PCR Testing 72 Hours Before Embark

[sabrefan]

Going on cruise to Alaska on Orion out of Vancouver this summer. Live in the U.S. and flying through Toronto to Vancouver on Friday and the cruise leaves on a Sunday. In order to get into Canada you need a negative PCR test done within 72 hours before entry. This means that I will need to get a negative PCR test done on a Thursday before we arrive on the cruise ships count the hours? In other words if it came out to be 74 hours instead of exactly 72 ? Are they more concerned around 3 days or 72 hours?

[Heidi13]

1 hour ago, sabrefan said:

Going on cruise to Alaska on Orion out of Vancouver this summer. Live in the U.S. and flying through Toronto to Vancouver on Friday and the cruise leaves on a Sunday. In order to get into Canada you need a negative PCR test done within 72 hours before entry. This means that I will need to get a negative PCR test done on a Thursday before we arrive on the cruise ships count the hours? In other words if it came out to be 74 hours instead of exactly 72 ? Are they more concerned around 3 days or 72 hours?

 

I'll suggest that is a question to ask Viking closer to the time, as I expect the requirements may have changed by summer.

[bbtondo]

Is Canada allowing cruise ships to dock yet? 

[njhorseman]

44 minutes ago, bbtondo said:

Is Canada allowing cruise ships to dock yet? 

Yes, the order prohibiting cruise ships expired some time ago, but it's of no importance at this time of year as ships aren't scheduled to call on Canadian ports in the winter. You'll have to wait until it gets closer to the spring sailing season to see if an new prohibition will be announced, but my guess is the Canadian government will try to avoid another shutdown if it at all can.

[bbtondo]

3 hours ago, njhorseman said:

Yes, the order prohibiting cruise ships expired some time ago, but it's of no importance at this time of year as ships aren't scheduled to call on Canadian ports in the winter. You'll have to wait until it gets closer to the spring sailing season to see if an new prohibition will be announced, but my guess is the Canadian government will try to avoid another shutdown if it at all can.

I appreciate your answer.  Was thinking of taking a cruise to Alaska,  but concerned that Vancouver wouldn't allow cruise ships.  

[njhorseman]

10 minutes ago, bbtondo said:

I appreciate your answer.  Was thinking of taking a cruise to Alaska,  but concerned that Vancouver wouldn't allow cruise ships.  

If it turns out that Canada once again prohibits cruise ships I think it would be quite likely that the US would enact a law permitting closed loop cruises to Alaska from Seattle without a foreign port call just as was done in 2021.

[GoesBoom]

17 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

 

I'll suggest that is a question to ask Viking closer to the time, as I expect the requirements may have changed by summer

Heidi is totally correct.  I’m sailing out of the UK in 7 days.  Over the last 4 weeks the testing requirements have changed 4 times.  Both when to test and the type of test.  Viking’s wording is also a bit vague or contradictory at times.  Might consider to start worrying about testing requirements 3 weeks before the cruise.  Viking also says to check the requirements 7 days before you fly in case the requirements change again.