Alaska Cruise - Covid Testing Question

[LiZaArd]

Might have been asked/answered but can't seem to find anything - If we fly into Seattle, take the train to Vancouver then cruise (in Alaska) then fly home from Vancouver day of debarkation - we still need to test prior to flying home?? Thanks in advance!

 

[Calantha]

we still need to test prior to flying home??

At the moment, yes. All persons flying into the US require a test less than 24 hrs in advance. Hopefully that will change before then. There are several threads that have started to discuss testing around Alaska cruises, but it is still all speculation at this point, as Canada hasn't announced final rules. At the moment, I'm tracking up to 5 tests - 72 hrs into Canada, possible random test at the airport, embarking on the cruise, debarking to return to Canada, and then flying back to US (hopefully if nothing changes, at least the last 2 can be combined).

 

[LiZaArd]

At the moment, I'm tracking 5 tests - 72 hrs into Canada, possible random test at the airport, embarking on the cruise, debarking to return to Canada, and then flying back to US (hopefully if nothing changes, at least the last 2 can be combined).

Yikes that's a whole lotta testing! I'm grumbling because we'll only be in Vancouver a total of XX hours from the cruise ship to airport so was hoping we could avoid the "stress" of having to figure out how to get tested on cruise time. Fingers crossed the testing stipulation goes away for all of us by then!!

 

[KGmomoftwins]

Hi so funny we are looking into flying into Seattle and train mostly because it will save my family almost 2k. According to the Amtrak site you only need your vaccination card opps and just read fine print a test that is input into some Canada app….hopefully things change or we will be out after waiting 3 years

 

[LiZaArd]

Hi so funny we are looking into flying into Seattle and train mostly because it will save my family almost 2k. According to the Amtrak site you only need your vaccination card opps and just read fine print a test that is input into some Canada app….hopefully things change or we will be out after waiting 3 years

Oh no!! I hope for your sake they do away with the testing requirements. I was ok testing prior because plenty of ways to do it here, it was on the return that I'm not looking forward to figuring out. We traveled in August to Aruba and the whole testing thing in and out was stressful because of wait time, I'm really hoping we don't have to deal with it this trip too. Way too many variables

 

[CindyLouB]

We're on the 5 night from San Diego to Vancouver in April. We live on the East Coast, flying to CA on April 15, 3 nights at Disneyland, 3 nights in San Diego, then we get on the boat for 5. We are all triple vaxed. I know we'll have to test at the port before getting on the ship, and I think I read that we have to test a debarkation. We plan to head straight to the airport after the cruise and fly back to Boston, I'm wondering about the testing requirements, I couldn't find anything "solid", just requirements that don't seem to be finalized. Hoping for some clarification on this. Is the test taken at debarkation going to be sufficient for the airport? Or will we need another? Just thinking out loud. Hoping for some answers before we get there, don't want any surprises!

 

[slindamood]

As I understand the situation, based on research for our cruise that ends in Van Couver, the lab that DCL uses at Port Canaveral will have a testing site at the port in Canada with both PCR and antigen tests available. This is after you disembark it appears. You pay, the antigen is cheaper.

To fly into the U.S. an antigen test is sufficient. It must be the DAY before your flight or day of. U.S. measures in days, not hours, so if you get off the ship on Friday, a test that day will be good all day Friday and Saturday to fly back into the U.S.

If you are driving back into the U.S. or taking a train or bus, you do not need a test. Only those on flights need a test.

People arriving by ship into Canada also do not need a test to enter Canada. COVID-19 vaccinated travellers entering Canada - Travel restrictions in Canada – Travel.gc.ca
Who is exempt from arrival testing

• Already recovered:Travellers who provide a positive COVID-19 molecular test result, conducted at least 10 calendar days and no more than 180 calendar days before entering Canada. Counting starts the day following the day of testing.
  • For example, if your positive COVID-19 molecular test was taken on January 1, the first day you could use it for entry into Canada by land or water would be January 11. If you’re flying, the earliest scheduled departure date of your flight to Canada would be January 11.
• Travellers arriving by boat

All of this is subject to change, of course.

 

[Calantha]

Travellers arriving by boat

Well that's a relief - I don't remember seeing that the other day, but totally could have missed it.

 

[lanejudy]

People arriving by ship into Canada also do not need a test to enter Canada. COVID-19 vaccinated travellers entering Canada - Travel restrictions in Canada – Travel.gc.ca
Who is exempt from arrival testing

• Already recovered:Travellers who provide a positive COVID-19 molecular test result, conducted at least 10 calendar days and no more than 180 calendar days before entering Canada. Counting starts the day following the day of testing.
  • For example, if your positive COVID-19 molecular test was taken on January 1, the first day you could use it for entry into Canada by land or water would be January 11. If you’re flying, the earliest scheduled departure date of your flight to Canada would be January 11.
• Travellers arriving by boat

It's confusing -- but what you posted is about ARRIVAL testing. However, higher on that page is "Who Needs a Pre-Entry Test" (red font is mine):

Who needs a pre-entry test​

All travellers 5 years of age or older must provide proof of an accepted type of molecular test result:​

• Negative: provide proof of a negative result taken within 72 hours of your scheduled flight or land entry
• Positive:you no longer have symptoms and provide proof of a previous positive test result taken at least 10 calendar days and no more than 180 calendar days before entering Canada. Counting starts the day following the day of testing.
  • For example, if your positive COVID-19 molecular test was taken on January 1, the first day you could use it for entry into Canada by land or water would be January 11. If you’re flying, the earliest scheduled departure date of your flight to Canada would be January 11. If your positive proof is accepted you won’t have to take arrival or Day-8 tests

End of short trip exemption: the pre-entry testing exemption for trips 72 hours or less ended on December 21, 2021. ​

Flying to Canada - when to take your test (note this link was not expanded for this post)​

Arriving by car, bus, boat, ferry or train ​

You must take a molecular test outside of Canada within 72 hours of your planned entry into Canada.​

So, no someone arriving by boat/ship is not subject to ARRIVAL testing, however at this time I believe they must test BEFORE ARRIVAL (pre-entry) into Canada.

DCL's embarkation testing is designed for those who need a test to fly home after debarking the ship. It is not intended for those who need a test before arriving at the port. Arriving in/returning to Vancouver for debarkation requires a test before the ship debarks. So it would seem DCL needs to do that testing onboard, which is completely separate from the debarkation testing tent in-port that DCL recently announced.

 

[LeslieG]

I wonder if we will know the protocols for Alaska and Hawaii cruises before the final payment dates? I'm on the Hawaii to Vancouver sailing. Not having that information will likely cause me to cancel.

 

[dcassetta]

I wonder if we will know the protocols for Alaska and Hawaii cruises before the final payment dates? I'm on the Hawaii to Vancouver sailing. Not having that information will likely cause me to cancel.

The challenge with that is Canada can change their requirements and DCL will have to abide by them.

If Canada requires a test to enter Canada from a cruise, DCL will find a way to make these available on the ship.

 

[Calantha]

2/16 Update on Canadian entry rules -- Rapid Tests will now also be accepted in addition to PCR tests starting at the end of February: https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/pcr-test-arrival-travel-drop-1.6350469

 

[LiZaArd]

2/16 Update on Canadian entry rules -- Rapid Tests will now also be accepted in addition to PCR tests starting at the end of February: https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/pcr-test-arrival-travel-drop-1.6350469

Slowly but surely we're chipping away at these mandates I hope once the details come out about the antigen tests they will allow the at-home ones. Not sure how they could but hopefully they will

 

[tj48103]

Yikes that's a whole lotta testing! I'm grumbling because we'll only be in Vancouver a total of XX hours from the cruise ship to airport so was hoping we could avoid the "stress" of having to figure out how to get tested on cruise time. Fingers crossed the testing stipulation goes away for all of us by then!!

If this rule is still in place by that time (I'm sailing Alaska in May) I would expect that DCL will offer a test on the ship the day before for a fee. They do that now for international travelers who need it to return home. Or they will offer one at the port when disembarking. I'm hoping everything has improved so much by then that the testing requirements will no longer be in place.

 

[gilsan]

2/16 Update on Canadian entry rules -- Rapid Tests will now also be accepted in addition to PCR tests starting at the end of February: https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/pcr-test-arrival-travel-drop-1.6350469

I watched the press conference and the minister of transportation said there would be info about cruise ship passenger testing coming in the next couple of weeks.

 

[gilsan]

Slowly but surely we're chipping away at these mandates I hope once the details come out about the antigen tests they will allow the at-home ones. Not sure how they could but hopefully they will

As of right now the rapid test will need to be completed by a certified provider. “Taking a rapid antigen test at home is not sufficient to meet the pre-entry requirement – it must be authorized by the country in which it was purchased and must be administered by a laboratory, healthcare entity or telehealth service,”

 

[Chrislovesdisney]

We changes our flights from Vancouver to Seattle. We figured overall, domestic flights with the border crossing via car will be easier than flying internationally. We also saved a lot of money and found flights with only 1 connection (otherwise, NYC to Vancouver had 3 flights one way, 4 coming home!). So the testing wasn’t the only reason (especially knowing how often rules change), but part of the decision making process.

 

[tj48103]

We changes our flights from Vancouver to Seattle. We figured overall, domestic flights with the border crossing via car will be easier than flying internationally. We also saved a lot of money and found flights with only 1 connection (otherwise, NYC to Vancouver had 3 flights one way, 4 coming home!). So the testing wasn’t the only reason (especially knowing how often rules change), but part of the decision making process.

This is what we are doing too. Mostly it was because of the cost savings on flights. But it does seem like it will cut down on some of the testing stress, especially on the way home.

 

[KGmomoftwins]

This is what we are doing too. Mostly it was because of the cost savings on flights. But it does seem like it will cut down on some of the testing stress, especially on the way home.

Same! East coaster and we can fly out of our small Syracuse airport one connection instead of driving to Newark and having crappy flight times and connections. The only thing I’m trying to work out is how much time between landing in Seattle before boarding the train. We would rather stay in Vancouver vs Seattle. However, the way home we will spend the night in Seattle

 

[LiZaArd]

As of right now the rapid test will need to be completed by a certified provider. “Taking a rapid antigen test at home is not sufficient to meet the pre-entry requirement – it must be authorized by the country in which it was purchased and must be administered by a laboratory, healthcare entity or telehealth service,”

I read it too quickly, missed that part! Thank you for clarifying!