PSR

7 hours ago, Sandipalms said:

Cruise embarking in Canada, if vaccinated NOT up to date on boosters I thought 2 days for Antigen test was no acceptable instead of the one day, is this correct?

Thanks and appreciate this thread.

Sorry, I do not know the correct answer to this if you aren't fully vaccinated. Maybe someone else can clarify or you can check the HAL website under their health guidelines.

2 hours ago, Btimmer said:

Will HAL provide the testing before the cruise begins as we have no opportunity for testing as we'll be on HAL excursions before the cruise?

3 hours ago, LindaJ+ said:

I got this notice and we are boarding in Amsterdam

Thanks for clarifying this. The rules for Europe are not the same as for the US or Canada, so that's why your comment did not agree with what is on the HAL guide for Canada cruises going to Alaska.

5 hours ago, PhD-iva said:

Where are you flying to?

Just flying in the US in the same time zone. But if they really mean they're counting the hours, technically, they should take both of those, plus or minus, into consideration. I'm going to go with the poster above yours and assume anytime 2 days before is ok. We'll see what happens; our cruise is not until June and it seems like things are changing by the week...thanks for your response.  

24 minutes ago, PoppyBanks said:

Would be so much easier to test before we leave home or to test at the pier. 

Well, there was a post on this Board on 4/12/22 with the 72 hr test being allowed to board in Canada. I don't know how to link the post here, but the title is: HAL Update (April 11): Testing Requirements for Cruises Beginning in Canada and it included info from a HAL guidelines update. 

You do have to be fully vaccinated. But this doesn't agree with the statement about 24hr testing in post #76 above above, so I am confused, unless they are talking about Europe, not Canada. It doesn't say in their post.

9 hours ago, Tampa Girl said:

 

Was the FCC a future cruise credit paid for by you while onboard or was it compensation given by HAL for an aborted cruise or other compensation?  Since we actually pay for a future cruise credit while on board, I would hope that you would get the cash back rather than just another FCC.

Thank you for your reply. The FCC was compensation for a cruise that was cancelled at the pier due to pre-boarding test failure by one of us.

On 4/14/2022 at 12:07 PM, LindaJ+ said:

My friend got this notice today (I will, too, once hubby digs it out of his email)

 

All guests ages two and above will require a medically observed, negative viral
COVID-19 test (PCR or antigen) result taken within one day of embarkation. We
strongly encourage all guests take a viral COVID-19 test prior to leaving home
to avoid travel disruptions of a positive test result at the pier.

 

Why don't they just SAY ... "We're going to test you at the pier" ... why be so inscrutable??

Is this about the test to BOARD the ship in Vancouver? Now I am really confused. On 4/11/22 there was a statement that a PCR test could be taken 72 hours before boarding, not 24 hrs. You can then take the test before you fly to Vancouver, since you no longer need a test to enter Canada.🤔😒

On 4/11/2022 at 5:34 PM, WESTEAST said:

Our understanding is that one's Covid test (PCR or lab administered Antigen) must be taken within 48 hours of arriving to the terminal for cruises beginning in a U.S. port or, within 72 hours for all other cruises.  

 

 

Does anyone know if the 48 hrs is a strict 48 hrs or any time during the 2nd day before boarding? Oceania has a chart showing the DAY to take your test (i.e., Saturday for a Monday departure) but nothing about times. I have a test scheduled for 10:30AM on a Saturday before flying to our destination to board, but I don't think I will arriving at the terminal before 12 noon or so on Monday. I didn't think the exact hour would be so crucial.

Well, I'm back with another question about FCC and insurance. My previous one was about 3rd party insurance, but now my question is about using the HAL CFAR insurance. I sent this question to HAL Reservations but have not had a response or even an acknowledgement that it was received. Anyway, I would like to find out if anyone that used HAL insurance with the fare partially paid with FCCs and had to cancel received a refund for the FCC portion of the fare, or just the cash portion. If a refund was given was it by way of return of the FCC (with it's original refund date) plus refund to a credit card for the cash portion, or was it a refund to a credit card of the full fare price (cash plus FCC value)?

I read through the terms and conditions for FCCs and this possibility was kind of vaguely explained (see attachment), but only implied that the FCC may be covered.

Thanks for any information from someone who may have experienced this situation.

13 hours ago, syesmar said:

While a test is (currently) not required X amount of days prior to travel for European sailings, HAL will be providing complimentary tests at embarkation. So passengers in this case—for now—no longer have the expense of a medically-supervised test prior to the start of their trip, unless the country requires it. But they should expect to be tested (for free) by HAL at check-in.

Just hope you don't get a false positive, and if so, HAL will redo the test to confirm.

21 hours ago, LHT28 said:

O class ship do not have D or E cabins

other cabin cat photos

https://www.cruisecritic.com/photos/ships/riviera-607/

 

 

Boy, am I confused! So where is cabin 3017 that the poster said she was moved to on the Riviera from an E cabin. Or is she on a smaller ship? I thought she mentioned Riviera. Thanks for explaining it!

On 4/1/2022 at 9:38 AM, LHT28 said:

Not sure on the W/C  but some photos of the D cabin at the Preismans blog

https://www.thepreismans.com/china_japan_page3.htm

Thanks for the photos...I couldn't find a link to pictures of either D or E cabins on the Oceania Website for the Riviera. Guess they quickly removed the deck plans, too! The links only started at deck 5 when you try to look at deck plans/cabins.

Error......🤪

4 hours ago, Pizzasteve said:

Tested negative, so smooth journey home for he/she.

Now I see that I read your original post incorrectly and your friend did not have Covid, so of course they tested negative...glad you all had a good cruise!

8 hours ago, bbtondo said:

So, if someone gets a "cold" when on an O cruise, they are only tested if the person requests one?  Is that correct?  Or, does the "covid police" see someone "sick" and make them take a covid test?  Just wondering...

Interesting question....

14 hours ago, Pizzasteve said:

Obviously we dont have the contact tracing data to prove anything, though my wife and I wore masks in the art class all week and are both well, while our friend and cabin neighbor cruising solo didnt and got sick (we are assuming not covid, some other virus since tested neg).

Did your friend have to quarantine in Europe once he got off the ship? Do you know how long the quarantine period was? Five days or ten?

Well, late yesterday I was reading the "Terms and Conditions" for HAL FCC and it appears that if you cancel, the FCC will be subject to cancellation penalties?? Now, maybe this is if you don't have a HAL policy, but the description was kind of vague about the whole thing. In fact, I think it actually said "the FCC may be subject..." to penalties. Now I'm really confused. Of course, all the FLEXIBLE and COVID cancellation policies also confuse the issue. Thank goodness our final payment is not until June; maybe I can figure it out by then.

2 hours ago, RuthC said:

Do you mean vote at the CCL annual meeting? 
Yes, I do. I don't attend, but do vote my shares on line in advance. Why not vote? 

Ditto!

14 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

We were on the Jan. 14-28 Riviera sailing with full pre-testing and mask-wearing protocols in place – and people still came down with Covid during the cruise [we saw the same hazmat suits in the hallway that you mention].  So I don't see evidence to support the idea that lax guidelines were responsible for the outbreak.

Did you notice if the persons with Covid were moved to new cabins, or could they remain in their original cabins? On HAL ships they were moving all sick passengers to new cabins in a sectioned off portion of one deck that were all balcony cabins. I guess that might be hard to do on Oceania. 

11 hours ago, HAL4NOW said:

@Caribbean Chris has a good point about the cancel for any reason insurance.

Also, if all you need is evacuation coverage, that is available as a stand-alone product. The one we have is not exactly insurance, but we can get full reimbursement for any necessary medical evacuation (including sending the remains home upon death). Depending on age, you can get memberships that are valid for life for a lump sum, or you can pay monthly yearly for coverage.

If you are talking about Medjet, I have looked into that several times in the past, but ended up getting regular cruise insurance instead. Now, we have reached the age that we need a doctor's health statement to purchase it, so we probably wouldn't qualify (not really sure of the requirements, though). Would be interested if you are aware of any other 3rd party evacuation insurance, though.

13 hours ago, Caribbean Chris said:

I think it will be worth calling a non-HAL insurer to ask the cost of cancel for any reason coverage for just the cash amount we have to add to the FCC, and still get coverage for other comprehensive features like trip evac etc. 

Good idea, but most CFAR insurance I am aware of has to be purchased within 10-14 days of original booking, and that was 6/10/21 for this cruise...

4 hours ago, Linguist208 said:

I knew the HAL website was going to be a problem the second time I visited it, when it asked me to sign in, even though I always check the "remember me" box. Poor design/execution.

That has never worked for me either; it appears to hold the info for the same day only.

Thank you. The FCC was for a cruise that we were denied boarding due to a positive dockside COVID test that later we found out was actually negative (long story, don't ask...). My husband thinks we should've received a cash refund for the error, but it is hard to deal with HAL without assistance. We did not have HAL insurance for that cruise. Anyway, we may just insure the cash part of the next cruise with a third party even though it is minimal amount, to get the evacuation coverage we like to have.

2 hours ago, KAKcruiser said:

Thank you so much.  I hadn't thought of that.  The FCC was applied to my current booking which I had already paid in full.  Now it is showing a credit.  What happens now?  I guess I'll have to call tomorrow.

Wow, I have never heard of that; they should issue a credit to your CC for the overpay. I think they're trying to clear all the FCC off the books. I would wait maybe a week to see if your CC is credited before trying to call. They've always credited CC purchases quickly: Shorex, dinners, flowers, etc. when a cruise is cancelled; hopefully they'll do the same for overpaid fares.

1 hour ago, scokely said:

I was under the impression the HIA package only included Canaletto, Pincacle, or Tamarind. I was interested in Rudi's as well, but the "complimentary" option to book doesn't show up. 

Yes, as far as I know, Rudi's popup is not part of the HIA package. Other occasional popups in Pinnacle Grill which close it for regular dining: Gala, Cellar Master are not part of HIA.

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