conflicting information going around.

[cate54]

Is Covid testing still required for trips lasting more than 15 nights?

[Taters]

It depends on the region that your cruise is in.  Different countries have different Covid policies.

[CruiserBruce]

Have you looked at the "Protocols" section on the HAL website?

[oaktreerb]

You can put in your booking number closer to your embarkation date and it will tell you if you need to test.   The requirements are fluid!

[cate54]

52 minutes ago, oaktreerb said:

You can put in your booking number closer to your embarkation date and it will tell you if you need to test.   The requirements are fluid!

I did just that and it says testing required for my cruise over 15 nights . The cruise is only 11 days from now going to Hawaii. The problem is that several people have stated that they spoke to people at HAL office and they said the testing is not required.. Not sure who or what to believe. I saw nothing that said the rules had changed. I just got off the NS a few weeks ago from a 7 day and that trip no testing required.

Edited January 3, 2023 by cate54

[SimplyOlivia]

Take the safe approach and test. If it's not needed, no biggie!

[highland cruiser]

1 hour ago, cate54 said:

I did just that and it says testing required for my cruise over 15 nights . The cruise is only 11 days from now going to Hawaii. The problem is that several people have stated that they spoke to people at HAL office and they said the testing is not required.. Not sure who or what to believe. I saw nothing that said the rules had changed. I just got off the NS a few weeks ago from a 7 day and that trip no testing required.

We are on a 17 day Hawaii cruise on the Koningsdam leaving Jan. 14.   We need to provide a covid test.  Can be self administered and presented at check in.  This was on the protocols on the HAL site when we put in our booking number.   

[julia]

44 minutes ago, highland cruiser said:

We are on a 17 day Hawaii cruise on the Koningsdam leaving Jan. 14.   We need to provide a covid test.  Can be self administered and presented at check in.  This was on the protocols on the HAL site when we put in our booking number.   

Ditto protocol for the Koningsdam 35 night on Feb 18th... self administered test.

[rodndonna]

9 hours ago, cate54 said:

I did just that and it says testing required for my cruise over 15 nights . The cruise is only 11 days from now going to Hawaii. The problem is that several people have stated that they spoke to people at HAL office and they said the testing is not required.. Not sure who or what to believe. I saw nothing that said the rules had changed. I just got off the NS a few weeks ago from a 7 day and that trip no testing required.

 

I'd never side with "somebody said that somebody told them" over what is stated on the website, especially for something important like this.

[BetsyS.]

rodndonna - I agree with you.  

[Live4cruises]

Please remember that a self-administered test in this case means an on-line observed test. 

[GeorgeCharlie]

In most cases HAL does not require the at-home test to be medically observed. A person can perform their at-home test and record the results on their phone for presentation at cruise check-in.

 

From HAL's FAQ regarding testing requirements:

 

For cruises not visiting Australia that allow an at-home, self-administered PCR or Antigen COVID-19 test, guests should take a photo of their test result with their mobile device. Their full names, date and time of test should be written on, or next to the test device result like the below: 

 

First Name: _____________________

Last Name: ______________________

Date of Birth: ____________________

Date the self-test was taken: ____________________

Self-test type: ___Antigen    ___PCR

Place self-test device below:

 

For cruises visiting Australia that allow an at-home, self-administered Antigen COVID-19 test (RAT), guests should take one photo with their mobile device that meets all of the criteria outlined below:

Negative RAT test next to the guest’s government issued photo ID with a clock showing the time the test was complete (a wristwatch, mobile phone screen or a wall clock, etc.).

[fellswoop]

Also on same Koningsdam voyage next week. Don't know why they also advise to download to Verifly when previous cruisers say no one asked about verifly. Also would never had even known about testing if in an email promotion about my cruise it hadn't said to "click here to learn about health and safety on your cruise". I have a feeling a lot of people will be arriving at Port of San Diego having to scramble to go buy a test.

[cate54]

9 hours ago, Live4cruises said:

Please remember that a self-administered test in this case means an on-line observed test. 

testing is required for our cruise

from the web site

Enhanced Protocols

This specific booking and/or voyage follows our COVID-19 Enhanced Protocols for vaccination and testing requirements.

Vaccination

• All guests 18 years of age and older must be fully vaccinated. A booster dose is required for guests 18 years of age and older whose final dose of an approved/authorized COVID-19 vaccine is older than 5 months.
• Only one booster dose is needed to be considered boosted.
• Guests under 18 years of age do not need to be vaccinated, have a booster dose or apply for an exemption.

Testing

• All guests ages 5 and older are required to take a COVID-19 Test.
  • Medically observed PCR test taken within 3 days before embarkation.
  • Medically observed or self-administered antigen home test must be taken within 3 days before embarkation.

Please upload all required documentation to the VeriFLY app for a quick and seamless embarkation process.

 

I read this as medically observed OR self administrated.  with the picture of the test being proof of negative result.

Am I reading this wrong?

[Live4cruises]

I called a couple of weeks ago, and the rep told me it had to be an observed home test, and specifically mentioned the on-line ones.  Maybe I’ll call again tomorrow (maybe twice) and see if I can get further clarification.  I don’t mind doing the test, but I like getting it out of the way before we leave home - typically 3 days before our cruise!  Oh well.

[erewhon]

Thank you for taking time to review your cruise.

[mpajra]

On 1/3/2023 at 6:52 PM, cate54 said:

testing is required for our cruise

from the web site

Enhanced Protocols

This specific booking and/or voyage follows our COVID-19 Enhanced Protocols for vaccination and testing requirements.

Vaccination

• All guests 18 years of age and older must be fully vaccinated. A booster dose is required for guests 18 years of age and older whose final dose of an approved/authorized COVID-19 vaccine is older than 5 months.
• Only one booster dose is needed to be considered boosted.
• Guests under 18 years of age do not need to be vaccinated, have a booster dose or apply for an exemption.

Testing

• All guests ages 5 and older are required to take a COVID-19 Test.
  • Medically observed PCR test taken within 3 days before embarkation.
  • Medically observed or self-administered antigen home test must be taken within 3 days before embarkation.

Please upload all required documentation to the VeriFLY app for a quick and seamless embarkation process.

 

I read this as medically observed OR self administrated.  with the picture of the test being proof of negative result.

Am I reading this wrong?

 

On 1/3/2023 at 6:52 PM, cate54 said:

testing is required for our cruise

from the web site

Enhanced Protocols

This specific booking and/or voyage follows our COVID-19 Enhanced Protocols for vaccination and testing requirements.

Vaccination

• All guests 18 years of age and older must be fully vaccinated. A booster dose is required for guests 18 years of age and older whose final dose of an approved/authorized COVID-19 vaccine is older than 5 months.
• Only one booster dose is needed to be considered boosted.
• Guests under 18 years of age do not need to be vaccinated, have a booster dose or apply for an exemption.

Testing

• All guests ages 5 and older are required to take a COVID-19 Test.
  • Medically observed PCR test taken within 3 days before embarkation.
  • Medically observed or self-administered antigen home test must be taken within 3 days before embarkation.

Please upload all required documentation to the VeriFLY app for a quick and seamless embarkation process.

 

I read this as medically observed OR self administrated.  with the picture of the test being proof of negative result.

Am I reading this wrong?

I finally have it in writing!!  No requirements to board on Saturday. 
no testing of any kind is needed.  
Everything has office been lifted. 

[mpajra]

23 hours ago, Live4cruises said:

I called a couple of weeks ago, and the rep told me it had to be an observed home test, and specifically mentioned the on-line ones.  Maybe I’ll call again tomorrow (maybe twice) and see if I can get further clarification.  I don’t mind doing the test, but I like getting it out of the way before we leave home - typically 3 days before our cruise!  Oh well.

There are no longer any requirements for our cruise. No testing of any kind is needed.  I actually received it today, in an email.

[mpajra]

On 1/3/2023 at 6:12 AM, rodndonna said:

 

I'd never side with "somebody said that somebody told them" over what is stated on the website, especially for something important like this.

I have it in writing, no testing needed or required. All regulations have been lifted. 

[cate54]

1 hour ago, mpajra said:

I have it in writing, no testing needed or required. All regulations have been lifted. 

can you show us the email. I didn't receive one

[Hlitner]

On 1/3/2023 at 8:45 PM, Live4cruises said:

I called a couple of weeks ago, and the rep told me it had to be an observed home test, and specifically mentioned the on-line ones.  Maybe I’ll call again tomorrow (maybe twice) and see if I can get further clarification.  I don’t mind doing the test, but I like getting it out of the way before we leave home - typically 3 days before our cruise!  Oh well.

We called a few weeks ago and the HAL rep simply read the same language we see online and said there was no "requirement" that it be medically observed.  Go figure.  The rep than sent us an e-mail with the same exact language:

• Medically observed or self-administered at-home COVID-19 antigen test within 3 days before embarkation.

 

The operative language seems to be "or" which does not indicate any requirement for observed.  Others have posted info about taking a picture of the test results with a written paper (in the photo) with info such as name, date, time, etc.  Unless we hear differently from HAL we will follow this "self test" procedure on a HAL cruise which involves flying half way round the world to the ship.

 

We will also have a hard copy of the language (right from the HAL web site) in case there are any issues at embarkation.  

 

If you dig further on the HAL web site under FAQs here is the exact language"

 

For cruises not visiting Australia that allow an at-home, self-administered PCR or Antigen COVID-19 test, guests should take a photo of their test result with their mobile device. Their full names, date and time of test should be written on, or next to the test device result like the below: 

 

First Name: _____________________

Last Name: ______________________

Date of Birth: ____________________

Date the self-test was taken: ____________________

Self-test type: ___Antigen    ___PCR

Place self-test device below:

 

Hank

 

[mpajra]

On 1/2/2023 at 7:14 PM, cate54 said:

Is Covid testing still required for trips lasting more than 15 nights?

 

1 hour ago, Hlitner said:

We called a few weeks ago and the HAL rep simply read the same language we see online and said there was no "requirement" that it be medically observed.  Go figure.  The rep than sent us an e-mail with the same exact language:

• Medically observed or self-administered at-home COVID-19 antigen test within 3 days before embarkation.

 

The operative language seems to be "or" which does not indicate any requirement for observed.  Others have posted info about taking a picture of the test results with a written paper (in the photo) with info such as name, date, time, etc.  Unless we hear differently from HAL we will follow this "self test" procedure on a HAL cruise which involves flying half way round the world to the ship.

 

We will also have a hard copy of the language (right from the HAL web site) in case there are any issues at embarkation.  

 

If you dig further on the HAL web site under FAQs here is the exact language"

 

For cruises not visiting Australia that allow an at-home, self-administered PCR or Antigen COVID-19 test, guests should take a photo of their test result with their mobile device. Their full names, date and time of test should be written on, or next to the test device result like the below: 

 

First Name: _____________________

Last Name: ______________________

Date of Birth: ____________________

Date the self-test was taken: ____________________

Self-test type: ___Antigen    ___PCR

Place self-test device below:

 

Hank

 

This cruise sailing on Saturday, has had all restrictions removed.  I received emails from 2 different departments of Holland American, today. 

[mpajra]

1 hour ago, cate54 said:

can you show us the email. I didn't receive one

 

[mpajra]

Just now, mpajra said:

 

That is the email that I received today. Hope this helps. 

[SeaSickCecil]

Thanks mpajra, but that is the cruise before ours which I believe is only 7 days and goes to Mexico.  Cate54 , I and others are on the 17 day Hawaii cruise and the test is still required.  This may be a requirement for Hawaii. Mexico was never as strict as Hawaii was on Covid restrictions.

Have a wonderful cruise.