3/31/22: Princess Updated FAQ's for US and Canadian Cruises

[LACruiser88]

 

FYI, yesterday, Princess updated their FAQ's for US and Canadian cruises.  

 

 

https://www.princess.com/plan/cruise-with-confidence/cruise-health/frequently-asked-questions/us-cruises/

[westcoaster]

Interesting that Princess is saying that for "Voyages that include Canada", the time frame for a pre-embarkation antigen test is 1 day.  This requirement had already been announced for cruises leaving from Canadian ports, but this wording makes it sound like it would also apply to cruises from Seattle and other U.S. ports that stop in Canada.

[Sea Hag]

5 minutes ago, westcoaster said:

Interesting that Princess is saying that for "Voyages that include Canada", the time frame for a pre-embarkation antigen test is 1 day.  This requirement had already been announced for cruises leaving from Canadian ports, but this wording makes it sound like it would also apply to cruises from Seattle and other U.S. ports that stop in Canada.

I take it to mean that.  In this snippet from the website"

 

"Yes, based on current Canadian requirements for voyages that include Canada on their cruise itinerary, all guests ages five and above will require a medically observed negative viral COVID-19 test result taken before boarding the ship:

• Within 1 day for Antigen
• Within 3 days for PCR "

The part that I've highlighted makes me believe that my upcoming coastal roundtrip San Francisco and visiting Vancouver and Victoria will fall into that category. Drat. 

 

[cruisingrob21]

6 minutes ago, Sea Hag said:

I take it to mean that.  In this snippet from the website"

 

"Yes, based on current Canadian requirements for voyages that include Canada on their cruise itinerary, all guests ages five and above will require a medically observed negative viral COVID-19 test result taken before boarding the ship:

• Within 1 day for Antigen
• Within 3 days for PCR "

The part that I've highlighted makes me believe that my upcoming coastal roundtrip San Francisco and visiting Vancouver and Victoria will fall into that category. Drat. 

 

Yes, I'm on that one, not taking my at home antigen test until tomorrow.  I suspect Princess will be testing everyone at the pier.

[Sea Hag]

2 minutes ago, cruisingrob21 said:

Yes, I'm on that one, not taking my at home antigen test until tomorrow.  I suspect Princess will be testing everyone at the pier.

You must be on the CB sailing on this Sunday from SF to Vancouver? Really late notice for you, which is too bad. I was feeling sorry for myself, and my sailing isn't until 4/23. 

[cruisingrob21]

 

5 minutes ago, Sea Hag said:

You must be on the CB sailing on this Sunday from SF to Vancouver? Really late notice for you, which is too bad. I was feeling sorry for myself, and my sailing isn't until 4/23. 

I was prepared to have to take up to 4 tests (pre-boarding, before victoria, before vancouver, return to US) as of a few weeks ago.  Fortunately Canada relaxed their requirements so now its just the pre-boarding test and the return to US test.  

 

Based on whats on the travel canada site, I figured I will wait to take the pre-boarding test until tomorrow to meet the travel canada cruise requirements.  I imagine all the current passengers on board will have to re-test tomorrow as well as all passengers taking an antigen test today.  It's too bad, Princess knows this is their first ship to arrive in Canada since Covid and I never saw an update or an email advisory - and I'm a part time TA!

Edited April 1, 2022 by cruisingrob21

[Thrak]

Sweet. It says fully vaccinated and boostered folks have 3 days for either type of test. We get our second boosters today at 1:00 PM.  I think we will still do the PCR test as it seems to be more accurate. Hopefully Princess will give us our disembarkation tests when we dock in Vancouver so we will be okay to fly home the next day. (Spending one night in Vancouver after the cruise.)

[cruisingrob21]

17 minutes ago, Thrak said:

Sweet. It says fully vaccinated and boostered folks have 3 days for either type of test. We get our second boosters today at 1:00 PM.  I think we will still do the PCR test as it seems to be more accurate. Hopefully Princess will give us our disembarkation tests when we dock in Vancouver so we will be okay to fly home the next day. (Spending one night in Vancouver after the cruise.)

Reading whats on their website, it sounds like they will have testing at disembarkation (shoreside) or they encourage passengers to bring another at home test to use with the medallion net...

[Thrak]

1 minute ago, cruisingrob21 said:

Reading whats on their website, it sounds like they will have testing at disembarkation (shoreside) or they encourage passengers to bring another at home test to use with the medallion net...

 

I'm considering buying a 3 pack of the BinaxNOW proctored tests. I'd get the 3 pack as some folks have reported getting bad test kits. It would likely be a waste of the $69 for the tests but, then again, it would likely provide some peace of mind.

[cruisingrob21]

4 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

I'm considering buying a 3 pack of the BinaxNOW proctored tests. I'd get the 3 pack as some folks have reported getting bad test kits. It would likely be a waste of the $69 for the tests but, then again, it would likely provide some peace of mind.

Yeah I'm bringing a test with me.  Of course, reports on the current Caribbean Princess cruise is that the wifi is slower than molasses in January.  

[dog]

1 hour ago, westcoaster said:

Interesting that Princess is saying that for "Voyages that include Canada", the time frame for a pre-embarkation antigen test is 1 day.  This requirement had already been announced for cruises leaving from Canadian ports, but this wording makes it sound like it would also apply to cruises from Seattle and other U.S. ports that stop in Canada.

Glad to hear this. 

[ebeluga]

1 hour ago, Sea Hag said:

I take it to mean that.  In this snippet from the website"

 

"Yes, based on current Canadian requirements for voyages that include Canada on their cruise itinerary, all guests ages five and above will require a medically observed negative viral COVID-19 test result taken before boarding the ship:

• Within 1 day for Antigen
• Within 3 days for PCR "

The part that I've highlighted makes me believe that my upcoming coastal roundtrip San Francisco and visiting Vancouver and Victoria will fall into that category. Drat. 

 

So if I take the PCR test 3 days prior to boarding, I can satisfy both Princess and Canada requirements for visiting their ports included in the itinerary.  Yes?

[Sea Hag]

Just now, ebeluga said:

So if I take the PCR test 3 days prior to boarding, I can satisfy both Princess and Canada requirements for visiting their ports included in the itinerary.  Yes?

That's how I read it. Getting back results for PCR might be tricky.

[Buckeye10640]

I am fully vaccinated and boosted. To sail from the US (no stop in Canada) one must have a PCR or Antigen test within 3 days of boarding (done this twice now).  BUT if I am sailing from Anchorage disembarking in Vancouver my antigen test must be within 1 day of boarding or PCR  within 3 days. And I do not need tested to disembark in Vancouver but I DO (as of now) need a negative test to fly home to the US.  Do I have this right? And yes I read the guidelines. Twice. 

Edited April 1, 2022 by Buckeye10640

[nini]

10 minutes ago, ebeluga said:

So if I take the PCR test 3 days prior to boarding, I can satisfy both Princess and Canada requirements for visiting their ports included in the itinerary.  Yes?

 

I believe that Canada dropped the testing mandate. But they can test on a random basis.

[memoak]

11 minutes ago, Sea Hag said:

That's how I read it. Getting back results for PCR might be tricky.

We have gotten PCR results back in 24 hours or so in the past from our health provider. They have their own lab I believe 

[HaveDogWillTravel]

1 hour ago, Thrak said:

Sweet. It says fully vaccinated and boostered folks have 3 days for either type of test. We get our second boosters today at 1:00 PM.  I think we will still do the PCR test as it seems to be more accurate. Hopefully Princess will give us our disembarkation tests when we dock in Vancouver so we will be okay to fly home the next day. (Spending one night in Vancouver after the cruise.)

If you’re vaccinated & sailing includes any port in Canada you must take the antigen within 1 day. It’s only the PCR that can be 3 days. Being boostered gives no advantage when going to Canada. 

[HaveDogWillTravel]

And I wonder how many folks will not see this and therefore not have it done? 
 

Voyages that include Canada:
In addition to your health questionnaire, within 72 hours of embarkation the Canadian government requires guests to sign into ArriveCAN^from a computer or download the mobile app to enter your proof of vaccination and travel information. You will receive an ArriveCAN receipt. Please bring a digital copy of the email or print your receipt to bring with you when you travel.

[HaveDogWillTravel]

6 minutes ago, Buckeye10640 said:

I am fully vaccinated and boosted. To sail from the US (no stop in Canada) one must have a PCR or Antigen test within 3 days of boarding (done this twice now).  BUT if I am sailing from Anchorage disembarking in Vancouver my antigen test must be within 1 day of boarding or PCR  within 3 days. And I do not need tested to disembark in Vancouver but I DO (as of now) need a negative test to fly home to the US.  Do I have this right? And yes I read the guidelines. Twice. 

That’s how I read them. I am kind of surprised there’s no test needed to enter Canada by car or plane though. 

[Sea Hag]

3 minutes ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

If you’re vaccinated & sailing includes any port in Canada you must take the antigen within 1 day. It’s only the PCR that can be 3 days. Being boostered gives no advantage when going to Canada. 

I believe this is true and is the latest. 

 

Above the table that has the split out testing based on vaccinations/boosters, it says this:

 

Testing requirements for voyages departing from the U.S. (that do not include Canada) are as follows

 

So, that table only applies to cruises that don't visit Canada at all.

[westcoaster]

41 minutes ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

I am kind of surprised there’s no test needed to enter Canada by car or plane though. 

The rationale is that Covid is already circulating widely in Canada (at levels roughly similar to the U.S.), so there is no public health benefit to requiring fully-vaccinated travellers to provide a negative Covid test when entering the country, regardless if you are entering by car, plane, or cruise ship.

[Honolulu Blue]

3 hours ago, Thrak said:

I'm considering buying a 3 pack of the BinaxNOW proctored tests. I'd get the 3 pack as some folks have reported getting bad test kits. It would likely be a waste of the $69 for the tests but, then again, it would likely provide some peace of mind.

 

The 3-pack from Optum Store costs $99.99 plus $7.99 for shipping

[snoodqueen]

It would have been nice to get this information in an email!  I sail from SF to Vancouver on Sunday.  Took the required rapid antigen test to fly to the States tomorrow which was, according to the Princess website a couple days ago, also good enough to board the ship.  On hold with Princess right now to see if they will be testing us for free prior to boarding or if I'm expected to run all over San Francisco looking for a testing site at another cost to me.  Princess dropped the ball on this one as far as I'm concerned.  People sailing in a couple days of new rules should have sent this info out so contingency plans could be made. 

[cruisingrob21]

2 minutes ago, snoodqueen said:

It would have been nice to get this information in an email!  I sail from SF to Vancouver on Sunday.  Took the required rapid antigen test to fly to the States tomorrow which was, according to the Princess website a couple days ago, also good enough to board the ship.  On hold with Princess right now to see if they will be testing us for free prior to boarding or if I'm expected to run all over San Francisco looking for a testing site at another cost to me.  Princess dropped the ball on this one as far as I'm concerned.  People sailing in a couple days of new rules should have sent this info out so contingency plans could be made. 

Agreed, this should have been better broadcasted.  I'm thinking they will test us all again at the pier.  Or maybe if you were able to take a test tomorrow and show it you can bypass?

[tutumomickey]

Thank you OP. My daughter was not happy to learn the pre-embark test would cost 300.00 for her daughters. We even confirmed it would  with Princess live chat (although I always thought they were just reading the same website I was). Yeasterday's update states children under 5 are tested complimenary