Covid Tests needed to get from Vancouver to USA?

[Petrocelli]

3 hours ago, NCTribeFan said:

There have already been about a dozen threads about this subject, no?

***

Oh well.  Looks like I'll be testing in Vancouver on 6/15.  I imagine I'll book a test at Canada Place.  Glad I booked a late afternoon flight, at least.  No early-morning panic to get tested and get to the airport.  Not looking forward to the red-eye flight home, but it is what it is.

I have found a couple threads discussing this, but not as many as I thought given what a serious issue this is.

 

However, your post lead me to research the testing at Canada Place.  Our flight leaves at 1:40 p.m., so if we make a test reservation around 9:00 a.m., that should give us time to get the test and make the flight.  (Fingers crossed.)

 

Thanks for the information.,

[Storylady]

According to photos and comments, the one place you don’t want to get tested for your flight is the Vancouver Airport. There is a test site in Canada Place, across the street at the Fairmont and at the Convention Center next to Canada Place. If you have an afternoon flight, you will be okay testing at airport. But for early flights, the comments on another forum mentioned 3 hours. Two waiting in line and 45 minutes for results. You need the results before checking in.

[PSR]

3 hours ago, Storylady said:

According to photos and comments, the one place you don’t want to get tested for your flight is the Vancouver Airport. There is a test site in Canada Place, across the street at the Fairmont and at the Convention Center next to Canada Place. If you have an afternoon flight, you will be okay testing at airport. But for early flights, the comments on another forum mentioned 3 hours. Two waiting in line and 45 minutes for results. You need the results before checking in.

 

Do you know if you still have to stand in the long line at the airport if you have a pre-booked appointment?

Edited May 30, 2022 by PSR

[Storylady]

20 hours ago, PSR said:

 

Do you know if you still have to stand in the long line at the airport if you have a pre-booked appointment?

No, I can’t answer that question as to whether they have two lines. It is much easier getting tested with an appointment just after you disembark. By the time you get to the airport, you should have your results. Just make sure to get your e-mail address correct. If you wait till you get to the airport, I suspect even if they give priority to appointments that there is still a line. And then you still have to wait for results.

[Storylady]

On 5/30/2022 at 7:27 AM, Petrocelli said:

I have found a couple threads discussing this, but not as many as I thought given what a serious issue this is.

 

However, your post lead me to research the testing at Canada Place.  Our flight leaves at 1:40 p.m., so if we make a test reservation around 9:00 a.m., that should give us time to get the test and make the flight.  (Fingers crossed.)

 

Thanks for the information.,

You should be fine. We decided to stay the extra couple of days so as to enjoy Vancouver. When we arrive, we are just staying the night. So no time to enjoy this lovely city.

 

You have a late flight. All the problems, I have read about are the early flight people. People forget it takes almost a half hour or more to get to the airport. If doing a taxi, there is going to be a long line. We waited an hour for the taxi. For early flights, you need to carry luggage off the ship, arrange your transport to the airport, wait for your appointment and then wait for results. You are very smart booking the late flight. Everyone said that the commotion calms down later in the day. The more ships in port, the more the congestion and long lines.

[Boatdrill]

18 hours ago, Storylady said:

 All the problems, I have read about are the early flight people...... If doing a taxi, there is going to be a long line. We waited an hour for the taxi. 

Thanks for the info.  What is considered an early flight ?  Also, where was the wait for the taxi (cruise terminal, convention center, downtown hotel) ? 

[Petrocelli]

Following up on the taxi question, I see HAL has a shuttle to the airport.  Is there a long wait for this?

 

[Gray Lady]

1 hour ago, Petrocelli said:

Following up on the taxi question, I see HAL has a shuttle to the airport.  Is there a long wait for this?

 

We purchased our transfer to the airport with HAL, along with our flight home. I called and was told if they did not get us to the airport in time to go through security, customs, and make our flight, that they would be responsible for making arrangements to get on another one. We are supposed to start disembarking at 7, and our flight is at 12:35. The only caveat when we booked was not to have a flight before 11 AM. Maybe they transfer you based on your flight time?

[DaveOKC]

21 minutes ago, Gray Lady said:

We purchased our transfer to the airport with HAL, along with our flight home. I called and was told if they did not get us to the airport in time to go through security, customs, and make our flight, that they would be responsible for making arrangements to get on another one. We are supposed to start disembarking at 7, and our flight is at 12:35. The only caveat when we booked was not to have a flight before 11 AM. Maybe they transfer you based on your flight time?

Normally they do assign buses based on your departure time, but sometimes if you ask you can get assigned to an earlier one.  

[Storylady]

5 hours ago, Petrocelli said:

Following up on the taxi question, I see HAL has a shuttle to the airport.  Is there a long wait for this?

 

No there isn’t. But it goes too late to get tested, checked in and go through security to get an 11:00 flight. Normally, there wouldn’t be a problem. But the checkin line for the the COVID test, kiosks and verification of test and the long line for security when three or more ships are in port doesn’t allow enough time. Afternoon flights should be okay. 
 

We took a taxi as we wanted a leisurely breakfast. The bus left at 8:30 AM I believe, not earlier. It is a half hour to the airport. That allows 2 hours to do everything before an 11:00 AM flight.sounds stressful to me. We had the test so we didn’t have to worry about getting it. 

Edited June 1, 2022 by Storylady

[Storylady]

6 hours ago, Boatdrill said:

Thanks for the info.  What is considered an early flight ?  Also, where was the wait for the taxi (cruise terminal, convention center, downtown hotel) ? 

HAL recommends flights after 1 PM if you take their shuttle. Before COVID, it wasn’t a problem getting an 11:30 AM flight. But since HAL and the other cruise lines dropped the COVID testing onboard, more time is required. You need to be first off, arrange transport, find a testing site and make the trip to the airport. Sounds stressful to me.

It appears that both Pan Pacific and Vancouver Convention Center have dropped their COVID testing temporarily. Which means you need to find a place that opens early somewhere else. . Most COVID sites don’t open early. Closest site I could find was Sinclair Center and the center doesn’t open until 10:00 AM. That means making an appointment amongst all the hassle of the Vancouver airport, unless you have a taxi take you to a testing site and wait while you get the test.