship, it has to have been built in the U.S.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

To be a U.S. flagged ship, it has to have been built in the U.S.

Yep.

 

[tarheelz]

All objections to changes are grounded in the knowledge that more than one feature of US law is flawed.

There are no laws of physics mandating that a ship must first port in a foreign nation before returning, that safety standards cannot be imposed upon every ship that enters US waters or departs US ports, or that a ship built elsewhere may not be flagged here. For that matter, it turns out it is entirely within the whim of Congress to have different rules for different classes of ships.

 

[insureman]

All objections to changes are grounded in the knowledge that more than one feature of US law is flawed.

There are no laws of physics mandating that ship must first port in a foreign nation before returning, that safety standards cannot be imposed upon every ship that enters US waters or departs US ports, or that a ship built elsewhere may not be flagged here. For that matter, it turns out it is entirely within the whim of Congress to have different rules for different classes of ships.

Agreed and with the way things are now they should amend the the Act.

 

[insureman]

Don Young from Alaska pitches waiver to benefit cruise industry and Alaska.
https://cruise.blog/2020/10/canada-bans-cruise-ships-until-least-february

 

[bcwife76]

Don Young from Alaska pitches waiver to benefit cruise industry and Alaska.
https://cruise.blog/2020/10/canada-bans-cruise-ships-until-least-february

So if there was a waiver this would help cruises out of Seattle but would still mean no Disney Wonder sailings as they do out of Vancouver. And it's not a case of 'let's just switch the sailings to Seattle' as those berths have already been assigned to other cruise lines.

 

[jrabbit]

So if there was a waiver this would help cruises out of Seattle but would still mean no Disney Wonder sailings as they do out of Vancouver. And it's not a case of 'let's just switch the sailings to Seattle' as those berths have already been assigned to other cruise lines.

Astoria Oregon as a departure / return port. Granted, the minimum sailing to Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan would probably be 9 nights, but more likely 10. And yes, there's no easy way to get to Astoria, even for Oregonians. But it is a beautiful 2.5 hour drive from Portland. Heck could sail from/to Portland. I would love a cruise on the Columbia along with going to Alaska / Seattle or south to San Francisco / LA/ San Diego.