Cruises to Nowhere…Going Nowhere

A cruise to nowhere, a 1 or 2-night cruise out into the ocean and back, has always been  a great little getaway. With no ports of call, the only thing on the itinerary is relaxation in luxury accommodations while enjoying the ship’s many amenities. Delicious meals in lovely restaurants, soothing spa treatments, world-class entertainment, exciting casino action, duty free shopping… What a great way to sample all that a cruise has to offer!

Well, it was! It is all coming to an end very shortly. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the federal agency that controls the entry and exit of foreign nationals to the U.S., it is simply enforcing longstanding rules. Under an act passed more than a century ago, foreign flagged ships cannot operate roundtrip voyages from a United States port without at least one stop in a foreign port.

The entire explanation is wordy and hard to understand but in the end it means the termination of those wonderful cruises to nowhere! I for one, will be sad to see them go!