Flying into Vancouver, Boarding Solstice 2 days Later

[Z-Bird]

Could someone please confirm that my understanding of what needs to be done regarding testing and customs forms for our cruise is correct?  I realize this has been discussed many times, but nevertheless, would appreciate confirmation that I got this!  We depart Vancouver on 9/16 for an 8-night repositioning cruise to LA aboard the Celebrity Solstice, including a stop in Victoria on 9/17.  We arrive in Vancouver via plane from the US on 9/14.  We will complete ArriveCAN on 9/13, listing our Vancouver hotel as our destination address (I've downloaded the app and filled in everything I can so far.)  We will do the OnPoint proctored Rapid Antigen Covid test on the morning of 9/14 before we fly out of LAX, and will use that for test result for boarding the ship in Vancouver on 9/16.    We will complete a 2nd ArriveCAN on 9/15 listing the ship as our destination.  And finally, on 9/16 we get to start our cruise!   

 

Does it sound like all of the bases are covered with this plan?  Thanks so much for any feedback!

[Barwick Cruiser]

I’m sure someone will correct me if wrong however I don’t believe you need to submit a second time to arrivecan as you are boarding in Canada and not returning to Canada. So long as your stop in Victoria is immediately after leaving Vancouver you haven’t left Canada. If you were to sail Vancouver to Seattle to Victoria before heading to LA then different story and you would need a new Arrivecan submission. Very confusing I understand. Otherwise your plan sounds right. 

[TeaBag]

I think you have all the bases well covered.   I agree with Barwick.  ArriveCan is about arriving in Canada and it's a pain for those of us who like to go to the USA for gas and groceries.  Since you are already in Canada, having done this at the airport, you don't have to complete it again to board the ship.  Have a lovely cruise.

[Z-Bird]

Thank you both so much.  I was just on the official Canadian gvt website, and it states the info below.  Whew - this has been challenging to keep straight!

 

Entering Canada by land or air before embarking on a cruise

You must complete your ArriveCAN submission before entering Canada, no more than 72 hours of boarding your flight or before entering Canada by land.

• If you’re flying in to join a cruise immediately, enter the address of your terminal.
• If you’re not joining the cruise immediately, enter the address of your hotel.

You must also submit a second ArriveCAN submission no more than 72 hours before boarding the cruise. This applies even if your second ArriveCAN submission is within 72 hours of the first submission.

Upon your entry to Canada by air or at a land border crossing, the border services officer may notify you that you’ve been randomly selected for a mandatory arrival test.

Mandatory random testing is part of the Government of Canada surveillance program to track the importation of COVID-19 virus into Canada, and identify new variants of concern.

[num1crewsfam]

Absolutely you have to submit your second ArriveCAN  as you specified.....at least according to the ap.  

[DirtyDawg]

@Z-Bird you have it correct. You will need 2 ArriveCan submissions. The second will take you a couple of minutes to complete. Enjoy your cruise!

[DirtyDawg]

51 minutes ago, TeaBag said:

I think you have all the bases well covered.   I agree with Barwick.  ArriveCan is about arriving in Canada and it's a pain for those of us who like to go to the USA for gas and groceries.  Since you are already in Canada, having done this at the airport, you don't have to complete it again to board the ship.  Have a lovely cruise.

Remember the old days when if you won some cheezy contest they would make you answer some silly 'skill testing question'? Just think of ArriveCan as our new 'skill testing question'. Get it right and you get to return to Canada as your prize! 😁

[lovecruzin]

We are on the same cruise, I am under the impression we do not need the 2nd ArriveCan for Victoria as we will already be in Canada. 

[martincath]

2 hours ago, Z-Bird said:

Thank you both so much.  I was just on the official Canadian gvt website...

If you had scrolled down one more section on the same page you quote, you'd also have seen the specific circumstances which apply to your cruise (leaving Canada and not returning = No ArriveCAN needed).

 

The page is laid out in sequence - obviously folks who fly here to board a cruise do need to know about the flying requirements before the boarding - but it feel it would be more helpful if the 'you must do a second ArriveCAN' was moved into the section below about boarding ships to avoid folks making exactly the same error you did ZB.

 

I'm sure everyone can remember during prep for exams in school being told 'always read the whole paper before starting to answer' but how many of us still abide by that advice??? We see a thing that sounds like it applies to us, then don't read further  so we miss the fact that there's an exemption to that requirement further on! It's easily done...

[Z-Bird]

Thank you, @martincath.   I have read other posts of yours and respect your knowledge in this area.  @lovecruzin, I didn't think the 2nd ArriveCAN was for Victoria - I read it as needed to embark on the ship from a Canadian port.  I still believe the instructions are contradictory about whether or not a 2nd ArriveCAN is needed in our situation. 

 

What's the harm in completing a 2nd one before boarding the ship just to make sure?

[phoenix_dream]

Here's the bottom line, at least as was our experience in July.  Our pre-cruise instructions (email) said we absolutely needed to have a current ArriveCan done and to be ready to show the code when boarding.  As we had arrived in Canada three days prior we stressed about this as our original code expired by boarding day, so we did it a second time.  When we got to the port, no one asked us about it, much less asked to see it.  So is it really necessary?  The answer is I don't know, but since they tell you to do it I recommend doing it anyway as it is very easy and takes little time.  Better safe than sorry IMHO

[lovecruzin]

24 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

Here's the bottom line, at least as was our experience in July.  Our pre-cruise instructions (email) said we absolutely needed to have a current ArriveCan done and to be ready to show the code when boarding.  As we had arrived in Canada three days prior we stressed about this as our original code expired by boarding day, so we did it a second time.  When we got to the port, no one asked us about it, much less asked to see it.  So is it really necessary?  The answer is I don't know, but since they tell you to do it I recommend doing it anyway as it is very easy and takes little time.  Better safe than sorry IMHO

What was your itinerary?