Canada single-handedly destroys the Alaska cruise industry

 

This week, Canada has contributed to the ruination of the Alaska cruise industry. Numerous cruise lines, including Princess, Celebrity, Disney, Norwegian, Holland-America, Crystal, and Seabourn, cruise to Alaska from ports on the US West Coast, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle. Canada has now prohibited any cruise line from cruising in their waters, or landing at any of their ports, until the end of February 2022. That is a year from now. Not to mention, the ruination of the finances of the State of Alaska, which stands to lose over 800,000 passengers who shop and tour in Alaska from those cruise ships, and up to $800,000,000 of revenue from those passengers.

Canada also hosts other cruise lines on the US Great Lakes, St. Lawrence Seaway, and Atlantic Coast from ports in the US such as Detroit, Chicago, New York, and Boston. For the next year, cruise lines such as Victory and American Queen will not be able to run river cruises that touch any part of Canada. Just this week, we received in our mail fancy brochures from both of the above cruise lines, detailing their 2021 sailings, which will now have to be canceled.

The reason for all this destruction of economic value and livelihoods? Yes, it’s the Wuhan Coronavirus pandemic. Canada just could not allow itself to be invaded by all those infected tourists, who would, of course, spread the deadly virus to every Canadian citizen they encountered. “Public health” is now the accepted reason for millions of people all over the world being prevented from traveling, visiting their loved ones in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, eating out at a local restaurant, attending school or concerts, and celebrating holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas with their families.

Just when do the people start fighting the Health Nazis in government, who seem to be bent on the destruction of their lives and the economies of their countries? Just when do the populations of the US and Canada, in particular, decide that enough is enough, and it is time to go back to living their lives? When is it finally time to admit that the virus will be impossible to contain, control, or stop spreading? When will it be time to start protecting the most vulnerable older citizens and let the rest of the world get back to work, play, and cruise vacations? If it is not soon, many more deaths of despair will occur, and more industries will die, all in the name of “keeping the public safe”.

LET OUR CRUISES GO!

[originally posted at RushBabe49.com]

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  1. ctlaw Coolidge
    ctlaw
    @ctlaw

    Apparently, this is a continuation of an existing ban.

    • #1
  2. Dr. Bastiat Member
    Dr. Bastiat
    @drbastiat

    Shutting down until the end of February?  NEXT February?  Wow.

    Perhaps they haven’t heard of the vaccines.  Or perhaps they think the vaccine data was falsified.  Or perhaps this is not about the virus at all.  Or perhaps they’re incompetent.  Hard to say…

    • #2
  3. Doctor Robert Member
    Doctor Robert
    @DoctorRobert

    Dr. Bastiat (View Comment):

    Shutting down until the end of February? NEXT February? Wow.

    Perhaps they haven’t heard of the vaccines. Or perhaps they think the vaccine data was falsified. Or perhaps this is not about the virus at all. Or perhaps they’re incompetent. Hard to say…

    They’re not incompetent.  They are very good at what they are doing.

    • #3
  4. RushBabe49 Thatcher
    RushBabe49
    @RushBabe49

    The US-Canada border has been closed for nearly a year already.  And Canada is cutting off its nose to spite its face, since the vast majority of tourists there come from America.  A goodly portion of their own revenue is US tourism.  We go to Victoria, BC often, since we honeymooned there, and we will now not be able to go back for another year.  Victoria is primarily a tourist town, and they will suffer greatly.  Well, let them.

    • #4
  5. Hoyacon Member
    Hoyacon
    @Hoyacon

    So you can’t even pass Canada in their waters?  That’s some serious social distancing. 

     

    • #5
  6. ape2ag Member
    ape2ag
    @ape2ag

    Payback for cancelling Keystone.

    • #6
  7. Aaron Miller Inactive
    Aaron Miller
    @AaronMiller

    It’s jaw-dropping how widespread the insanity has become. The whole world is set for collapse.

    • #7
  8. Full Size Tabby Member
    Full Size Tabby
    @FullSizeTabby

    Hoyacon (View Comment):

    So you can’t even pass Canada in their waters? That’s some serious social distancing.

    From a tweet by Omar Alghabra, Minister of Transport (via the KOMO link in the original post):

    Today, I announced a 1-year ban on pleasure craft in Canadian Arctic waters and cruise vessels in all Canadian waters, these prohibitions will protect the most vulnerable among our communities and avoid overwhelming our health care systems.

     That has no scientific basis, at least with respect to a boat passing by in the ocean without docking in Canada. More evidence that none of the rules are based on science.

     

     

    • #8
  9. Full Size Tabby Member
    Full Size Tabby
    @FullSizeTabby

    ape2ag (View Comment):

    Payback for cancelling Keystone.

    That’s an interesting theory. 

    • #9
  10. Hoyacon Member
    Hoyacon
    @Hoyacon

    Unable to figure out the as-the-crow-flies distance between Vancouver BC and, say, Ketchikan AK. That’s pretty much the Canadian coastline, but the map apps just want to give you driving directions.

    I assume that the strained rationale for the policy is that there may be an “outbreak” on a cruise ship, and the ship will want to dock in Canada for assistance.  It’s all that I can think of.

    • #10
  11. ape2ag Member
    ape2ag
    @ape2ag

    Full Size Tabby (View Comment):

    ape2ag (View Comment):

    Payback for cancelling Keystone.

    That’s an interesting theory.

    I’m not even sure if I meant it as a joke or not.

    • #11
  12. The Scarecrow Thatcher
    The Scarecrow
    @TheScarecrow

    I wonder how mant Canadians die every day in drunk driving accidents?  I haven’t noticed them banning travel by automobile in their country.

    • #12
  13. Captain French Moderator
    Captain French
    @AlFrench

    The Alaskan cruise I went on started at Vancouver but didn’t call at any other Canadian ports. The cruise lines should be able to successfully cruise from Seattle. Longer cruises from California might not be economical without stops in Vancouver and Victoria.

    • #13
  14. MWD B612 "Dawg" Member
    MWD B612 "Dawg"
    @danok1

    RushBabe49 (View Comment):

    The US-Canada border has been closed for nearly a year already. And Canada is cutting off its nose to spite its face, since the vast majority of tourists there come from America. A goodly portion of their own revenue is US tourism. We go to Victoria, BC often, since we honeymooned there, and we will now not be able to go back for another year. Victoria is primarily a tourist town, and they will suffer greatly. Well, let them.

    I was planning to visit Cape Breton Island this fall, but it doesn’t look like that will be possible. I did a little research and found that in 2017, Cape Breton had tourism revenue of 473 million CAD. That’s a substantial amount for such a small island. As you said RushBabe, they will suffer.

    • #14
  15. Annefy Member
    Annefy
    @Annefy

    Full Size Tabby (View Comment):

    Hoyacon (View Comment):

    So you can’t even pass Canada in their waters? That’s some serious social distancing.

    From a tweet by Omar Alghabra, Minister of Transport (via the KOMO link in the original post):

    Today, I announced a 1-year ban on pleasure craft in Canadian Arctic waters and cruise vessels in all Canadian waters, these prohibitions will protect the most vulnerable among our communities and avoid overwhelming our health care systems.

    That has no scientific basis, at least with respect to a boat passing by in the ocean without docking in Canada. More evidence that none of the rules are based on science.

     

     

    I’m no expert. But a friend (who is a travel agent specializing in cruises) posted this news yesterday. “Since every Alaska cruise by law must visit a foreign port …”

    • #15
  16. RushBabe49 Thatcher
    RushBabe49
    @RushBabe49

    Very few cruise ships are flagged in the US and because of Jones Act rules all cruise ships must dock in a foreign port when cruising in US waters between US ports. All Alaska cruises have a stop in either Vancouver or Victoria. The shutdown of the Alaska cruise industry is hurting Seattle too. 

    • #16
  17. Nohaaj Coolidge
    Nohaaj
    @Nohaaj

    Another archaic bizarre law in our bizarre world.

    • #17
  18. Hoyacon Member
    Hoyacon
    @Hoyacon

    RushBabe49 (View Comment):

    Very few cruise ships are flagged in the US and because of Jones Act rules all cruise ships must dock in a foreign port when cruising in US waters between US ports. All Alaska cruises have a stop in either Vancouver or Victoria. The shutdown of the Alaska cruise industry is hurting Seattle too.

    It sounds like the language about not being in Canadian “waters” was not necessary then.  A ban on docking effectively did the job.

    • #18
  19. Headedwest Coolidge
    Headedwest
    @Headedwest

    Nohaaj (View Comment):

    Another archaic bizarre law in our bizarre world.

    I believe it’s a labor union creation.

    • #19
  20. Aaron Miller Inactive
    Aaron Miller
    @AaronMiller

    RushBabe49 (View Comment):

    Very few cruise ships are flagged in the US and because of Jones Act rules all cruise ships must dock in a foreign port when cruising in US waters between US ports. All Alaska cruises have a stop in either Vancouver or Victoria. The shutdown of the Alaska cruise industry is hurting Seattle too.

    Is there some reason the formality persists though the original purpose is negated? I’m guessing there is some interest besides laziness that Congress never repealed the rule. 

    https://cruiseradio.net/the-jones-act-passsenger-vessel-services-act-1886-maritime-law/

    • #20
  21. A-Squared Inactive
    A-Squared
    @ASquared

    RushBabe49 (View Comment):

    Very few cruise ships are flagged in the US and because of Jones Act rules all cruise ships must dock in a foreign port when cruising in US waters between US ports. All Alaska cruises have a stop in either Vancouver or Victoria. The shutdown of the Alaska cruise industry is hurting Seattle too. 

    That helps explain why the decision is so impactful (and makes sense.)  This is on those thing that could easily be fixed via Executive Order like Trump did during the aftermath of the hurricane that hit Puerto Rico.

    I will have to ask my wife about this, she grew up in Juneau and the economy there is very tourism based (there are no roads out of Juneau, the only way out is boat or plane.)  

    • #21
  22. Captain French Moderator
    Captain French
    @AlFrench

    Headedwest (View Comment):

    Nohaaj (View Comment):

    Another archaic bizarre law in our bizarre world.

    I believe it’s a labor union creation.

    It certainly helps the union, but it also protects shipping for time of war.

    • #22
  23. GeezerBob Coolidge
    GeezerBob
    @GeezerBob

    What a surprise. We cancel the Keystone pipeline and they cancel cruising. The Wuhan plague provides the perfect cover…

    • #23
  24. RushBabe49 Thatcher
    RushBabe49
    @RushBabe49

    Canceling cruising hurts them far more than it hurts us. We have a huge country for us to tour, with nearly unlimited places to visit. Canada doesn’t have as many, nor enough population to replace the tourist dollars they are shutting off. 

    • #24
  25. EHerring Coolidge
    EHerring
    @EHerring

    Aaron Miller (View Comment):

    RushBabe49 (View Comment):

    Very few cruise ships are flagged in the US and because of Jones Act rules all cruise ships must dock in a foreign port when cruising in US waters between US ports. All Alaska cruises have a stop in either Vancouver or Victoria. The shutdown of the Alaska cruise industry is hurting Seattle too.

    Is there some reason the formality persists though the original purpose is negated? I’m guessing there is some interest besides laziness that Congress never repealed the rule.

    https://cruiseradio.net/the-jones-act-passsenger-vessel-services-act-1886-maritime-law/

    It came up before when the hurricanes hit PR and Dems wanted to blame Trump for slow response. Seems Congress wasn’t interested in making a change for efficiency. 

    • #25
  26. Arthur Beare Member
    Arthur Beare
    @ArthurBeare

    Somehow I don’t think would last very long if Trump were still president. 

    If it would have happened at all  ( I buy the pipeline paybactktheory.)

    • #26
  27. Misthiocracy got drunk and Member
    Misthiocracy got drunk and
    @Misthiocracy

    Hoyacon (View Comment):

    Unable to figure out the as-the-crow-flies distance between Vancouver BC and, say, Ketchikan AK. That’s pretty much the Canadian coastline, but the map apps just want to give you driving directions.

    I assume that the strained rationale for the policy is that there may be an “outbreak” on a cruise ship, and the ship will want to dock in Canada for assistance. It’s all that I can think of.

    That’s precisely the publicly-stated rationale for the ban.  Also, if a ship has mechanical difficulties and has to be towed to a Canuckistani port, or any other sort of emergency and has to be serviced by the Canuckistani coast guard.

    Also, the eco-left hates cruise ships, and the Trudeaupians l0ve the eco-left, but I’m sure that’s just a coincidence.

    • #27
  28. Misthiocracy got drunk and Member
    Misthiocracy got drunk and
    @Misthiocracy

    ape2ag (View Comment):

    Payback for cancelling Keystone.

    Ha!  I wish that was the reason. That would require The Dauphin supporting Keystone.  Not likely.

    • #28
  29. DavidL Member
    DavidL
    @DavidL

    Apparently the Biden administration has said that it has no interest in granting any exemptions to the Jones Act, or the PVSA (the passenger equivalent), so help from there seems unlikely.

    In case anyone was wondering whether a cruise could start from, say LA, then make a quick stop in Ensenada before heading north, the CDC has a ban through the end of November on any cruise longer than seven days…

    • #29
  30. SkipSul Inactive
    SkipSul
    @skipsul

    Dr. Bastiat (View Comment):

    Shutting down until the end of February? NEXT February? Wow.

    Perhaps they haven’t heard of the vaccines. Or perhaps they think the vaccine data was falsified. Or perhaps this is not about the virus at all. Or perhaps they’re incompetent. Hard to say…

    Embrace the power of “and”.

    • #30
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