Why are we so boring???

[Blackduck59]

13 hours ago, Fouremco said:

There are issues that transcend the boundaries of individual cruise lines and that are either unique to Canadians or have a very definite Canadian component. COVID testing and travel insurance, for example. And that is where this board shines!

 

While discussing problems may not be as uplifting as reading someone's joyful cruise review, this board constantly finds solutions to those problems and serves the Canadian cruise community extremely well. This isn't a structured board with the moderators dictating what we should discuss. Rather, it has evolved into its current format based on the needs and interests of its contributors.

 

Personally, if I want to read a cruise review, I'll go to the cruise line boards for reporting on specific ships or itineraries in which I have an answer. I'll also go to the cruise line boards to discuss an issue unrelated to my nationality. But if I have a Canada-related question on something of no interest to the general readership on a cruise line board, I'll come home to Canadian Cruisers.

 

I have tremendous resect for your opinions and input. My point was that we seem to sprout 2 new testing threads every day, when simply taking a moment to read any of the existing threads on the subject will probably get the answer.

People want to travel and there are rules that seem to change on a daily basis. Victoria is scheduled to welcome their first cruise ship after 2 years in early April, somehow the Government of Canada hasn't managed to sort out the rules yet?

Someone make the rules and let's get on with it.

And while we're at it maybe wonder how it is okay for Canadians to expect free testing in the US when they would surely be choked if Americans expected the Canadian taxpayer to pick up the tab for their tests, just saying. We have made arrangements to get the appropriate documents required to cruise in April including prepaying for our tests as required by the testing facility we are using.

Of course the rules could change tomorrow or the next day.

 

[Blackduck59]

13 hours ago, Fouremco said:

There are issues that transcend the boundaries of individual cruise lines and that are either unique to Canadians or have a very definite Canadian component. COVID testing and travel insurance, for example. And that is where this board shines!

 

While discussing problems may not be as uplifting as reading someone's joyful cruise review, this board constantly finds solutions to those problems and serves the Canadian cruise community extremely well. This isn't a structured board with the moderators dictating what we should discuss. Rather, it has evolved into its current format based on the needs and interests of its contributors.

 

Personally, if I want to read a cruise review, I'll go to the cruise line boards for reporting on specific ships or itineraries in which I have an answer. I'll also go to the cruise line boards to discuss an issue unrelated to my nationality. But if I have a Canada-related question on something of no interest to the general readership on a cruise line board, I'll come home to Canadian Cruisers.

 

I have tremendous resect for your opinions and input. My point was that we seem to sprout 2 new testing threads every day, when simply taking a moment to read any of the existing threads on the subject will probably get the answer.

People want to travel and there are rules that seem to change on a daily basis. Victoria is scheduled to welcome their first cruise ship after 2 years in early April, somehow the Government of Canada hasn't managed to sort out the rules yet?

Someone make the rules and let's get on with it.

And while we're at it maybe wonder how it is okay for Canadians to expect free testing in the US when they would surely be choked if Americans expected the Canadian taxpayer to pick up the tab for their tests, just saying. We have made arrangements to get the appropriate documents required to cruise in April including prepaying for our tests as required by the testing facility we are using.

Of course the rules could change tomorrow or the next day.

 

[Blackduck59]

13 hours ago, Fouremco said:

There are issues that transcend the boundaries of individual cruise lines and that are either unique to Canadians or have a very definite Canadian component. COVID testing and travel insurance, for example. And that is where this board shines!

 

While discussing problems may not be as uplifting as reading someone's joyful cruise review, this board constantly finds solutions to those problems and serves the Canadian cruise community extremely well. This isn't a structured board with the moderators dictating what we should discuss. Rather, it has evolved into its current format based on the needs and interests of its contributors.

 

Personally, if I want to read a cruise review, I'll go to the cruise line boards for reporting on specific ships or itineraries in which I have an answer. I'll also go to the cruise line boards to discuss an issue unrelated to my nationality. But if I have a Canada-related question on something of no interest to the general readership on a cruise line board, I'll come home to Canadian Cruisers.

 

I have tremendous resect for your opinions and input. My point was that we seem to sprout 2 new testing threads every day, when simply taking a moment to read any of the existing threads on the subject will probably get the answer.

People want to travel and there are rules that seem to change on a daily basis. Victoria is scheduled to welcome their first cruise ship after 2 years in early April, somehow the Government of Canada hasn't managed to sort out the rules yet?

Someone make the rules and let's get on with it.

And while we're at it maybe wonder how it is okay for Canadians to expect free testing in the US when they would surely be choked if Americans expected the Canadian taxpayer to pick up the tab for their tests, just saying. We have made arrangements to get the appropriate documents required to cruise in April including prepaying for our tests as required by the testing facility we are using.

Of course the rules could change tomorrow or the next day.

 

[Jack1]

1 hour ago, Dismomx5 said:

Can you elaborate on the COVID protocols in Egypt? We'll hopefully be travelling there in a few weeks for the birth of our grandson. DD is nonchalant about the whole thing so I don't know if masking is done, recommended etc. We're both vaccinated, but I think I need a PCR/antigen test. Did you need something from the embassy as well? I'm reading something about a vaccine certificate certified by the Egyptian embassy. That I wasn't prepared for.

Congratulations on the upcoming new grandchild. 

We heard so many different stories too but the reality is you need to provide proof of being fully vaccinated or a PCR test.  Print off your Canadian vaccination card with qr code..they barely even looked at it. We did have a PCR test too as we heard it was required by Amawaterways...but even they didn't look at it.  Wasted $350.00 to get it. Nothing was needed/required from the embassy.

If you are Canadian you can get a visa on arrival for $25 USA.  I tried to do the evisa online..what a pain so went with visa on arrival.  They didn't ask anything..just for the $!  Easy

Well, COVID  protocols in Egypt are almost non-existent.  Hardly any 😷 seen worn by locals or tourists.  Except for a few here and there..and us!

Hope this answers some of your questions.

Cheers

 

 

[Blackduck59]

I'm not sure what happened there, sorry for the triple post 🤔

[Dreamcruise27]

17 hours ago, MaddyandMax said:

We are getting on the Anthem March 13 (as long as we don't get sick).  I plan on reporting on the cruise when we get back.

 

This next week is going to be terrifying waiting to see if we get sick.  So many posts about testing because it's STRESSFUL.

 

I've got all my fingers, toes and limbs crossed! LOL

We are on the March 27 sailing  🙂

Your review on the cruise and any info on where you did your testing etc. will definitely be appreciated!!! I’m tempted to keep my child home from school to ensure he doesn’t get sick 😂

[Ex-Airbalancer]

4 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

I'm not sure what happened there, sorry for the triple post 🤔

Maybe it happened because you are boring 🤔😉

[DHP1]

2 hours ago, Airbalancer said:

Maybe it happened because you are boring 🤔😉

😀

[Blackduck59]

3 hours ago, Airbalancer said:

Maybe it happened because you are boring 🤔😉

Perhaps I am, perhaps you are too.

Just a thought. 

[JillK]

Way back in 2019 my husband and I decided that for the next three years, until our eldest graduated high school, we would do one big family cruise every year.

 

Well... that didn't end up happening of course! Hubby and I did a very nice cruise in December 2019 sans les enfants and then had our family cruise for March break 2020 cancel as life changed radically overnight.

 

So we are trying to make up for lost time by shoving three cruises into this calendar year as we know that our daughter who is starting university in the fall will not necessarily have the time available to travel with us nor have the same breaks (I'm looking at you spring break: Feb post secondary, March everyone else).

 

I am more than happy to be less boring, but until we actually get on a ship (fingers crossed, just over a week), I too am stuck with trying to fully understand the details of requirements and testing.

 

The shifting sands of regulations, both at our port of departure and to re-enter our own country are certainly keeping us on our toes. I am very grateful to all on this Canadian Cruisers board in particular to helping me to keep up with everything.

 

I hope eventually that we will need less of this and can spend more time talking about the fun stuff. 

[Blackduck59]

33 minutes ago, JillK said:

Way back in 2019 my husband and I decided that for the next three years, until our eldest graduated high school, we would do one big family cruise every year.

 

Well... that didn't end up happening of course! Hubby and I did a very nice cruise in December 2019 sans les enfants and then had our family cruise for March break 2020 cancel as life changed radically overnight.

 

So we are trying to make up for lost time by shoving three cruises into this calendar year as we know that our daughter who is starting university in the fall will not necessarily have the time available to travel with us nor have the same breaks (I'm looking at you spring break: Feb post secondary, March everyone else).

 

I am more than happy to be less boring, but until we actually get on a ship (fingers crossed, just over a week), I too am stuck with trying to fully understand the details of requirements and testing.

 

The shifting sands of regulations, both at our port of departure and to re-enter our own country are certainly keeping us on our toes. I am very grateful to all on this Canadian Cruisers board in particular to helping me to keep up with everything.

 

I hope eventually that we will need less of this and can spend more time talking about the fun stuff. 

I appreciate your comments and agree. The reason I started this thread was because when you open the "Canadian" board there are at least 10 threads on testing and a couple of new ones every day asking questions already answered, and the answer hasn't changed.

In 5 weeks we'll be in San Pedro overnight before embarking Viking Orion for our Pacific coastal cruise. 

I hope all your adventures go without any drama.

[Dismomx5]

On 3/3/2022 at 11:59 PM, Jack1 said:

Congratulations on the upcoming new grandchild. 

We heard so many different stories too but the reality is you need to provide proof of being fully vaccinated or a PCR test.  Print off your Canadian vaccination card with qr code..they barely even looked at it. We did have a PCR test too as we heard it was required by Amawaterways...but even they didn't look at it.  Wasted $350.00 to get it. Nothing was needed/required from the embassy.

If you are Canadian you can get a visa on arrival for $25 USA.  I tried to do the evisa online..what a pain so went with visa on arrival.  They didn't ask anything..just for the $!  Easy

Well, COVID  protocols in Egypt are almost non-existent.  Hardly any 😷 seen worn by locals or tourists.  Except for a few here and there..and us!

Hope this answers some of your questions.

Cheers

 

 

Thank  you soooo much! I am much more relaxed now that I know that being vaxxed is all that is necessary...well, that and the visa, of course. Once I have my flight book, I'll try the online visa, but know that if it doesn't work, at the airport it is. I'm always amazed that it is merely US cash that they want. 🙂

[Jack1]

15 minutes ago, Dismomx5 said:

Thank  you soooo much! I am much more relaxed now that I know that being vaxxed is all that is necessary...well, that and the visa, of course. Once I have my flight book, I'll try the online visa, but know that if it doesn't work, at the airport it is. I'm always amazed that it is merely US cash that they want. 🙂

The online visa is much more complicated..we tried for both dh and me.  Mine was accepted but dh wasn't.  All because his passport  page that you have to shrink to a specific size was too blurry.  You pay for visa upfront and if it gets rejected then too bad so sad.  No chance to redo unless you pay another $25 USD.  Knowing what we do now...visa on arrival way less trouble .

Egypt is a beautiful country..we have enjoyed our visit..not too keen to get back to the snow ❄️❄️

 

 

 

 

 

[zook50]

In an ideal world, Covid would be gone and we would have much less worrisome, less complicated travel.  But as others have said, restrictions and requirements for travel have changed constantly, and this is where travel forums/boards are invaluable.  I would definitely not call real Canadian travelers' experiences and tips boring.  In fact, we are not even cruising yet, but just returned from a two month driving trip to Texas and these "boring" posts with personal accounts, tips, and recommended websites, etc. on Cruise Critic have been a lifesaver.  I read them and planned for our trip down and back as border rules changed.  Thanks to all the helpful comments here, we were able to get free rapid molecular tests, store a digital copy, and print paper copies as a backup.  Our border experience was seamless.

 

Interesting note to all who are going to be leaving the US and entering the Canadian border...

 

We saw a complete shift in available test types in pharmacies in the US in the last few weeks.  Initially, they were offering regular PCR tests (few days turnaround), RATs (one hour or less turnaround), and Rapid Molecular Tests (24 hour or less turnaround).  Right before we left on February 28, RATs were off the list for most states, including the ones we would be going through.  We had to book a Rapid Molecular Test.  My husband and I and relatives in another car all self-administered ours at the exact same time at the Walgreens drive up window.  The nurse said at the time most tests are back in an hour or so.  Mine was back in half an hour and the other 3 in our party got theirs in an hour.  My husband got his back 20 hours later, but only after we phoned labs, the pharmacy, etc. multiple times.  If we had taken it right before flying, we would have been in trouble.  As it was, we got in our car and kept driving north, booking a new backup test at the furthest northern town before the Canadian border.  It was stressful.  Walgreens finally told us on the phone that half the tests done that day were simply not processed before staff left for the day.  They lectured us about their right to the 24 hour turnaround and then immediately sent him his results.

 

Of course, we knew about the 24 hour turnaround, but just be aware of this, especially if you're flying. 

 

Sorry for the ultimately boring post:)

[Blackduck59]

1 minute ago, zook50 said:

In an ideal world, Covid would be gone and we would have much less worrisome, less complicated travel.  But as others have said, restrictions and requirements for travel have changed constantly, and this is where travel forums/boards are invaluable.  I would definitely not call real Canadian travelers' experiences and tips boring.  In fact, we are not even cruising yet, but just returned from a two month driving trip to Texas and these "boring" posts with personal accounts, tips, and recommended websites, etc. on Cruise Critic have been a lifesaver.  I read them and planned for our trip down and back as border rules changed.  Thanks to all the helpful comments here, we were able to get free rapid molecular tests, store a digital copy, and print paper copies as a backup.  Our border experience was seamless.

 

Interesting note to all who are going to be leaving the US and entering the Canadian border...

 

We saw a complete shift in available test types in pharmacies in the US in the last few weeks.  Initially, they were offering regular PCR tests (few days turnaround), RATs (one hour or less turnaround), and Rapid Molecular Tests (24 hour or less turnaround).  Right before we left on February 28, RATs were off the list for most states, including the ones we would be going through.  We had to book a Rapid Molecular Test.  My husband and I and relatives in another car all self-administered ours at the exact same time at the Walgreens drive up window.  The nurse said at the time most tests are back in an hour or so.  Mine was back in half an hour and the other 3 in our party got theirs in an hour.  My husband got his back 20 hours later, but only after we phoned labs, the pharmacy, etc. multiple times.  If we had taken it right before flying, we would have been in trouble.  As it was, we got in our car and kept driving north, booking a new backup test at the furthest northern town before the Canadian border.  It was stressful.  Walgreens finally told us on the phone that half the tests done that day were simply not processed before staff left for the day.  They lectured us about their right to the 24 hour turnaround and then immediately sent him his results.

 

Of course, we knew about the 24 hour turnaround, but just be aware of this, especially if you're flying. 

 

Sorry for the ultimately boring post:)

 

Thank you for the long report on testing in the United States, perhaps you could post it on any one of the 14 "testing" threads in the Canadian section. I'm sure it will be well received.

My point was why are we Canadians laying on 2 or 3 testing threads a day rather than taking a few moments to read the other 10 that are already there.

[zook50]

10 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

 

Thank you for the long report on testing in the United States, perhaps you could post it on any one of the 14 "testing" threads in the Canadian section. I'm sure it will be well received.

My point was why are we Canadians laying on 2 or 3 testing threads a day rather than taking a few moments to read the other 10 that are already there.

Sorry - I just got back from my trip and was too busy to faithfully read all threads.  I'll choose carefully now that I have more time at home:):)

 

My main point was that the threads (and their posters) are valuable and appreciated. 

[DHP1]

19 minutes ago, zook50 said:

Sorry - I just got back from my trip and was too busy to faithfully read all threads.  I'll choose carefully now that I have more time at home:):)

 

My main point was that the threads (and their posters) are valuable and appreciated. 

Agreed. If it’s so boring to some, don’t read it and don’t reply to it. 

Edited March 6, 2022 by DHP1

[Fouremco]

6 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

 

Thank you for the long report on testing in the United States, perhaps you could post it on any one of the 14 "testing" threads in the Canadian section. I'm sure it will be well received.

My point was why are we Canadians laying on 2 or 3 testing threads a day rather than taking a few moments to read the other 10 that are already there.

If you spend time on any of the individual cruise line boards, you'll find on each one dozens of threads on tipping, on dress code, on issues with a line's website, and myriad other subjects. In most cases, the individual testing threads here deal with somewhat different aspects of the issue. If you lump them all together into a single one, then the many, many individual problems get lost. Someone facing the problem of being driven to the airport in Detroit and looking for suggestions isn't interested in sorting through answers to a dozen other testing issues, and that's quite understandable.

 

The number of testing threads here reflects the wide variety of related issues, and I have no problem with that. As for why Canadians have a greater interest in the subject, it's because we face a greater number of issues. But as we draw closer to the Alaska and east coast cruising seasons, I've already noted a definite uptick in the number of threads on other boards raising question on testing for travel to and cruises to and from Canada.

 

As is frequently noted on all of the boards, if you aren't interested in particular threads, just skip over them.

[DirtyDawg]

5 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

 

Thank you for the long report on testing in the United States, perhaps you could post it on any one of the 14 "testing" threads in the Canadian section. I'm sure it will be well received.

My point was why are we Canadians laying on 2 or 3 testing threads a day rather than taking a few moments to read the other 10 that are already there.

Because we are BORING,  just like all the Yanks and the Brits and the Ausies,  and the.... who start new threads about chair hogs, fashion police, tipping, pre-tipping, post-tipping.... when there are hundreds of the same threads on each and every board around here.  

 

Celebrate Boring!!! 🥂

 

I hope you have a wonderfully boring cruise! 😉

 

Edited March 6, 2022 by DirtyDawg

[Blackduck59]

2 hours ago, DirtyDawg said:

 Celebrate Boring!!! 🥂

 

I hope you have a wonderfully boring cruise! 😉

 

 

We are hoping for boring, fair winds and following seas. Interesting ports of call (Including my home town). Boring testing 🤔. Interesting new people on our voyage.

We will attempt to be a resource for people visiting our town, but of course what we like about Victoria may be boring to some 😉.

Edited March 7, 2022 by Blackduck59

[Fouremco]

On 3/3/2022 at 11:45 PM, Blackduck59 said:

 

I have tremendous resect for your opinions and input. My point was that we seem to sprout 2 new testing threads every day, when simply taking a moment to read any of the existing threads on the subject will probably get the answer.

People want to travel and there are rules that seem to change on a daily basis. Victoria is scheduled to welcome their first cruise ship after 2 years in early April, somehow the Government of Canada hasn't managed to sort out the rules yet?

Someone make the rules and let's get on with it.

And while we're at it maybe wonder how it is okay for Canadians to expect free testing in the US when they would surely be choked if Americans expected the Canadian taxpayer to pick up the tab for their tests, just saying. We have made arrangements to get the appropriate documents required to cruise in April including prepaying for our tests as required by the testing facility we are using.

Of course the rules could change tomorrow or the next day.

 

More often than not, I've found that you and I share a similar point of view and voice similar opinions on most issues. In this particular case, however, while I understand your perspective, I simply disagree, for the reasons I have already delineated and won't repeat here. 

 

One thing we certainly do agree on is that the rules are ever changing!

 

Cheers!