Flying home to US from Vancouver-covid test needed?

[Gray Lady]

3 hours ago, Gramma of Boys said:

We ordered the emed kits and are hoping we can find somewhere with free wifi in Victoria when we are there.  Our timeline for making our flight in Vancouver is just too tight to leave it until disembarkation day.  This is just an added stressor that none of us should have.

I was told by our cruise line that if you pay for premium internet, maybe even for one day, that it will support video calls. Something to call and look into. Our cruise is not in any ports the day before we fly out, so we have to do it on the ship.

[PhotoGal07]

15 hours ago, Buckeye10640 said:

We are all talking about how and when to test but is anyone but me worried about what happens if you test positive (off the ship)?  How does one even find  hotel options for quarantine?

We plan on doing a rapid for everyone the night before/morning of disembarkation that way if we are positive, we can report to medical, and become the ships problem.   It's not foolproof obviously, but it's better than nothing.

[Buckeye10640]

2 minutes ago, PhotoGal07 said:

We plan on doing a rapid for everyone the night before/morning of disembarkation that way if we are positive, we can report to medical, and become the ships problem.   It's not foolproof obviously, but it's better than nothing.

We have the same plan 🙂. But I have recently noticed they removed references to quarantine accomodations. So time will tell how much of it becomes the passengers problem!

[PhotoGal07]

2 hours ago, Gray Lady said:

I was told by our cruise line that if you pay for premium internet, maybe even for one day, that it will support video calls. Something to call and look into. Our cruise is not in any ports the day before we fly out, so we have to do it on the ship.

I don't think Princess offers premium internet do they?  I've only seen packages for 1 device and then for 4 devices.  Perhaps I'm looking in the wrong place?  Can anyone shed light on this?

[Honolulu Blue]

15 minutes ago, PhotoGal07 said:

I don't think Princess offers premium internet do they?  I've only seen packages for 1 device and then for 4 devices.  Perhaps I'm looking in the wrong place?  Can anyone shed light on this?

As you mentioned, Princess only offers one Internet speed with a different amount of connections as the only way to customize the plan.  I'm sure they think it's "premium ("The best WiFi at sea!!"), but your speed at home is probably a lot faster than it will be on the ship.  For more details, or if you want to kill a few minutes, here's the Princess link to its Internet service:  https://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/ocean-medallion/medallionnet/ .

[erber]

It would be most helpful if anyone is trying to do the tests online before disembarkation if they can report what happens! We are not going to be doing the test until right before we disembark on June 8. Anyone going to be on board sooner, please let us know what happens when you try to do the emed tests. 

[Babr]

59 minutes ago, PhotoGal07 said:

We plan on doing a rapid for everyone the night before/morning of disembarkation that way if we are positive, we can report to medical, and become the ships problem.   It's not foolproof obviously, but it's better than nothing.

For what it is worth, the government of Canada requires cruise lines to arrange and pay for quarantine for passengers who test positive during the cruise regardless of the cruise line’s policy of quarantine assistance. I don’t know how that applies to people who test positive at disembarkation, but I bet we find out soon enough because it is bound to happen.

[Yehootu]

11 minutes ago, erber said:

It would be most helpful if anyone is trying to do the tests online before disembarkation if they can report what happens! We are not going to be doing the test until right before we disembark on June 8. Anyone going to be on board sooner, please let us know what happens when you try to do the emed tests. 

We plan on doing the eMed test on June 10th, and also would like any info. We plan on taking it while in Victoria as the Wifi should be better than at sea. If all fails, we'll test the next am in Vancouver. But definitely doing it before leaving the ship.

[Buckeye10640]

19 minutes ago, Babr said:

For what it is worth, the government of Canada requires cruise lines to arrange and pay for quarantine for passengers who test positive during the cruise regardless of the cruise line’s policy of quarantine assistance. I don’t know how that applies to people who test positive at disembarkation, but I bet we find out soon enough because it is bound to happen.

Yeah my interpretation is the same. If we can get official eMed tests to work on wifi the day before disembarkation thats best case. If not we will be doing our home tests and reporting if positive so there is a record and Princess must step in to help with quarantine. We disembark on the 21st and I promise to come back with a report on how it goes.  Hopefully from the US on the 22nd...lol

[erber]

Anyone who is EMBARKING in Whittier, can you confirm after you do so if Princess is going with the 72 hour rule for PCR tests or 3 days before embarkation? We need to make appointments in a week for the testing date and it would be optimal if it could be anytime during the third day before embarkation. I know Princess website seems to indicate it is 3 days, but Canada's regulations seem to suggest that they require any cruise that has any port in Canada requires the 72 hour rule to apply to the covid test before embarkation (regardless of where the cruise starts). 

[Babr]

2 minutes ago, Buckeye10640 said:

Yeah my interpretation is the same. If we can get official eMed tests to work on wifi the day before disembarkation thats best case. If not we will be doing our home tests and reporting if positive so there is a record and Princess must step in to help with quarantine. We disembark on the 21st and I promise to come back with a report on how it goes.  Hopefully from the US on the 22nd...lol

Please do. It will be valuable information.

 

The requirements for Canada specify those who test positive during the cruise and need to finish quarantine.

 

The Princess policy seems to say they will provide you with a list of hotels and internet access so you can make your own arrangements with excess costs not covered by travel insurance to be reimbursed by Princess. At least that is better than a cold start on your own.

[PhotoGal07]

53 minutes ago, Babr said:

For what it is worth, the government of Canada requires cruise lines to arrange and pay for quarantine for passengers who test positive during the cruise regardless of the cruise line’s policy of quarantine assistance. I don’t know how that applies to people who test positive at disembarkation, but I bet we find out soon enough because it is bound to happen.

I think the issue is that after you disembark you are no longer considered a cruise passenger.  After you get off the ship you are just a citizen and thus responsible for your own quarantine lodging.

[Babr]

1 minute ago, PhotoGal07 said:

I think the issue is that after you disembark you are no longer considered a cruise passenger.  After you get off the ship you are just a citizen and thus responsible for your own quarantine lodging.

I think so, too, but people are scrambling to avoid the consequences of a last minute positive test that keeps them from flying home.

[Gramma of Boys]

1 hour ago, Yehootu said:

We plan on doing the eMed test on June 10th, and also would like any info. We plan on taking it while in Victoria as the Wifi should be better than at sea. If all fails, we'll test the next am in Vancouver. But definitely doing it before leaving the ship.

We must be on the same cruise as you are and are going to try to do the same.  If we can't get it to work on board, we'll be swabbing our noses in a cafe or somewhere else in Victoria that has free wifi! 

[Gray Lady]

2 hours ago, erber said:

It would be most helpful if anyone is trying to do the tests online before disembarkation if they can report what happens! We are not going to be doing the test until right before we disembark on June 8. Anyone going to be on board sooner, please let us know what happens when you try to do the emed tests. 

Yes, please share!

[Steelers36]

4 hours ago, PhotoGal07 said:

I don't think Princess offers premium internet do they?  I've only seen packages for 1 device and then for 4 devices.  Perhaps I'm looking in the wrong place?  Can anyone shed light on this?

 

3 hours ago, Honolulu Blue said:

As you mentioned, Princess only offers one Internet speed with a different amount of connections as the only way to customize the plan.  I'm sure they think it's "premium ("The best WiFi at sea!!"), but your speed at home is probably a lot faster than it will be on the ship.  For more details, or if you want to kill a few minutes, here's the Princess link to its Internet service:  https://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/ocean-medallion/medallionnet/ .

You can purchase single-day internet for $20/day.  Less 50% if you qualify for the internet discount.

[Steelers36]

6 hours ago, Gray Lady said:

I called the CDC to ask about this very same thing with driving versus flying. Border crossings by land and by sea fall under the Homeland Security umbrella. The CDC has no jurisdiction there…only on flights. Still doesn’t make sense if you are only disembarking from a ship and flying directly home. One has to be fully vaccinated to even get into Canada. And all flights within the US are maskless now. Really?? Perfect example of the right and left hands not doing things in coordination.

NO - you are incorrect.  You can enter Canada unvaccinated, or partially vaccinated.  However, you have to enter a 14-day quarantine upon entry and follow the Feds protocols which include reporting in and possibly receiving a visit or phone call(s) to check on you.

 

It is also not accurate to label US flights as mask-less.  Anyone is free and welcome to wear a mask. 

Edited May 10, 2022 by Steelers36

[Steelers36]

3 hours ago, Babr said:

For what it is worth, the government of Canada requires cruise lines to arrange and pay for quarantine for passengers who test positive during the cruise regardless of the cruise line’s policy of quarantine assistance. I don’t know how that applies to people who test positive at disembarkation, but I bet we find out soon enough because it is bound to happen.

BINGO!!!  So why do you think Princess made a policy change that some folks have posted here Princess board? 

 

Princess is not providing testing for onward travel to USA when voyage ends in Canada.  Guests who depart the ship and then test won't be PCL responsibility because the passenger did not test positive "during the cruise".  If the language and such is accurately represented, PCL can likely dodge responsibility for a good number of cases.

 

[MudderBear]

• Quick question:  If I am disembark in Vancouver on a Saturday at 7:30am, but not flying home until 8:00am on Sunday, at what point should I take the test?  After 8:00am on Saturday?

[d9704011]

5 minutes ago, MudderBear said:

• Quick question:  If I am disembark in Vancouver on a Saturday at 7:30am, but not flying home until 8:00am on Sunday, at what point should I take the test?  After 8:00am on Saturday?

If your flight is on Sunday, you can take the test any time on Saturday (according to CDC).

[MudderBear]

So, what is basically the latest I can get off the ship in Vancouver when we dock?  I'd like to take the test in the morning once we have docked so that I am still a cruise passenger.

[d9704011]

12 minutes ago, MudderBear said:

So, what is basically the latest I can get off the ship in Vancouver when we dock?  I'd like to take the test in the morning once we have docked so that I am still a cruise passenger.

Normally, everybody is off the ship by 1030.... and that's pushing it.  I don't know why you'd wait until you're at the dock (maybe for a good wireless connection?) or by what means you plan on taking a test (proctored over cell phone?).

[beg3yrs]

3 hours ago, Gramma of Boys said:

We must be on the same cruise as you are and are going to try to do the same.  If we can't get it to work on board, we'll be swabbing our noses in a cafe or somewhere else in Victoria that has free wifi! 

Follow the crew leaving the ship in Victoria. They usually head for the best free WiFi service.

[Steelers36]

17 minutes ago, d9704011 said:

Normally, everybody is off the ship by 1030.... and that's pushing it.  I don't know why you'd wait until you're at the dock (maybe for a good wireless connection?) or by what means you plan on taking a test (proctored over cell phone?).

They will be pushing stragglers off the ship by 9:30am or shortly after.  Not going to have pax on the ship after 10am I should think.

[Buckeye10640]

5 hours ago, erber said:

Anyone who is EMBARKING in Whittier, can you confirm after you do so if Princess is going with the 72 hour rule for PCR tests or 3 days before embarkation? We need to make appointments in a week for the testing date and it would be optimal if it could be anytime during the third day before embarkation. I know Princess website seems to indicate it is 3 days, but Canada's regulations seem to suggest that they require any cruise that has any port in Canada requires the 72 hour rule to apply to the covid test before embarkation (regardless of where the cruise starts). 

Erber we decided to test before we fly Wednesday which is within 3 days but but more than 72 hours before boarding. I will report back this weekend. Supposedly my PVP checked with her manager and said its a US embarkation and 3 day rule. I guess if they dont like it  they will test us at the dock. I am getting tired of second guessing vague and ever changing rules.