What Proctored Tests Have Canadians Been Using For Boarding?

[ceilidh1]

Hi All!

I returned last month from a Virgin Voyages cruise where the test required to board was provided at the terminal, by Virgin. I now have two cruises coming up in April - one on NCL and one on Princess. Both require negative tests prior to boarding and it seems I am responsible for getting said tests. I'm fine with that, BUT I want to be sure that the tests I get are acceptable for the cruise line. Looking at their websites, all of their recommended providers/tests and those they partner with are located in the US and, with the exchange rate and shipping costs, would be pretty costly to do as a Canadian. I will have to test to fly to the US anyway (unless that changes) so wondering if the test I take for that would also be accepted for boarding, providing all the required info is on the test result certificate. Just curious what others who have sailed have found and if anyone has had their results refused?

[CaptainBazz]

For our last two cruises with NCL they provided the test at the terminal, the same as you experienced. We sail this week with RC and have to provide our own test. I used Shoppers Drug Mart for our antigen tests to fly in the past so am presuming (from what I have read on their website) that these tests will suffice to board. We are only flying in the day before so we meet their criteria.

[sunviking90]

We used the Switch Health proctored tests (thru Aeroplan) in January and will again in 2 weeks on Princess. There has been a LOT of discussion about this here, dissection of the cruise line wording, etc. Our experience was that it was fine and I’m comfortable using it again. I haven’t heard of anyone ever refused boarding with these. The staff checking in at the port seem to just look for the word negative and that’s it. Worst case, they would retest at your expense at the port, rather than refuse boarding. 
Shoppers, Etc here in BC do not do tests, like back east. There are no cheap options out here, lol. 

Edited March 26, 2022 by sunviking90

[ceilidh1]

35 minutes ago, sunviking90 said:

We used the Switch Health proctored tests (thru Aeroplan) in January and will again in 2 weeks on Princess. There has been a LOT of discussion about this here, dissection of the cruise line wording, etc. Our experience was that it was fine and I’m comfortable using it again. I haven’t heard of anyone ever refused boarding with these. The staff checking in at the port seem to just look for the word negative and that’s it. Worst case, they would retest at your expense at the port, rather than refuse boarding. 
Shoppers, Etc here in BC do not do tests, like back east. There are no cheap options out here, lol. 

If you have the tests in the green boxes (Shoppers in Vancouver is giving these ones out for the free test boxes) you can pay for just the proctor piece via Test Observation (azova.com) and use your own test. I know these work for flying to the US but not sure if they would be valid to board a ship...

Edited March 26, 2022 by ceilidh1
more text

[sunviking90]

55 minutes ago, ceilidh1 said:

If you have the tests in the green boxes (Shoppers in Vancouver is giving these ones out for the free test boxes) you can pay for just the proctor piece via Test Observation (azova.com) and use your own test. I know these work for flying to the US but not sure if they would be valid to board a ship...

I do have some of those, but I’m nervous about doing that until I hear  people have been successfully using them to board. Luckily I still have 2 packs of the switch health tests, so I’ll use those up first.

[cmich068]

Azova is US-based and has been doing proctoring for tests sold there for some time now, so I'm sure the cruise lines have seen a fair share of results from them by now.

 

Their expansion into proctoring Canadian approved tests is rather new. Aside from the same FDA approval issue as Switch Health has, I wouldn't be concerned using them.

Edited March 26, 2022 by cmich068

[tropical83]

Has anyone used the Walmart rapid antigen tests to board a cruise? Specifically Royal Caribbean as I an sailing Symphony on May 7.  I'm wondering if the safer bet is just to use Shoppers Drug Mart instead!

[Princess Fi]

We used Walmart testing for our Celebrity cruise in November. No problems at all. 

[tropical83]

1 hour ago, Princess Fi said:

We used Walmart testing for our Celebrity cruise in November. No problems at all. 

 

Thank You!

[*Miss G*]

We used the Shoppers Drug Mart antigen test to fly as well as to board a Princess ship.

[muffin]

MISS G…is this the green box of 5  kits given out free at pharmacies across Canada? It is manufactured by BTNX  in Ontario or the other name on the box is MDSS GmbH…. In Germany. Have no idea who that is. 

[*Miss G*]

15 minutes ago, muffin said:

MISS G…is this the green box of 5  kits given out free at pharmacies across Canada? It is manufactured by BTNX  in Ontario or the other name on the box is MDSS GmbH…. In Germany. Have no idea who that is. 

 

No, we made an appointment and had it done at the store.

[muffin]

I asked because somebody said Shoppers was giving these out free as well, and I wondered if they would use them I the store for testing. Seems you did not see the original packaging?  We BCpeople  are having a truly terrible time with testing as life labs is essentially our only go to and is very pricey. Vancouver has a couple of less expensive options, but island people can’t get there easily! 

[*Miss G*]

2 hours ago, muffin said:

Seems you did not see the original packaging?  

 

 

No, sorry.  Their setup did not have individual packaging; it was more of a production line situation.  I hope you are able to find a workable solution.

[ceilidh1]

4 hours ago, muffin said:

MISS G…is this the green box of 5  kits given out free at pharmacies across Canada? It is manufactured by BTNX  in Ontario or the other name on the box is MDSS GmbH…. In Germany. Have no idea who that is. 

Those are the free test kits I got at Shoppers. I going to try using the telehealth service through Avoza ($25) - no issues using it to fly to the US, but not yet clear if it would be accepted to board a cruise. Worse case scenario, I take a test at the pier...I'm sailing April 17th so will let you all know how it goes!

[muffin]

thanks. Will await your reality check with your trip, but think Swiitch is the way to go. Travelling to alaska, so a Canadian leaving Vancouver with an Air Canada testvsaying negative must be acceptable!!!  ?

[WorkerBee74]

 

 Used Switch Health. Tests were mailed to us (same BTNX “Green” tests) and taken online with their proctor. Available through Air Canada site. 
 

We sail Saturday on Carnival and our tests have already been accepted by Verifly in advance too - got a “Ready To Sail” green pass. All this stress for nothing. Ready to go!

[Auralee]

On 3/30/2022 at 2:09 PM, muffin said:

I asked because somebody said Shoppers was giving these out free as well, and I wondered if they would use them I the store for testing. Seems you did not see the original packaging?  We BCpeople  are having a truly terrible time with testing as life labs is essentially our only go to and is very pricey. Vancouver has a couple of less expensive options, but island people can’t get there easily! 

Hey I’m also on the island. I got an email from the yvr deals that had some suggestions. One was a proctored test using the government issued antigen tests. 

“If you're looking to use your own antigen tests for U.S. entry by air, here is a list of 7 companiesthat provide telehealth observation.”

 

it seems to me that if it’s accepted for air travel, it would be accepted for the cruise lines too. (The cruise line told me I could get a telehealth supervised test). ? Planning to try when we cruise in May. But if anyone does this before May please report back!

 

[mom2miracles]

We used Switch Health Rapid Antigen tests (online proctored) for our cruise with RCCL three weeks ago, no issues. We'll be using them again when we cruise again in three weeks. 

[willing292]

We used switch health with an online proctor, and had no trouble boarding this week.  

[bookbabe]

FYI, Azova will video-proctor all sorts of pre-purchased/store bought tests, including the Ontario government freebies.

 

https://www.azova.com/travelvideo/

 

 

 

[Acadie]

We used the little green box provided by the Canadian government and did the tests ourselves at home while being observed by a Telehealth professional through rapid test canada. Sailed two weeks ago on NCL, provided the report that we got from rapid test Canada and boarded the ship! The Telehealth service cost $40CAD and the test kit was provided free by government

[cmich068]

3 hours ago, bookbabe said:

FYI, Azova will video-proctor all sorts of pre-purchased/store bought tests, including the Ontario government freebies.

 

https://www.azova.com/travelvideo/

 

A family member used them last week to proctor a test kit bought at a Target store in the US before flying to Florida, and it worked very well. Wouldn't hesitate to use them again, and I'm sure it's just as seamless with a Canadian purchased/acquired test. 

[MillbrookMom]

4 hours ago, Acadie said:

We used the little green box provided by the Canadian government and did the tests ourselves at home while being observed by a Telehealth professional through rapid test canada. Sailed two weeks ago on NCL, provided the report that we got from rapid test Canada and boarded the ship! The Telehealth service cost $40CAD and the test kit was provided free by government

 Is there a printed paper you have to provide?  Just wondering if we do it in Vancouver we wouldn't have printer access.  TIA

[Acadie]

1 hour ago, MillbrookMom said:

 Is there a printed paper you have to provide?  Just wondering if we do it in Vancouver we wouldn't have printer access.  TIA

Screenshot on your phone!