Questions related to all things Covid testing relating to Princess Cruises

[Munsterguy]

Hi all,

Anybody ever hear of Plus Travel Tests in Vancouver ? Seen mixed reviews , pricing seems ok for Vancouver , just want to be sure they are what they say they are before I book . Thanks 🙏 

Edited April 13, 2022 by Munsterguy

[wendellman]

9 minutes ago, Ombud said:

Yes. I wrote out what the box said (Rapid Viral Antigen test for nucleocapsid protein antigen) and she said it fell under (1) rapid antigen and (2) viral antigen. But it must be proctored.  $25. Bringing tests to Southampton 

 

Let me know if you get a different answer

 

 

Thanks. I also sent an email to iHeath asking about acceptability for cruise lines in general and Princess specifically. If I get a response, I'll post it here.

[Thrak]

They don't appear to be any cheaper than the BinaxNOW proctored tests and I know those are accepted. I would bet that the Verified iHealth Covid-19 Antigen Rapid Test mentioned above are also accepted. Either one should work just fine for boarding and for flights back to the US.

 

The federal mask mandate for planes and trains expires next week. I'm wondering if it will be renewed. If it isn't renewed maybe the test requirement for flights entering the country will also go away.

[Thrak]

28 minutes ago, Munsterguy said:

Hi all,

Anybody ever hear of Plus Travel Tests in Vancouver ? Seen mixed reviews , pricing seems ok for Vancouver , just want to be sure they are what they say they are before I book . Thanks 🙏 

 

It's A Plus Travel Tests and it's $85CDN per test. Ouch.

https://aplustraveltests.ca/

[Ombud]

21 minutes ago, Thrak said:

They don't appear to be any cheaper than the BinaxNOW proctored tests and I know those are accepted. I would bet that the Verified iHealth Covid-19 Antigen Rapid Test mentioned above are also accepted. Either one should work just fine for boarding and for flights back to the US.

 

The federal mask mandate for planes and trains expires next week. I'm wondering if it will be renewed. If it isn't renewed maybe the test requirement for flights entering the country will also go away.

Extended to May 3rd

https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/13/politics/mask-mandate-extension/index.html

[Thrak]

32 minutes ago, Ombud said:

Extended to May 3rd

https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/13/politics/mask-mandate-extension/index.html

 

Ah, well. It isn't really the mask mandate that bothers me. I'll wear a mask on the plane and not have a problem with it. It's just the hassle and idiocy of the test that bothers me. Since Princess isn't guaranteeing that they will test me when I disembark in Vancouver I'll go ahead and spend the $100 for the BinaxNow proctored tests. (That will pretty much guarantee that Princess does offer the test for free. 🤪)

[Ombud]

What I find even more frustrating is that chat & CVP tell me I can do the antigen test 3 days before my RT from SF trip that has 2 ports on Canada.  And I prefer that one so relying on them

[Ombud]

On 4/12/2022 at 5:04 AM, Karlemil said:

As of yesterday Canada said it applies to boarding a ship that either leaves from Canada or stops in Canada.  But the timing is from embarkation not the stop in Canada.  But obviously subject to change.

Great update on ArriveCAN:

Still need 3 days PCR / 2 days Antigen test to embark or disembark

 

[haleygirl]

Between the Covid testing and the Medallion app, I’m stressing out more than I should be just to go on a cruise. 😩

[Munsterguy]

11 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

It's A Plus Travel Tests and it's $85CDN per test. Ouch.

https://aplustraveltests.ca/

If you can recommend a test centre in downtown Vancouver I would be grateful , we are departing Vancouver on May 28 , 7 night cruise to Whittier followed by a 5 night land tour to Danali . Thank you . 

[ozziebound]

11 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

It's A Plus Travel Tests and it's $85CDN per test. Ouch.

https://aplustraveltests.ca/

 

12 hours ago, Munsterguy said:

Hi all,

Anybody ever hear of Plus Travel Tests in Vancouver ? Seen mixed reviews , pricing seems ok for Vancouver , just want to be sure they are what they say they are before I book . Thanks 🙏 

My wife and I used them in December and had a good experience. She booked then again for herself next week before going to Chicago.

[Chick2020]

Hi all!

 

First time cruiser here - DH and I are finally starting to believe that our cancelled honeymoon cruise is actually going to happen this year, we're so excited! What's not as exciting is trying to figure out the logistics, especially as first timers. I THINK we only are required to take one test each, but would love it if someone would be willing to 'check my work,' so to speak.

 

For reference, we're booked on a 7 day northbound Alaska cruise, leaving from Vancouver and ending in Whittier/Anchorage. We are both fully vaxxed and boosted.

 

We live near the Canadian border, so our flights are actually flying out of a Canadian airport (Montreal) and have a direct flight to Vancouver. Per the latest updates from the Canadian gov't, it looks like we do NOT need to get tested before crossing the land border or before our Canadian domestic flight.

 

We arrive in Vancouver just shy of 72 hours before the cruise departs. Our plan is to take proctored tests, as required by both the Canadian gov't and Princess, less than 2 days before embarking.

 

After leaving Vancouver, all of our ports of call are U.S.. We'll disembark in Whittier, then spend a few days in Anchorage before flying back to Montreal, this time with a layover in Newark. Since we're not entering the U.S. on a plane, I believe we don't need a test to fly U.S. and, again, I believe we don't need to test to enter Canada from what the latest updates tell me. Crossing the land border to get back home also doesn't seem to need a test.

 

So I think the only place we're REQUIRED to test is to embark on our cruise - does this seem right?

 

We'll also be filling out ArriveCAN before driving to Montreal and again before flying back in. We also will bring extra tests with us in case we need them, but I just wanted to make sure we were right in what we think is required.

 

Thanks in advance!

Edited April 14, 2022 by Chick2020

[Munsterguy]

4 hours ago, ozziebound said:

 

My wife and I used them in December and had a good experience. She booked then again for herself next week before going to Chicago.

That’s good to hear, can you tell me how long she was waiting before she got her test results back, I am presuming it was for an antigen test ? Thank you . 

[CdnCrooser]

2 hours ago, Chick2020 said:

Hi all!

 

First time cruiser here - DH and I are finally starting to believe that our cancelled honeymoon cruise is actually going to happen this year, we're so excited! What's not as exciting is trying to figure out the logistics, especially as first timers. I THINK we only are required to take one test each, but would love it if someone would be willing to 'check my work,' so to speak.

 

For reference, we're booked on a 7 day northbound Alaska cruise, leaving from Vancouver and ending in Whittier/Anchorage. We are both fully vaxxed and boosted.

 

We live near the Canadian border, so our flights are actually flying out of a Canadian airport (Montreal) and have a direct flight to Vancouver. Per the latest updates from the Canadian gov't, it looks like we do NOT need to get tested before crossing the land border or before our Canadian domestic flight.

 

We arrive in Vancouver just shy of 72 hours before the cruise departs. Our plan is to take proctored tests, as required by both the Canadian gov't and Princess, less than 2 days before embarking.

 

After leaving Vancouver, all of our ports of call are U.S.. We'll disembark in Whittier, then spend a few days in Anchorage before flying back to Montreal, this time with a layover in Newark. Since we're not entering the U.S. on a plane, I believe we don't need a test to fly U.S. and, again, I believe we don't need to test to enter Canada from what the latest updates tell me. Crossing the land border to get back home also doesn't seem to need a test.

 

So I think the only place we're REQUIRED to test is to embark on our cruise - does this seem right?

 

We'll also be filling out ArriveCAN before driving to Montreal and again before flying back in. We also will bring extra tests with us in case we need them, but I just wanted to make sure we were right in what we think is required.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Don't forget to fill out ArriveCAN before embarking on the cruise:

https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/cruise  

Date modified: 2022-04-11

Before boarding your cruise ship: all travellers must submit their embarkation information into ArriveCAN within 72 hours of boarding a cruise, including Canadians and those who just used ArriveCAN to enter Canada

[Munsterguy]

15 minutes ago, CdnCrooser said:

 

Don't forget to fill out ArriveCAN before embarking on the cruise:

https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/cruise  

Date modified: 2022-04-11

Before boarding your cruise ship: all travellers must submit their embarkation information into ArriveCAN within 72 hours of boarding a cruise, including Canadians and those who just used ArriveCAN to enter Canada

Thanks for that advise , never thought of doing a double ArrivveCan ,  1 for entering Canada and 1 for boarding the ship. 

[wendellman]

I still have not heard from iHealth regarding acceptance of their proctored test by Princess. Today, I picked up my 8 free Medicare covid test kits at Rite-Aid, Flowflex Covid-19 Antigen Home Test. Online I found that AZOVA testing offers a monitored test using these test kits. https://www.azova.com/flowflexvideo/  Their instructions are easy to read and look simple to follow to schedule a monitored test anytime, 24/7. Priced right at $20 if you have the kit!

Has anyone had any experience with them?

[Ombud]

I guess the real question is 'Is the person who signs the form licensed?'

 

Adding: it won't help me because 'Tablets and smartphones are NOT supported.' So I'll do it at the lab in August (if still required)

 

 

Edited April 14, 2022 by Ombud

[Chick2020]

9 hours ago, CdnCrooser said:

 

Don't forget to fill out ArriveCAN before embarking on the cruise:

https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/cruise  

Date modified: 2022-04-11

Before boarding your cruise ship: all travellers must submit their embarkation information into ArriveCAN within 72 hours of boarding a cruise, including Canadians and those who just used ArriveCAN to enter Canada

 

Oh, good catch! Thanks a ton!

[deb18560]

2 hours ago, wendellman said:

Today, I picked up my 8 free Medicare covid test kits at Rite-Aid, Flowflex Covid-19 Antigen Home Test. Online I found that AZOVA testing offers a monitored test using these test kits. https://www.azova.com/flowflexvideo/  Their instructions are easy to read and look simple to follow to schedule a monitored test anytime, 24/7. Priced right at $20 if you have the kit!

Has anyone had any experience with them?

I'd love to know for sure if this will work!

[amby6063]

We’re Canadian and will be arriving in California April 26, testing at home before our flight from Vancouver bc using a monitored rapid test report. 
We are going to be staying at Knott’s Berry Farm from April 26-29 (Friday) until we board Discovery Princess in LA. 
 

I know we will need to get testing on Thursday. Is there any free testing we can access anymore in the states? I’ve read conflicting stuff saying you can just go in to Walgreens/ CVS and show Canadian ID and say you don’t have insurance and receive a test that way… any truth to that?

 

Soooo stressful having to worry about all of this before a vacation. There are 8 of us total on the cruise and i’m so scared one of us will test positive before boarding 😞 

[devonuk]

22 minutes ago, amby6063 said:

We’re Canadian and will be arriving in California April 26, testing at home before our flight from Vancouver bc using a monitored rapid test report. 
We are going to be staying at Knott’s Berry Farm from April 26-29 (Friday) until we board Discovery Princess in LA. 
 

I know we will need to get testing on Thursday. Is there any free testing we can access anymore in the states? I’ve read conflicting stuff saying you can just go in to Walgreens/ CVS and show Canadian ID and say you don’t have insurance and receive a test that way… any truth to that?

 

Soooo stressful having to worry about all of this before a vacation. There are 8 of us total on the cruise and i’m so scared one of us will test positive before boarding 😞 

Absolutely understand your stress and you’ll certainly need a vacation after it 😬 We had a similar situation recently on a cruise out of Southampton. 

[Karlemil]

On 4/13/2022 at 11:04 PM, Ombud said:

Great update on ArriveCAN:

Still need 3 days PCR / 2 days Antigen test to embark or disembark

 

Both Princess and Canada say for a cruise embarking or stopping in Canada you have to be tested before embarkation.  Which does not make sense when you do not need to be tested to enter Canada by land or sea.  Probably it is still the boogeyman word "cruise ship" that results in stricter rules.

[d9704011]

21 minutes ago, Karlemil said:

Probably it is still the boogeyman word "cruise ship" that results in stricter rules.

And packing three or four thousand people on a ship and heading out to sea where assistance may be difficult to come by in the event of a serious outbreak.

[Ombud]

6 hours ago, amby6063 said:

We’re Canadian and will be arriving in California April 26, testing at home before our flight from Vancouver bc using a monitored rapid test report. 
We are going to be staying at Knott’s Berry Farm from April 26-29 (Friday) until we board Discovery Princess in LA. 
 

I know we will need to get testing on Thursday. Is there any free testing we can access anymore in the states? I’ve read conflicting stuff saying you can just go in to Walgreens/ CVS and show Canadian ID and say you don’t have insurance and receive a test that way… any truth to that?

 

Soooo stressful having to worry about all of this before a vacation. There are 8 of us total on the cruise and i’m so scared one of us will test positive before boarding 😞 

Free testing is harder to come by after April 20th as that's the last day the government pays for undocumented (non citizen and non resident) testing. 

[9CB]

Hi All! We're going on a British Isles cruise in June and will arrive in London several days earlier. I understand we could get a test at the pier in Southampton the day of for $60 charged to our onboard account. I also heard that we can get tested at a Boots Pharmacy, but will need to register for it first. I've looked all over their website, but cannot find information on non-U.K. residents. I'd like to get the stress of taking a test out of the way before embarkation day. Does anyone have any information to share? Thank you.