ArriveCAN

[5waldos]

I have completed the first part of the app. Can anyone who has completed the full thing (the part you have to do within 72 hours) give me some idea of what it entails? Long and tedious or short and sweet? I suspect the latter. Also, I did have some trouble booking a CovidTest as seems to be required in case I am selected for a random test. I didn't try too hard since we don't sail til late July but any hints? 

[ByThePond]

You can put in a date for the embarkation date which is 3 days from now and then proceed to complete the rest of the form and then save it. Go back in when you are really within the 72 hour window and everything previously entered is still there. 

[Denny01]

We are doing the Alaska Seattle-Seattle Celebrity cruise that stops in Victoria for the evening. Do we need to fill out the ArriveCAN while on the ship 3 days prior to our Victoria call?

[Woody14]

6 minutes ago, Denny01 said:

We are doing the Alaska Seattle-Seattle Celebrity cruise that stops in Victoria for the evening. Do we need to fill out the ArriveCAN while on the ship 3 days prior to our Victoria call?

You will do it before boarding and then you are good.

[martincath]

What Woody said - if you have a smartphone and are comfortable using it, then you could put if off until you get to Seattle just in case there's another App update (most recent version dropped May 15th), though personally I'd download it now, input all the non-trip-specific info about you and your travel group, then wait to do the trip-specific info within the time limit so you get comfortable using the App.

 

If you would prefer to do on a big screen use the website at home before leaving - but again, go do it now so you get used to the format, there's no time limit on the People, Vaxx proof etc. Just choose which you want to do, as you can;t mix'n'match, beginning a trip on the App then finishing it on the website.

 

You also get 96 hours as the pre-trip threshold for cruises rather than 72 hours, so unless you have a long pre-cruise stay planned you can do it old-school with a paper printout at home, no worries about phone batteries!

[shuyak]

@martincath, can you share the source for 96 hours as pre-trip threshold for cruises?

 

I can only find 72 hours per link below:

https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/cruise

 

We will fly from US east coast to Vancouver Sunday night for Wednesday embarkation.  (Time zone difference+flying time.  1 or 2 arrivecan...)

 

Thank you!

[martincath]

33 minutes ago, shuyak said:

@martincath, can you share the source for 96 hours as pre-trip threshold for cruises? ...

Wish I could, but it's never been updated on that page! However multiple posters have reported since the April update that they were able to input their trip-specific data between 72 and 96 hours in advance - but only if they were arriving by cruise ship, rather than using land or air entry options.

 

There are just soooooooo many hits when searching, even using Google to search instead of the kinda crappy built-in Search here on CC, that it would take weeks to pour through them all and link you to the posts where someone specifically says "I just did this" - all I can say is that among the multitude of threads I read over the last few weeks an extra day's 'grace' appeared late April and was verified by a couple of 'I am about to cruise, so I will see if it works' folks.

 

There's no risk except for a few wasted seconds if it turns out the 15 May update removed the extra day - the App and website both reject trip entries that are outside the threshold, so if it has been corrected you'll simply need to go back in again next day.

 

For your specific trip it doesn't matter anyway - you can only have one 'live' entry, which means you are stuck with 72hrs in advance of your flight arrival as that's your first entry method. Even if you did it right before getting on the plane Sunday, the 72 hour clock would have run out - so you'll need to do a second one for the Cruise anyway, unless it's a Northbound-with-no-Canada-Stops-thus-not-actually-Entering-Canada trip...

Edited May 17, 2022 by martincath

[shuyak]

@martincath, thank you for the quick reply.

 

Hope you/locals/experienced can help with a sanity check of our understanding below:

 

We are on a 19 day HAL Vancouver roundtrip cruisetour (3 day NB cruise + 9 day land including Yukon + 7 day SB cruise) + 3 nights before + 1 night after in Vancouver.  The chronological requirements are:

 

ArriveCAN : within 72 hrs arriving YVR

ArriveCAN w/ covid test : within 72 hrs embarking NB cruise (PCR within 72 hrs or rapid test in 2 days)

ArriveCAN : within 72 hrs of Skagway bus into Yukon (assume HAL will assist/remind)

Covid test : within 1 day rapid test flying from Dawson City to Fairbank (assume HAL will assist)

ArriveCAN : within 72 hrs arriving Vancouver on SB cruise (assume HAL will assist/remind)

Covid test : within 1 day rapid test flying back to US

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

[Willwils]

2 hours ago, shuyak said:

@martincath, thank you for the quick reply.

 

Hope you/locals/experienced can help with a sanity check of our understanding below:

 

We are on a 19 day HAL Vancouver roundtrip cruisetour (3 day NB cruise + 9 day land including Yukon + 7 day SB cruise) + 3 nights before + 1 night after in Vancouver.  The chronological requirements are:

 

ArriveCAN : within 72 hrs arriving YVR

ArriveCAN w/ covid test : within 72 hrs embarking NB cruise (PCR within 72 hrs or rapid test in 2 days)

ArriveCAN : within 72 hrs of Skagway bus into Yukon (assume HAL will assist/remind)

Covid test : within 1 day rapid test flying from Dawson City to Fairbank (assume HAL will assist)

ArriveCAN : within 72 hrs arriving Vancouver on SB cruise (assume HAL will assist/remind)

Covid test : within 1 day rapid test flying back to US

This has me concerned and confused for my Alaska southbound Princess cruisetour- Whittier to Vancouver. Initially I thought that I only needed the ARRIVECAN App to get on ship. But, now need it again for my Skagway R/T bus to summit/Yukon + disembarking in Vancouver?? In order to do this do I need wifi on Majestic Princess. Or, will I have time to get (or be able toget) a Verizon cell signal?

[martincath]

14 hours ago, shuyak said:

@martincath, thank you for the quick reply.

 

Hope you/locals/experienced can help with a sanity check of our understanding below:

 

We are on a 19 day HAL Vancouver roundtrip cruisetour (3 day NB cruise + 9 day land including Yukon + 7 day SB cruise) + 3 nights before + 1 night after in Vancouver.  The chronological requirements are:

 

ArriveCAN : within 72 hrs arriving YVR

ArriveCAN w/ covid test : within 72 hrs embarking NB cruise (PCR within 72 hrs or rapid test in 2 days)

ArriveCAN : within 72 hrs of Skagway bus into Yukon (assume HAL will assist/remind)

Covid test : within 1 day rapid test flying from Dawson City to Fairbank (assume HAL will assist)

ArriveCAN : within 72 hrs arriving Vancouver on SB cruise (assume HAL will assist/remind)

Covid test : within 1 day rapid test flying back to US

 

Thanks!

1st ArrCan, yes - BUT you may not need the second one. If your first cruise does not enter Canada, we've already had reports that folks who still have some of the 72 hour ArrCan clock left at boarding time have not been asked to do a second if their cruises are to Hawaii or northbound AK with no other Canadian Ports of Call.

 

Covid test for northbound cruise - yes, note that for PCR it is your scheduled time of embarkation on your paperwork that 'ends' the clock, so depending how much Pre-cruise time you have in Vancouver you may be able to do a PCR at home before leaving.

 

ArrCan for Skagway - for you, definitely, as this isn't an excursion but a one-way tour entering Canada at this land border. Also note that the exemption to random testing for cruise excursions probably does not apply - but random border tests are free, telemedicine based, and include a courier pickup. However you are legally obliged to obey Federal rules - keeping track of all people you come into close contact with (easy enough as it'll be your coach full of fellow pax & guides, possibly hotel/restaurant staff) is the crux until your results come back from the lab, which could be several days given the remote location! Could be worse - it took 12 days for my results to come back the first time, the backlogs were so bad!

 

Covid Test for Dawson City>US flight - yes, unless US changes rules then day of/day before Antigen is good for this, and bloody right that HAL should be organizing! The only place to collect test kits in Yukon is Whitehorse, so anything other than HAL handing them out should be grounds for mutiny!!!

 

ArrCan for southbound cruise - no, this will like all other cruises require BOTH a Covid Test within the same timelines (72hr PCR/2 days for Antigen) AND an ArrCan entry before you are allowed to embark. If the timing of your flight leg above is close enough you won't need the test, but as the vessel you are on will 'Arrive in Canada' all the standard hoops apply.

 

Once again, I would say given the awkwardness of personal test arranging in small towns up north, if HAL does not step up with kits to hand out/web connection or even have a qualified person to proctor the tests in-person with you all, then they are utter, utter bar-stewards who don't deserve a penny of your cash ever again!

 

Covid test for YVR>US flight - yes again, though depending if you have post-Cruise time HAL may leave arranging this test in your hands.

11 hours ago, Willwils said:

This has me concerned and confused for my Alaska southbound Princess cruisetour- Whittier to Vancouver. Initially I thought that I only needed the ARRIVECAN App to get on ship. But, now need it again for my Skagway R/T bus to summit/Yukon + disembarking in Vancouver?? In order to do this do I need wifi on Majestic Princess. Or, will I have time to get (or be able toget) a Verizon cell signal?

This I'm not sure on as no reports of the practicalities on the ground have come in yet. If you rent your own car, yes; with a RT train, definitely no (while it does enter Canada to loop back, nobody gets off so there's never been a passport requirement); with a bus... there are specific border hassle exemptions for cruise excursions, including no random testing, but I've yet to see confirmation whether that covers ArriveCAN also. Lacking that confirmation, I would always err on the side of caution and assume that yes, you'll need to do another as this is not an included part of the trip, but something you are choosing to do that not everyone will do.

 

Given the data requirements are light, the time to enter one trip with all pax already entered into the app, this should literally take you a minute to arrange - maybe three minutes if you are fumble-fingered or have poor vision and are forced to use a teeny-tiny phone screen. You should be able to get domestic US phone service as you sail into port, and I have no doubt that enough trips have happened the driver/tour guide will be loudly asking everyone before they board the bus to check they have their ArrCan completed if it's needed!!!

 

I'm just hoping that some of the folks who have already traveled this season can confirm whether they completed another ArrCan or not on a cruise excursion, and an Indy excursion by bus, to cross into Canada from Skagway... so far I've only seen a 'we rented a car' trip report, and for those I fully expected normal land border rules (as with a car, nothing to stop you driving on and not coming back whereas if your transport is a bus, everyone aboard is reasonably expected to return together in a few hours).

 

You didn't ask, but I'm fairly sure, that doing this extra ArrCan at the land border does not cause problems with your existing filed trip on the ship, not due to get back to Canada until X days later - with cruising the data is sent to authorities by the ship as a 'snapshot' from your embarkation entry, with the expectation that all the pax are staying together until the final disembarkation rather than staying 'live' on everyone's individual account (multiple reports already that all early disembarks at a PoC have been refused this year, porobably for exactly this reason as Victoria usually has people getting off early who live on the island or want to tour before ferrying to Seattle...).

 

The folks who took that rental car trip for example would have been pulled aside as they entered Canada if their land crossing had killed their previous cruise entry - each ArrCan account can only have one 'live' trip in it, you start another and it wipes the existing one, so this is one of the many 'special cases' I was waiting to see info about rather than speculate in advance... so that trip report confirmed my suspicions that your cruise data is kept elsewhere as a group.

 

It also suggests to me that all land-border crossings at Skagway do need ArrCan entries - given that someone literally crossing the border to get cheap gas an returning in an hour, never having been anywhere except their own vehicle or outside at a gas pump, needs to do ArrCAN then a tour bus full of folks getting off to eat lunch, do dog-sledding, play with puppies, interact with shop & resto staff etc. in Canada are obviously a bigger risk (especially since Canada still officially deems cruising as inherently riskier than other forms of travel, witness the testing requirements which planes and trains and buses no longer need for vaxxed folks...)

 

Sorry, bit waffly there!

Edited May 18, 2022 by martincath
format for clarity

[shuyak]

5 hours ago, martincath said:

I'm just hoping that some of the folks who have already traveled this season can confirm whether they completed another ArrCan or not on a cruise excursion, and an Indy excursion by bus, to cross into Canada from Skagway...

@martincath, thank you very much for the specific responses.  I too hope to see some cruisetour reports as the season gearing up.

[riffatsea]

Any thoughts as to which is easier to use. The app. Or the web site??

[cruiseryyc]

The app is easier to produce at the airport/cruise ship where you might be asked to show your QR code receipt.

 

Or you can print off the QR code receipt if you use the website.

[zukecruiser]

Flying into Vancouver May 28 from the US.  Downloaded the app, scanned the passport and covid vaccine card for myself and spouse. Wondering if my wife also needs the app or if just using the app I completed with all our information is okay.  I think all l have left to complete is the arrival date into Canada.  Thanks for any information.

[martincath]

5 hours ago, zukecruiser said:

Flying into Vancouver May 28 from the US.  Downloaded the app, scanned the passport and covid vaccine card for myself and spouse. Wondering if my wife also needs the app or if just using the app I completed with all our information is okay.  I think all l have left to complete is the arrival date into Canada.  Thanks for any information.

No, you're good. Since my wife has a smartphone and I don't, we've been using her App for both of us whenever we can't print my ArriveCAN receipt. Up to 8 traveling together can use a single App - and since you're spouses, you can even use a single Customs declaration (unless you have different home addresses)

[Kellie in Texas]

On 5/23/2022 at 6:23 PM, martincath said:

No, you're good. Since my wife has a smartphone and I don't, we've been using her App for both of us whenever we can't print my ArriveCAN receipt. Up to 8 traveling together can use a single App - and since you're spouses, you can even use a single Customs declaration (unless you have different home addresses)

I'd like to confirm that up to 8 people can be on a single app.  Reading the arriveCAN website this morning, it is unclear.  My party is myself, DH and two sons (ages 29 and 20).  The website says spouses can go under one app, but it's unclear if my sons can go under my app as well.  

 

And, as I understand it, I can enter all our info except the travel date which has to be 72 hours backed up from our cruise departure time (which is 5:00 pm Sunday, June 5). 

 

Also, we are flying in Sat. June 4 so -- again as I *think* I understand it -- I would do the initial arriveCAN based on the flight arrival and the Pan Pacific hotel for Sat. night.  And once we are at the hotel, I'd do the second arriveCAN to indicate the Vancouver Cruise Operations for Sun. June 5.  Have I got it?

[5waldos]

43 minutes ago, Kellie in Texas said:

I'd like to confirm that up to 8 people can be on a single app.  Reading the arriveCAN website this morning, it is unclear.  My party is myself, DH and two sons (ages 29 and 20).  The website says spouses can go under one app, but it's unclear if my sons can go under my app as well.  

 

And, as I understand it, I can enter all our info except the travel date which has to be 72 hours backed up from our cruise departure time (which is 5:00 pm Sunday, June 5). 

 

Also, we are flying in Sat. June 4 so -- again as I *think* I understand it -- I would do the initial arriveCAN based on the flight arrival and the Pan Pacific hotel for Sat. night.  And once we are at the hotel, I'd do the second arriveCAN to indicate the Vancouver Cruise Operations for Sun. June 5.  Have I got it?

Only need the one ArriveCAN if you sail within the 72 hours. Don’t think you have to list a quarantine plan anymore. And you can list additional people- they seemed to be okay with my sister in law do your family should be fine. 

[martincath]

15 minutes ago, Kellie in Texas said:

I'd like to confirm that up to 8 people can be on a single app.  Reading the arriveCAN website this morning, it is unclear.  My party is myself, DH and two sons (ages 29 and 20).  The website says spouses can go under one app, but it's unclear if my sons can go under my app as well.  

 

And, as I understand it, I can enter all our info except the travel date which has to be 72 hours backed up from our cruise departure time (which is 5:00 pm Sunday, June 5). 

 

Also, we are flying in Sat. June 4 so -- again as I *think* I understand it -- I would do the initial arriveCAN based on the flight arrival and the Pan Pacific hotel for Sat. night.  And once we are at the hotel, I'd do the second arriveCAN to indicate the Vancouver Cruise Operations for Sun. June 5.  Have I got it?

The simplest choice is to play it safe and have them make their own ArriveCAN entries - given we now know the ages of your sons I would actually recommend doing so given they are legal adults in Canada (even the little'un can go boozing ashore all he wants by himself, being >19!)

 

Even if the confusion about one entry or multiple goes down the lines of a CBSA Agent asking "Why did you not just do one entry?" and you replying "My kids are no longer minors so I wasn't sure and played it safe!" - a) it's true, b) completely believable; and c) less bad than the alternative of using one entry because a rando on the internet told you to, then finding out that rando was wrong, and now your sons have to download the app with Canadian roaming data charges and fill it out never having done so before while an airport full of people stare at them!

 

It's also a long-term sensible thing as they might want to cross the border themselves for other vacations in the future, so they'll have it and be familiar with it.

 

Definitely use the flight arrival details and hotel address for your first entry. Whether a second entry is needed to board the cruise still has some wooliness - there are other reports than Waldos about not having done a second entry, just re-showing the first one, and being allowed onboard but personally I'd play it safe again as the type of crossing changes from Air to Marine. Free WiFi, a minute or two to change Mode and Date, it's minimal wasted effort.

 

As to whether or not your 4 people can be included in one group - I believe they can, for an assortment of reasons including having heard multiple reports of family groups of cousins, aunts/uncles, in-Laws, grandparents who all live in different homes but are vacationing together using it successfully.

 

I could also give you a long, and very boring, spiel about Canadian Government Style Guides and how everything about the grammar, format, word choice, and even what is not said on the ArriveCAN webpage adds up to '8 people who do not live together, and who are not even related, can travel together for the purposes of ArriveCAN' ;-)

 

[Kellie in Texas]

Thanks as always, @martincath.  I have downloaded the app and entered my and DH's passport, vaccine, birthday info, etc. I'll get them to download the app on their phones and do their own log-ins. We won't do the actual "72-hour form" until Friday.  Thanks! 

[martincath]

5 minutes ago, Kellie in Texas said:

Thanks as always, @martincath.  I have downloaded the app and entered my and DH's passport, vaccine, birthday info, etc. I'll get them to download the app on their phones and do their own log-ins. We won't do the actual "72-hour form" until Friday.  Thanks! 

No worries - make those dang kids do some work for their free vacation!!! ;-)

[5waldos]

martincath- one question about including and excluding people from ArriveCan. Wouldn't it be possible later, if necessary, for people listed on my ArriveCan to start another completely separate one for a different trip? Is there any reason that people would be forever tied to one? NOT trying to suggest to anyone that they do any differently, but I am traveling with my sister-in-law who is technologically phobic and it is so much easier just to include her in mine. It is also highly unlikely that she would venture north again but stranger things have happened.

[martincath]

You're definitely overthinking it Waldos!

 

The App - or the website - is just a tool to supply the required information in a (hopefully) efficient, safe manner. There's absolutely no problem with someone being a 'second traveler' on another account before, or after, or simultaneously with having their own account. I'm a living example - although I've yet to actually cross the border without my wife, I have my login, she has hers, we have each others' passport, NEXUS etc. so we could both submit our own, or cross with her on mine, or me on hers.

 

Usually I do all of our travel organizing, but when ArriveCAN first became a thing we were in the US so my lack of a smartphone made it much simpler to both cross back with her account than for me to find a printer to make a paper copy of the receipt.

 

The only potential problem would be if Person X & Y each submit their own trip entry, but one or both of them also add each other... and even then, since they are traveling together (or they shouldn't have added the other) all the records will flash onscreen anyway. It might make for some extra questions, and possibly some amusement, from CBSA but it's unlikely to stop anyone getting in if you have duplicate entries for the same trip...

[BAnders]

On 4/15/2022 at 12:19 PM, 5waldos said:

I have completed the first part of the app. Can anyone who has completed the full thing (the part you have to do within 72 hours) give me some idea of what it entails? Long and tedious or short and sweet? I suspect the latter. Also, I did have some trouble booking a CovidTest as seems to be required in case I am selected for a random test. I didn't try too hard since we don't sail til late July but any hints? 

Nor sure where you are flying into if Seattle Curative is free as they will bill your insurance company. they only release so many days at a time so have to watch. Just booked our on May 29, we sail June 5

On return out of Vancouver I went to Emeds and bought 6 tests. with 2 day ship and tax $184. That's about 30.00 a test. YCVR wants $79pp to leave the country back to US

 

[5waldos]

Thanks- we are flying into Vancouver and home from Anchorage. Have sorted out the ArriveCAN although the one I have does not mention cruise ships. But they have assured me that the form I have will get me into the country and onboard the ship. I think we will schedule an online observation for the tests- we have lots of them and $20 a person is nicer than what the urgent care and other centers charge here. Nice that we don't need to have a test to come home- that was pure luck as opposed to anything we planned. 

[zestyzorra]

If anyone can help me with my situation, I would be so grateful...

 

I'm driving to Vancouver on 7/3, immediately boarding the Eclipse for 1 week on a RT from Vancouver, then staying in BC for a few days before driving home. Do I need more than one ArriveCAN entry?