PCR Testing on Board - No Longer

[OVgirl]

One problem with the off ship testing is that you'll have no chance of getting a printed copy of the results.

[Florida_gal_50]

1 minute ago, OVgirl said:

One problem with the off ship testing is that you'll have no chance of getting a printed copy of the results.

I thought that I’d read maybe on the Canadian board that there was that option.  You would think that would be preferable for most.  Someone posted that royal Caribbean has gone from doing it on the ship to doing it on land to going back on the ship again so it sounds like there have been problems.  Princess was being stupid with theirs the other day with their outside testing 🙄.

[Crew News]

I just spoke with the HAL Nieuw Statendam Front Desk and was told that for flights leaving to Canada before 11:00 AM on Disembarkation Day, appointments are available for the appropriate tests the day before disembarking . For later flights to Canada, appointments are available for testing to be conducted inside the HAL terminal.  Printed results will take about one hour.

[Kris75]

It sounds like perhaps they may be re-evaluating their procedures. We were told flights before 10:00 am were able to get tested onboard and getting tested inside the terminal is certainly preferable than outside with hundreds of people walking by with your test in a container out in the open. The testing company had a portable printer attached to their laptop to print out the results of that is what you wanted.

[Florida_gal_50]

Flights before 10, now that is living a little to close to the edge for me.

[DC1andDC2]

6 hours ago, OVgirl said:

The rules at this moment day 72 hours before flight. I don't think it includes the full 3 days. But if our flight is 11:35 Sunday then  any time after 11:30 on Thursday.I think I've calculated it right.

 

But of course between now and February anything could happen. Hope they don't shorten the timing and still want pcr tests.

 

I did check testing in Curacao and it seems that there are a number of options. Around $80-$90 USD.

 Hhhmmm.....this sounds possible.  I believe you are on the same sailing as us.  We have the added stress of finding a test on Feb 19th as we get off the Celebrity Apex in preparation for boarding the Rotterdam on Feb 20th.  Originally, Celebrity indicated they would provide the test for us but they also made changes and now require proof of flight departure within 24 hrs or a b2b on a Celebrity or Royal ship.  Hopefully they will let us purchase a test but that is unclear.

 

I too will do some research for the Curacao option.  I may have to reach out to you for more details if I have difficulty finding anything.  We'll buy you a drink onboard!

[ljtinney]

The FAQs have changed once again since this was posted on Sunday. It now states that tests will be administered onboard the ship and that guests will receive a copy of the test result. 

 

Hoping to hear some updates of anyone travelling in these next few weeks.

[Florida_gal_50]

6 hours ago, ljtinney said:

The FAQs have changed once again since this was posted on Sunday. It now states that tests will be administered onboard the ship and that guests will receive a copy of the test result. 

 

Hoping to hear some updates of anyone travelling in these next few weeks.

I just looked on the hal website still says it’s being done in the terminal.  Where did you see it?

 

Disembarkation Test
Complimentary COVID-19 test (antigen or PCR) administered in the morning at the terminal after disembarkation if it is required for re-entry into your home country.

[seagarsmoker]

53 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I just looked on the hal website still says it’s being done in the terminal.  Where did you see it?

 

Disembarkation Test
Complimentary COVID-19 test (antigen or PCR) administered in the morning at the terminal after disembarkation if it is required for re-entry into your home country.

This is exactly how it was handled on our cruise on the NA a couple of weeks ago. 

[ljtinney]

4 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I just looked on the hal website still says it’s being done in the terminal.  Where did you see it?

 

Disembarkation Test
Complimentary COVID-19 test (antigen or PCR) administered in the morning at the terminal after disembarkation if it is required for re-entry into your home country.

in the FAQ under covid testing.... 

 

Yes, if a negative COVID-19 test is required for re-entry into your home country, Holland America Line will cover the costs of a COVID-19 test administered onboard the ship within the timeframe required prior to travel and prior to the end of the voyage.  Guests will receive a copy of the test result.  Guests are encouraged to review their home country's health authority and travel websites to understand the latest guidance on required testing and timing for return travel.

 

 

Edited December 10, 2021 by ljtinney

[Florida_gal_50]

Maybe it's different on the USA website but I've attached the PDF that says testing is after disembarkation.

Hal US-Cruise-Protocols-1201.pdf

[Bolt.]

It sounds like maybe they briefly experimented with in-terminal testing, but are reverting back to onboard testing? The date on the PDF is Dec 2.

 

We might need to be prepared for it to go either way for the near future.

Edited December 10, 2021 by Bolt.

[Florida_gal_50]

8 minutes ago, Bolt. said:

It sounds like maybe they briefly experimented with in-terminal testing, but are reverting back to onboard testing? The date on the PDF is Dec 2.

 

We might need to be prepared for it to go either way for the near future.

Could you please post the actual pdf?  I can't get to it.  Its odd because Canadians are going to be a group affected by this.  Thx.

[ljtinney]

4 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Maybe it's different on the USA website but I've attached the PDF that says testing is after disembarkation.

Hal US-Cruise-Protocols-1201.pdf 535.16 kB · 17 downloads

Yes, I can see it on the pdf.  

The part I posted is in the FAQ on the Hal site.... On Sunday when I first read this thread I looked and this is what it said and coincided with what the OP mentioned regarding their experience.... 

Yes, if a negative COVID-19 test is required for re-entry into your home country, Holland America Line will cover the costs of a COVID-19 test (PCR or antigen) after your cruise at the terminal.  You will be assigned a time for your testing administration on board. Guests should disembark the ship prior to that time, collect their luggage, clear customs and exit the terminal for testing. COVID-19 tests will be administered just outside the terminal. Test results will be available in approximately 60 minutes; please plan your post-cruise travel arrangements within the timeframe required prior to travel and prior to the end of the voyage.

 

Last night I looked at it and posted what I saw....

Yes, if a negative COVID-19 test is required for re-entry into your home country, Holland America Line will cover the costs of a COVID-19 test administered onboard the ship within the timeframe required prior to travel and prior to the end of the voyage.  Guests will receive a copy of the test result.  Guests are encouraged to review their home country's health authority and travel websites to understand the latest guidance on required testing and timing for return t
ravel.

 

So they updated this sometime in the past few days. 

 

 

[Kris75]

Holland America seems to have different wording regarding testing depending on which FAQ section you look at. In the PDF document that has been posted it is testing at the terminal. In the FAQ's under Planning and Cruise Preparation under "If my country or home country..."it also states testing at the terminal. But if you go to the Covid-19 testing section in the FAQ's under "If my home country requires proof".. it still says onboard. So no wonder there is all this confusion.

[Florida_gal_50]

It’s still saying the same thing for me so they must be posting two different things.  I just went to the faqs and it’s still saying the terminal as below.

 

Yes, if a negative COVID-19 test is required for re-entry into your home country, Holland America Line will cover the costs of a COVID-19 test (PCR or antigen) after your cruise at the terminal.  You will be assigned a time for your testing administration on board. Guests should disembark the ship prior to that time, collect their luggage, clear customs and exit the terminal for testing. COVID-19 tests will be administered just outside the terminal. Test results will be available in approximately 60 minutes; please plan your post-cruise travel arrangements within the timeframe required prior to travel and prior to the end of the voyage.

[Florida_gal_50]

2 minutes ago, Kris75 said:

Holland America seems to have different wording regarding testing depending on which FAQ section you look at. In the PDF document that has been posted it is testing at the terminal. In the FAQ's under Planning and Cruise Preparation under "If my country or home country..."it also states testing at the terminal. But if you go to the Covid-19 testing section in the FAQ's under "If my home country requires proof".. it still says onboard. So no wonder there is all this confusion.

It’s ridiculous really.  Hal, right hand meet left hand.  I’m so glad I crawled out the window and had my November cruise because I’d be hating life if I was going now, speaking as a Canadian. It was enough of a hassle then.  I hope by spring things will look much better but I’m not terribly hopeful.

[Kris75]

Agreed. So silly. There are basically 3 questions in the FAQ's that relates to testing and they are all answered slightly differently. Our next cruise is in May with Holland America to the Baltics so here is hoping we will be fully up to speed on the various regulations and policies, but being prepared of course for last minute changes, perhaps even while we are onboard.

[ljtinney]

2 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

It’s ridiculous really.  Hal, right hand meet left hand.  I’m so glad I crawled out the window and had my November cruise because I’d be hating life if I was going now, speaking as a Canadian. It was enough of a hassle then.  I hope by spring things will look much better but I’m not terribly hopeful.

We are supposed to fly out in 3 weeks. Every day I change my mind, multiple times a day as to whether we are going. 

I think it is quite tacky of them to do the testing in the terminal. It is disappointing. They know ahead of time how many of us will be on board and how many of us are flying out. 

We would normally try and fly out as early as we can after a cruise, but this time I have a little leeway just in case ridiculous changes like this should occur. 

 

[visagrunt]

16 hours ago, CHPURSER said:

Testing onboard is rather pricey for the cruise line. A small PCR testing machine that will perform 4 tests at one time cost my company nearly 40,000 Euros.

HAL is just too cheap to do it.

HAL has no choice--they have multiple ships entering Canadian waters later this spring and through 2022, and every single passenger and crew member will require PCR tests within 72 hours of first Canadian port arrival.

Every ship that is coming to Canada (at a minimum) will be equipped--it's just a matter of what they will offer.

[Florida_gal_50]

2 hours ago, visagrunt said:

HAL has no choice--they have multiple ships entering Canadian waters later this spring and through 2022, and every single passenger and crew member will require PCR tests within 72 hours of first Canadian port arrival.

Every ship that is coming to Canada (at a minimum) will be equipped--it's just a matter of what they will offer.

That’s a great point. It’s certainly going to be interesting.  Maybe they are hoping it will go away by then.