Jump to content

Cruise to No Where


Recommended Posts

The problem is the Passenger Vessel Services Act  It doesn’t allow for foreign registered ships to travel exclusively between US ports. They have to make a stop at a foreign port. it’s the same for foreign airplanes. That’s what we have very few “fifth freedom” routes. 
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passenger_Vessel_Services_Act_of_1886

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah it's a matter of cabotage and it's not allowed.  

I don't think the CDC is concerned about picking up the virus in a foreign land.  The CDC is concerned that social distancing is difficult in places like churches, schools, sporting events, music concerts and cruise ships.  In these places it's easy to someone who is asymptomatic (has no signs of being infected) but who is infected to pass the virus along to an otherwise healthy person.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, L454S said:

Yet we still operate airlines and get in a "tube" for hours with other people. That is how this spread around the world, and continues to be.

Here in Australia, thankfully all non-essential domestic travel via aeroplane is effectively banned, and no international visitors are allowed in. My state of Western Australia won't even allowing anyone in by car from interstate, without an appropriate exemption.  These measures are strict, and they have been working.

As for cruise ships, forget about it. There have been multiple instances now of Covid-19 spreading like wildfire on cruise ships. I can't contemplate why anyone would want to get on one right now. As much as we all love cruising, now is the time to exercise some patience, weather the storm, and look forward to a day when the Covid cloud is lifted, whenever that may be.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, KWofPerth said:

Here in Australia, thankfully all non-essential domestic travel via aeroplane is effectively banned, and no international visitors are allowed in. My state of Western Australia won't even allowing anyone in by car from interstate, without an appropriate exemption.  These measures are strict, and they have been working.

As for cruise ships, forget about it. There have been multiple instances now of Covid-19 spreading like wildfire on cruise ships. I can't contemplate why anyone would want to get on one right now. As much as we all love cruising, now is the time to exercise some patience, weather the storm, and look forward to a day when the Covid cloud is lifted, whenever that may be.

Over here , they still define air travel as essential. Even issued bail out money.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think I need to change my name to WAAAYTOOLLD .  I know for a fact I did a cruise to nowhere out of NYC back in the mid 80s, I want to say it was Carnival.    We did this right before we went back to college in the summer.  Went up to Cape Cod, did not dock, came back to NYC.

It was cheaper than renting a hotel room at the Jersey shore for the weekend!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Pima1988 said:

I think I need to change my name to WAAAYTOOLLD .  I know for a fact I did a cruise to nowhere out of NYC back in the mid 80s, I want to say it was Carnival.    We did this right before we went back to college in the summer.  Went up to Cape Cod, did not dock, came back to NYC.

It was cheaper than renting a hotel room at the Jersey shore for the weekend!

 

That may have been what I was remembering  ... the 80s ... has it really been that long!?! ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, Chadster said:

Here's a story from 2015 from Travel Weekly, talking about the fact that the cruise lines stopped doing "cruises to nowhere" from U.S. ports in 2016.

https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Customs-says-cruises-to-nowhere-were-never-legal

I remember this. That is the first time I heard about that weird obscure law that ships can't leave a US port and return without stopping in a foreign port. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, KWofPerth said:

Here in Australia, thankfully all non-essential domestic travel via aeroplane is effectively banned, and no international visitors are allowed in. My state of Western Australia won't even allowing anyone in by car from interstate, without an appropriate exemption.  These measures are strict, and they have been working.

As for cruise ships, forget about it. There have been multiple instances now of Covid-19 spreading like wildfire on cruise ships. I can't contemplate why anyone would want to get on one right now. As much as we all love cruising, now is the time to exercise some patience, weather the storm, and look forward to a day when the Covid cloud is lifted, whenever that may be.

Your assumption is that we as individuals may be able to weather this storm, BUT what about the cruise lines,  RC, Carnival and Norwegian??  Now that the 100 Day order from the CDC is in place, its looking worse.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

If you are a US registered vessel you can do a cruise to nowhere.  It’s just that it’s waaaytoo expensive an regulations-onerous to be a US flagged vessel !

Not true.  Entirely depends on the crew as well and their Visa status. If they are D1 Visa holders, no matter the ship, they have NOT departed the US from a port if they just go nowhere.  They have to go to another foreign port.  Its different if they are an all American crew or a permanent resident crew.    Immigration Law is in play here as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Even US flagged vessels can't always do cruises to nowhere if they venture out of territorial water (INTL).

I recall a new gambling venture in SC that tried this.  The theory was once in INTL waters they could gamble for a few hours then return.  Didn't work out so well for them.  

It's way more complex than "If US flagged then can do nowhere cruise".

The gambling ships always trying to use loopholes just illustrates how the US gov't can't just allow it for cruise ships.  There is always some business looking for loopholes to exploit.  

Laws are not written to the few exceptions.  They are all encompassing.  For every loophole there will be someone trying to use it for profit.  The PVSA doesn't state "cruise ships" rather any vessel carrying passengers.  Laws are kept broad to avoid some entrepreneur from finding and exploiting a loophole.   

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Man it would be fun and I would do this in a heartbeat, Oasis from NJ out to the middle of the Atlantic towards England and then come home or go out to the very spot Titanic sank. Ok, maybe that is eerie to some but as Titanic nut that has fascinated with the story since I was 10 years old. That would be really cool to me anyway. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, Chadster said:

Here's a story from 2015 from Travel Weekly, talking about the fact that the cruise lines stopped doing "cruises to nowhere" from U.S. ports in 2016.

https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Customs-says-cruises-to-nowhere-were-never-legal

Thank you. I was thinking that I was imagining some of the previous 'cruise to nowhere' offerings, or at the very least, time had gotten away from me. So, no waivers, just not a lot of enforcement until someone pushed it and ruined it for everyone. ??

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...