The Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA): What Travelers Need to Know for Linked Voyages

Josh Baltzer
Jun 28
3 min read

What is the Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA)?

If you're dreaming of stringing together multiple cruises—or combining a cruise with a land tour in the U.S.—you need to know about the Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA). Passed in 1886, the PVSA is a U.S. maritime law that affects foreign-flagged ships sailing between U.S. ports.

At its core, the PVSA is designed to protect U.S. shipping interests by regulating how foreign ships move passengers between U.S. destinations. While it was written long before the modern cruise industry even existed, it still applies today—and it can seriously impact your travel plans if you're not aware.

PVSA Rules in Simple Terms

Here’s what the law means for travelers:

Foreign-flagged ships (which includes most major cruise lines) cannot transport passengers directly between two U.S. ports unless the voyage includes a “distant foreign port.”
A distant foreign port is not just any port outside the U.S.—it must be farther away. For example:
- Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, and Bermuda do not count as distant foreign ports.
- South America, Europe, Asia, or transoceanic destinations do count.

What You Can’t Do

You can’t board a foreign-flagged cruise in Los Angeles and disembark in Seattle without stopping at a distant foreign port.
You can’t take back-to-back cruises that start and end in different U.S. ports unless they follow the PVSA rules.
You can’t hop on a roundtrip U.S. cruise, leave part-way through in another U.S. city, and fly home early. That’s considered a violation—even if it seems harmless.

What You Can Do

Luckily, there are ways to build an epic trip around these rules—if you plan it right:

✅ Start or end your journey in a foreign port. Vancouver, for example, is a great launch point for Alaskan cruises.

✅ Use different ships for different legs. For example, one cruise might end in Los Angeles, and the next might begin in San Diego—but they’re on different ships with different routes.

✅ Add a land tour in between. You can end one cruise and do a land-based tour before picking up a new cruise from a nearby port.

✅ Choose a cruise that stops at a distant foreign port. Some repositioning cruises and Panama Canal sailings may qualify.

✅ Use a U.S.-flagged cruise line. These are rare and often more expensive, but they can sail freely between U.S. ports. Norwegian’s Pride of America in Hawaii is a popular example.

How Destination Earth Helps

Planning linked voyages while navigating PVSA regulations can be tricky—but that’s where we come in.

At Destination Earth, we:

Build custom itineraries that comply with PVSA rules, so you avoid penalties and disruptions.
Coordinate multiple cruise lines or ship combinations to give you maximum flexibility and perks.
Handle the logistics—flights, hotels, transfers, and excursions between cruises or land segments.
Offer insider insights on which routes and ports qualify as “distant foreign” and what cruise lines are PVSA-savvy.

Want to string together a Caribbean cruise, a cross-country rail journey, and an Alaskan sailing? We can make it happen—and make sure you’re doing it legally.

Final Thoughts

The PVSA might seem like a roadblock at first, but with the right planning and support, it’s just another piece of the puzzle. Linked voyages can still be an incredible way to explore more of the world—without unnecessary stress or risk.

Let Destination Earth help you build your dream itinerary—PVSA-approved and packed with perks.

Ready to plan your trip?