Easing of Canadian entry requirement expected by the end of September.

[DaveOKC]

Lots more happy cruisers now with the testing change!

[HappyInVan]

3 hours ago, Roz said:

IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION We are pleased to share that Transport Canada has amended its COVID-19 protocols for cruise ship guests effective October 1, 2022. As a result, the pre-cruise testing and vaccination requirements for this voyage have changed... 

 

At that end of the update, there is this cautionary...

 

“Global COVID-19 regulations and protocols are continuously changing and we may revise or modify these requirements (effective immediately) to evolve in line with the latest practices at any time. Please check back regularly for any updates.”

 

In view of the many countries involved in a typical itinerary, there is the likelihood that some country's requirements will change over time. For example, the concession for the self-administered test may be cancelled for un-vax pax if their numbers are bad.

 

Thinking ahead, how would a ship control a large outbreak onboard? Use of masks?

 

What would happen if the ship doesn't get covid under control? Chaos at disembarkation...

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2882896-covid-experience-nieuw-statendam-september-7th-%E2%80%93-17th-quebec-city-to-boston/#comments

 

Every piece of the travel experience is part of a system. There are no freebies.

[kirtihk]

On 9/22/2022 at 9:53 AM, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

Based on what I'm reading, HAL no longer requires testing for your cruise. 

 

It seems HAL has reduced many of the testing requirements yet again. 

 

Am I reading this incorrectly?

 

Am I still in error? 

 

Just curious 🙂 

 

So funny... "You are making too much sense" (they say these days).

 

Voyage, Voyage

[BermudaBound2014]

10 hours ago, DaveOKC said:

Lots more happy cruisers now with the testing change!

 

It's not just the cruisers who are happy. It appears the company (Holland America) is very pleased with the new relaxed protocols too :). And why wouldn't they be?  Cruise ships need bodies onboard and the only way to do that is to remove protocols. Heck, even Disney removed their protocols today . 

 

 

 

 

[BermudaBound2014]

For those in this thread who keep wanting Bermuda to remove their protocols, you wish has also come true. That happened quickly after Canada. I believe Greece has also removed cruise passenger protocols.

 

Are there any countries left with covid protocols remaining in place for cruisers? Admittedly I've lost track, but can't think of any off the top of my head. Could the world finally be WIDE OPEN again?? 

 

https://www.gov.bm/cruise-travel-authorisation

 

[PACD_JG]

4 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

Are there any countries left with covid protocols remaining in place for cruisers? Admittedly I've lost track, but can't think of any off the top of my head. Could the world finally be WIDE OPEN again?? 

 

https://www.gov.bm/cruise-travel-authorisation

 

Turks & Caicos?  I check all the time...

 

 https://www.gov.tc/moh/coronavirus/advisory

[BermudaBound2014]

14 minutes ago, PACD_JG said:

Turks & Caicos?  I check all the time...

 

 https://www.gov.tc/moh/coronavirus/advisory

 

Thanks, I'll start keeping an eye on that one also. Like Bermuda, they are not a poor island in need of cruise revenue and can hold out longer.  I wonder how long cruise ships will keep T&C on their itineraries? Other than Carnival, next month there are only two ships calling on Turks (Celebrity Infinity twice and Neiuw Stantendam once). 

 

If I were a betting woman, I'd put my money that Turks will be removed from itineraries if they don't remove protocols quickly, 

Edited September 29, 2022 by BermudaBound2014

[PACD_JG]

12 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

If I were a betting woman, I'd put my money that Turks will be removed from itineraries if they don't remove protocols quickly, 

I'm on the NS for Thanksgiving.  I've never been to Grand Turk and although I'm indifferent to it being on the itinerary, I think other lines replaced it with Bimini, which I have zero desire to visit.

[BermudaBound2014]

Just now, PACD_JG said:

I'm on the NS for Thanksgiving.  I've never been to Grand Turk and although I'm indifferent to it being on the itinerary, I think other lines replaced it with Bimini, which I have zero desire to visit.

 

Grand Turk Port is owned (or largely subsidized) by CCL. That's why you see mostly Carnival, Princess, HAL, etc.. stopping there. I can understand your disappointment but for whatever it's worth, both islands are large sand bars ;-). I suspect Turks will remove their protocols long before your Thanksgiving cruise. 

[BermudaBound2014]

Well that was fast too-

celebrity infinity just removed Turks and replaced it with Labadee. I suspect it’s because of the protocols.

 

 

Either T&C removes protocols or I think there will be more cruise ships removing this island from their itineraries.

Edited September 30, 2022 by BermudaBound2014

[broberts]

30 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

Well that was fast too-

celebrity infinity just removed Turks and replaced it with Labadee. I suspect it’s because of the protocols.

 

 

Either T&C removes protocols or I think there will be more cruise ships removing this island from their itineraries.

 

T&C had significant hurricane damage. Including part of the pier at GT being destroyed. This may account for some itinerary changes.

 

Insisting on visitors being vaccinated hardly seems to be an onerous requirement.

 

[BermudaBound2014]

Just now, broberts said:

 

T&C had significant hurricane damage. Including part of the pier at GT being destroyed. This may account for some itinerary changes.

 

Insisting on visitors being vaccinated hardly seems to be an onerous requirement.

 

yes- for sure hurricane damage too (just read that).

 

The vast majority of the free world has removed vaccination requirements for MANY reasons. Being onerous is simply one. 

[KimCHouston]

Flew into Vancouver today.  Had ArriveCan ready to go, but was not asked for it.  Most people on the flight from the US were not wearing masks.  We were told onboard when we landed that masks were mandatory in the YVR airport, but I would say maybe 50-60% of people were wearing them.  The only problem that we’ve encountered is that VeriFly is still showing that covid testing is required for our 10/2 cruise, although HAL has advised us that it is not required.  Not sure that they will get VeriFly  updated in time for us.  Oh well.

[broberts]

1 hour ago, KimCHouston said:

 Had ArriveCan ready to go, but was not asked for it.

 

It's tied to passports so scanning a passport is all that is needed to verify.

[OUTinMinnesota]

Hooray!  NCL's Updated COVID Protocol for Canada

Effective 01 October 2022, the website for Norwegian has been updated.  Beginning on that date, NCL's boarding procedure for Canada:

 - discontinues requiring passengers to show an ArriveCAN approval.

 - discontinues requiring passengers to prove vaccination

 - discontinues requiring a pre-cruise negative COVID test result

 

As time passes, NCL might change their Canada COVID protocol again.  So, here's the NCL link, making it easy to verify.  https://www.ncl.com/travel-requirements-by-country#canada

[Cruise Junky]

On 9/29/2022 at 7:17 PM, KimCHouston said:

Flew into Vancouver today.  Had ArriveCan ready to go, but was not asked for it.  Most people on the flight from the US were not wearing masks.  We were told onboard when we landed that masks were mandatory in the YVR airport, but I would say maybe 50-60% of people were wearing them.  The only problem that we’ve encountered is that VeriFly is still showing that covid testing is required for our 10/2 cruise, although HAL has advised us that it is not required.  Not sure that they will get VeriFly  updated in time for us.  Oh well.

We flew in last night, 30 mins before the order ended. 100% masked. I didn’t see a single person without one. There was even an Asian flight crew in hazmat suits 😳

[Crew News]

https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid#wb-cont

 

For all travellers entering Canada by air, land or marine mode on or after October 1, 2022:

• Proof of COVID-19 vaccination is not required
• COVID-19 pre-entry and arrival tests are not required
• Quarantine after you enter Canada is not required
• Using ArriveCAN is not required
  • if you’re flying into Toronto Pearson, Vancouver or Montréal-Trudeau international airports, you can still use ArriveCAN to complete your Advance CBSA Declaration to save time upon arrival
• Pre-boarding tests for cruise passengers are not required
• As always, travel documents are required
• Health checks to board planes and trains are not required
• Wearing masks on planes and trains is not required
  • It's still strongly recommended that you wear a high quality and well-fitted mask or respirator while you travel

[Florida_gal_50]

On 9/29/2022 at 9:40 PM, broberts said:

 

It's tied to passports so scanning a passport is all that is needed to verify.

And yet I’ve had to show it.  I believe I had to show proof of vaccination too.  The guy was something else.  I don’t need to hear they can do anything they want.  Just because they can doesn’t mean they should.

Edited October 2, 2022 by Florida_gal_50

[Cruise Junky]

5 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

And yet I’ve had to show it.  I believe I had to show proof of vaccination too.  The guy was something else.  I don’t need to hear they can do anything they want.  Just because they can doesn’t mean they should.

Returning to Canada at the border or by the airline you were flying?  I’ve had airlines check but never the border. The airline can’t read the details on the passport.  

[Florida_gal_50]

35 minutes ago, Cruise Junky said:

Returning to Canada at the border or by the airline you were flying?  I’ve had airlines check but never the border. The airline can’t read the details on the passport.  

Both.  I was shocked at the questions he was asking and the detail he was going into especially since I have a nexus card.  For some reason they can’t recognize me by my nexus picture even though I look exactly the same.  I’ve never had issues at my home airport before Covid but it seems totally different now.  I won’t be answering any questions about what exactly was asked because posters then state it’s never happened to them therefore it didn’t happen to me nor will I entertain questions about the airport.

[broberts]

1 hour ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Both.  I was shocked at the questions he was asking and the detail he was going into especially since I have a nexus card.  For some reason they can’t recognize me by my nexus picture even though I look exactly the same.  I’ve never had issues at my home airport before Covid but it seems totally different now.  I won’t be answering any questions about what exactly was asked because posters then state it’s never happened to them therefore it didn’t happen to me nor will I entertain questions about the airport.

 

It does happen. I suspect there are any number of reasons, bad mood, boredom, improper interest, supervisor watching, work action, etc.

[habitatnal]

On 9/29/2022 at 4:37 PM, BermudaBound2014 said:

For those in this thread who keep wanting Bermuda to remove their protocols, you wish has also come true. That happened quickly after Canada. I believe Greece has also removed cruise passenger protocols.

 

Are there any countries left with covid protocols remaining in place for cruisers? Admittedly I've lost track, but can't think of any off the top of my head. Could the world finally be WIDE OPEN again?? 

 

https://www.gov.bm/cruise-travel-authorisation

 

Well according to NCL, there are many countries that still have protocols in place. https://www.ncl.com/travel-requirements-by-country  

[BermudaBound2014]

33 minutes ago, habitatnal said:

Well according to NCL, there are many countries that still have protocols in place. https://www.ncl.com/travel-requirements-by-country  

 

Thank you! The world is even more open than I thought. According to NCL site there are only 13 countries with some protocols remain. Most of those are a simply antigen test for the unvaccinated. Two of those are Bermuda and Canada which will likely be removed from the list. Only 2 of the remaining 11 require a vaccination. Only TWO!! 🙂