Illegal to Cruise to Hawaii?

[Del Pranke]

Just to be sure that the story is straight. It is not illegal to take a cruise ship from the mainland and get off in Hawaii and stay here, if you are an American Citizen. It is required by law that the cruise line sell you a round trip ticket. If you can get a good deal on a ticket (through William Shattner)it might be worth it to not use the return ticket. I'm not that enthralled about ocean cruises. BORING.

[Blakeyboy1]

That is not how I read the law but I have also contacted the cruise lines for verification. And I agree to a point about cruises. We are not huge fans. Still arriving at the islands via sea sounds intriguing to us and spending a few chill boring days at sea sounds nicer to us than 4-5 hours packed into that aluminum air tube.

-Blake
http://www.theboysgreatescape.blogspot.com/

[Greg]

Bob Orts writes:

Quote: "That ship would be allowed under law to pickup cargo in Hawaii, go to San Diego and drop of the remainder of the cars so long as the cargo they picked up in Hawaii is not unloaded in another US port during that sailing. It doesn’t matter how many US ports the ship picks up and drops off at, so long as what is picked up in a US port is not dropped off in another US port during that trip."
______________________________________________________________________

If I understand correctly, this is what quells competition and allows Matson and Young Brothers to charge pretty much what they want. I can't load my product on a half full foreign ship for offloading in say, San Diego, even if they offer discounted rates.

I must use our local carrier. I see this as adding to our cost of living.


Stoneface

[Rob Tucker]

Blake,

If you really want to travel by sea without legal restrictions or fear of boredom there are usually private yachts looking for crew on the west coast.

Downside: 20-30 days at sea.

Upside: You get to visit the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

[Bob Orts]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Greg

I can't load my product on a half full foreign ship for offloading in say, San Diego, even if they offer discounted rates.

---

Try this, a truck with Peru license and registartion, driven by a Columbian, insured in Belize, operating under the laws of Somolia, picks up a load of vegetables in Mexico City. They enter the US and drops half the load in Phoenix and the other half in Denver. Should they (as a foreign company) be allowed to pickup goods in Phoenix and drop them off in Denver?

[Kapohocat]

What about a repositioning cruise? A friend of ours took it from new Orleans to Hnl when she was moving to the Big island. The cost was much lower for 1 adult 2 children than 3 one way air tix from Dallas.

[Greg]

Bob,

Is the truck a Ford, or a GM?
[]

Seriously,
If the truck as you describe it can legally enter the US, I'd be a fool to pay twice as much to a US company and wasting fuel as well to ship my stuff.

Competition, good. Monopoly, bad.

Keep in mind I'm neither a legal expert or a shrewd businessman.

Stoneface

[mr._dog]

yep, thats the 80 year old jones act... same reason why it costs $2500 to ship a 40" container from china to long beach, then $4500 to ship the same container from long beach to hilo, less than half the distance. Dan Inouye's really a great guy, isn't he?



"nothing in this universe makes sense. Its not supposed to... You get to construct your own concepts if you are lucky... Unlucky if you believe what some one else tells you is the truth."

[Bob Orts]

I hear everyone complaining about the "Jones Act" but I bet your work is protected by a similar version that applies to you industry. I wonder how many people would be complaining about the Jones Act if the protections of Jones Act style legislation were eliminated on all commerce that is now protected. People will be screaming and pitching a stink. Name any industry and I'll show you how a "Jones Act" style regulation protects you and imagine what it would be like if it wasn’t there.

It's so easy to complain when your targeting protections on something that doesn't cause you to be behind the eight ball, but have your protections eliminated and watch how people go from bitchers of these rules to beggars for even tougher ones.

[pslamont]

What exactly is the Jones act protects us Hawaiian residents from? Lower shipping costs yielding lowered cost of goods from Asia? That helps us how again?

I want to be the kind of woman that, when my feet
hit the floor each morning, the devil says

"Oh Crap, She's up!"