Need booster or not??? PLEASE HELP!!

[LadyBerard]

Cruising on RCL Voyager in two weeks.  I was reading the Holland America boards earlier today and according to Holland  America, their enhanced protocols for cruising to Canada require a booster if your last covid shot was over 5 months ago.  I read Canada's covid protocol requirements for cruises and I do not see where it states that.  It does also state that a covid test is NOT required.

 

Does anybody KNOW for certain what the requirements are for cruisers who have a port of call in Canada?  I do know that we must complete ArriveCan 3 days prior to boarding our ship in Boston.

 

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, LadyBerard said:

Cruising on RCL Voyager in two weeks.  I was reading the Holland America boards earlier today and according to Holland  America, their enhanced protocols for cruising to Canada require a booster if your last covid shot was over 5 months ago.  I read Canada's covid protocol requirements for cruises and I do not see where it states that.  It does also state that a covid test is NOT required.

 

Does anybody KNOW for certain what the requirements are for cruisers who have a port of call in Canada?  I do know that we must complete ArriveCan 3 days prior to boarding our ship in Boston.

 

You have everything wrong.

No booster is needed.

Cruise passengers require a COVID-19 test, which is not the case for those arriving by air or ground transportation. 

ArriveCAN has to be submitted no more than 72 hours before embarkation, not exactly 3 days. "No more than" means 72 hours or less.

 

Why are you reading the Holland America board for information about your Royal Caribbean cruise? You should be reading Royal Caribbean's website ,which has the requirements laid out, the ArriveCAN web page for cruises, which has the official Canadian government policy, and if you want to read a cruise line board, why not read the Royal Caribbean board?

[LadyBerard]

24 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

You have everything wrong.

No booster is needed.

Cruise passengers require a COVID-19 test, which is not the case for those arriving by air or ground transportation. 

ArriveCAN has to be submitted no more than 72 hours before embarkation, not exactly 3 days. "No more than" means 72 hours or less.

 

Why are you reading the Holland America board for information about your Royal Caribbean cruise? You should be reading Royal Caribbean's website ,which has the requirements laid out, the ArriveCAN web page for cruises, which has the official Canadian government policy, and if you want to read a cruise line board, why not read the Royal Caribbean board?

I read numerous cruise boards, as we have numerous cruises booked on several lines in the coming months.  I just found it odd that Holland states for Canada that you must have a booster if more than 5 months since your last shot and wondered why.  As far as being 72 hours before embarkation, and not three days, I do know that.  And actually, you do not need a covid test for Canada if arriving by water, UNLESS it is a cruise ship.  

 

[njhorseman]

41 minutes ago, LadyBerard said:

I just found it odd that Holland states for Canada that you must have a booster if more than 5 months since your last shot and wondered why. 

You are wrong. Holland America requires you to be fully vaccinated for Canada. No booster is required.

From their website:

"Alaska & Canada Sailings

Vaccines: Guests ages 12 years of age and older must be fully vaccinated."

41 minutes ago, LadyBerard said:

  As far as being 72 hours before embarkation, and not three days, I do know that

OK...but that wasn't what you said originally. Hence my response.

 

41 minutes ago, LadyBerard said:

  And actually, you do not need a covid test for Canada if arriving by water, UNLESS it is a cruise ship. 

Yes, I said cruise passengers require a COVID test. I specifically said cruise passengers, not other water arrivals. Again, that's not what you originally said. You said a COVID test is NOT required for cruise passengers..

Edited September 11, 2022 by njhorseman

[LadyBerard]

I did read this  on Holland's site today, and just wondered why I could not find it on Canada's covid protocols.  It just had me wondering.  This is dated September 8th at the bottom of the page.

[njhorseman]

6 minutes ago, LadyBerard said:

did read this  on Holland's site today, and just wondered why I could not find it on Canada's covid protocols.  It just had me wondering.  This is dated September 8th at the bottom of the page.

The fact that conflicting information is posted on Holland America's website serves to reinforce my recommendation that you get your information from your own cruise line's website.

 

It's permissible for a cruise line to exceed a government requirement . For example there are cruise lines that require all passengers on all itineraries to have a passport, even if for a particular itinerary the government would permit use of a drivers license and birth certificate as proof of ID and citizenship.

 

So if the page you cited is actually the correct current information for Holland America, if you were cruising on Holland America you would have to comply with it. But, you're cruising on Royal Caribbean, so you have to comply with Royal Caribbean's rules. Holland America's rules are irrelevant for your cruise.

[LadyBerard]

3 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

The fact that conflicting information is posted on Holland America's website serves to reinforce my recommendation that you get your information from your own cruise line's website.

 

It's permissible for a cruise line to exceed a government requirement . For example there are cruise lines that require all passengers on all itineraries to have a passport, even if for a particular itinerary the government would permit use of a drivers license and birth certificate as proof of ID and citizenship.

 

So if the page you cited is actually the correct current information for Holland America, if you were cruising on Holland America you would have to comply with it. But, you're cruising on Royal Caribbean, so you have to comply with Royal Caribbean's rules. Holland America's rules are irrelevant for your cruise.

It just had me a little concerned that I may have missed Canada updating their "fully vaccinated" definition.  And as I stated, I could  not find that on Canada's covid protocols requirements.  I just thought if someone had seen these requirements updated on Canada's covid protocols site, they could confirm it.

[georgemoe]

Please save these ArriveCAN links. Check back here and your cruise line for latest protocols.

 

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

 

 

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

 

https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/covid-vaccinated-travellers-entering-canada#determine-fully

 

Fully vaccinated = Initial one or two does of vaccine. Boosters not required.

 

 

 

[Janet524]

Why not keep it simple...Just get the latest booster!  

[Ashland]

1 hour ago, Janet524 said:

Why not keep it simple...Just get the latest booster!  

Some may be concerned getting the booster is too close to their cruise date. We are in that situation for the third booster as we sail a week from today and have had our two boosters. Don't want to risk any possible side affects right before we cruise. OP may feel the same.