Victoria BC

[armwinder]

If cruise ships are allowed into Victoria BC this coming Alaska cruise season I wonder how passengers will be able to get the required PCR test 72 hours before visiting the Island? We are Canadian and the test is around $150:00 - $200:00.  It will also be a challenge for ships leaving and returning out of Vancouver BC if the PCR test is still required in April and beyond. There could be some special exemptions still in the works.  At this time time I do not see any exemptions on the Canadian web site pertaining specifically to cruise passengers.  

[BirdTravels]

Read the information from the cruise line specific to your cruise. They will inform you of the requisite testing for your specific cruise (i.e., whether there are special accommodations for a port call). I think that we're a bit far out from the start of the Alaska 2022 cruise season for that level of detail to be defined.

 

For ships leaving Vancouver, guest will have to enter Canada on their own for embarkation and comply with entry requirements at the time of embarkation. wrt return to Vancouver, again, follow the instructions from the cruise line wrt your specific cruise. 

 

For example, when we sailed from Nassau, we had to apply for a Bahamas Health Visa (and provide proof of vaccination or testing) and pay for Bahamas COVID health insurance to enter the country and board our ship. That was all on our own. When we took a subsequent cruise that called in Nassau as a port call, we were not required to apply for a health visa and pay insurance - there were separate rules for cruise ship port calls. 

 

Again, it is a bit far out to see how cruise ships will be handled for the Alaska 2022 season (we are sailing to Alaska in May with a stop in Victoria, so we'll see how things are handled then). 

[armwinder]

8 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

Read the information from the cruise line specific to your cruise. They will inform you of the requisite testing for your specific cruise (i.e., whether there are special accommodations for a port call). I think that we're a bit far out from the start of the Alaska 2022 cruise season for that level of detail to be defined.

 

For ships leaving Vancouver, guest will have to enter Canada on their own for embarkation and comply with entry requirements at the time of embarkation. wrt return to Vancouver, again, follow the instructions from the cruise line wrt your specific cruise. 

 

For example, when we sailed from Nassau, we had to apply for a Bahamas Health Visa (and provide proof of vaccination or testing) and pay for Bahamas COVID health insurance to enter the country and board our ship. That was all on our own. When we took a subsequent cruise that called in Nassau as a port call, we were not required to apply for a health visa and pay insurance - there were separate rules for cruise ship port calls. 

 

Again, it is a bit far out to see how cruise ships will be handled for the Alaska 2022 season (we are sailing to Alaska in May with a stop in Victoria, so we'll see how things are handled then). 

Yes a very interesting read on their health and safety info for sure. At present it will be a daunting task to try and test everyone at sea before Victoria and Vancouver. We just came off the Bliss a couple of weeks ago and the PCR test was given Christmas day at 9:00 am, we got the results at 7:45 that evening.  As NCL along with some other cruise lines are not offering on board testing who knows how the testing will be handled if needed. True April is a few months away but final payment is due soon.  We are on the Bliss out of Seattle in May we hope. 

[Yo Adrienne]

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

Read the information from the cruise line specific to your cruise. They will inform you of the requisite testing for your specific cruise (i.e., whether there are special accommodations for a port call). I think that we're a bit far out from the start of the Alaska 2022 cruise season for that level of detail to be defined.

 

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Again, it is a bit far out to see how cruise ships will be handled for the Alaska 2022 season (we are sailing to Alaska in May with a stop in Victoria, so we'll see how things are handled then). 

 

We're doing Alaska from Seattle in May, too (assuming it doesn't get cancelled)...and I hadn't even thought about the required port stop in Victoria.  It's a short, evening stop...so we may just stay on the ship, but I'll be very curious to see how they handle this.  

[armwinder]

31 minutes ago, Yo Adrienne said:

 

We're doing Alaska from Seattle in May, too (assuming it doesn't get cancelled)...and I hadn't even thought about the required port stop in Victoria.  It's a short, evening stop...so we may just stay on the ship, but I'll be very curious to see how they handle this.  

They could just bypass Victoria like they did last year.  

[Yo Adrienne]

14 minutes ago, armwinder said:

They could just bypass Victoria like they did last year.  

Yes, I asked in another forum whether the Canadian ports did reopen as they were supposed to back in November (even though the cruise season for 2021 had ended and the 2022 season hasn't begun yet)...and a person responded that they did open. 

 

That being said, I wonder if they'll have to do a waiver again...just cause of the volume of ships/passengers that come through Victoria to satisfy that current required stop. 

[armwinder]

3 hours ago, Yo Adrienne said:

Yes, I asked in another forum whether the Canadian ports did reopen as they were supposed to back in November (even though the cruise season for 2021 had ended and the 2022 season hasn't begun yet)...and a person responded that they did open. 

 

That being said, I wonder if they'll have to do a waiver again...just cause of the volume of ships/passengers that come through Victoria to satisfy that current required stop. 

That would be the likely solution I would think.  It is not that easy to visit here or for Canadians to return from a trip. We have to download the  "arrive Canada app" and fill in a questionnaire as well as taking a PCR test within 72 hours of arrival. Then at the airport in Vancouver BC a monitored home test was issued to us and had to be returned within 24 hours. This traveling is not for the faint of heart right now, lets hope things calm down in the next few months.