New Canadian Covid Testing Protocols?

[Tree_skier]

8 minutes ago, SeattleAl said:

(to be fair, I live in the Northwest and have been there).

I was born and raised and lived 49 years of my life in Vancouver.  I have been to Victoria so many times I couldn't count.  If BC ferries gave loyalty points I'd be Pinnacle by now LOL. There is nothing a 5 hour stop in Victoria could afford me that would motivate me to get off the ship for this degree of inconvenience.  

 

Although it isn't clear in the governments released information.  I'm hoping that the additional test and ArriveCan info will only be for those that are departing the ship.  Originally our plan was to have an early dinner onboard then take a cab to Timmy's for a coffee and a Canadian Maple donut and then return to the ship.  That is the only thing I have missed about living in Canada. With this degree of inconvenience it's not happening.  If I need to download and have the ArriveCan app on my phone irrespective of whether I'm getting off I may cancel the cruise.

Edited March 8, 2022 by Tree_skier

[Canadianmama3]

1 hour ago, Tree_skier said:

I was born and raised and lived 49 years of my life in Vancouver.  I have been to Victoria so many times I couldn't count.  If BC ferries gave loyalty points I'd be Pinnacle by now LOL. There is nothing a 5 hour stop in Victoria could afford me that would motivate me to get off the ship for this degree of inconvenience.  

 

Although it isn't clear in the governments released information.  I'm hoping that the additional test and ArriveCan info will only be for those that are departing the ship.  Originally our plan was to have an early dinner onboard then take a cab to Timmy's for a coffee and a Canadian Maple donut and then return to the ship.  That is the only thing I have missed about living in Canada. With this degree of inconvenience it's not happening.  If I need to download and have the ArriveCan app on my phone irrespective of whether I'm getting off I may cancel the cruise.

I don’t think you need to have the ArriveCAN app on your phone.   I think you may be able to use a web based version? If does not track you.  It’s just a place to upload your vaccine and testing information and then it gives you a “receipt”.  It’s to show you have provided that information.  

[Canadianmama3]

1 hour ago, Tree_skier said:

I was born and raised and lived 49 years of my life in Vancouver.  I have been to Victoria so many times I couldn't count.  If BC ferries gave loyalty points I'd be Pinnacle by now LOL. There is nothing a 5 hour stop in Victoria could afford me that would motivate me to get off the ship for this degree of inconvenience.  

 

Although it isn't clear in the governments released information.  I'm hoping that the additional test and ArriveCan info will only be for those that are departing the ship.  Originally our plan was to have an early dinner onboard then take a cab to Timmy's for a coffee and a Canadian Maple donut and then return to the ship.  That is the only thing I have missed about living in Canada. With this degree of inconvenience it's not happening.  If I need to download and have the ArriveCan app on my phone irrespective of whether I'm getting off I may cancel the cruise.

I checked for you.  You can you use the web application.   No need to download anything on your phone, even if you are required to use ArriveCAN 
 

 

[Joseph2017China]

4 hours ago, erinsmom03 said:

Thanks. We booked this cruise quite awhile ago. Kind of crazy that we would need to be tested up to 4 times to take this cruise...

You only need one test for the cruise, which is 72 hours......the rest is Canada entry rules, and USA entry rules, not the cruise.  That's why, I planned mine to avoid most of that. and only need one test.  If you booked a while ago, Canada was not even letting you in....so I think your whole trip was a risk?

[erinsmom03]

4 hours ago, smplybcause said:

 

You're not having to be tested 4 times to cruise - You're choosing to add extra days before and after that mean you need to test two additional times. If you cut back on the extra days you wouldn't need to extra tests. 

 

If I want to take red eye flights home and/or pay about $400 more per person in airfare. Starting to rethink my visit to Vancouver. Maybe I should just fly in and out of Seattle.

[erinsmom03]

3 hours ago, SeattleAl said:

I don't think that will be easy, or even possible. I think RC has about six sailings a month from Vancouver. I have read that the Seattle port is very full of scheduled sailings (all lines), so there many not even be room if they wanted to do this.

 

I didn't think it was likely, and didn't want it to happen. Two of our friends were the ones hoping for this.  I chose this itinerary specifically because we have already sailed out of Seattle, and visited Seattle as a family years before that as well. We loved Victoria on our 2019 cruise, and wanted to enjoy Vancouver, as we had heard great things about the city. 

[erinsmom03]

48 minutes ago, Joseph2017China said:

You only need one test for the cruise, which is 72 hours......the rest is Canada entry rules, and USA entry rules, not the cruise.  That's why, I planned mine to avoid most of that. and only need one test.  If you booked a while ago, Canada was not even letting you in....so I think your whole trip was a risk?

 

Regardless of the agency or rule behind all the testing, it will be a complete pain to figure. This is a trip we have been planning since November 2020, before they closed down Canada for the 2021 season. And I chose the itinerary that we wanted, a multi glacier out of Vancouver. I convinced a big group of friends to join us. At this point, I'm just waiting for Royal to give their port guidelines for Vancouver so that I can finally purchase our airfare and book our hotels, and we can figure out all the crazy logistics of testing. 

[Sunshine3601]

5 hours ago, erinsmom03 said:

Thanks. We booked this cruise quite awhile ago. Kind of crazy that we would need to be tested up to 4 times to take this cruise...

Technically you only need 2 tests but since you are doing a pre-cruise arrival and a post cruise stay of a couple extra days then you will need 4 tests. 

 

Royal's first cruise out of Canada isn't until the end of April I am sure Royal will release their protocols within 30-days of the sale, maybe sooner.

[Chrislynn55]

4 hours ago, barbeyg said:

I would think RCI management is already in discussions about this, as there are lot of hoops they would have to jump through with Canada clarifying their demands for this AK cruising season.    

 

 

The 2022 guidelines for ships visiting Canada will affect the Canada/New England cruises as well. A number of those cruises begin from a US port and end at a Canadian port - where you will not be permitted to disembark and enter Canada at the end of your cruise if you have a positive test result, unless you are a Canadian citizen (with a quarantine plan). So, citizens of other countries will have to remain in quarantine on the ship for the next cruise as it sails back to the US.

 

As a Canadian, I was really hoping that no testing at all would be required for Canadian ports, instead it has just become more onerous.

Edited March 8, 2022 by Chrislynn55

[erinsmom03]

2 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Technically you only need 2 tests but since you are doing a pre-cruise arrival and a post cruise stay of a couple extra days then you will need 4 tests. 

 

Royal's first cruise out of Canada isn't until the end of April I am sure Royal will release their protocols within 30-days of the sale, maybe sooner.

 

Our pre and post stays are mainly due to the cost and timing of flights. We would definitely prefer to avoid a red eye flight home, but I guess if we have to, we will. Sorry, Delta passengers who will have to listen to my husband's snoring 😆

[reallyitsmema]

7 minutes ago, erinsmom03 said:

 

Regardless of the agency or rule behind all the testing, it will be a complete pain to figure. This is a trip we have been planning since November 2020, before they closed down Canada for the 2021 season. And I chose the itinerary that we wanted, a multi glacier out of Vancouver. I convinced a big group of friends to join us. At this point, I'm just waiting for Royal to give their port guidelines for Vancouver so that I can finally purchase our airfare and book our hotels, and we can figure out all the crazy logistics of testing. 

 

I am afraid that they will flip the itinerary on the Seattle sailings and have us hit Victoria first so that our tests to board will cover us for Victoria.  If that happens, they will have to play with our other ports which will effect all our excursions.

 

I get the frustration, we booked in the same timeframe you did to have Quantum not come last year.  We have booked our hotel in Seattle months ago as we can cancel if we need to.  We did just book our airfare this past weekend as we too were waiting.  I think we just have to wait it out.  The Alaska port of departures are finally listed in the Healthy Sail area of the cruise lines website so they are working on information.  If you chose Seattle, it says we will be notified of the protocols at least 30 days prior to sailing.  We plan to have proctored tests but also try to book PCR tests in Seattle.

[erinsmom03]

14 minutes ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

I am afraid that they will flip the itinerary on the Seattle sailings and have us hit Victoria first so that our tests to board will cover us for Victoria.  If that happens, they will have to play with our other ports which will effect all our excursions.

 

I get the frustration, we booked in the same timeframe you did to have Quantum not come last year.  We have booked our hotel in Seattle months ago as we can cancel if we need to.  We did just book our airfare this past weekend as we too were waiting.  I think we just have to wait it out.  The Alaska port of departures are finally listed in the Healthy Sail area of the cruise lines website so they are working on information.  If you chose Seattle, it says we will be notified of the protocols at least 30 days prior to sailing.  We plan to have proctored tests but also try to book PCR tests in Seattle.

 

I just want to be on this cruise! It was our consolation booking after losing our 2021 British Isles bucket list cruise. I'm sure it will all work out, but it is a bit challenging to figure out all the different components right now. I am very hopeful (and thankful) that things are improving for cruising. Our first post Covid cruise is in 20 days... and then we have one in May before we go to Alaska. Just trying to catch up on all the cancelled/postponed trips like everyone else. I will just have to practice that lifeskill of patience a little more lol!

[Sunshine3601]

10 minutes ago, erinsmom03 said:

 

I just want to be on this cruise! It was our consolation booking after losing our 2021 British Isles bucket list cruise. I'm sure it will all work out, but it is a bit challenging to figure out all the different components right now. I am very hopeful (and thankful) that things are improving for cruising. Our first post Covid cruise is in 20 days... and then we have one in May before we go to Alaska. Just trying to catch up on all the cancelled/postponed trips like everyone else. I will just have to practice that lifeskill of patience a little more lol!

I completely understand.   I, too, have had an Alaskan sailing as well as b2b for Baltic & Norway cancelled plus many other cruises.     

As soon as you step foot on your first cruise since the restart you will have a big Yay! Woot Woot!!!     It felt so good when we first stepped back onboard a ship and I am sure you will enjoy no matter what "crap" you have to go through to get there.

[CatLadyFemme]

6 hours ago, erinsmom03 said:

 

I just want to be on this cruise! It was our consolation booking after losing our 2021 British Isles bucket list cruise. I'm sure it will all work out, but it is a bit challenging to figure out all the different components right now. I am very hopeful (and thankful) that things are improving for cruising. Our first post Covid cruise is in 20 days... and then we have one in May before we go to Alaska. Just trying to catch up on all the cancelled/postponed trips like everyone else. I will just have to practice that lifeskill of patience a little more lol!

Pretty much same; Allure in April, Voyager in May, and Quantum in August. All to replace multiple time cancelled cruised from 2020 and 2021. I have been isolating for almost 2 years (am immuno compromised) and am getting my 4th shot in a few weeks and am *so* ready to be back on board 💜

[logan25]

I was hoping the situation would resolve itself but the extra testing for us is not convenient enough to keep our b2b in May.  I’ve chosen to cancel our sailings departing from and returning to Vancouver.

[Joseph2017China]

15 hours ago, erinsmom03 said:

 

Regardless of the agency or rule behind all the testing, it will be a complete pain to figure. This is a trip we have been planning since November 2020, before they closed down Canada for the 2021 season. And I chose the itinerary that we wanted, a multi glacier out of Vancouver. I convinced a big group of friends to join us. At this point, I'm just waiting for Royal to give their port guidelines for Vancouver so that I can finally purchase our airfare and book our hotels, and we can figure out all the crazy logistics of testing. 

Wait, you just answered your question!!!!! If you did not book the airfare, than book it for day before, and you will be set for one PCR test to cover both entry into Canada and the Cruise ship.  Just plan around the testing to make it easy. 

[erinsmom03]

1 hour ago, Joseph2017China said:

Wait, you just answered your question!!!!! If you did not book the airfare, than book it for day before, and you will be set for one PCR test to cover both entry into Canada and the Cruise ship.  Just plan around the testing to make it easy. 

 

I'm actually considering flying into Seattle and taking the train in to Vancouver. Then the only testing needed would be to get on and off the ship, not needed for flying. As of now, from what I can see, there are no testing requirements for crossing the border by land.

 

Flying in the day before the cruise and then home the day of the cruise means we don't get to see much of Vancouver at all, the prices are considerably higher, and involves red eye flights. 

[d9704011]

3 minutes ago, erinsmom03 said:

 

I'm actually considering flying into Seattle and taking the train in to Vancouver. Then the only testing needed would be to get on and off the ship, not needed for flying. As of now, from what I can see, there are no testing requirements for crossing the border by land.

 

Flying in the day before the cruise and then home the day of the cruise means we don't get to see much of Vancouver at all, the prices are considerably higher, and involves red eye flights. 

Pretty sure you need a test before entering Canada by land.

[erinsmom03]

3 minutes ago, d9704011 said:

Pretty sure you need a test before entering Canada by land.

 

 

True... and it looks like only PCR test? This is getting really frustrating to try to figure out.

[HappyInVan]

1 hour ago, erinsmom03 said:

 

 

True... and it looks like only PCR test? This is getting really frustrating to try to figure out.

 

"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

 

[erinsmom03]

1 minute ago, HappyInVan said:

 

"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

 

 

Thanks. I am getting some great advice on the Canada board too. 

[Canadianmama3]

1 hour ago, erinsmom03 said:

 

 

True... and it looks like only PCR test? This is getting really frustrating to try to figure out.

I know it seems really confusing but it’s not as bad as it seems.   You only need an antigen test to come to Canada.  
 

You could always fly to Seattle, take an antigen test before coming to Vancouver (either by train or car) the day of or day before your cruise.  
 

You could then stay in Vancouver for several days after your cruise and fly home through Seattle.  No test is needed to enter the US at the land border.  

[smokeybandit]

Canada's protocols are nearly identical to the CDC's except for the disembarkation/port of call testing requirement that will be a big headache. I'm sure the cruise lines are trying to negotiate that down.

[logan25]

2 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Canada's protocols are nearly identical to the CDC's except for the disembarkation/port of call testing requirement that will be a big headache. I'm sure the cruise lines are trying to negotiate that down.

Time for negotiation is running out with cruise ships arriving and/or departing in Canada next month.

[erinsmom03]

18 minutes ago, Canadianmama3 said:

I know it seems really confusing but it’s not as bad as it seems.   You only need an antigen test to come to Canada.  
 

You could always fly to Seattle, take an antigen test before coming to Vancouver (either by train or car) the day of or day before your cruise.  
 

You could then stay in Vancouver for several days after your cruise and fly home through Seattle.  No test is needed to enter the US at the land border.  

 

This is exactly what I am thinking of doing, flying into Seattle. I wish the Amtrak trains were running, but I know that I can book the bus.