Canada Releases Guidelines for Return of Cruise Ships

[gardenbunny]

My cruise is not until Sept 14 and it is included in a non-Princess land tour.  Seriously hope Canada will relax all these jumping through hoops rules by then.

Read that CDC Director said today that Covid will become a seasonful flu - and depending on whether there are pockets of large volume of cases during seasonal outbreak - masks may be required again during that period.

Will it ever end? 

The normal Seasonal flu can still be dangerous for certain groups of people (mostly elderly), and we don’t wear masks for that.  So just because it is Covid you wear a mask?

There is no logic - much less science

[alpha whiskey]

12 hours ago, ebeluga said:

I think I might just do a land trip in UK instead of my NE Canada Cruise.  It would be much simpler - no test required.

Come on over! Princess are doing some great British Isles cruises this summer too. 

 

 

[Lady Arwen]

4 hours ago, alpha whiskey said:

Come on over! Princess are doing some great British Isles cruises this summer too. 

 

 

That would be us!  September on Emerald Princess and we can’t wait.  My husband is a British citizen living in Canada, but he hasn’t been home in quite some time.

[GonzoWCS]

5 hours ago, alpha whiskey said:

Come on over! Princess are doing some great British Isles cruises this summer too. 

 

 

Yes!

[Ombud]

7 hours ago, alpha whiskey said:

Come on over! Princess are doing some great British Isles cruises this summer too. 

Not a cruise but some time in London before my TA (with stops in Ireland). 

[westcoaster]

Princess is on board with the planned protocols:

 

GOOD NEWS ALERT: We're coming back to Canada!

[runner2013]

What about the folks cruising into Canada from the U.S.?  We're doing a NE/Canada cruise Starting and ending in Boston Massachusetts. First port of call is in Maine which is Day 1 of cruise, we get to St. John/ New Brunswick in Canada on day 2.  Is the cruise line responsible for testing us to get off the ship? Also will the test us again to disembark when the cruise ends? 

I should also note, we aren't going until October so who knows what the Canadian Government will have come up with by then🙄

[bmc alabama]

24 minutes ago, runner2013 said:

What about the folks cruising into Canada from the U.S.?  We're doing a NE/Canada cruise Starting and ending in Boston Massachusetts. First port of call is in Maine which is Day 1 of cruise, we get to St. John/ New Brunswick in Canada on day 2.  Is the cruise line responsible for testing us to get off the ship? Also will the test us again to disembark when the cruise ends? 

I should also note, we aren't going until October so who knows what the Canadian Government will have come up with by then🙄

Yes, I'm wondering how this will work for the stop in Victoria.  Do they have to test the whole ship, or only those planning to get off the ship.  Quite honestly, for 4 hours, we'll just stay on the ship without having to jump through the testing hoops if we can...

[Ombud]

These rules just came out 2 days ago & the 1st ships with a stop aren't for a few weeks (1st one April 3rd??). Cruise with Confidence will cover any cancelations anyone wants to do once that update is posted

[Mike & Zen]

The first scheduled cruise ship for Victoria is currently the Caribbean Princess on 6 April, 2022.  The current season schedule is here:

 

https://gvha.ca/cruise/cruise-schedule/current-season/
 

 

[cruisewiththekids]

1 hour ago, bmc alabama said:

Yes, I'm wondering how this will work for the stop in Victoria.  Do they have to test the whole ship, or only those planning to get off the ship.  Quite honestly, for 4 hours, we'll just stay on the ship without having to jump through the testing hoops if we can...

 

 

The following article implies there will be testing to disembark at various ports, not just at embarkation and debarkation.   What a pain that will be.    If that's the case, I will cancel.

 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/cruise-ships-will-return-to-b-c-in-april-1.6376251?fbclid=IwAR0LbXF9ej3hsB4kLBgmlffICjMazwSa6GzobPR7REIrUOJi4O4kHaIIr6s

[bmc alabama]

2 minutes ago, cruisewiththekids said:

 

 

The following article implies there will be testing to disembark at various ports, not just at embarkation and debarkation.   What a pain that will be.    If that's the case, I will cancel.

 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/cruise-ships-will-return-to-b-c-in-april-1.6376251?fbclid=IwAR0LbXF9ej3hsB4kLBgmlffICjMazwSa6GzobPR7REIrUOJi4O4kHaIIr6s

The big question will be if we DON'T get off the ship, do we still have to test/do the ArrivalCAN, etc...

 

If we do, then we will probably cancel too.

[milolii]

@bmc alabama Is your cruise RT from a US port?  Seattle or San Francisco?  

Edited March 9, 2022 by milolii

[bmc alabama]

1 minute ago, milolii said:

@bmc alabama Is your cruise RT from a US port?  

Yes.  RT out of Seattle.  Only Canadian stop is 7-12pm PSVA stop in Victoria on the night before disembarkation in Seattle.

Edited March 9, 2022 by bmc alabama

[rj59]

I don't quite understand why Carnival and HAL cancelled stops when some Mexican ports required testing of all passengers to disembark, yet the lines somehow think testing everyone for a short Victoria stop is feasible, as well as ensuring that everyone installs and fills in info for the Canadian app. If you think of the sheer number of ships scheduled to visit Victoria, multiple ones in the same day, it just sounds like a recipe for chaos. The same goes for testing every single ship departing and returning to Vancouver, which is already a zoo during Alaska season. The only thing that makes Vancouver bearable is skipping customs lines getting off, and in Victoria letting the ship collect customs forms.  If people refuse to get tested or decide not to leave the ship because of customs or Covid checks, then that's money that Victoria will lose, and the same in Vancouver, if people decide to skip Vancouver because of border and boarding testing hassles. I just don't get how the cruise lines treat Canada relaxing vaccine requirements for kids as a major victory opening up cruising, when the more difficult issues of testing tens of thousands of passengers on various ships in Vancouver and Victoria are still there. Imagine if the lines sailing from the US required a Covid test within 24 hours--how many people could meet that requirement, and how many would decide it's not worth it and do a land vacation instead? I have a HAL coastal cruise in May, stopping in Victoria, and I'd rather stay on the ship than get in long lines or go through testing/app hassles. It also means I have no desire to go to Alaska this summer, unless the lines get approval again to skip Victoria. Fortunately, with the Sapphire in LA, I'll contribute to the SF/LA/Ensenada economy in August, instead of Canada. 

[milolii]

@bmc alabamaAh!  I don’t see that specific scenario mentioned.  But it may be under either the  “pre cruise” or “disembarking in Canada” paragraph.  Hopefully Princess will be able to provide clarity soon.  I know for the Hawaiian cruises, testing was performed on board while at sea.  
 

Bermuda had a similar process in place until recently and all passengers had to be tested.  
 

It would be good to see any reports from the first few ships. 

Edited March 9, 2022 by milolii

[Steelers36]

11 hours ago, HappyInVan said:

So, I'll simply listen to the scientists and follow the recommendations of Public Health. To me, that's the most sensible thing to do.

It does depend on which scientists one chooses to listen to as there is varying degrees of alarm or lack thereof over the situation.  Mandates are dropping faster and faster as life returns to more normal state.  For example, before we return home from Winter in FL at end of month, ON will have almost completely eliminated mask mandates.

[Ombud]

35 minutes ago, bmc alabama said:

The big question will be if we DON'T get off the ship, do we still have to test/do the ArrivalCAN, etc...

 

If we do, then we will probably cancel too.

Why??

[bmc alabama]

Just now, Ombud said:

Why??

No desire to risk a false positive on the last night of the cruise.  Even if it's just one tenth of 1 percent, then you would still expect 4 negative people on a ship of 3600 to test positive when they are negative.

[broberts]

On 3/8/2022 at 1:41 PM, rick160158 said:

Not so. Stupid as it may sound, and I know it is, but the rules are, you need to be tested 24hrs before arriving in Canada whether its a PCR test or Antigen test, and also you need to be tested 24hrs before you board your ship.

 

Your information is not accurate. See https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/covid-vaccinated-travellers-entering-canada#pre-entry-testing

 

23 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

Actually, we are flying in the day of our cruise. We get in around 10:00 AM and will head directly to the port for embarkation. When we disembark after the cruise Princess is required to do the testing and make arrangements for accommodations if we test positive. It's just that hour or so between the flight landing and boarding the ship that requires the dang quarantine plan.

 

18 hours ago, *Miss G* said:

 

It is still 14 days on the ArriveCAN app for the fully vaccinated:

 

 

People are needlessly complicating things and apparently misunderstanding plain words.

 

People entering Canada to board a cruise ship must be vaccinated. In fact most people entering Canada must be vaccinated.

 

People entering Canada to board a cruise ship must do so with a negative test. Antigen within one day of entry, Molecular within 72 hours of entry

 

People entering Canada must complete the ArriveCan process using the app or web page. This replaces the paper form used in the past.

 

People entering Canada must monitor themselves for 14 days in case COVID symptoms appear. Monitor and quarantine have completely different meanings.

 

People entering Canada to board a cruise ship should be able to list the ship as their quarantine plan. Ships are required to provide quarantine facilities for anyone that tests positive.

 

People boarding a cruise ship in Canada must have a negative test. Antigen within one day of boarding. Molecular within 72 hours of boarding.

 

Ships are required to test disembarking passengers. Ships must arrange accommodations for those that test positive. Quarantine periods depend on test results.

 

See 

https://www.canada.ca/en/transport-canada/news/2022/03/preventing-or-limiting-the-spread-of-covid-19-on-cruise-ships.html

 

15 minutes ago, bmc alabama said:

No desire to risk a false positive on the last night of the cruise.  Even if it's just one tenth of 1 percent, then you would still expect 4 negative people on a ship of 3600 to test positive when they are negative.

 

I agree. It's why a number of Canadians, myself included, do not cruise at the moment. Although it's because of a potential positive. False positives are easily dismissed with a negative molecular test.

 

 

Edited March 9, 2022 by broberts

[bmc alabama]

23 minutes ago, broberts said:

 

I agree. It's why a number of Canadians, myself included, do not cruise at the moment. Although it's because of a potential positive. False positives are easily dismissed with a negative molecular test.

 

 

Yes, but I don’t think that the cruise lines are going to do a follow-up test…

[westcoaster]

13 minutes ago, bmc alabama said:

Yes, but I don’t think that the cruise lines are going to do a follow-up test…

The protocols released by Transport Canada on March 7 state:

 

The cruise line is responsible for:

• testing (using an antigen test) of suspected cases;
• testing (using a molecular test) to confirm positive cases;

That seems to indicate that the cruise line needs to confirm any positive antigen tests by conducting a molecular test.  That should weed out the false positives.

[AZjohn]

3 minutes ago, westcoaster said:

The protocols released by Transport Canada on March 7 state:

 

The cruise line is responsible for:

• testing (using an antigen test) of suspected cases;
• testing (using a molecular test) to confirm positive cases;

That seems to indicate that the cruise line needs to confirm any positive antigen tests by conducting a molecular test.  That should weed out the false positives.

That is the exact procedure several CC members have posted they went through before going into ship quarantine.

[bmc alabama]

35 minutes ago, westcoaster said:

The protocols released by Transport Canada on March 7 state:

 

The cruise line is responsible for:

• testing (using an antigen test) of suspected cases;
• testing (using a molecular test) to confirm positive cases;

That seems to indicate that the cruise line needs to confirm any positive antigen tests by conducting a molecular test.  That should weed out the false positives.

Still have no desire to test the last day of our cruise for a 5 hour stop where I will probably not get off the ship.

 

What is the point of getting tested if you are not getting off the ship?

Edited March 9, 2022 by bmc alabama

[Thrak]

1 hour ago, broberts said:

People entering Canada to board a cruise ship should be able to list the ship as their quarantine plan. Ships are required to provide quarantine facilities for anyone that tests positive.

 

Hmmm... If that is actually the case then we are set. Like most government web sites the ArriveCAN site isn't actually clear. I will give this a shot as we will just land at the airport and go directly to the ship. We won't even be using the Sky Train as we have a Princess transfer from the airport to the cruise terminal.

 

Should we somehow test positive at the end of the voyage Princess is supposedly in charge of arranging (and paying for) quarantine.

 

As for testing all passengers before they can disembark at any port in Canada... We are scheduled to stop in Victoria on May 13 and then disembark in Vancouver on May 14.  I really can't see Princess having to test everybody two days in a row. That's idiotic.

Edited March 9, 2022 by Thrak