Why DCL won't go directly from LA to Hawaii on its way to Asia

[nikjd68]

In this week's podcast, the cast was discussing the rumor of a trans-Pacific DCL voyage. It was mentioned that the ship would go from Florida, around the Panama Canal to LA and then head across the Pacific. It was mentioned that Hawaii would be a natural stop.

Under Federal Law (an old one from the 1800's), Disney would be unable to do that. Any ship built outside the US or that sails under a foreign flag, that leaves a US port must dock at a foreign port before it docks again at a US port. That is why, for instance, Alaska cruises either leave from a Canadian port or stop in one along the way. (Note: No passenger ship has been built in the US since the 1950's: it is too expensive to build here. Also, if you sail under a foreign flag, you can hire cheap foreign labor). Also, there is no cruise around Hawaii (there was one that was in operation about 10 years ago that took a convenient 1,000-mile detour to Micronesia during the cruise. I don't know if it is still in business). An exception was made a few years ago for NCL, but that was only for two ships it bought from an American company that went bankrupt trying to build them in America. Those now sail around Hawaii.

Just a thought (a long boring thought).

 

[TSWJan78]

I could make a quick stop in Mexico. That is what my mom's cruise did when it left LA and went to Hawaii. I do not think they let anyone off the ship in Mexico.

 

[G8RFAN]

Interesting. I know there are exceptions to the rule here as many eastern Caribbean cruises that start at Miami will first stop at Key West and also for these cruises to nowhere to fill in gaps for casino junkets where they always return to the same US port of call without ever going to a foreign port. Almost none of them are US flagged. Another interesting tidbit is that they all purchase their supplies (food, liquor, etc.) without Federal, State and local taxes and duties. So your rum runner really costs them less than half to make compared to a local bar. Since the ships normally open the poolside bars right away, they will pay a fixed stipend in lieu of taxes and duties.

 

[tristessaFL]

Hmmmm...My parents took a 15 day cruise on Princess around Hawaii that left and returned to the Port of San Diego. Also, my last cruise (Carnival) went from Miami, directly to its first port in San Juan, Puerto Rico, then to St. Thomas in the USVI.

EDIT: Just remembered...my very first cruise was in Alaska on Princess. We left from Seward, Alaska and then went to three different Alaskan ports (Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan) before docking in Vancouver.

EDIT AGAIN: What about the New England cruises that start in NYC and go to Boston, make a stop or two in Maine, and THEN stop in Canada? Maybe this rule is for ships that sail a certain distance from US soil (in open waters vs. skimming the coast like in NE and AK and around the Hawaiian islands).

 

[nikjd68]

Interesting. I know there are exceptions to the rule here as many eastern Caribbean cruises that start at Miami will first stop at Key West.

For Atlantic and Caribbean cruises, Bermuda, the Bahamas, and any island beyond Key West qualify as a foreign port.

 

[G8RFAN]

For Atlantic and Caribbean cruises, Bermuda, the Bahamas, and any island beyond Key West qualify as a foreign port.

Yes, I understand that. I was just commenting that some cruise ships go from Miami to Key West without stopping at any foreign port in between en route to Cancun/Cozumel. A few may argue that Miami is a foreign country and that Key West is a different planet, but I'd have to respectfully disagree.

 

[nikjd68]

Hmmmm...My parents took a 15 day cruise on Princess around Hawaii that left and returned to the Port of San Diego. Also, my last cruise (Carnival) went from Miami, directly to its first port in San Juan, Puerto Rico, then to St. Thomas in the USVI.

EDIT: Just remembered...my very first cruise was in Alaska on Princess. We left from Seward, Alaska and then went to three different Alaskan ports (Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan) before docking in Vancouver.

EDIT AGAIN: What about the New England cruises that start in NYC and go to Boston, make a stop or two in Maine, and THEN stop in Canada? Maybe this rule is for ships that sail a certain distance from US soil (in open waters vs. skimming the coast like in NE and AK and around the Hawaiian islands).

Right. But each of those was one "trip" and it had a foreign port as part of the itinerary. If LA to Hawaii to Hong Kong is one trip, that is OK, but what the Podcast said was that Disney likes to do is to break it up into segments and sell each one as a seperate trip. And since the trip to Hawaii to LA takes 4-5 days it would look like a natural segment, but not legal. That being said, if you get off and fly back from Hawaii, who would know.

 

[nikjd68]

Yes, I understand that. I was just commenting that some cruise ships go from Miami to Key West without stopping at any foreign port in between en route to Cancun/Cozumel. A few may argue that Miami is a foreign country and that Key West is a different planet, but I'd have to respectfully disagree.

I hear you. since I was talking about the LA to Hawaii as a trip, I wasn't clear on a US-US-US-foreign port-US trip, for example. My bad.

 

[Joan1]

Going from Florida through the Panama Canal the ship will make a stop at a foreign port, several along the way

 

[Joan1]

Going from Florida through the Panama Canal the ship would make stops at non U.S. ports. Also if it goes from LA to Hawaii it can just make a stop at Ensenada, Mexico to meet that requirement

 

[m&m's mom]

Hmmmm...My parents took a 15 day cruise on Princess around Hawaii that left and returned to the Port of San Diego. Also, my last cruise (Carnival) went from Miami, directly to its first port in San Juan, Puerto Rico, then to St. Thomas in the USVI.

My parents did the exact same cruise. They stopped in Mexico long enough to meet the criteria and then left. No one was allowed off.
I have heard it referred to as the Jones Act.

 

[pschnebs]

NCL also had the option of going to Fanning Island in Kiribati to get around the Jones Act (I think that's what it's called). All DCL would have to do is go a couple of days out of its way - either to Mexico or Samoa or whatever - and they'd comply.

 

[wilde_oscar]

if the law is as the OP suggests, it would be inconsistant with the itens I have found on several cruise lines in a brief search of Hawaiian Cruises.

 

[CDSTapisRouge]

if the law is as the OP suggests, it would be inconsistant with the itens I have found on several cruise lines in a brief search of Hawaiian Cruises.

And you will find this because Norweigan Cruise line found a loop hole and are currently the only cruise line that can offer that itinerary. NCL has 3 ships, The Pride of Hawaii, The Pride of Aloha and The Pride of America that are currently flagged US ships. Unlike other cruise lines that are registered in foreign countries (DCL is registered in Nassau). Because they are registered to the US they must carry an entirely US crew and they can travel within the Hawaiian Islands without going to a foreign port of call, currently however NCL is the only cruise line that is able to do this, all others must go to a foreign port of call at sometime in the itinerary.

As for the questions about Key West, etc .... The cruise lines can do that, BUT they can not embark or debark passengers at those ports of call. For example if your ship leaves from Miami and the first stop is Key West, you have missed your flight and have to "catch up with the ship" you will have to wait for the ship to reach Cozumel (for example) you would not be able to fly into Key West and board the ship. The ship has to reach a foreign port before they can let you on.

 

[nikjd68]

if the law is as the OP suggests, it would be inconsistant with the itens I have found on several cruise lines in a brief search of Hawaiian Cruises.

And, I would just like to point it out, OP discussed this in his OP

 

[dwelty]

In this week's podcast, the cast was discussing the rumor of a trans-Pacific DCL voyage. It was mentioned that the ship would go from Florida, around the Panama Canal to LA and then head across the Pacific. It was mentioned that Hawaii would be a natural stop.

Under Federal Law (an old one from the 1800's), Disney would be unable to do that. Any ship built outside the US or that sails under a foreign flag, that leaves a US port must dock at a foreign port before it docks again at a US port. That is why, for instance, Alaska cruises either leave from a Canadian port or stop in one along the way. (Note: No passenger ship has been built in the US since the 1950's: it is too expensive to build here. Also, if you sail under a foreign flag, you can hire cheap foreign labor). Also, there is no cruise around Hawaii (there was one that was in operation about 10 years ago that took a convenient 1,000-mile detour to Micronesia during the cruise. I don't know if it is still in business). An exception was made a few years ago for NCL, but that was only for two ships it bought from an American company that went bankrupt trying to build them in America. Those now sail around Hawaii.

Just a thought (a long boring thought).

Ships departing and returing to LA and San Diego to/from Hawaii stop at Ensenada Mexico for this very reason. It happens all the time.