Why Do Cruise Ships Have To Stop In Canada?

Canada has lifted a ban on cruise ships in Canadian waters since mid-March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The ban was officially removed on November 1, 2021, and will remain until February 2022, effectively shutting down Alaska’s 2021 cruise season. The Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA) requires foreign-flagged cruise ships to stop somewhere outside of the United States when offering cruises to Alaska. Most cruise ships are not American-flagged vessels, so they are required to stop at a foreign port before returning to the US.

The Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA) is a law that requires foreign-flagged ships to visit at least one foreign country during the cruise. A cruise line would face significant penalties for not complying with the act. In March 2020, Canada banned cruises from stopping at its ports as part of its efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19. However, the Alaska delegation wants more certainty.

The move prohibits passenger vessels carrying more than 100 people from entering Canadian waters. It also jeopardizes 2021’s North America-based cruise season. The Jones Act requires non-US Flagged ships to stop in a foreign port, but the government made a one-year exception last year to help out Alaskan cruise lines.

A 1830s law states that foreign-flagged ships are not supposed to transport passengers. As the Adventure of the Seas was foreign-flagged and built, it was barred from taking passengers along for the ride to its new homeport in Fort Lauderdale.

Are there cruises that don’t stop anywhere?

A Nowhere cruise doesn’t stop at any port of calls; its destination is simply the sea! If you’re a first time cruiser and just want to dip your toe in cruising, or you just need a short getaway to an oasis of serenity at sea, then a Nowhere cruise is perfect for you!

Is there a way to get to Alaska without going through Canada?

Alaska is most certainly American, but it’s more than 2,000 miles away from the nearest state, Washington. Getting there with a vehicle requires either driving through Canada or taking a ferry. Both options boast unrivaled scenery and an adventurous experience, but require a little planning. Here are our recommendations for getting yourself and your vehicle to the Great Land, including road and water options.

Drive the Alaska-Canada Highway. The most direct route to Alaska is to get on the Alaska-Canada Highway (AlCan) in Dawson Creek, BC. If you’re coming from the middle or Eastern half of the lower 48 and you want to get there as fast as possible, head west in the US before going north to hop on the AlCan. Plan to spend at least four days traveling between Dawson Creek and Anchorage—more if you want to see some sights along the way.

This is the most popular route to Alaska by car, and there are plenty of gas stations and amenities along the way.

Can you take a cruise that stops in Canada without a passport?

Bottom line. While cruising with a passport is always recommended, it’s not required by law in certain circumstances. Closed-loop cruises from U.S. ports that visit Bermuda, Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico are part of an international agreement that allows U.S. citizens to cruise without a passport. In these cases, government-issued identification and proof of U.S. citizenship are acceptable alternatives to a passport book.

Passport cards are an affordable and unquestionable alternative to carrying an ID and birth certificate. If you want to go this route, know they are not valid for travel by air into or out of any foreign country, including Canada, Mexico, Bermuda or Caribbean countries — which is the primary reason most travel advisers urge cruisers to have a passport book.

As we’ve shown, you have plenty of options for where to cruise without a passport, and many travelers do so without incident. However, anything from engine trouble on your cruise ship to bad weather or an accident in port might necessitate a flight home from a foreign country. This would put you in an awkward position if you didn’t have a passport.

Do you need a passport to cruise to Alaska from Canada?

U.S. citizens flying between another state and Alaska do not need a passport. However, thosedriving through Canadaor traveling on aferryorcruise shipwith stops in Canada are required to carry one. All non U.S. citizens will need a passport and possibly other documents to enter. As with all travel, check withU.S. Customs and Border Protectionand theTransportation Security Administrationas you plan your trip.

Weather. Protected by the Chugach Mountains and warmed by currents of the Pacific Ocean, Anchorage’s mild climate…

Hours of Daylight. With so much natural beauty and so many things to see and do how could anyone pack in all that Southcentral…

Why do cruises have to stop at an international port?

The simple answer to this question is because there is a 1830s law on the books that states that foreign-flagged ships are not supposed to transport passengers from one U.S. port to another without stopping in a foreign country. The law was established to protect U.S.-flagged cruise lines, unfortunately the law is outdated.

The more complicated answer is that there are very few U.S.-flagged cruise ships for a number of reasons, mostly relating to finances. To be classified as a U.S.-flagged ship, and therefore be able to travel between any U.S. ports, there is certain criterion:

• The cruise ship must have been built, or born, in a U.S. shipyard.
• The cruise ship must be staffed by U.S. crewmembers and paid based on U.S. minimum wage laws.
• The cruise ship must be owned by a U.S. company. It must also be registered in the U.S.

Can you cruise Alaska without going to Canada?

You can take a cruise from Japan that ends in Alaska without visiting a Canadian port. Although there will be some Japan port stops. I’m sure you won’t get any good suggestions to your question.

Why are cruise ships not stopping in Key West?

After the pandemic shut down cruise traffic, residents and activists convinced the city council to permanently limit the number of passengers flooding the island to 1,500 a day. But DeSantis and lawmakers overturned those rules. In 2022, Safer Cleaner Ships and other activists convinced the council to pass a new rule: only one ship a day is now allowed to dock at the historic harbor.

This new lease comes after a wave of complaints over bigger ships that exceeded the boundary limits spelled out in a decades-old lease.

In response, DEP granted Pier B Development Corp. and president Mark Walsh, a temporary lease in June 2023 that expanded boundaries to accommodate the bigger ships.

In recommending full approval of the new lease, DEP officials noted that the expansion would not lead to worse water quality or harm any habitat or rare species. In the Keys, that includes the largest remnants of Florida’s reef tract, miles of seagrass meadows and endangered species including coral, sea turtles and manatees. The area is also home to sawfish, now undergoing a mysterious die-off. Since January, 27 of the rare fish have been found dead in Key West and around the Lower Keys.

Do I need a visa if my cruise stops in Canada?

Visa-exempt travellers. You’re considered a visa-exempt traveller if you’re from an eTA-required country.

You need an eTA to transit through Canada by air if you’re from an eTA-required country.

You don’t need an eTA if you’re transiting through Canada and you enter by train, bus, boat or cruise ship. You do need to bring the right travel documents.

Why did cruises to nowhere stop?

They need to stop at a foreign port. Cruises to nowhere are still legal under PVSA regulations but they were discontinued by the cruise lines several years ago when DHS ruled that crew would require a different type of US work visa than most held.

As stated by@1025cruiseabove, it arose from a court ruling involving a casino boat in Florida. DHS really had no choice in the matter…the courts mandated it.

Ok thanks, for clarifying. I get that now. I was thinking of a different ruling that involved PVSA.

My personal thoughts on the Cruise to Nowhere is that they fit a need for a certain type of cruiser, not me, those that really just want to get on a ship and taste the fun of it all and then get on back home.

Why do you have to stop in Canada on an Alaskan cruise?

All cruises sailing from the U.S. must stop in Canada or another foreign port due to the Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA). Under this act, foreign-flagged ships must visit at least one foreign country during the cruise. A cruise line would face significant penalties for not complying. What is this?

If you are taking a cruise from the US, you may be wondering why all itineraries include a port stop in a foreign port.

The most notable examples of this are often Alaskan itineraries that include a Canadian port.

In many other parts of the world, it is possible to take a cruise with no ports, or a few ports in the same country.

Are cruise ships required to stop in Canada?

Why Do Cruises From The US Have to Stop in Canada or Another Foreign Port? All cruises sailing from the U.S. must stop in Canada or another foreign port due to the Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA). Under this act, foreign-flagged ships must visit at least one foreign country during the cruise.

If you are taking a cruise from the US, you may be wondering why all itineraries include a port stop in a foreign port.

The most notable examples of this are often Alaskan itineraries that include a Canadian port.

In many other parts of the world, it is possible to take a cruise with no ports, or a few ports in the same country.