Change in Passenger Services Act?

[Ken]

The Travel Section of the San Francisco Chronicle carried an article this morning that mentioned a possible change in the Passenger Services Act of 1886 (the "Jones Act") that would permit non-U.S. flagged vessels to trave between U.S. ports without stopping at foreign ports during the voyage. At present this Act is why, when you cruise Hawaii on the NCL Star you must port at Fanning Island (to get you out of U.S. territory) and why you cannot cruise from, say, New York to Charleston.

The legislation is sponsored by John McCain (R-Arizona) but the article didn't mention the bill's number. Does anyone know it?

I'm dreaming of.... oh, say San Francisco to Honolulu... Seattle to SF to LA to Catalina (time for sea days there)...

[Cher]

Wouldn't THAT be awesome, let's keep our fingers crossed.
No more Ensenada to Hawaii? Yipee!!!!!!!

[JeffStern]

How about Miami, Key West, New Orleans and Houston, with sea days. In fact, the cruise lines would be smart to start 7-night cruises at several of the ports...

[Donna]

Hey Ken,
That is good news, keep us posted on this, OK?


Donna
Tuesday Chat HOst

[Ken]

Donna, I've emailed Sen. McCain's office asking for the Senate bill number and intend to write my own state senators (Boxer and Feinstein here in CA) expressing support. Additional (if vague) information from the newpaper article indicates that the bill has the support of roughly a dozen other senators (party affiliation unspecified) and is "likely" to pass, possibly as an add-on to another bill. I'll let you know what response I get.

[Donna]

Thanks Ken,
Sounds encouraging, got my fingers crossed.

Donna
Tuesday Chat HOst

this would certainly be beneficial to we, the cruising public

[bobbie]

I think you'll find A LOT of supporters of that bill here! If anyone finds out the bill number, maybe we can e-mail our appropriate legislative person and let them know we want this bill passed.

How about a San Diego to San Francisco and back cruise? Stops could be Catalina, Santa Barbara, Morro Bay & Monterey.

I would love to see the law changed, but this proposal happens all the time and the US maritime unions grease politicians hands and have been preventing the change for years.