Alaska cruise: If I don’t get off the ship in Victoria, do I still need ArriveCan?

[Wavesprite]

5 minutes ago, kona_wahine said:

So, I guess I’m confused as to what Canadian official I will need to show the app to….. Since I will not be standing in front of one. 

Whomever is checking your other docs when boarding you on your cruise.  

[JeffT237]

We are on a Princess cruise in May on their website it says:

 

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.

 

We are planning on staying onboard in Victoria as well, but we will complete the App and have it with us to show at the port before we board in Seattle.  The ArriveCan website states it's mandatory as well, and I agree it's confusing because it does not specify staying on board.  We will not chance being denied boarding, I could see a situation where we inform the embarkation personnel that we didn't do it because we are not getting off of the ship in Canada and they deny boarding because it's what they're instructed to do as they really have no idea what we're going to do when we arrive in Victoria.  With all of the other hoops to jump through we're just not going to risk it.

[kona_wahine]

44 minutes ago, Wavesprite said:

Whomever is checking your other docs when boarding you on your cruise.  

So, the US officials….  I’m going with what the Canadian official told me. 

[Ferry_Watcher]

Some years back I was doing document check for cruise passengers entering the terminal.  I had a group of three women come in, and two were US citizens and the third traveling on a Russian passport and she di not have a Green Card, nor a Canadian Visa.  She argued and argued with me while I kept directing her to an area with other folks who had document issues, and where we had personnel to deal with the situation(s).  She kept saying that she had no plans to get off the ship in Victoria, BC.  Of course it didn't matter.  Without a Canadian Visa it was a full stop denial.

Her friends were able to board, she was denied.

 

Re ArriveCan, if it ends up being required, at least (I am guessing) you will still have time on embarkation day to download it and submit your information.  :  )

1 hour ago, Wavesprite said:

Whomever is checking your other docs when boarding you on your cruise.  

[CanWeGoYet?]

2 hours ago, kona_wahine said:

So, I guess I’m confused as to what Canadian official I will need to show the app to….. Since I will not be standing in front of one. 

It sounds to me like it is all still being hammered out.  John Heald basically said Alaska cruise season will happen, with or without Canada.  https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/6787/

 

[5waldos]

10 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

 

If you are aboard a ship that docks at a Canadian Port, you are in Canada whether you remain on board, or take shore leave.

You enter Canada when you sail into Canadian waters. And ArriveCAN is not that big a deal- just do it. Far better to have and not need it than to get to the port and need it and not have it.
 

And the Canadian website is very clear- if you enter Canada by train plane or ship (including Canadian waters) you need ArriveCAN. 

[Joseph2017China]

Well, if you are in port, than you are in Canada.  Just complete the necessary items, and if you choose to stay in Canada without leaving the ship, than you are covered, and won't have any surprises.

[5waldos]

30 minutes ago, Joseph2017China said:

Well, if you are in port, than you are in Canada.  Just complete the necessary items, and if you choose to stay in Canada without leaving the ship, than you are covered, and won't have any surprises.

You don't need to be in port. If you are in Canadian waters you are in Canada. 

[Free2bMeForever]

My concern has more to do with the 72 hours.  I’m doing a 1 way that ends in Vancouver.  I’ll be embarking more than 72 hours prior to entering Canada, so do I need to just download the app pre-embarkation or actually register with it?  Not cruising for a few weeks so hopefully some clear guidance will be provided by cruise line!

[JeffT237]

1 hour ago, Free2bMeForever said:

My concern has more to do with the 72 hours.  I’m doing a 1 way that ends in Vancouver.  I’ll be embarking more than 72 hours prior to entering Canada, so do I need to just download the app pre-embarkation or actually register with it?  Not cruising for a few weeks so hopefully some clear guidance will be provided by cruise line!

 

I read it for our cruise that you complete it within 72 hours prior to wherever you embark from if your voyage includes Canada. I could be wrong but that's my interpretation, it can be confusing as it seems to change as well.  This is our plan, if not needed no harm for us.  We are on a Seattle roundtrip that stops in Victoria and we have no plans to get off the ship, but I really don't want to trust the customer service person that I may be able to get a hold of on the phone after a long wait has the most current or accurate info.

Edited April 11, 2022 by JeffT237

[ncovert]

I posted this question to JH and he stated that for Carnival (and only Carnival) that they do not plan to require passengers to use this app.

[5waldos]

On 4/10/2022 at 8:10 PM, kona_wahine said:

So, the US officials….  I’m going with what the Canadian official told me. 

You enter Canada when you enter Canadian waters- not when you get off the ship (or not). The ArriveCan is not a difficult thing to complete- why not fill it out and then not have to worry at boarding "just in case". I have read the Canadian requirements and my understanding is that you have to have the ArriveCan approval in order to board the ship. I am surprised about John Heald's response- if I have read the regulations correctly, it is hard to see how Carnival can just decide not to do it. I will try to find the Canadian government regulations where I read this requirement.

[JT1962]

5 minutes ago, 5waldos said:

You enter Canada when you enter Canadian waters- not when you get off the ship (or not). The ArriveCan is not a difficult thing to complete- why not fill it out and then not have to worry at boarding "just in case". I have read the Canadian requirements and my understanding is that you have to have the ArriveCan approval in order to board the ship. I am surprised about John Heald's response- if I have read the regulations correctly, it is hard to see how Carnival can just decide not to do it. I will try to find the Canadian government regulations where I read this requirement.

I agree with you. My Carnival PVP said they were not requiring ArriveCAN for any of their cruises, but I did need to complete VeriFLY. Maybe they are providing VeriFLY information to Canadian authorities in lieu of ArriveCAN?  Not sure if all of the information is the same or not.
 

I was told I have to use ArriveCAN for my bus tour from Skagway into Canada. Of course that is arriving by vehicle at a land border rather than by ship at a port. 

Edited April 14, 2022 by JT1962

[kona_wahine]

I’m not cruising Carnival, we are cruising NCL. The Canadian official said we do not need it as we are not getting off the ship. 

[dave34]

We are on Holland leaving Vancouver on a one way north bound. Ok I know I need ArriveCAN to fly into Vancouver, Hal sight says will need to use ArriveCAN again to board. Will be arriving in Vancouver on Saturday for Sunday cruise, will one ArriveCAN submission suffice. Why do I need one to board. Thanks 

[TomAndJane]

Here is the latest I can find.  https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/cruise

Based on this, the only thing that someone visiting Canada on a cruise is have a test prior to boarding their cruise ship and be vaccinated (same rules as the cruiselines at this point).  You  do not have to have the ArriveCan app or upload your information.  If you depart on a cruise that originates in Canada you do need the ArriveCan app.

 

Tom

[5waldos]

2 hours ago, TomAndJane said:

Here is the latest I can find.  https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/cruise

Based on this, the only thing that someone visiting Canada on a cruise is have a test prior to boarding their cruise ship and be vaccinated (same rules as the cruiselines at this point).  You  do not have to have the ArriveCan app or upload your information.  If you depart on a cruise that originates in Canada you do need the ArriveCan app.

 

Tom

 

2 hours ago, TomAndJane said:

Here is the latest I can find.  https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/cruise

Based on this, the only thing that someone visiting Canada on a cruise is have a test prior to boarding their cruise ship and be vaccinated (same rules as the cruiselines at this point).  You  do not have to have the ArriveCan app or upload your information.  If you depart on a cruise that originates in Canada you do need the ArriveCan app.

 

Tom

 

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/arrivecan.html

Who needs to use ArriveCAN

All travellers, with limited exceptions, whether entering Canada by air, land, rail or marine vessel, must use ArriveCAN unless you're exempt from this requirement due to an accessibility need.

You'll need to submit your information within 72 hours:

• before your arrival to Canada
• and/or before boarding a cruise ship destined for Canada

 

Doesn't this mean that you do in fact need to use ArriveCAN? 

Edited April 15, 2022 by 5waldos

[bookbabe]

If your cruise departs/returns/stops in Canada, I would take the five minutes to fill out ArriveCan, even if you think you don’t need it.  We’ve had lots of horror stories here in the media about people who didn’t, or in some cases couldn’t because they couldn’t get it to work, and were fined large sums or denied entry to Canada.

Edited April 15, 2022 by bookbabe

[Heidi13]

4 hours ago, TomAndJane said:

Here is the latest I can find.  https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/cruise

Based on this, the only thing that someone visiting Canada on a cruise is have a test prior to boarding their cruise ship and be vaccinated (same rules as the cruiselines at this point).  You  do not have to have the ArriveCan app or upload your information.  If you depart on a cruise that originates in Canada you do need the ArriveCan app.

 

Tom

 

You may want to re-read the link you provided, especially the bold section "Before Boarding Your Cruise Ship" It clearly states that if docking in Canada, regardless of whether the cruise originated in Canada or another country, you must complete the ArriveCan, withing 72 hrs of boarding.

 

Based on this, if you haven't completed this process, you could be denied boarding.

 

The last section only applies to testing requirements. 

[5waldos]

Not even certain you have to dock- you are IN Canada when you enter into Canadian waters. Although I don't know of any cruises that don't stop someplace once you at that close. 

 

I am rather confused about what the objection to completing the ArriveCan app is. It is really a simple thing and takes minutes. Not much more information than I can remember filling out on paper entering any number of countries. Could someone explain to me the objections? 

[JT1962]

2 hours ago, 5waldos said:

Not even certain you have to dock- you are IN Canada when you enter into Canadian waters. Although I don't know of any cruises that don't stop someplace once you at that close. 

 

I am rather confused about what the objection to completing the ArriveCan app is. It is really a simple thing and takes minutes. Not much more information than I can remember filling out on paper entering any number of countries. Could someone explain to me the objections? 

I agree and don’t understand the objections to completing it. It’s fairly simple and straightforward. It’s much better to take 10 min, or less, to complete it and not need it than to be scrambling at the pier to try and complete it, if needed.

 

There obviously is a disconnect between what the Canadian website says and what what the cruise lines and some officials are telling people. It does not appear to be specific to which cruise line you are on, which port or how you arrive. Maybe I am misreading the requirements, but will not be surprised to see posts in a couple of weeks with people complaining they were denied boarding or getting off in a port because they did not complete the information with the typical “nobody told me” excuse.
 

Edited April 15, 2022 by JT1962

[AryMay]

20 hours ago, JT1962 said:

There obviously is a disconnect between what the Canadian website says and what what the cruise lines and some officials are telling people. It does not appear to be specific to which cruise line you are on, which port or how you arrive. Maybe I am misreading the requirements, but will not be surprised to see posts in a couple of weeks with people complaining they were denied boarding or getting off in a port because they did not complete the information with the typical “nobody told me” excuse.
 

 

I agree. We are booked on the first Holland America Alaska cruise leaving out of Seattle and as such will be the guinea pigs for applying protocols. Who knows what check-in will be like!

 

I am concerned for a couple of different reasons:

 

1.  Our cruise leaves in two weeks and so far HAL has not sent out any emails specifically instructing passengers to use the ArriveCAN app. There is a PDF file on their website that includes this information, but I know many will not take the time to click through all of the protocols to find it. Some on our roll call have said they don't "think" they need to fill out the app since we are only making a brief stop in Victoria. That's not the way I am interpreting the guidelines.

 

2.  There is a discrepancy between the timing of testing between what HAL (and other cruiselines) requires and what the Canadian government says. For fully vaccinated passengers HAL says you can get either a PCR or antigen test 3 days before the cruise. Canada says 72 HOURS prior for molecular test or 2 DAYS for antigen test. I can follow HAL's guidelines but not be in compliance for the Canadian rules. 

 

I have called my cruise consultant at HAL and pointed out the differences in testing times and he is supposedly looking into it (that was 2 days ago.) I know HAL has changed their safety guidelines for Alaska three times in the last two weeks so if someone isn't checking frequently they may not have the latest info.

 

 

[disneylover89]

On 4/14/2022 at 10:46 PM, kona_wahine said:

I’m not cruising Carnival, we are cruising NCL. The Canadian official said we do not need it as we are not getting off the ship. 

It has been reported that passengers who are sailing NCL in May have gotten emails that the document needs to be filled out. It does not matter if you are not getting off the ship, it needs to be completed before embarkment

[JT1962]

5 minutes ago, AryMay said:

 

 

2.  There is a discrepancy between the timing of testing between what HAL (and other cruiselines) requires and what the Canadian government says. For fully vaccinated passengers HAL says you can get either a PCR or antigen test 3 days before the cruise. Canada says 72 HOURS prior for molecular test or 2 DAYS for antigen test. I can follow HAL's guidelines but not be in compliance for the Canadian rules. 

 

 

 

Yes. I have the same timing questions with Carnival vs Canada vs VeriFLY. My Carnival PVP assures me an Antigen or NAAT test anytime 3 days before departure is all that is needed, since I received a booster in December. That does not match what Canada requires for any cruise ship visiting Canada. VeriFLY (required by Carnival) says I can upload my test results anytime after 7:00 PM 4 days prior to my sailing.  
 

Since there is still confusion, I have a rapid NAAT test scheduled on Friday for my Monday cruise and also ordered an at home proctored test to take with me, just in case I get a last minute notification that my Friday test was too soon. I fly to Seattle on Saturday morning and do not want to try and find a test there late Saturday or on Sunday.

[bushwhack77]

This is a perfect example of unnecessary, and illogical government control of the masses.