Covid Testing for Alaska Cruises

[Rick&Jeannie]

Although our particular Alaska cruise is not until August, I'm certainly following all of this closely. (Port call in Victoria, PLUS possible entry into Canada via White Pass Railroad.)

 

I am wondering how a "pre-cruise hotel" booked via Princess might play into the timing of tests...assuming that nothing changes between now and then? (I feel very hopeful that things *will* in fact improve...but you have to plan for the worst!) 

 

Does anybody know whether or not Princess handles the pre-cruise testing given that the hotel is booked through them?

[bmc alabama]

2 hours ago, dog said:

let’s say- you “ don’t expect to “ be getting off the ship in Canada.  
 

Well, since we've already been to Victoria and it's in competition with dinner, dinner is going to win...

 

We are only there for 4-5 hours...

[Wavesprite]

Our cruise is April 30th. I decided to complete the ArriveCAN app today and will add our travel plans later when it gets within the 72 hour window.  
 

It was very easy! 

 

[erber]

Did you complete the Arrive CAN totally in the app or also go onto the website? Did you have to put in a quarantine plan? I haven't tried to do the app yet since our cruise isn't until June 1.

[Wavesprite]

3 minutes ago, erber said:

Did you complete the Arrive CAN totally in the app or also go onto the website? Did you have to put in a quarantine plan? I haven't tried to do the app yet since our cruise isn't until June 1.

I downloaded the App.  Super easy.  You take a photo of your passport, enter the dates of your vaccines and then upload a photo of your vaccine record.   You add your travel plans 72 hours before your trip.  You can register everyone in your party on one login. 

[erber]

Thanks!!!

[mjmalino]

5 hours ago, erber said:

I believe that the ship tests you AFTER you disembark and then is supposed to make quarantine arrangements with a location in Vancouver if I am looking at Canada's requirements correctly. So I guess that is what I will write down. Our cruise isn't until June 1 so we have time to see what other passengers' experiences are with all these requirements. 

According to the Canada website, that was updated on 4/1, you are not required to be tested prior to disembarking in Canada. However, Princess will test you if you will be flying back to a country (such as the US) that requires it. That being said, if you plan on staying in Vancouver for a day or 2, or longer, after your cruise, Princess's testing won't help because it has to be within 1 day of your flight into the US.

[Rick&Jeannie]

3 minutes ago, mjmalino said:

 Princess's testing won't help because it has to be within 1 day of your flight into the US.

I sure hope that US testing requirement goes away before too long!  One day is sometimes hard to accommodate.

[mjmalino]

3 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

I sure hope that US testing requirement goes away before too long!  One day is sometimes hard to accommodate.

You and me both. Although, given the flights to get back to South Carolina, we decided to rent a car and drive down to Seattle for a couple of days prior to returning home. Since we will be crossing the border by car we won't need to be tested. Go figure.

[Rick&Jeannie]

1 minute ago, mjmalino said:

 Since we will be crossing the border by car we won't need to be tested. Go figure.

And that's the CRAZY part!

[erber]

10 minutes ago, mjmalino said:

According to the Canada website, that was updated on 4/1, you are not required to be tested prior to disembarking in Canada. However, Princess will test you if you will be flying back to a country (such as the US) that requires it. That being said, if you plan on staying in Vancouver for a day or 2, or longer, after your cruise, Princess's testing won't help because it has to be within 1 day of your flight into the US.

We are flying back the day we disembark so Princess testing will apply to us, if (of course) we are still required to be tested to fly back to U.S. 

[bmc alabama]

13 minutes ago, erber said:

We are flying back the day we disembark so Princess testing will apply to us, if (of course) we are still required to be tested to fly back to U.S. 

I believe that the order was extended in March through April 18th, so it will be interesting to see if they extend it again.

[nini]

57 minutes ago, mjmalino said:

You and me both. Although, given the flights to get back to South Carolina, we decided to rent a car and drive down to Seattle for a couple of days prior to returning home. Since we will be crossing the border by car we won't need to be tested. Go figure.

Where might I find the information on the difference between driving and flying to enter the USA? We have an Alaska cruise/ Vancouver round-trip in September.

[nini]

42 minutes ago, bmc alabama said:

I believe that the order was extended in March through April 18th, so it will be interesting to see if they extend it again.

 

Where might I find this? I only know of April 18th referring to ending wearing masks on our flights.

[Buckeye10640]

6 hours ago, erber said:

I was panicking when I initially thought if you are tested after disembarking you are ON YOUR OWN and have to develop your own quarantine plan. But, I am reassured by what I found on Princess website regarding this issue. Of course if U.S. drops its international testing requirement to fly back to U.S. then this issues "goes away" (we are returning to U.S.). 

Lets hope!!

[mjmalino]

1 hour ago, nini said:

Where might I find the information on the difference between driving and flying to enter the USA? We have an Alaska cruise/ Vancouver round-trip in September.

https://www.canada.ca/en/transport-canada/news/2022/03/preventing-or-limiting-the-spread-of-covid-19-on-cruise-ships.html

 

[mjmalino]

2 minutes ago, mjmalino said:

https://www.canada.ca/en/transport-canada/news/2022/03/preventing-or-limiting-the-spread-of-covid-19-on-cruise-ships.html

 

Sorry, wrong link..... I am looking for the correct one

 

[mjmalino]

Just now, mjmalino said:

Sorry, wrong link..... I am looking for the correct one

 

OK, here it is. When you scroll down to the Frequently Asked Questions, under "Overview" one of the questions addresses this.

 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/testing-international-air-travelers.html

[Thrak]

7 hours ago, erber said:

Anyone completing ArriveCan information, can you comment on what you are putting for Quarantine plan? Also, do you have to do the website ArriveCan and also the app? It is confusing.

 

I took the ArriveCAN thing a bit farther and used the Saved Traveler Feature on the web site. (It can only be done on the web site at this point.) It allowed me to enter my passport, vaccination verification, etc. and saved it so that my immigration information is already in the system.

 

As for the Quarantine Plan portion of ArriveCAN I plan to simply put that I will stay in a hotel. That seems to be all that is required and, if we should test positive before embarkation, that is what Princess is doing - putting you in a hotel.

 

I wish I could fill out the entire ArriveCAN thing now and simply submit it within the required time frame but it balks at letting me enter my flight info since it is outside of the 72 hour limit.

[Thrak]

3 hours ago, Wavesprite said:

I downloaded the App.  Super easy.  You take a photo of your passport, enter the dates of your vaccines and then upload a photo of your vaccine record.   You add your travel plans 72 hours before your trip.  You can register everyone in your party on one login. 

 

Okay, I'm confused. When I open the ArriveCAN app it asks why I want to enter Canada. I choose the proper option. Then it insists on my flight info before I can go any further but it bombs out at that point because my flight is not within the current 72 hour window.  How did you get past that issue?

 

What you are describing sounds more like the Saved Traveler feature. It was (when I looked) only available online but they said it would be added to the app.

 

Edit: Okay. Updated app and the Travelers portion is now there. I did that online previously and it has ported into the app. Excellent!

Edited April 4, 2022 by Thrak

[nini]

2 hours ago, mjmalino said:

OK, here it is. When you scroll down to the Frequently Asked Questions, under "Overview" one of the questions addresses this.

 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/testing-international-air-travelers.html

Thank you so much for your response! Happy Sailings!

[DougH]

Where did you see that Princess will do testing onboard if you are flying back home? I sail from Whittier to Vancouver and fly home the day we arrive in Vancouver. I know we don't need a test to enter Canada but do need one to fly back into the US. You're saying Princess will test us the last day before Vancouver?

[Mike & Zen]

3 hours ago, DougH said:

Where did you see that Princess will do testing onboard if you are flying back home? I sail from Whittier to Vancouver and fly home the day we arrive in Vancouver. I know we don't need a test to enter Canada but do need one to fly back into the US. You're saying Princess will test us the last day before Vancouver?

Princess FAQ:  Sailings from the US and Canada.  Scroll to bottom After You Sail

 

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

 

Yes, if a negative COVID-19 test is required for re-entry into your home country, Princess will cover the costs of a COVID-19 test administered within the timeframe required prior to travel.

Guests should disembark the ship, collect their luggage, clear customs and exit the terminal for testing. Subject to availability, COVID-19 tests will be administered within or just outside the terminal. Antigen test results are available in approximately 30 minutes and PCR test results are available in approximately 60 minutes. Plan your post-cruise travel arrangements accordingly.

We encourage guests to review their home country’s health authority and travel websites for the latest guidance on required testing and timing for return travel.

If guests would prefer to have the required test completed while still on board, Princess has partnered with Optum so that before traveling to the ship U.S.-based vaccinated guests can order an FDA-authorized at-home antigen test kit, shipped to their homes in three business days or less. Guests can take these tests on the ship, using MedallionNet to complete the required, video-supervised visit with an eMed Certified Guide through telehealth services. These guides help administer the test and verify the results, usually within 15 minutes. The lab result report is delivered by email and can be printed or displayed on your mobile device during check-in. Please place your order with enough time to receive the test at home before going to the ship. Order your test kit online.

 

 

[eclue]

18 hours ago, nini said:

 

Where might I find this? I only know of April 18th referring to ending wearing masks on our flights.

That is correct - mandatory masks on planes goes until the 18th. There has been no mention of the testing.

 

[travelhound]

On 4/4/2022 at 1:36 AM, bmc alabama said:

Such a hassle.  We aren’t getting off the ship in Victoria.  Seems silly that they would want to track me when I won’t be there.  Would have been so much nicer to just have the PVSA extended one more year to avoid this.

Good point 👍  We have no interest in going into Canada, too much of a PIA.