What is the Jones Act/Passenger Services Act/Cabotage Law and how does it affect me?

The Jones Act (also known as the Passenger Services Act) does not allow ships of Non-US registry to embark and debark guests at two different US ports, since travel between US ports is prohibited on foreign flagged ships. Note: Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands (St Thomas; St Croix; St John) are not in the category of US ports under this act.

Guests cannot pre-plan or purposely embark or debark a ship in a US port that will violate the Jones Act .  Any guest who insists on debarking the ship in a port which violates the Jones Act , will accept responsibility for any resulting penalties (USD 762  per person).  

Cabatoge Law is the term used in Europe – Similar to the Jones Act, the Cabotage Law is the transport of passengers between two points in the same country by a vessel registered in another country. This law does not affect guests joining the ship or leaving the ship in different ports in Italy.