I lost about $700 due to the Jones Act. What happened was that my friend had booked a cruise for us, that sailed out of Orlando. But I couldn't join them in Or

I lost about $700 due to the Jones Act. What happened was that my friend had booked a cruise for us, that sailed out of Orlando. But I couldn't join them in Orlando. "No worries," I thought, "I'll just meet up with the ship at the very next stop" -- which I did, I took an uber there. We had done the same with MSC cruises in the Mediterranean -- missing the ship in Rome and taking a train up to meet it in Civitavecchia. Well, as I got on the ship, they said I owe $700 or so. I was really wondering why! Turns out that unless the ship drops off the passenger at the exact same US port as they picked them up, it is considered that the ship is "transporting cargo" and therefore has to pay taxes. I asked whether I could be dropped off at the port I got on: no. I asked whether I could get off in the Bahamas and fly back: no. (Well, yes but I'd still owe the money). So, I had to pay. The ship otherwise risked getting fined for not paying its tax.