Do we know anything about Canada's cruise protocols yet?

[Earthworm Jim]

I'm booked on an Alaska cruise out of Vancouver this summer. Do we know what Canada's testing and vaccine requirements will be, or haven't they been announced yet?

 

I'm assuming vaccination and pre-cruise testing will be required. But I wonder about the timing of the test. In the US it's 2 days before the cruise, but that's a CDC rule and Canada's rules may well be different. I'm planning on taking an early morning flight to Vancouver (which will require a test for the international flight) 2 days before my cruise departure. So if the cruise has a 2 day testing requirement I'm going to have to find a way to test in Vancouver. 

[lx200gps]

There has been a flurry of activity up here in the last 24 hours on this, you may want to consider posting this on the Canadian cruisers sub-forum here on CC and monitoring the discussion currently ongoing. The word coming through the various news media outlets up here  is that the Feds are going to announce next week big changes to the testing requirements, though exactly what those changes are is still TBD.  Exactly what the cruise line's requirements are or will be is also up in the air

[habari]

Announcement came out today.

 

As Canada welcomes the first cruise ships back to Canadian waters in April, Transport Canada, working alongside partners, has developed a comprehensive public health plan for cruise ships, including:

• Crew and passengers being required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19;
• Crew and passengers being required to self-monitor for symptoms;
• Passengers being required to take a COVID-19 molecular test within 72-hours before boarding a cruise ship OR take an antigen test within one day of boarding a cruise ship; and
• Passengers being required to take a COVID-19 molecular test within 72-hours before

[NCTribeFan]

Since I'll be flying into Seattle, spending the night, then taking a shuttle to Vancouver to board the next day, seems like I'll either need a PRC test before I leave home or take an antigen test with me and test once I'm at my hotel the even I arrive.

 

Since PCR test results can take a couple of days, appears that either way, I won't know if I test positive until I'm already on the west coast.

 

Guess I could get up at 4 am the morning of my 7:15 flight and do the antigen test online then.  That would still be "within one day" of sailing.

[3rdGenCunarder]

2 hours ago, NCTribeFan said:

Since I'll be flying into Seattle, spending the night, then taking a shuttle to Vancouver to board the next day, seems like I'll either need a PRC test before I leave home or take an antigen test with me and test once I'm at my hotel the even I arrive.

 

Since PCR test results can take a couple of days, appears that either way, I won't know if I test positive until I'm already on the west coast.

 

Guess I could get up at 4 am the morning of my 7:15 flight and do the antigen test online then.  That would still be "within one day" of sailing.

 

I have a similar situation. I'll be in Portland for a conference before heading to Vancouver. If I time it right, I can get a test in Portland that will cover the border crossing and embarkation. I did a little research and found sites charging around $100. I may just take an antigen test with me. From what i could see on the Canada website, it doesn't have to be "supervised." So, honor system on the reporting?

 

BTW, there is now a fast version of the PCR. I don't remember what they call it, but earlier info from the Canada site said they accept it. (Also available in Portland for around $100)

[Glaciers]

46 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

From what i could see on the Canada website, it doesn't have to be "supervised." So, honor system on the reporting?

Things have been changing but this seems to indicate supervision is required.

“Starting February 28: proof of a professionally administered or observed negative antigen test taken outside of Canada no more than 1 day before your scheduled flight or entry to Canada by land or water…”

 

https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/covid-vaccinated-travellers-entering-canada#pre-entry-testing

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

14 minutes ago, Glaciers said:

Things have been changing but this seems to indicate supervision is required.

“Starting February 28: proof of a professionally administered or observed negative antigen test taken outside of Canada no more than 1 day before your scheduled flight or entry to Canada by land or water…”

 

 

https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/covid-vaccinated-travellers-entering-canada#pre-entry-testing

 

 

 

Thanks for adding this. I had seen it somewhere but didn't notice it when I looked today. It makes sense they'd want an observed test. Not that people would cheat...

[martincath]

On 3/8/2022 at 3:05 PM, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

I have a similar situation. I'll be in Portland for a conference before heading to Vancouver. If I time it right, I can get a test in Portland that will cover the border crossing and embarkation.

 

Even better (assuming it remains available anyway, it's been there for over a year but who knows what night happen by this summer...) you can take a free RT-PCR test right outside the PDX convention centre which meets Canadian criteria for border-crossing. We had to make use of this when Walgreen's entire IT infrastructure bit the dust in December (truly delightful to show up for a scheduled test and be told 'sorry, we have all the chemicals and machinery right here but no way to email you the results so go away'!)

 

I believe they just moved the testing van across the street, so now it's literally on the plaza outside the main entrance instead of the other side of MLK - if you go to Curative and Search for zipcode 97232 it should be top of the list. Last visit they offered RT-PCR and Antigen, we're just planning our next visit and this site now seems to be doing only RT-PCR and regular 'send it to the lab results in 1-2 days' PCR options (most conventions at this site run for 3 days, so it makes sense to only offer tests that last long enough for attendees not to need re-tested!) - we got results back in less than 2 hours. The only downside is that you stand outside in the queue and for the test, so take a big brolly - on the upside, outdoors means lots of fresh air so further reduced chance of someone else in the queue infecting you while you get a test!

 

NB: they only accept bookings up to a week in advance.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Thanks for the info, martincath. I'm a compulsive planner, so I did some looking at vaccination rules and sites. I have to remind myself to let it go for a while, as rules/locations may change. Very smart of Portland to have a testing site at/near the convention center. Now if only they'd put a testing center at Voodoo Donuts, I could take care of two errands at once.

[martincath]

Personally, even triple-vaxxed and masked I would not be comfortable going to Voodoo these days - the queue remains truly ridiculous, and the donuts have always been more about the toppings than delicious dough.

 

Blue Star unfortunately closed several of their locations, but their cart at the airport is super-convenient for visitors and their combo of outstanding glazes and wonderful brioche dough is hard to beat (the blueberry basil bourbon and passionfruit cocoa nib are both truly delightful) - for my money though the La'ssants at NOLA are the best donut type things you can find (a three-day aged all-grass-fed-butter croissant dough, shaped and fried like a square donut) especially with kept simple with the honey glaze. Their regular brioche versions are also damn near as good as Blue Stars but around 50cents less apiece as they still remain somewhat under the radar. Bonus if you like beignets and chicory coffee, it's like popping back to Cafe du Monde in N'awlins.

[Urban trekker]

The BC government just announced some changes to the COVID protocols this afternoon and it should be good news for those cruising out of Vancouver this year.

The indoor mask mandate with a few exceptions - mostly related to health facilities - is gone as of midnight tonight March 10, 2022.

The Vaccine passport is expected to be lifted on April 8, 2022.

Hope this helps

Dennis

[Glaciers]

It is encouraging news although it seems it will only affect travelers after they are in Canada and the ARRCan app will still be required to enter Canada.  It does bode very well though.

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/b-c-businesses-preparing-for-indoor-mask-mandate-to-lift-friday-vaccine-passport-to-end-in-coming-weeks-sources-1.5813738

[3rdGenCunarder]

On 3/10/2022 at 12:43 PM, martincath said:

Personally, even triple-vaxxed and masked I would not be comfortable going to Voodoo these days - the queue remains truly ridiculous, and the donuts have always been more about the toppings than delicious dough.

 

Blue Star unfortunately closed several of their locations, but their cart at the airport is super-convenient for visitors and their combo of outstanding glazes and wonderful brioche dough is hard to beat (the blueberry basil bourbon and passionfruit cocoa nib are both truly delightful) - for my money though the La'ssants at NOLA are the best donut type things you can find (a three-day aged all-grass-fed-butter croissant dough, shaped and fried like a square donut) especially with kept simple with the honey glaze. Their regular brioche versions are also damn near as good as Blue Stars but around 50cents less apiece as they still remain somewhat under the radar. Bonus if you like beignets and chicory coffee, it's like popping back to Cafe du Monde in N'awlins.

 

I think most donuts are about the topping mare than the dough. In doing a little research, I discovered that there's a French bakery a few blocks from the conference hotel. If I skip Voodoo, I can get by with chouquettes and gateaux opera. 

[auntjoy036]

I hope to travel US to Vancouver in June to start an Alaska cruise. If any of you know if a quarantine plan is still required, or how to reserve 14 days in a hotel as a quarantine plan without being charged for a “day of” cancellation, I am all ears.

[nini]

On another forum (Britain), it was posted that as of April 1, 2022 Canada will not longer require a dog is test to enter the country. However you will need to complete the "ArriveCan"  form.

YAY!