Are Australian's required to RAT before embarkation in Sydney?

[Relaxing Rita]

Our group of Aussies are boarding Mars  next week in Sydney and the information is not clear... is everyone, including Australians, required to have a RAT 24 hours before boarding and show proof of this result at check-in?

Thank you

[katlew]

34 minutes ago, Relaxing Rita said:

Our group of Aussies are boarding Mars  next week in Sydney and the information is not clear... is everyone, including Australians, required to have a RAT 24 hours before boarding and show proof of this result at check-in?

Thank you

We just did Auckland to Sydney & thought we would have to test before embarking or 24 hours before entering Australia, but we didn’t have to do any testing at all. Does the information in MVJ still say it’s required?

[Relaxing Rita]

Thanks for your reply katlew, I think there is some sort of rule about leaving Australia on a cruise ship, not entering Australia...

[Little Monty]

10 minutes ago, Relaxing Rita said:

Thanks for your reply katlew, I think there is some sort of rule about leaving Australia on a cruise ship, not entering Australia...

 

Depends who you ask and whether you are flying or cruising.

 

Seriously, they make it so complicated. There is no need for any person arriving into Australia by air to be tested or vaccinated.

 

However there are different rules for cruise ships. There is a requirement that cruise ships notify authorities if they have COVID cases on board prior to arrival in Australia ....

 

Update on cruise vessel COVID-19 status

Under the Eastern Seaboard and Western Australian Cruise Protocols, cruise vessels must report COVID-19 cases 12-24 hrs prior to arrival at a NSW port. Once reports are received from cruise vessels, their tier level is published below.

 

The tier classification is from the Critical outbreak thresholds for COVID-19 reporting purposes.  For more information please also see the CDNA National Guidelines for Cruising in Australialaunch.

So I guess this means if you are in Australia and departing on a cruise ship you don't need to be tested or be reported to authorities if COVID positive. 

 

Of course the cruise lines have their own rules. Friends of ours did a 7 day out and back from Brisbane pre-Christmas and were required by the cruise line (P & O I think?) to undertake RAT test and show results 24 hours prior to departure.

 

There is nothing that I can find which suggests either the Federal or NSW government require you to be tested prior to departure. So it would only be something Viking would require - but as previous post by katlew indicated - they were not asked to test. 

 

But to be sure, it might be worth a phone call or an online chat with Viking head office in Sydney.

 

Enjoy the cruise.

 

 

 

 

[katlew]

1 hour ago, Relaxing Rita said:

Thanks for your reply katlew, I think there is some sort of rule about leaving Australia on a cruise ship, not entering Australia...

We were originally told by Viking that anyone boarding a ship sailing into AUS so would needed to test before boarding the boat.  Then that changed to we would be tested on board before entering AUS & that never happened. I thought maybe the AUS rule had changed, but yeah, I’d call and confirm.

[SteelCity Cruiser]

We are doing a 2-week extension in Australia (actually, we're there now) and I contacted Viking for clarification on the pre-board testing requirement and whether, since we will have been here for an extended period of time, we still needed to test.  The answer was "yes", everyone must pre-test prior to boarding (it is on MVJ documentation).  My guess is that the same position would apply to Australian citizens boarding in Sydney as well.

 

[Pushka]

11 minutes ago, SteelCity Cruiser said:

My guess is that the same position would apply to Australian citizens boarding in Sydney as well.

 

It does. Cruises have special requirements. Everyone must do a RAT. But I suspect they will be dropped soon, just not yet. 

[harbourside]

This Rat test is confusing.  Do you just take a time dated photo with you phone.   Does it have to included a photo of yourself.  No details on Viking, unless they give more detailed instructions before leaving.  29 days to go. 

[Pushka]

4 minutes ago, harbourside said:

This Rat test is confusing.  Do you just take a time dated photo with you phone.   Does it have to included a photo of yourself.  No details on Viking, unless they give more detailed instructions before leaving.  29 days to go. 

This is what I'd do. I'd take a photo at the required time, include your passport in the photo and possibly also do a selfie with your face and showing the lot. The photo will be time stamped automatically. Then you are covered. 

[SteelCity Cruiser]

7 hours ago, Pushka said:

This is what I'd do. I'd take a photo at the required time, include your passport in the photo and possibly also do a selfie with your face and showing the lot. The photo will be time stamped automatically. Then you are covered. 

That's exactly what we are planning on doing next week before we board.

 

[zalusky]

We just returned last week from an Oceania cruise from Bali to Sydney southern route route.

 

Dec 26 - On arrival in Bali the airport looked at our vaccination cards.  

The same day boarding Oceania they did not check for vaccinations or require testing

.

When we arrived at our first Australia stop in Broome - Dec 28 we all went through a walkthrough with Australia customs in the main lounge.  There was no vaccination check or RTAM test required.

 

However I did notice some people getting swabbed at subsequent ports boarding (possibly entertainment people).

Edited January 23, 2023 by zalusky

[Pushka]

2 hours ago, zalusky said:

We just returned last week from an Oceania cruise from Bali to Sydney southern route route.

 

Dec 26 - On arrival in Bali the airport looked at our vaccination cards.  

The same day boarding Oceania they did not check for vaccinations or require testing

.

When we arrived at our first Australia stop in Broome - Dec 28 we all went through a walkthrough with Australia customs in the main lounge.  There was no vaccination check or RTAM test required.

 

However I did notice some people getting swabbed at subsequent ports boarding (possibly entertainment people).

All I can say is that it's completely random. So prepare for anything. And then no need to worry. We don't even need to isolate anymore when positive on land if not symptomatic, but cruises have been our issue.