French Polynesia - New entry testing requirement 24 hours before boarding

[Mercruiser]

FP just announced a new test requirement for entry. Here is the translation from the government web site:

 

http://www.polynesie-francaise.pref.gouv.fr/Modification-du-delai-du-test-negatif-pour-entrer-en-Polynesie-francaise

12/24/2021 - Modification of the deadline for the negative test to enter French Polynesia

By a decree dated December 24, 2021, all passengers traveling to French Polynesia will be required to present a negative test, PCR or antigen, of less than 24 hours upon boarding.

This obligation comes into force on Tuesday, December 28. It applies for travel from France as from all foreign countries.

This measure is necessary in order to protect French Polynesia from the new epidemic wave under the effect of the Omicron variant and to limit the circulation of the virus in the context of a strong resumption of contaminations in the West.

The previous requirement was for testing 48 hours before boarding. This is going to affect travelers on the Dec 29 (PG) and Dec 30 (Windstar) cruises. There is not much detail here, but Tahiti Tourisme indicates they will update their "Protocol for entry" graphic on December 28. Air Tahiti Nui and United still Have not updated their web site - they show the old 48 hour information. This is likely to catch some travelers by surprise when they arrive at LAX or SFO with a test > 24 hours old.

[Mercruiser]

Update: Air Tahiti Nui website has been updated with the 24 hour information.

[Petoonya]

Hopefully ATN and UA are text alerting folks who are on the next several days flights.

[Mercruiser]

It's Like Deja Vu All Over Again

You may remember my Feb 1 2021 post when FP closed it's borders. I wrote, "On a personal note, up until two weeks ago, I had a trip booked to Bora Bora and Moorea, for Jan 30 - Feb 10. I got cold feet and cancelled when the USA started requiring Covid tests for the trip home. That made 3 Covid tests for the trip which was 1 too many for me. We switched to Maui at the last minute and I'm glad we did. It's great here right now. I think they have about 30% of normal tourists right now."

Fast forward to the present. The situation looks unhappily familiar. I rescheduled last year's Moorea resort trip to Feb 12 - 22, 2022. It still looks possible for me to do this trip, but the new testing restrictions have me thinking about the possibility of being quarantined in Tahiti due to a positive test while there. Repeating last year, I've made backup reservations in Hawaii, so that I still have my winter vacation away the snow if FP doesn't work out. Life is good when Hawaii is your backup plan!

 

I was briefly tempted to book the Windstar Feb 10, 2022 cruise. The prices looked very attractive. But I don't want a FCC in the event that I have to cancel the cruise. I'm only booking fully cash-refundable vacations these days.

 

I am hoping that FP backs off it's 24 hour test requirement to "calendar day prior". As it stands now, I would need to do my FP entry test at LAX during my layover. With the late-evening LAX-PPT departure time, the 24 hour rule does not allow enough time to do the test the day before at home. 

 

[Mercruiser]

BTW Petoonya, My summer vacation on the Oregon coast was wonderful. We spent a week camping at Tillicum Beach and another at Cape Lookout. It was great getting away from the heat and smoke at home.

[Petoonya]

@Mercruiser

Hope you had great weather....we had a kinda mixed summer/fall. Tillicum is a great place to camp isn't it?

Sorry about your potential cruise. You can't win for losing on Tahiti can you? Have a trip to Ireland planned for this spring and getting a little nervous- and nervous about even August '22 Tahiti. Haven't had great luck on Tahiti the last two years either. Ya just never know.

[Petoonya]

@Mercruiser

Hope you had great weather....we had a kinda mixed summer/fall. Tillicum is a great place to camp isn't it?

Sorry about your potential cruise. You can't win for losing on Tahiti can you? Have a trip to Ireland planned for this spring and getting a little nervous- and nervous about even August '22 Tahiti. Haven't had great luck on Tahiti the last two years either. Ya just never know.

 

Don't know if you saw on the WS forum but a cruiser in the Caribbean had their cruise abruptly end on Christmas day after several passengers and crew were found to have COVID. Civilization has gone through so much worse then COVID, but we're still sick of it already.

[Mercruiser]

IMPORTANT - FP has changed the test requirements again!

 

See the article here: https://www.tahiti-infos.com/Le-Pays-impose-le-test-RT-PCR-avant-l-entree-en-Polynesie_a206067.html

Translated from French:

Tahiti, December 27, 2021 - During an extraordinary cabinet meeting on Monday, the Polynesian government issued an order imposing an RT-PCR test - excluding the possibility of antigen testing

"any person aged 12 or over wishing to board a flight to French Polynesia " to present " a negative test result for SARS-CoV-2 carried out by the polymerase chain reaction technique (RT PCR), performed in the two days preceding the flight " . 

 

This new requirement is effective January 10.

 

They are also requesting that travelers make a voluntary 72-hour quarantine on arrival, at the location of their choice. I'm not sure what to make of this.

 

The good news is that the testing can be done two days before departure, vs 24 hours right now. The bad news is that PCR tests are more expensive than antigen tests, especially if you pay a rush fee.  As an example, here are the fees for the vendor that operates inside the LAX terminals.

 

https://claritymv.com/

 

 

Antigen Test – $80.00

Standard PCR – $125.00

Fast PCR (3-5) – $125.00

Visby PCR (1 hour) – $199.00

[Mercruiser]

This article says the new requirements are effective December 30

 

https://www.tntv.pf/tntvnews/polynesie/societe/covid-19-nouvelles-mesures-dentree-en-polynesie/

[Petoonya]

We did Maui for a few weeks late November/early December. People were terrific about wearing masks everywhere (not the beach!) but some even out walking. The only spot we were disappointed was another whale watch tour where only two wore masks- not even the captain had one on and it was close quarters in a zodiac.

For as vigilant as Hawaii seems to be surprised they've not yet instituted mandatory PCR.

 

I'm really glad Tahiti is as vigilant as they are now. But oh what a sad turn of events if you showed up for a cruise after a long flight/flights to find you're positive. Sure wish you were joining us in August Mercruiser.

[Mercruiser]

Thanks for the invite on August. It sure sounds nice. It might be better for me if I tried going to Tahiti in the summer, instead of February, right after the winter holiday Covid resurgence! 

 

I have traditionally preferred to stay in the Northwest in the summer because of the beautiful weather here. Conversely, I like my winter holiday in the tropics because I get tired of shoveling show. The combination of Covid and tinder-dry Western summers is upsetting that balance. The summers are very hot and smokey. Winters are Covid outbreak time.

 

I was just reading the posts on Windstar about the Dec 24 outbreak on Wind Surf (post #209 and later)

I was already concerned about the ramifications of testing positive in Tahiti and going into quarantine. Reading this made it seem like a very real risk, not just hypothetical. I think the scales are tipping towards Hawaii right now, instead of Tahiti. 

 

Presently, I have two cruises booked in 2023 and one in 2024. Surely international travel and cruises will be operating normally by then. Right?

[Petoonya]

Surely. Wink wink.

 

Pre-COVID we went to Maui yearly and weren't too enthralled with the idea of returning with the likes of FP looming the last couple years. But it was a good cork in the bottle of feeling sorry for ourselves. Nice vacation.

 

Like you we have some cruises booked for 2023 and 24 and it will just be good to be on this side of the turf and enjoying grandkids. To heck with COVID. And still wish we could enjoy your company next August.

 

 

[Tahitianbigkahuna]

Testing requirements appear to be changing again and will take effect on December 30th. The 4 sites I visit are all a bit different on the rules  .... hopefully by this afternoon web pages will have updated information. Best advice I can give is be flexible  ... don't schedule flights, hotel stays and cruises without some flexibility. A good tip would be to stay close to PPT for any pre-cruise stay. Much easier to get testing especially PCR testing close to PPT. Moorea would be a good choice for a few nights pre-cruise ... the outer islands could be a problem when trying to obtain a PCR test which is required now by some cruise lines. Stay positive  ... it's worth it 😉

[Mercruiser]

Here is an update on why FP is changing the entry test requirements from antigen/PCR 24 hours before flight to PCR only 48 hours before flight.

 

https://www.tntv.pf/tntvnews/polynesie/societe/covid-19-les-cas-de-omicron-se-bousculent-aux-portes-du-fenua/

 

Amazingly, Air Tahiti Nui has still not updated their web site with the requirements that take effect on 12/30. It would be very confusing to be travelling right now.

https://www.airtahitinui.com/us-en/french-polynesia-entry-requirements-air-tahiti-nui

 

Air Tahiti did add this text that I've not noticed before: "Effective for arrivals from January 15, 2022, a booster shot is required to be considered fully vaccinated."

[goldiemom]

I still have not seen any update regarding this new requirement on Tahiti Tourism or Tahiti Air Nui.  I do hope it is indeed true since it would let me test using my insurance the day prior to leaving.  Otherwise, have to test at LAX paying with credit card.

[Tahitianbigkahuna]

there is an update on both web sites 😉

 

[goldiemom]

By update, I meant the PCR test within 48 hours of departure for PPT.  Heck, I would even be OK with "the day before" rather than 24 hours prior.  None of the places I can use locally are open at 10P or later.  SMF airport's testing usually takes 15 hours for results.

 

Don't get me started about finding a testing site on Bora Bora.  Still working on that.  Nine of us are in Bora Bora for 5 days prior to getting on the PG cruise.  We will get this sorted out, but all the rapid testing is adding about $1000 to this vacation. Sigh.  Everyone keeps saying it will be worth it...hope so.

[delaware32]

Wonder what will happen with regard to testing with regard to those disembarking in PPT.

[Mercruiser]

In the news: Covid: four positive cases aboard the Star Breeze forced to turn around

 

Source: https://www.tntv.pf/tntvnews/polynesie/societe/covid-quatre-cas-positifs-a-bord-du-star-breeze-contraint-de-faire-demi-tour/

Published on 01/01/2022 at 11:27

 

With four Covid cases on board, the Star Breeze had to cancel its scheduled stopover in Raiatea today and return to Tahiti. The passengers in question were disembarked at Papeete. The ship could leave during the day if no other positive case is detected.

Edited January 2, 2022 by Mercruiser

[Mercruiser]

According to https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/shipid:374137/

Star Breeze is still moored in Papeete. She should be in Taha today.

 

See the roll call for updates:

 

Edited January 2, 2022 by Mercruiser