First hand Celebrity testing for return to Canada

[Scuppersisontheboat]

Hi gang, we are looking forward to our family cruise just before Christmas!  My biggest fear is one of us testing asymptomatic positive and not being able to get on the plane / boat... However, we are obvs all Vaxxed and will be laying low til we leave.  So I’ve been reading through a bunch of these Canada threads to see what happens upon return to port and flying back to Canada with respect to testing.

 

For those of us booked and traveling in the next month, here’s a clean thread to follow - No offense to people trying to be helpful, but please no opinions, thoughts, hopes, fears, dreams, plans, Christmas lists..🙂, I wanna know about actual experiences in the last few days!

 

There have been a lot of Celebrity boats returning to port in North America in the last week, I’m hoping a few fellow Canadians who have now returned home could share their experiences and best practices for getting testing for same day flights home, etc.  Any first hand info would be much appreciated!

[broberts]

Ships, not boats. 😱

[Scuppersisontheboat]

3 hours ago, broberts said:

Ships, not boats. 😱

it’s a running joke with my Cap’n buddies, they’re all just boats to me LOL!   I own a boat, it sounds too pretentious if I call it a yacht, which technically it is...  

[shirley valentine]

Ships , Boats , I don’t care what you call them….let’s not digress from the info the poster was seeking . I want to hear from people regarding experiences with these border testings and hoops they are dealing with . I’m probably already decided on canceling my Feb cruise . 

[DHLuCruise]

Hey @GeriatricNurse. Appreciate your point of view but just because you canceled doesn't mean you need to pull everyone along to help you feel better about your choice. (Im trying to say this respectfully but know it will be read more harshly than I mean it)

 

People have learned a lot about omicron and its impacts and people will make their own choice. 

 

 

[tert333]

22 minutes ago, DHLuCruise said:

Hey @GeriatricNurse. Appreciate your point of view but just because you canceled doesn't mean you need to pull everyone along to help you feel better about your choice. (Im trying to say this respectfully but know it will be read more harshly than I mean it)

 

People have learned a lot about omicron and its impacts and people will make their own choice. 

 

 

We just got back from a Nov 20 cruise out of Miami.   We had a great time but also took into account that we are still in the middle of a pandemic.  For example, we arrived only two days early so that we could get a test before we left, which could be used for when we got on the ship.  

 

In Miami, we were very careful where we ate.   We did not go to any crowded restaurant and mainly ate outside.  On the ship, we avoided any crowded areas.

 

We are cruising again on January 1 and planning on doing something similar.   We will both have our third dose by then.  While we will follow what happens over the next 3 weeks, we will make the decision closer to the cruise on whether to go or not.   It appears from the modelling that it is going to be a tough few months.  I am not sure we will be going anywhere in the middle of the winter, so think now may be a better time to go.

 

There are many factors, such as age, health, and risk tolerance that goes into the decision on whether to cancel.  So I do not think that there is one good solution.   However, I would not go if you do not handle change very well as your trip may not work out exactly to plan.  There could be delays at the airport and other issues that we will need to roll with the punches....

 

[DHLuCruise]

I agree @tert333. We are most likely driving to the NJ port just to avoid flights and the messiness of airports.

[Scuppersisontheboat]

12 hours ago, GeriatricNurse said:

I would advise you to cancel your cruise in Februrary!  I cancelled my 12-Day Celebrity (Caribbean) Cruise in April, 2022!

It will 'hurt', but with the (ever increasing) spread of the 'Omicron' variant, in my view, (as a retired 'Front Line' Health Care Provider, of 30 years); Registered Nurse; travel, ANYWHERE, at this time, and for the forseeable future, is simply NOT SAFE; whether or not one is FULLY VAXXED, including the Booster!

There will, (hopefully), be a time (somewhere), 'down the road', to resume travelling; but, in my view, now is NOT THE TIME!

Besides, look at all the $$$ that you are saving by cancelling the cruise, (and all the costs associated with the travel, to/from the ship)!

 In conclusion, one should/must place their sense of reality ahead of their heart, related to their travel plans at this time of HEALTH CRISIS!

 

*sigh*
 

On 12/10/2021 at 12:32 AM, Scuppersisontheboat said:

No offense to people trying to be helpful, but please no opinions, thoughts, hopes, fears, dreams, plans, Christmas lists..🙂, I wanna know about actual experiences in the last few days!

please, anybody who has debarked or whatever the heck you call it, in the last few days off Celebrity - with respect to a flight back to Canada the same day you docked back in the US - what’s the best thoughts for getting tested: on board, in the port, other?

 

thanks!

[shirley valentine]

18 hours ago, GeriatricNurse said:

I would advise you to cancel your cruise in Februrary!  I cancelled my 12-Day Celebrity (Caribbean) Cruise in April, 2022!

It will 'hurt', but with the (ever increasing) spread of the 'Omicron' variant, in my view, (as a retired 'Front Line' Health Care Provider, of 30 years); Registered Nurse; travel, ANYWHERE, at this time, and for the forseeable future, is simply NOT SAFE; whether or not one is FULLY VAXXED, including the Booster!

There will, (hopefully), be a time (somewhere), 'down the road', to resume travelling; but, in my view, now is NOT THE TIME!

Besides, look at all the $$$ that you are saving by cancelling the cruise, (and all the costs associated with the travel, to/from the ship)!

 In conclusion, one should/must place their sense of reality ahead of their heart, related to their travel plans at this time of HEALTH CRISIS!

Absolutely Agree ! Thank you very much for your opinion. 🙏

[melbrook]

So sorry @Scuppersisontheboatas you can see; it doesn't matter how nicely you ask for just the facts and nothing more - people can't help themselves and just HAVE to tell you what they think in general.  🙄 

I can't offer any help as our cruise is Jan.19th and I have the same questions you do.  If you can share when you're back that would be appreciated.   

[Fouremco]

7 minutes ago, melbrook said:

So sorry @Scuppersisontheboatas you can see; it doesn't matter how nicely you ask for just the facts and nothing more - people can't help themselves and just HAVE to tell you what they think in general.  🙄 

I can't offer any help as our cruise is Jan.19th and I have the same questions you do.  If you can share when you're back that would be appreciated.   

I do hope that you recognize the delicious irony of your post, as you are doing precisely what you are criticizing other posters for doing. 😇

[Scuppersisontheboat]

LOL!!  😊

 

I think we all need a nice ‘boat’ ride!  I’m just surprised there have been no Canadians on the last few Celebrity sailings who can comment on the onboard testing pre flight home.  We booked last minute a couple of weeks ago so have to pay, but their website says anyone booked before Nov 16 gets free testing for the the trip home.  I just want to make sure I time it right to have the results for the flight.

 

Mel and Four, thanks for the chuckle this morning!

[melbrook]

1 hour ago, Fouremco said:

I do hope that you recognize the delicious irony of your post, as you are doing precisely what you are criticizing other posters for doing. 😇

Haha, I sure do!!  😋  I resisted commenting after the "ships, not boats" comment but I finally had to chime in.  Do I get a pass for at least staying on topic??  We do have the same question so I am very interested in replies other than "cancel your cruise".  🤞  

[truckswain]

We returned from the Celebrity Apex to Toronto on November 20th.  We were tested on the ship on November 19th.  Email results in 45 minutes, printed results were in our cabin on the morning of the 20th.

 

At that time we were not required to upload our negative test results into the ArrCan App only attest to the fact that we have received the negative test.  We had to show our test results to the agent at the Air Transat Counter at Fort Lauderdale Airport along with the generated receipt/QR code from the ArrCan App.

 

Landing in Toronto was simple and the process through Customs/Immigration was pretty similar to what it was pre pandemic - too many people in the customs hall, long lines that moved pretty well and unhappy, surly immigration officers with God complexes checking your papers. The only difference is you either got a green dot on your passport or a red dot.  Red dot meant a Covid test at the airport.  We got a green dot so no issue.  The immigration officer must have appreciated us referring to him as your Lordship 😀.

 

I would not cancel my cruise (have one booked for April).  This is how it is going to be for a long time and I am simply not willing to wait to travel until things return to "normal".  Life is too short for that.

[Fouremco]

18 minutes ago, melbrook said:

Haha, I sure do!!  😋  I resisted commenting after the "ships, not boats" comment but I finally had to chime in.  Do I get a pass for at least staying on topic??  We do have the same question so I am very interested in replies other than "cancel your cruise".  🤞  

LOL. That's the nature of social media: if you ask a question, you'll get answers from all over the map, posted by people just trying to be helpful.  Ask people whether they think that Itinerary A or Itinerary B is the better choice, many of the well meaning responses will be recommendations for Itineraries C, D, E... Z. Hopefully, what you and @Scuppersisontheboat are looking for will posted in the near future. 

[jandjcruisers]

We returned home Monday night from our Celebrity Silhouette 10 day cruise and we hope to do it all over again in March if our travel conditions allow us.

Our pre flight tests were at SDM, Alta Vista Drive, Ottawa.  We waited in store and had our printed results in hand within 40 minutes.  Then came home and I did pre checkin.

When we arrived at Ottawa airport the next morning all we did was the usual printout of board passes, luggage tags at the kiosk.  Then showed our paperwork to the AC agent.  Our luggage went straight through to Florida and did not have to reclaim in Montreal.  The only thing we needed to show after that was to show our boarding pass and passport to board the plane both in Ottawa and Montreal.

Two days before our return home Celebrity arranged for our onboard tests.  (the rapid PCR test) and paper results were sent to our room within a few hours later.  I had previously downloaded the ArriveCAN app so all I had to do was download vaccines, etc into the app.  Received my QR code and made a photo of it. 

At Fort Lauderdale airport we lined up to show our QR code, test results, and vaccines.  We then checked in our luggage and off we went to screening and on to our wait for our flight.

Arriving inside the Montreal airport was very disorganized.  Only a couple agents checking the ArriveCAN app.  Our AC 330 300 wide bodied plane was packed so they were overwhelmed it seemed.  

After going through Canadian Customs we ended up walking by the testing area where they test people at random.  Unfortunately I was chosen but all worked out fine and we carried on to our Ottawa exit area.  I have no idea why they chose me because I had my booster shot before leaving Canada so I guess they really are random tests. To be fair I remember having trouble getting my Celebrity test results into the app so maybe that's why I was chosen.   I got my test result (negative) yesterday.

Good luck to all of you who are planning to travel.  It was a learning experience getting ready for the trip but it was all worth it.

[Scuppersisontheboat]

1 hour ago, jandjcruisers said:

We returned home Monday night from our Celebrity Silhouette 10 day cruise and we hope to do it all over again in March if our travel conditions allow us.

Our pre flight tests were at SDM, Alta Vista Drive, Ottawa.  We waited in store and had our printed results in hand within 40 minutes.  Then came home and I did pre checkin.

When we arrived at Ottawa airport the next morning all we did was the usual printout of board passes, luggage tags at the kiosk.  Then showed our paperwork to the AC agent.  Our luggage went straight through to Florida and did not have to reclaim in Montreal.  The only thing we needed to show after that was to show our boarding pass and passport to board the plane both in Ottawa and Montreal.

Two days before our return home Celebrity arranged for our onboard tests.  (the rapid PCR test) and paper results were sent to our room within a few hours later.  I had previously downloaded the ArriveCAN app so all I had to do was download vaccines, etc into the app.  Received my QR code and made a photo of it. 

At Fort Lauderdale airport we lined up to show our QR code, test results, and vaccines.  We then checked in our luggage and off we went to screening and on to our wait for our flight.

Arriving inside the Montreal airport was very disorganized.  Only a couple agents checking the ArriveCAN app.  Our AC 330 300 wide bodied plane was packed so they were overwhelmed it seemed.  

After going through Canadian Customs we ended up walking by the testing area where they test people at random.  Unfortunately I was chosen but all worked out fine and we carried on to our Ottawa exit area.  I have no idea why they chose me because I had my booster shot before leaving Canada so I guess they really are random tests. To be fair I remember having trouble getting my Celebrity test results into the app so maybe that's why I was chosen.   I got my test result (negative) yesterday.

Good luck to all of you who are planning to travel.  It was a learning experience getting ready for the trip but it was all worth it.

thank you J&J!

[Barwick Cruiser]

2 hours ago, jandjcruisers said:

We returned home Monday night from our Celebrity Silhouette 10 day cruise and we hope to do it all over again in March if our travel conditions allow us.

Our pre flight tests were at SDM, Alta Vista Drive, Ottawa.  We waited in store and had our printed results in hand within 40 minutes.  Then came home and I did pre checkin.

When we arrived at Ottawa airport the next morning all we did was the usual printout of board passes, luggage tags at the kiosk.  Then showed our paperwork to the AC agent.  Our luggage went straight through to Florida and did not have to reclaim in Montreal.  The only thing we needed to show after that was to show our boarding pass and passport to board the plane both in Ottawa and Montreal.

Two days before our return home Celebrity arranged for our onboard tests.  (the rapid PCR test) and paper results were sent to our room within a few hours later.  I had previously downloaded the ArriveCAN app so all I had to do was download vaccines, etc into the app.  Received my QR code and made a photo of it. 

At Fort Lauderdale airport we lined up to show our QR code, test results, and vaccines.  We then checked in our luggage and off we went to screening and on to our wait for our flight.

Arriving inside the Montreal airport was very disorganized.  Only a couple agents checking the ArriveCAN app.  Our AC 330 300 wide bodied plane was packed so they were overwhelmed it seemed.  

After going through Canadian Customs we ended up walking by the testing area where they test people at random.  Unfortunately I was chosen but all worked out fine and we carried on to our Ottawa exit area.  I have no idea why they chose me because I had my booster shot before leaving Canada so I guess they really are random tests. To be fair I remember having trouble getting my Celebrity test results into the app so maybe that's why I was chosen.   I got my test result (negative) yesterday.

Good luck to all of you who are planning to travel.  It was a learning experience getting ready for the trip but it was all worth it.

Thank you so much for this firsthand experience. I imagine things will only get more chaotic if they start requiring ALL passengers to get tested and not just random. We sail on Silhouette Jan 24 (if we’re able to go) so I’m interested in your cruise as well. You seem eager to go again so I’m assuming you had a good time? What were your ports? You felt comfortable on the ship with the current protocols? 
Cathy

[jy_cruisefan]

2 hours ago, jandjcruisers said:

We returned home Monday night from our Celebrity Silhouette 10 day cruise and we hope to do it all over again in March if our travel conditions allow us.

Our pre flight tests were at SDM, Alta Vista Drive, Ottawa.  We waited in store and had our printed results in hand within 40 minutes.  Then came home and I did pre checkin.

When we arrived at Ottawa airport the next morning all we did was the usual printout of board passes, luggage tags at the kiosk.  Then showed our paperwork to the AC agent.  Our luggage went straight through to Florida and did not have to reclaim in Montreal.  The only thing we needed to show after that was to show our boarding pass and passport to board the plane both in Ottawa and Montreal.

Two days before our return home Celebrity arranged for our onboard tests.  (the rapid PCR test) and paper results were sent to our room within a few hours later.  I had previously downloaded the ArriveCAN app so all I had to do was download vaccines, etc into the app.  Received my QR code and made a photo of it. 

At Fort Lauderdale airport we lined up to show our QR code, test results, and vaccines.  We then checked in our luggage and off we went to screening and on to our wait for our flight.

Arriving inside the Montreal airport was very disorganized.  Only a couple agents checking the ArriveCAN app.  Our AC 330 300 wide bodied plane was packed so they were overwhelmed it seemed.  

After going through Canadian Customs we ended up walking by the testing area where they test people at random.  Unfortunately I was chosen but all worked out fine and we carried on to our Ottawa exit area.  I have no idea why they chose me because I had my booster shot before leaving Canada so I guess they really are random tests. To be fair I remember having trouble getting my Celebrity test results into the app so maybe that's why I was chosen.   I got my test result (negative) yesterday.

Good luck to all of you who are planning to travel.  It was a learning experience getting ready for the trip but it was all worth it.

Hello.
We were on the same cruise and our experience was similar. We flew Air Canada from Ottawa, through Montreal, and then on to FLL. This was probably one of easiest travel experiences we have ever had. We were able to upload our ON vaccination records, antigen test results (from SDM), and answer the US CDC attestation when checking into our Air Canada flights. We were only asked to show our proof of vaccination at a random check prior to going through airport security in Ottawa. When going through US customs in Montreal, we were only required to show our passport, and have our picture taken at the US customs booth (We do NOT have Nexus).
Prior to our return, we received Rapid PCR test on the ship as described above. I had previously installed the ArriveCan app on my Iphone, and submitted all of the required info in the app. (Note that the app did not ask us to include our negative test results, only that we had them). We checked into our returning flights via the Air Canada iphone app, and received our boarding passes for both legs (again via Montreal) of our returning flights. When we arrived at the FLL airport, there was a short lineup for Air Canada Document Verification, where they checked all of your documents (passports, proof of vaccination, and negative covid test results). We could then proceed to the Air Canada luggage counter to drop off our bags.  They printed out new boarding passes, with "Documents Checked" stamped on them. We then went through security in FLL. From the time we arrived at the airport to when we were at the departure gate took about 30 minutes total. 

After arriving in Montreal, we lined up at Customs, and there was a large crowd (probably over 300 people from what I could see from the stairs above the general lineup for the main customs area for people in Montreal. However, for anyone with a connecting flight, we were directed down a separate corridor to another customs area where there were 4 customs agents and no lineups. We completed the questionnaire at the Kiosk which took our picture, and then spit out a receipt. We gave the receipt to the customs agent, along with our passports, and then were on to our connecting gate. From the time we debarked our flight to when we got through customs took about 20 minutes total. 

[jandjcruisers]

2 hours ago, Barwick Cruiser said:

Thank you so much for this firsthand experience. I imagine things will only get more chaotic if they start requiring ALL passengers to get tested and not just random. We sail on Silhouette Jan 24 (if we’re able to go) so I’m interested in your cruise as well. You seem eager to go again so I’m assuming you had a good time? What were your ports? You felt comfortable on the ship with the current protocols? 
Cathy

You are all so welcome and my pleasure.

The Silhouette is a beautiful ship and refurbished in 2020.  We were so happy to be cruising again and the staff were so happy to be back.  We've been doing 3-4 cruises per year since the 90's so really missed it.  It was a Southern Cruise stopping at St Maarten, St Lucia, St Kitts, Barbados and Antigua.

It was not mandatory to wear a mask while on the ship but going ashore you had to wear them.  

Crew members had to wear them at all time.  

Yes, we felt very safe.  We didn't hear of any covid cases.  I believe the ship capacity is around 3000 passengers and heard there were approximately 1300 onboard for this cruise.

In March we are planning to do a b2b on the Apex.

 

[skatie]

@jy_cruisefan thanks for your first hand information.  We are also on Celebrity in February leaving from FLL - I know the airport is very close, and in past we have booked a noon hour flight to get home to YYZ, but is there more time needed these days for disembarkation so we should maybe book the 5pm flight just to be safe?  Thanks

[jy_cruisefan]

1 hour ago, skatie said:

@jy_cruisefan thanks for your first hand information.  We are also on Celebrity in February leaving from FLL - I know the airport is very close, and in past we have booked a noon hour flight to get home to YYZ, but is there more time needed these days for disembarkation so we should maybe book the 5pm flight just to be safe?  Thanks

In our case on thee Silhouette, there were only 1300 pax (I.e. about 42% capacity) so disembarkation was a breeze. We had a 1:20 flight to YUL. We got off of the ship at 8:45 am when our luggage tag was called, and were at the airport (FLL) by 9:20 am. If you're flight is at 12:00 from FLL, you should have plenty of time. You can also walk off of the ship on your own with your luggage, once it clears, usually by 7:30 am. 

[Froufie]

10 hours ago, jandjcruisers said:

We returned home Monday night from our Celebrity Silhouette 10 day cruise and we hope to do it all over again in March if our travel conditions allow us.

Our pre flight tests were at SDM, Alta Vista Drive, Ottawa.  We waited in store and had our printed results in hand within 40 minutes.  Then came home and I did pre checkin.

When we arrived at Ottawa airport the next morning all we did was the usual printout of board passes, luggage tags at the kiosk.  Then showed our paperwork to the AC agent.  Our luggage went straight through to Florida and did not have to reclaim in Montreal.  The only thing we needed to show after that was to show our boarding pass and passport to board the plane both in Ottawa and Montreal.

Two days before our return home Celebrity arranged for our onboard tests.  (the rapid PCR test) and paper results were sent to our room within a few hours later.  I had previously downloaded the ArriveCAN app so all I had to do was download vaccines, etc into the app.  Received my QR code and made a photo of it. 

At Fort Lauderdale airport we lined up to show our QR code, test results, and vaccines.  We then checked in our luggage and off we went to screening and on to our wait for our flight.

Arriving inside the Montreal airport was very disorganized.  Only a couple agents checking the ArriveCAN app.  Our AC 330 300 wide bodied plane was packed so they were overwhelmed it seemed.  

After going through Canadian Customs we ended up walking by the testing area where they test people at random.  Unfortunately I was chosen but all worked out fine and we carried on to our Ottawa exit area.  I have no idea why they chose me because I had my booster shot before leaving Canada so I guess they really are random tests. To be fair I remember having trouble getting my Celebrity test results into the app so maybe that's why I was chosen.   I got my test result (negative) yesterday.

Good luck to all of you who are planning to travel.  It was a learning experience getting ready for the trip but it was all worth it.

Thanks for the great details... may I ask what your layover/connections time were in Montreal going and coming back?  Any issues making those connections?

[jandjcruisers]

17 hours ago, Froufie said:

Thanks for the great details... may I ask what your layover/connections time were in Montreal going and coming back?  Any issues making those connections?

Froufie, we left Fort Lauderdale at 1:20pm and arrived in Montreal approx 4:45.   We left Montreal around 8pm so we were not rushed at all.   You will have lots of time to get to the gate.

[jandjcruisers]

17 hours ago, Froufie said:

Thanks for the great details... may I ask what your layover/connections time were in Montreal going and coming back?  Any issues making those connections?

I should have mentioned that if you come into the same gate in Montreal that we came into, the escalator was to the left.   Just at the foot of it there was an elevator.  DH and I took that because the escalator wasn't working and we didn't want to walk up. 😀