Covid test before HAL Alaska land tour before 7 day cruise?

[Mtngirl2]

Hi, we will be on a land tour from Fairbanks in May followed by a 7 day Inside Passage cruise to Vancouver.  Has anyone heard about COVID testing requirements for either the land portion OR if not, where would we get the precruise testing for the cruise while on the land tour????????  Maybe things will change before May?

[CruiserBruce]

Yes, things could very likely change before May. Testing may not be required then, as HALs protocols are only currently in effect until Feb 28.

 

They haven't announced a testing protocol yet for this situation. I would guess you will need to test within 48 hours of starting the land portion.  Then perhaps a test, provided by HAL , either at the pier, or a day or so before boarding the ship.

 

All speculation....that is all we have right now. This has been asked and speculated on before.

 

Curious why the underline text?

[Alphen]

7 hours ago, Mtngirl2 said:

Hi, we will be on a land tour from Fairbanks in May followed by a 7 day Inside Passage cruise to Vancouver.  Has anyone heard about COVID testing requirements for either the land portion OR if not, where would we get the precruise testing for the cruise while on the land tour????????  Maybe things will change before May?

We are also doing a land and cruise combo in May, but a longer one.

 

Since we received a standard automatic mailing from HAL with the Covid testing pre-cruise requirements that are currently in place, I questioned HAL about the way this is done while having the land portion before cruise. They were unable to answer that at this stage, so we will wait and see, but assuming this to be in the hands of HAL, since they are the operators in the period before boarding.....

[syesmar]

There was some discussion on these Threads, but as others have said, as of right now the protocol is not completely clear. If on a HAL tour, I’m sure they will have information in the near future. (Those on independent pre-cruise tours might want to consider the medically-supervised self-test via video chat.)

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2828584-land-tour-pre-cruise-covid-test/

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2828686-cancelling-alaska-land-cruise-due-to-lack-of-clear-informationpolicy/

 

All the Best!

Edited February 13, 2022 by syesmar

[HenryKisor]

I and mine are doing back-to-backs Vancouver-Whittier-Vancouver on the Nieuw Amsterdam in June/July. I presume there will be a means of rapid testing at Whittier before reboarding the ship for the voyage to Vancouver.

[CruiserBruce]

54 minutes ago, HenryKisor said:

I and mine are doing back-to-backs Vancouver-Whittier-Vancouver on the Nieuw Amsterdam in June/July. I presume there will be a means of rapid testing at Whittier before reboarding the ship for the voyage to Vancouver.

No, by current procedures (which are expiring Feb 28, but could be extended) you will be tested about day 5 or 6 of your first cruise, onboard. Discussed here a few times, and mentioned, IIRC, on the HAL website in their protocols. 

[1025cruise]

Too early to know what the testing requirements might be for May.

[john2003]

While I realise that tests may not be needed in June, I have to plan that they are.

So as we are travelling independently, are any of the online tests obtainable from a drug store in Anchorage or do they have to be mailed out?

[RuthC]

2 hours ago, john2003 said:

While I realise that tests may not be needed in June, I have to plan that they are.

So as we are travelling independently, are any of the online tests obtainable from a drug store in Anchorage or do they have to be mailed out?

My understanding, from all the discussions on the various HAL threads over the last few months, is that the only on-line tests that are medically supervised are mail order. Nothing from the drug store, or similar, is supervised. 
All tests for embarkation must be medically supervised tests. 

[Mtngirl2]

Thanks for all your replies, and so sorry about the underlined text in my original message--I don't know what happened when I was typing, as I certainly did not intentionally set the underline format.  With that said, yes, I had called HAL several weeks ago and the cruise consultant put me on hold for a good ten minutes while she went to check about testing, and apologized that she could not give me an answer.  Just thought someone had some recent information.  I do realize things might change between now and then, but my biggest concern is planning flights in the event we need to have a test before the land portion.  I decided to do two days in Seattle (I have friends there already) before flying to Fairbanks, in the event we need to show a test.  Fairbanks, when I searched online, did not seem to have many options for testing where we could get a quick result test acceptable to HAL.  Seattle does.  So, for me, I will visit friends, test if we need a test, and then eagerly look forward to the adventures ahead!  I agree, if HAL wants us tested to get on the cruise portion, they will have to provide testing during the land portion.  I know they will provide testing before we arrive in Vancouver.

[12cruise2]

Cruiser Bruce--here is what is posted on HAL web site re requirements as of February 4--there is no ending date in these requirements (you keep mentioning 2/28; I think that ending date of requirements was deleted in early January).

Updated February 4, 2022

Until further notice, these are the requirements for our cruise guests on sailings from the U.S.:

Vaccines and Testing: All guests must be fully vaccinated and produce a negative viral COVID-19 (PCR or antigen) result taken within 2 days of their embarkation.

Masks: All guests, regardless of age, must always wear face masks in elevators and in all indoor areas of the ship, except when eating or drinking or in their staterooms. 

[CruiserBruce]

1 hour ago, 12cruise2 said:

Cruiser Bruce--here is what is posted on HAL web site re requirements as of February 4--there is no ending date in these requirements (you keep mentioning 2/28; I think that ending date of requirements was deleted in early January).

Updated February 4, 2022

Until further notice, these are the requirements for our cruise guests on sailings from the U.S.:

Vaccines and Testing: All guests must be fully vaccinated and produce a negative viral COVID-19 (PCR or antigen) result taken within 2 days of their embarkation.

Masks: All guests, regardless of age, must always wear face masks in elevators and in all indoor areas of the ship, except when eating or drinking or in their staterooms. 

If that is the case, that actually gives HAL the freedom to change or drop requirements without any restriction...I view that as an easier situation. Rather than leave in place until some previously established date, they could do like NCL or RCI and just suddenly announce changes or endings of policies. 

[Btimmer]

We're on a similar cruise on the Noordam back to Vancouver starting 7/3 in Whittier.  The land portion begins 6/28 in Fairbanks.  I'll be following this thread.

[Mtngirl2]

Yes, information about COVID testing on HAL still says as of February 4.  I called again to see if there were any new updates, and there were not.  The consultant could not clearly explain to me if we need COVID testing only before the land tour beginning in Fairbanks, or if we need to get another test while during the land tour and before we get on the cruise ship in Whittier.  She kept saying follow Canadian guidelines?????????  After several minutes, she then said we would have to do our own tests during the land tour, before we get on the cruise ship, and that HAL would not provide them.  I asked her if the land tour group (50 people, 100 people, or whatever number) would have to find testing in Anchorage on our own?  She then said we would have to bring our own home tests with us to do during the land tour.  Very, very confusing.......I don't think HAL has really thought out the land tour/cruise ship testing requirements yet......I know it is early and things can change, but I was very confused AFTER speaking with the consultant.  And she seemed very frustrated with the question as well.  I would have been OK with the statement "Sorry, we don't know yet......".