12cruise2

If it's Walgreens Rapid NAAT test, they provide the results within 2-3 hours. That's the point of the Rapid designation. A regular PCR test takes more than 24 hours or longer for results. And yes, there are two classifications of tests--antigen and NAAT, and PCR is a type of NAAT. We've used the Rapid NAAT test 3-4 times and always they have the results available within 2-3 hours. And if they haven't emailed the results to you within 3 hours, call the branch where you had the test done, let them know you haven't received the results, and ask them to get the results to you, or go by the branch; they'll print them out there. Some pharmacy techs are just faster than others at getting after the processing and distribution of results. So, you get the advantage of a PCR test in very quick time.

Okay, I've been getting lazy, too. We have been leaving everything as we found it when we embark, but I'll get back to having them clean it out I think.

Did this minibar charge appear only AFTER you got off the ship, or ended the particular cruise? We always check our bill closely the day, night and even morning of disembarkation. Just curious what to watch out for. Thank you.

How do you do it--do you put it at desktop height? Then how does it see the test AND you at the same time?

We do B2Bs all the time; each PORT has its own system. Some ports there is nothing to do, some all B2B folks have to meet in, say, BBKing's with passport in hand, at a designated time and EVERYONE has to be present before they'll start the process, then as a group you are escorted off the ship, put through immigration, then as a group embarked back onto the ship (unless you take a shore ex or otherwise get off the ship in that port). As a favor to all of the B2B folks, don't be late and don't forget your passport and anything else they require as you hold up the whole group and you will get a very frosty reception to say the least. As noted above, you will be given instructions a few days before each port as to what you need to do. Also, as a tip, for changing cabins, I take 10 or so "old" tote bags, like the HAL ones that don't weigh anything, in my suitcase; then to change cabins, I pack them up with say all the shoes in one, all the bathroom stuff in one, all the stuff on the shelves in the closet in one or two, that idea, then it's really easy to "unpack" in the new cabin. The stewards put all the hanging things on a trolley, load up the bags and you're off. It's way too much trouble to repack the items in a suitcase I think. I use some of these throughout the voyage for other things anyway, so it's not a problem to have some packed.

On the live from/blog threads--perhaps Btimmer's thread, Copper's thread, the Inside Cabin thread. Without going back and reading to find your answer, check out these three threads. One had to have all boarding documents printed, Copper had difficulty with the HAL bus's luggage being unloaded from the bus and starting to be put on the bag carts to go onto the ship before they let off the bus passengers to claim the luggage that wasn't tagged nor supposed to be loaded onto the ship but rather hand-carried, that idea.

For those following this, don't be put off by the Start Over necessity to make a new entry; then it warns all your previous info will be deleted. It deletes the arrival dates and the health info, but not the passport info and the vaccination document uploaded, assuming you saved these items. You have to wait to do a new entry until after you've completed your visit to Canada from the first entry, otherwise that entry is deleted.

Update--heard back from manager TA--if we go Boston to Quebec City first cruise, then B2B Quebec City to Fort Lauderdale, that is a violation of the PVSA, which I thought it might be. We do not want to fly connecting flights into Quebec City to take the cruise just from there, so we'll forget it for now.

That's what I figured and what worries me; once we were on a cruise where the chopping block, 2:30 in the morning, was right above our heads, no kidding, on another HAL ship, and this was on promenade deck. Who would have thought! The guest relations lady came, heard the sound and promptly moved us to another, interior cabin to sleep.

Yes, this is the cruise we are considering (after reading Copper's live thread!)--plus the one before it from Boston up to Quebec City, 6 night. We are currently on the Eurodam, so I have emailed our TA (and a manager)--hope they'll get back to me soon. We've also mentioned to TA that obstructed view balconies seem to be acceptable, from midship back aft, port and starboard. Turns out we took a driving trip several years ago, overnighted in Gaspe, didn't go to Saguenay, though, but have wanted to cruise the NE, and leaving out of Boston makes life so much simpler than Quebec City (except for the poor service the Boston port seems to provide to embarking passengers as reported on CC).

Hi, all--we're considering October Eastern Canada cruises main deck 1 ocean view cabins. I notice on Deck 2 above the main deck aft is a mystery area that is probably kitchen prep, so my initial reaction is to avoid all the port side aft of the atrium area. Has anyone had experience with the port cabins I'm referring to? Starboard side aft of atrium looks acceptable. We do NOT want to be near BBKings and forward of the atrium area. I would appreciate any experience, as soon as possible, as we are trying to book something today--from a cruise we're on, but by email to our travel agent. Thank you all so much for all your help.

Yes, I agree it does not say anything except "viral" test for HAL. For Celebrity, it has to be a NAAT/PCR test result.

I just copied and pasted this info from HAL today 8/18/22; see link below: "Guests who have recovered from COVID-19 within three months of their embarkation, do not need to get a viral test before embarkation if they are at least 10 days past their COVID-19 infection, have no symptoms and produce documentation of recovery from COVID-19 infection. Guests are required to be on day 11 on their recovery from COVID-19 in order to embark on their cruise. Guests who are considered a close contact must have 14 days surpass after their partners confirmed COVID-19 case in order to board. Documentation of Recovery consists of the following: Paper or electronic copies of the positive viral test result from a certified laboratory (dated no more than 90 days ago), or A valid digital COVID-19 certificate (DCC) or a document issued by an official health or government authority showing confirmed previous infection. Guests who present these documents will need to go through a secondary screening at the terminal and boarding will be approved at the medical staff’s discretion. If guests are not able to obtain documentation of recovery that fulfills the above requirements, they will need to take the required COVID-19 viral test and show a negative result." https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/worry-free-promise/travel-well/frequently-asked-questions/faq-for-cruises-from-usa.html#testing

You should be fine; print and take a copy of the HAL rules (that you can find by going to the Frequently Asked Questions) and have that with you. We boarded last Saturday after having tested positive the very end of May, but we did also have a letter of recovery from our doctor. They want to see a positive PCR/NAAT test result normally, and you do NOT want to test before getting on because there is the risk you will test positive again. As long as you are within the rules posted on the FAQ (what is it--more than 11 days after your positive test?), then simply show them the positive test; we did have a letter of recovery from our doctor. As long as you are "certain" with whomever looks at your boarding documents re it's more than the 11 days, etc. The reps aren't always clear on the rules, so you need to be clear on the rules so that you can politely stand your ground, so to speak. I had to do that as the lady didn't really understand what I was doing and asked after looking at the positive test, did I have a negative test. I explained that no, I was boarding within the 90-day period rule after having had covid that HAL has.

We, too, are on this Eurodam cruise right now. Hope Harry recovers soon. Yes, I agree, no one wearing masks except us, and we're within our 90-day recovery from having gotten it the very end of May on a Celebrity cruise on the Equinox. No one wearing masks on that ship either. I can hardly wait for even less testing, vax requirements on ships--ha ha ha ha. People don't care about others, just themselves, saying oh, I had it and it wasn't bad. Never mind you're giving it to everyone else in the process on a cruise.

We're on the Eurodam now and they handed out two KN95 masks; and yes, no one is wearing them. We are wearing them and even got new ones we asked for from our stateroom steward. I believe Capt. said they are required in main stage; wonder if anyone is monitoring.

HAL is notoriously slow to change info provided.

I'm certainly not singling out HAL; all cruise lines do it; my whole point is that if they don't name the venue appropriately, it is extremely misleading for those of us who are trying our best to book away from the noise. And yes, on another ship, we were DIRECTLY under the kitchen prep area where at 2:30 they were chopping with knives, as hard as they could, directly above our heads. A guest relations rep came to the room, heard it immediately, and moved our cabin! That we certainly didn't know about in advance. So now, we stay away from being under/over the unnamed areas on a deck plan.

If you'll look at this web site below, which I've relied on for months and found to be spot on, you'll see the name has been changed. If I see the Entertainment Director again here on the Eurodam, or another officer, I'll ask about the specifics as to when the name change is effective. Again, the importance is for future cruise bookings for anyone wanting to try to be away from the music venues--misleading new name for sure. Also, this was mentioned several months ago in passing on cruise critic. https://www.cruisedeckplans.com/DP/deckplans/deckbydeck.php?ship=Eurodam&deck=2

On NA and Eurodam, the name has been changed to the Queens Lounge/Culinary Arts Center; BB King's is no longer listed in the name; however, they are listed for three performances (BBKing's) tonight on the Eurodam! Boy, sneaky listing it on the deck plan now as the QL/CAC because anyone booking cabins around that venue surely should be made aware that it is a loud music venue all evening; shady work--that music reverberates through two floors up and down on the "frame" of the ship so one gets boom, boom, boom of the base in the band, even if you are two floors above and not over the band itself. Our cabin got changed on us without our permission when HA changed cabins for cov. isolation, so we were under BBK's--never again--and this was for several weeks. Of course we complained, etc., but that's not the point of this thread. We're on the Eurodam now, and will be on the NA Dec/Jan, and were on it 9 weeks last fall 2021.

Hi, folks--if I remember correctly, this used to be BB King's--is it now NOT a music venue?

Just spent an hour on the computer with the difficulty lying in trying to upload the PDF file of the vaccination certificate. Duh--be sure to press the plus sign in the box where it gives two boxes to upload the PDF certificates to activate the box BEFORE dragging the file into the box (if you have two certificates for one person). I don't do much uploading and haven't ever had to press a plus sign to activate the upload process. Just dragging over the PDF file alone doesn't work. Also, use Google Chrome and turn off any ad blockers you may be using.

And I had my cell phone end up in the------toilet. This was in the U.S., I had no backup phone numbers but was able to get to a Verizon store that morning to replace the phone including the chip. Taught me a very important lesson. Something can happen in the blink of an eye to all the documents on phones, iPads. Always travel with paper copies of your documents; it's so much easier than standing there trying to check-in and be fumbling with the smart phone trying to find document after document--and I'd rather not be behind someone doing that! Takes forever. And we've checked in 8 times since restart of cruising. At one check-in, person at the door asked to see all documents before she'd let us into the building to actually begin checking in. Requirements are all over the place.

Thanks for this wonderful thread. Your pictures are excellent. We enjoyed the Voyage of the Vikings several years ago and this thread brings back so many memories.

Bon Voyage! I've followed along tho I haven't posted until now. Soooo glad this all worked out for you. Enjoy that spa! We'll be on the Eurodam very soon for a couple of weeks. We'll be thinking of you.