HAL Vaccination Requirements (August 22)

[Screasy]

Can anyone confirm that HAL has removed vaccine requirements for NON-Canadian cruises?  Their FAQ states that:

"Updated August 19, 2022

Until further notice, these are the requirements for our cruise guests on sailings from the U.S. and Canada.

Vaccines: Guests ages 12 years of age and older must be fully vaccinated. Children under 5 years of age do not need to be vaccinated. Children between 5-11 years of age may be unvaccinated but will need to go through an exemption process."

 

Then later under their Which Holland America Cruises require vaccination, they state:

 

"All guests 12 years of age and older must be fully vaccinated on all Holland America Line cruises that begin, end or make a call to a Canadian port. Children under 12 years of age do not need to be vaccinated.

For guests 12 years of age and older with a vaccination exemption on any itineraries that include Canada, Canada requires medical documentation for Medical Vaccine Exemptions."

 

They SEEM to indicate that NON-Canadian passengers do not need to be vaccinated in the latter section, but the former section seems to contradict that.

 

Thanks.

[oakridger]

I'm having trouble interpreting your question (it seems you asked about NON-Canadian requirements but both your examples are talking about Canadian cruises?)  but I'll start with.....

 

Any cruise that touches Canadian soil (start, end, shore excursion) adults from any country must be vaccinated per Canadian regulations.

 

From Canadian govt site:

COVID-19: Cruise ship travel requirements – Travel.gc.ca

 

"Vaccination requirements

To embark on a cruise ship that will start, dock or end in Canada, if you’re 12 years of age or older, you must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with very few exceptions.

• Note: many cruise lines require vaccination for children 5 years and older."

 

Edited August 25, 2022 by oakridger

[oakridger]

From HAL website right now (my highlighting) the most current update:

 

"Seattle, Wash., Aug. 15, 2022 — Holland America Line is updating its “Travel Well” COVID-19 protocols and procedures, including requirements for vaccinations and pre-cruise testing that meet public health goals while recognizing the evolving nature of the COVID-19 situation. These changes will go into effect for cruises departing on or after Sept. 6, 2022."

 

"Under the simplified procedures, for most voyages up to 15 nights, vaccinated guests will no longer have to test before cruising and unvaccinated guests will be welcomed with a self-test within three days of sailing. The new protocols do not apply to itineraries for countries where local regulations may vary, including Canada, Australia and Greece." 

 

2022 News | Holland America Line Simplifies COVID-19 Procedures

[NVRae]

Update from Canada re: Testing for travel to Canada as of 08/26/22. 

Holland America has not yet updated their protocols for cruises that stop in Canada so as of today, we still need to test even though Canada doesn't require it.  No one I spoke with at HAL knows why.

 

[Djb4CC]

Not sure where that particular website gets their info, but on the Canadian government travel website from right before I sent this, says you still need a pre-cruise test if it touches Canada.

 

[Djb4CC]

As a follow up to the government page, it seems that there is a distinction between arriving to Canada “by sea” and “by cruise ship”.  It seems that the former is for ferries, cargo ships, personal pleasure crafts and the latter is, well for cruise ships.

 

The www.travel.gc.ca site has a page specifically for cruise travel.  And it seems that the Canadian.visa.org website is primarily about immigrating to Canada, so they may not be as on top of things that are unique to cruise ships.

[oakridger]

The Canada Government site he listed ^^^^^ is the one to follow.  

[TeanneTX]

So I'm confused.  If you have an Alaska cruise the starts and ends in Seattle but makes a short stop in Victoria.  Can you stay onboard during the Canada stop if your not vaxxed?  I have no problem skipping Victoria-been there several times.

 

Teanne

 

[broberts]

On 8/29/2022 at 4:26 PM, NVRae said:

Update from Canada re: Testing for travel to Canada as of 08/26/22. 

Holland America has not yet updated their protocols for cruises that stop in Canada so as of today, we still need to test even though Canada doesn't require it.  No one I spoke with at HAL knows why.

 

 

A test is not required to enter Canada.

 

A negative test is required to board a cruise ship that leaves from, calls at, or ends in Canada.

[d9704011]

2 minutes ago, broberts said:

 

A test is not required to enter Canada.

 

A negative test is required to board a cruise ship that leaves from, calls at, or ends in Canada.

It's the usual thing.... no test if arriving by 'land, air or sea'.  Although the sea part should really be water and it should be explained that arriving by water does not include cruise ship travel.

[broberts]

4 minutes ago, d9704011 said:

It's the usual thing.... no test if arriving by 'land, air or sea'.  Although the sea part should really be water and it should be explained that arriving by water does not include cruise ship travel.

 

If a cruise started six weeks before arriving in Canada a test would still be required to board. No test would be required arriving in Canada. There is no cruise ship exception.