Info about Canada's new rules for cruise lines for 2022?

[coopco]

On 3/7/2022 at 5:03 PM, rick160158 said:

Wouldn't be to concerned about this. Passengers "disembarking" in Canadian ports have to be tested anyways before disembarking. I don't believe at the Canadian port, that they will be to concerned about the pre "embarkation test", its the "pre disembarkation test" that really matters. If you've done a Panama Canal cruise, or an Alaska cruise, and stopped at a bunch of different ports, then stop in a Canadian port, why would the Canadian authorities even care about the pre embarkation test done 1 or 3 days prior to boarding. Makes no sense. Princess says 2 days before the cruise with an antigen test is good enough. So be it, unless they change it.

Every country has a right to spell out their rules as they see fit to protect their citizens and I don't have a problem with this. My gripe is the confusion for people who booked their cruises months ago. I believe you are correct that the testing pre-embarkation doesn't matter. It's the pre disembarkation test that matters. But that's not really clear in their language of what passengers need to do. Here's an example:

 

 

This makes it sound like you need to test within these timeframes before you board. This was in conflict to Princess requirements until that was recently changed. Evidently these requirements are only if the ship is departing from Canada. But that's not really clear and I was scheduling and re-scheduling testing appointments trying to be in compliance with Canadian and Princess rules. I mistakenly thought it was like Hawaii where you need to upload test results before boarding your plane. But you can't do anything on ArriveCAN until you are within 72 hours of your arrival into Canada. I mistakenly paid $50 for COVID testing documentation for international travel thinking I needed to upload it before embarkation only to find out I didn't need it. I still have no idea if Princess will provide the testing in Victoria and Vancouver but since I'm not planning to carry a proctored rapid test in my luggage, I'm not sure how I'm getting off the ship on April 7th if they don't provide testing. I'm not sure I even want to get off the ship in Victoria now. I'll make that decision when we dock. If I had it to do all over again, I'd probably skip this cruise. That being said, it's all good - we will enjoy our cruise and I was able to get a refund for the $50.

[broberts]

9 hours ago, coopco said:

Every country has a right to spell out their rules as they see fit to protect their citizens and I don't have a problem with this. My gripe is the confusion for people who booked their cruises months ago. I believe you are correct that the testing pre-embarkation doesn't matter. It's the pre disembarkation test that matters. But that's not really clear in their language of what passengers need to do. Here's an example:

 

 

This makes it sound like you need to test within these timeframes before you board. This was in conflict to Princess requirements until that was recently changed. Evidently these requirements are only if the ship is departing from Canada. But that's not really clear and I was scheduling and re-scheduling testing appointments trying to be in compliance with Canadian and Princess rules. I mistakenly thought it was like Hawaii where you need to upload test results before boarding your plane. But you can't do anything on ArriveCAN until you are within 72 hours of your arrival into Canada. I mistakenly paid $50 for COVID testing documentation for international travel thinking I needed to upload it before embarkation only to find out I didn't need it. I still have no idea if Princess will provide the testing in Victoria and Vancouver but since I'm not planning to carry a proctored rapid test in my luggage, I'm not sure how I'm getting off the ship on April 7th if they don't provide testing. I'm not sure I even want to get off the ship in Victoria now. I'll make that decision when we dock. If I had it to do all over again, I'd probably skip this cruise. That being said, it's all good - we will enjoy our cruise and I was able to get a refund for the $50.

 

An interesting question if only Canadian departures must comply with the pre-boarding test requirements. I would not read it that way, https://www.canada.ca/en/transport-canada/news/2022/03/preventing-or-limiting-the-spread-of-covid-19-on-cruise-ships.html is not specific to Canadian departures, nor in my reading is https://tc.canada.ca/en/ministerial-orders-interim-orders-directives-directions-response-letters/interim-order-no-2-respecting-vessel-restrictions-vaccination-requirements-due-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19

 

I'd like to know if I missed something or if my reading is not correct.

[cruisingrob21]

CBC reporting that the Canadian Federal government will announce the stop of testing on April 1.  This does not specify if cruise passengers will still be required to test however.

 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/federal-government-to-drop-pre-departure-testing-1.6386763

[Thrak]

From the referenced article:

 

The government's vaccine mandate for domestic and international flights departing from Canada, for VIA Rail and Rocky Mountaineer trains and for cruise ships will remain in effect for now, sources said. 

[FlorenceItaly]

8 minutes ago, Thrak said:

From the referenced article:

 

The government's vaccine mandate for domestic and international flights departing from Canada, for VIA Rail and Rocky Mountaineer trains and for cruise ships will remain in effect for now, sources said. 

BOO!  Thank you for posting.

[westcoaster]

4 minutes ago, FlorenceItaly said:

BOO!  Thank you for posting.

How does Canada's vaccine mandate for cruise ships make any difference when Princess is requiring vaccination regardless?

[Tiggerontheseas]

4 minutes ago, FlorenceItaly said:

BOO!  Thank you for posting.

 

The vaccine mandate just means you must be double vaccinated to fly, train or cruise.  It's separate from testing.  Fingers crossed most of the testing will not be necessary soon.

[FlorenceItaly]

Just now, westcoaster said:

How does Canada's vaccine mandate for cruise ships make any difference when Princess is requiring vaccination regardless?

I am referring to the testing when stopping in Canada.  I am all for vaccinations as I am vaccinnated plus boosted.  I am on a HAL 24 day New England/Iceland/Greenland cruise in August.  There are Canadian ports on each end.  Or, am I misunderstanding, and no longer is testing required for stops?

[westcoaster]

6 minutes ago, FlorenceItaly said:

I am referring to the testing when stopping in Canada. 

Okay, but the quote you were responding to only talked about vaccination requirements.  No details have been released yet as to how the changes being announced tomorrow would affect testing on cruise ships.

Edited March 16, 2022 by westcoaster

[Tiggerontheseas]

4 minutes ago, FlorenceItaly said:

I am referring to the testing when stopping in Canada.  I am all for vaccinations as I am vaccinnated plus boosted.  I am on a HAL 24 day New England/Iceland/Greenland cruise in August.  There are Canadian ports on each end.  Or, am I misunderstanding, and no longer is testing required for stops?

 

The blub you quoted was basically just saying that although testing will no longer be required to enter Canada the vaccine mandate will still be in force.  I believe, fingers crossed, that testing would no longer be required.

[FlorenceItaly]

1 minute ago, westcoaster said:

Okay, but the quote you were responding to only talked about vaccination requirements.  No details have been announced yet as to how the changes would effect testing on cruise ships.

My mistake.  I don't expect to see the vaccination requirement changing.

[coopco]

4 hours ago, broberts said:

 

An interesting question if only Canadian departures must comply with the pre-boarding test requirements. I would not read it that way, https://www.canada.ca/en/transport-canada/news/2022/03/preventing-or-limiting-the-spread-of-covid-19-on-cruise-ships.html is not specific to Canadian departures, nor in my reading is https://tc.canada.ca/en/ministerial-orders-interim-orders-directives-directions-response-letters/interim-order-no-2-respecting-vessel-restrictions-vaccination-requirements-due-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19

 

I'd like to know if I missed something or if my reading is not correct.

I agree with you 100%. That is why I say the language is confusing. But others on our roll call from Canada have said the pre-boarding requirements are only for ships departing from Canada. And since you can't upload any information until 72 hours before arriving in Canada, I'm assuming they are not interested in my test results that fall outside of that timeframe. So I'm testing on March 31. Do they really want to see those results when I arrive in Canada on the 7th, especially since I will have tested again since that time to be within the 72 hour PCR or 1 day antigen requirement?

[broberts]

30 minutes ago, coopco said:

I agree with you 100%. That is why I say the language is confusing. But others on our roll call from Canada have said the pre-boarding requirements are only for ships departing from Canada. And since you can't upload any information until 72 hours before arriving in Canada, I'm assuming they are not interested in my test results that fall outside of that timeframe. So I'm testing on March 31. Do they really want to see those results when I arrive in Canada on the 7th, especially since I will have tested again since that time to be within the 72 hour PCR or 1 day antigen requirement?

 

If you are cruising after the end of the month it's quite possible you won't have to worry about testing. Cross your fingers, the announcement is rumored to be made tomorrow.

[coopco]

3 hours ago, broberts said:

 

If you are cruising after the end of the month it's quite possible you won't have to worry about testing. Cross your fingers, the announcement is rumored to be made tomorrow.

That would be so cool. Thanks for the info. I'll keep an eye out for it.

[Redwing55]

It does look like Canada is dropping the testing if vaxed.  But for US folks, I wonder what we'll have to do for cruises ending in Canada and then flying back to the US?  I think US is requiring a test?  Not sure though, and like most of these things, I suspect it'll be changing in a month or so.

[Thrak]

Starting April 1st there is no requirement to do a COVID test prior to arriving in Canada. They will still be doing random testing and you still have to do the ArriveCAN thing but fully vaccinated people will no longer have to test before arrival.

[cruisingrob21]

6 hours ago, Thrak said:

Starting April 1st there is no requirement to do a COVID test prior to arriving in Canada. They will still be doing random testing and you still have to do the ArriveCAN thing but fully vaccinated people will no longer have to test before arrival.

Probably also worth noting that if you are selected for a random PCR test, you will not need to wait around to get those test results.  Of course this is of little help if you need to test to return to the United States as well.

 

I don't know about anyone else but my biggest fear is being asymptomatic and testing positive!

[brisalta]

This says it all:

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/news/2022/03/government-of-canada-will-remove-pre-entry-test-requirement-for-fully-vaccinated-travellers-on-april-1.html

 

[Buckeye10640]

12 hours ago, Redwing55 said:

It does look like Canada is dropping the testing if vaxed.  But for US folks, I wonder what we'll have to do for cruises ending in Canada and then flying back to the US?  I think US is requiring a test?  Not sure though, and like most of these things, I suspect it'll be changing in a month or so.

This is my question as well. I am fully vaxxed and boosted and have no issue being tested before flying from the US to Anchorage for embarkation. I need to know what happens when I disembark in Vancouver in May to fly back to the US. Hopefully guidance is forthcoming. 

Edited March 18, 2022 by Buckeye10640

[milolii]

@Redwing55 Yes, as of now tests are still required  to enter the US by air.  I don’t know for entry by land  or sea.    The mask mandate is now extended another  month; so maybe in April we will will get some new guidelines. 

[awinte2]

I think everyone should reread the testing requirements for cruise ships in Canada. Tests  will still be required to board 72 hour monecule test or a 24 hour antigen. This is only to get on a cruise ship in Canada  not to get into Canada by air or land.

It is confusing as there is nothing specified if you  board a ship in US and stop in Canadian Port so I believe this will be clarified soon.

As everyone says this is subject to change and who knows what will happen by the beginning of May.

[broberts]

3 minutes ago, awinte2 said:

I think everyone should reread the testing requirements for cruise ships in Canada. Tests  will still be required to board 72 hour monecule test or a 24 hour antigen. This is only to get on a cruise ship in Canada  not to get into Canada by air or land.

It is confusing as there is nothing specified if you  board a ship in US and stop in Canadian Port so I believe this will be clarified soon.

As everyone says this is subject to change and who knows what will happen by the beginning of May.

 

Not accurate. The actual language is

• "a COVID-19 molecular test within 72 hours of their scheduled boarding time, or
• an antigen test taken no more than 1 day before the scheduled departure"

 

[westcoaster]

28 minutes ago, awinte2 said:

It is confusing as there is nothing specified if you  board a ship in US and stop in Canadian Port so I believe this will be clarified soon.

Regardless of whether you board a ship in Canada or the US, you will not require a test before disembarking at a Canadian port.  This applies to port calls such as Victoria as well as disembarkation ports such as Vancouver.