Know Before You Go Updated - May 17 - Testing rule changes

[Disney-&-Baseball]

I’m happy about this change. We did testing at the port in April and I was so anxious to be turned away at the port, the internet signal was horrible there and had a hard time loading my emails to see if we were clear to sail. Now we just have to drop our bags, park and walk into the port to get on the ship

Thanks for the link to embed I ordered the 6 pack for our family of 5 so we are all set for our June 11th sailing on the fantasy.

We are on the same sailing! It will be my first cruise.

 

[Madame]

We are spending 5 days at WDW and then going on two cruises - with two days in between the cruises.
Can I use supervised tests from a Canadian company (https://lifecenters.ca/) even though I need to do the test in the USA?
Because we have two days between our cruises we will have to use one of those days to get tested again - correct?

So - test to get into USA / test two days before first cruise / test as soon as we are off ship to get results for second cruise??

I'm asking to make sure I plan - I'm not complaining.

Honestly I would use the SwitchHealth travel kits. Sign up for aeroplan to get the discount if you’re not already a member. These are proctored Canadian telehealth tests - same company the border services use when they randomly select for testing.

It’s done via video link so I suggest a data plan for your trip - I wouldn’t necessarily rely on wifi when you have a limited number of tests and they must be monitored.

ETA - get an extra kit. You never know if a test will come back with uncertain results (there’s a word for that but my brain is super tired this morning ).

https://switchhealth.ca/en/partners/aeroplan/

 

[Madame]

We are driving from Colorado to Vancouver for our June 13th cruise. We leave Colorado June 1st and have many stops along the way. We plan to enter Canada on June 11th. Will we need to find a place to test in Vancouver or should we plan to bring appropriate tests with us? Since we will be travelling pre-cruise this is all pretty confusing. I have never been this stressed about a trip before. I think it's just the logistics of the testing that is stressing me.

Testing is the responsibility of each province. I’m in Ontario and am certain that the proctored tests provided in pharmacies here are not available in BC. @bcwife76 will know!

 

[Geomom]

I didn’t know there were rapid antigen tests that were different. One for travel, one not?

I think the difference is one type of self test rapid antigen is proctored via video call (travel), and the other is not. The non proctored one doesn't count for travel since people could lie about who took it, when they took it, or just not do the test correctly. That type of test is more for piece of mind and for your everyday life.

 

[dcassetta]

We are driving from Colorado to Vancouver for our June 13th cruise. We leave Colorado June 1st and have many stops along the way. We plan to enter Canada on June 11th. Will we need to find a place to test in Vancouver or should we plan to bring appropriate tests with us? Since we will be travelling pre-cruise this is all pretty confusing. I have never been this stressed about a trip before. I think it's just the logistics of the testing that is stressing me.

I do not know if this the easiest or best option for you, but you can go to the airport and get tested, and this is pre-security so you do not need to fly - https://www.yvr.ca/en/passengers/travel-planning/takecare/covid-19-testing

You can do telemed test through https://www.emed.com/

You can also wait and test at the port - that will be an option for people who have not tested upon arrival

 

[JohnGaston]

Finger's crossed that they soon change the policy to no testing. Come on' CLIA! you can do it!
As of now I reserved a testing right at the arrival airport.

 

[kathi]

For those who have ordered the rapid test through Inspire - how did you do it? I can't log onto Safe Passage until 15 days prior to cruise and feel like that is cutting it too close for ordering tests.

 

[626ohana]

For many of us, it's not just the money (although seriously how cheap can they get while charging what they charge).

Many are already in Florida prior to the cruise and the stress of finding a test - did all the tests go through? oops Bobby's test was corrupted, the Walgreen's where I have my test scheduled is closed, just a note on the door saying "closed early due to staffing" (yep I actually saw this scenario play out in real time on FB)....

The STRESS of it, not to mention if you don't have a vehicle. And only TWO days.... I had to do 72 hrs before crossing the border before re-entry to Canada and as a family of 5 that was *stressful.* So many things (x5) that could have gone wrong with the test itself and the results not coming back - they filtered in not arriving in my email in a batch... The entire day blown on testing and stressing....

And whether we test positive 2 days prior or get turned away, we're still in Florida.... We can't just turn around and drive 30 mins back home. I have personal experience of the hunt for Orlando testing (and don't get me started on the telehealth options when you're international and dealing with crap service and upcharges), and that experience was months ago when there was testing *everywhere.*

As someone who has experienced the hassle, this decision makes me so frustrated.

This will be our families same Stress-Burden as we fly into Vancouver (next month) on Saturday evening & have until Sunday midnight to access a strong WiFi ️connection (hopefully in our hotel ) to complete our telehealth Covid tests & upload all our test results online (for Monday embarkation).

Not quite sure if our US wireless plans have coverage in Canada …but should prob upgrade my plan for the month of June

 

[erik3dis]

For those who have ordered the rapid test through Inspire - how did you do it? I can't log onto Safe Passage until 15 days prior to cruise and feel like that is cutting it too close for ordering tests.

If it's like the BinaxNow tests, they get shipped with 2 day shipping. So still plenty of time.

 

[Madame]

This will be our families same Stress-Burden as we fly into Vancouver (next month) on Saturday evening & have until Sunday midnight to access a strong WiFi ️connection (hopefully in our hotel ) to complete our telehealth Covid tests & upload all our test results online (for Monday embarkation).

Not quite sure if our US wireless plans have coverage in Canada …but should prob upgrade my plan for the month of June

Definitely & testing here in certain parts of Canada is not easy. No idea if for European cruises it will be difficult for non-Europeans to source testing but it’s an added layer of difficulty when you’re already stressed.

 

[brentm77]

Definitely & testing here in certain parts of Canada is not easy. No idea if for European cruises it will be difficult for non-Europeans to source testing but it’s an added layer of difficulty when you’re already stressed.

So far, this doesn't apply to Europe. I personally would prefer it did for our June European cruise, because getting a test there is easy and I would love to avoid the stress at the port.

 

[626ohana]

I had the same question about time....If you leave port at 4:45 does that mean you can't get a test till 4:45 on that saturday? or anytime on Saturday work?

Good question to get clarified

1) when exactly does the 48-hour timeframe start? If that’s the measurement DCL is using

2) is it 48 hrs from your chosen PAT?…or from 4pm?…or from midnight?

When we traveled toHawaii last summer (with their restrictions still in place)…their Covid testing timeframe was lined up with our Hawaiianflight departure time …so, we tested NO earlier than 11am on a Saturday for a flight that was taking us to Hawaii on a Monday @10:45am

 

[626ohana]

Yup. Same. One day. Lol. Feeling attacked.

Yeah…I don’t like feeling like our cruise will be the “trial & error” of this change As we are on the 1st Alaskan cruise that this new policy will be taking affect

 

[Cfudge]

Good question to get clarified

1) when exactly does the 48-hour timeframe start? If that’s the measurement DCL is using

2) is it 48 hrs from your chosen PAT?…or from 4pm?…or from midnight?

When we traveled toHawaii last summer (with their restrictions still in place)…their Covid testing timeframe was lined up with our Hawaiianflight departure time …so, we tested NO earlier than 11am on a Saturday for a flight that was taking us to Hawaii on a Monday @10:45am

We had to test to fly to the USA last month, in that case we had to test the day before our flight but they made it very clear that you just had to test "The day before"...not 24 hours before the exact flight time etc etc....because delays could change that time. They were just going to look at the date, not the time to the minute.

 

[erik3dis]

This will be our families same Stress-Burden as we fly into Vancouver (next month) on Saturday evening & have until Sunday midnight to access a strong WiFi ️connection (hopefully in our hotel ) to complete our telehealth Covid tests & upload all our test results online (for Monday embarkation).

Not quite sure if our US wireless plans have coverage in Canada …but should prob upgrade my plan for the month of June

Wifi isn't difficult to find. Have yet to see a hotel without it so testing Saturday night or anytime Sunday in your hotel seems preferable than testing at the port. I hope you come to the conclusion this reduces your stress, not adding to it. Better to find out your test results earlier isn't it?

I have had to return to the US several times by air using the emed online covid tests. It truly couldn't be easier. Weren't you already planning to do this to fly back at the end of your vacation?

 

[HeatherLassell]

ok I understand the need, but what if you are at the park and staying on property before you take the Disney cruise line bus to the terminal from your Disney hotel. Where do you go to get the "approved" pre-test?

You can pay for one at the port just like you could pay for one at home.

 

[Madame]

We had to test to fly to the USA last month, in that case we had to test the day before our flight but they made it very clear that you just had to test "The day before"...not 24 hours before the exact flight time etc etc....because delays could change that time. They were just going to look at the date, not the time to the minute.

That wasn't DCL though, but rather the US Border services, right?

 

[Joel0917]

So 90 day question. Our cruise on aug8 is within 90 days recovery but we are taking B2b and on Aug 12 we are outside 90 days recovered. How is that handled for testing

 

[HeatherLassell]

That wasn't DCL though, but rather the US Border services, right?

Yes US border services still requires us to take a covid test to fly into the US. I wish they'd stop that already. Many countries have including us in Canada.

 

[HeatherLassell]

So 90 day question. Our cruise on aug8 is within 90 days recovery but we are taking B2b and on Aug 12 we are outside 90 days recovered. How is that handled for testing

Hmmm My guess is they'll most likely have you test in between the cruises.