HAL is our home; and we just can't quite separate

[Horizon chaser 1957]

57 minutes ago, atexsix said:

That's wonderful news, thank you!  I will say though that we tried to deviate from the menu a few times with room service, including the children's menu (that's how desperate we got) to no avail, they wouldn't for example substitute strawberry jam for grape on the PB&J's....can you imagine?  A $4,000 trip and reduced to eating Kindergarten food?!  We requested white meat for the room service chicken and of course it arrived as dark meat.  So irritating and I was near tears, we were not deserving of some honesty?  

For some reason, dining room service and and room service are completely different animals. One wants to please you; the other expects you to do as you’re told.😉

Edited March 29, 2022 by Horizon chaser 1957

[DENIE]

Fun post, thank you!  We've become comfortable in recent years with Celebrity, although we did a HAL Oosterdam Mexican Riviera cruise back around 2010 or so.  We are returning to HAL (Koningsdam) in December 2022 as we were invited to cruise with a bunch of friends.  It has been fun revisiting the HAL Cruise Critic pages, etc.  I am certain we will enjoy it as much as our recent experiences on Celebrity!

[ehyup71]

Finally clarification from HAL on Alaska & Canada / New England cruises!

(Full document attached for reading pleasure).  April 1st you no longer required to provide Negative Covid test to enter Canada (land or air), so I hope this makes it easier for everyone to get back to cruising both sides of the border!

 

HEALTH AND SAFETY GUIDELINES FOR ALASKA & CANADA/NEW ENGLAND CRUISES

Our Alaska and Canada/New England cruises are available for guests who have received their final dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days prior to the beginning of the cruise and can provide a negative viral COVID-19 PCR or antigen test taken before embarkation. Guests under 5 years of age do not need to be vaccinated. Children under 2 years of age do not need to be tested prior to cruising.

 

Within 72 hours of your cruise embarkation, sign into ArriveCAN from a computer or download the mobile app to enter your proof of vaccination and travel information to get your ArriveCAN receipt. Please bring a digital copy of the email or print your receipt and take it with you when you travel.

 

CRUISES ORIGINATING IN U.S. PORTS: Proof of Negative COVID-19 Test Guests who are up to date with their vaccines may take their COVID-19 PCR or medically observed antigen test within 3-days prior to sailing. Up to date means a person has received all recommended COVID-19 vaccinations, including any booster dose(s), when eligible. If a guest is fully vaccinated but not up to date with their vaccines (i.e., is eligible for a booster but has not received one), they must take their pre-cruise COVID-19 test within 2 days prior to sailing.

 

CRUISES ORIGINATING IN CANADIAN PORTS: Proof of Negative COVID-19 Test Guests who are up to date with their vaccines or fully vaccinated may take their COVID-19 PCR within 3-days prior to sailing or an medically observed antigen test within 1-day before sailing.

 

 

0329-alaska-canada-health-protocols.pdf

[sailingdutchy]

4 hours ago, ehyup71 said:

Finally clarification from HAL on Alaska & Canada / New England cruises!

(Full document attached for reading pleasure).  April 1st you no longer required to provide Negative Covid test to enter Canada (land or air), so I hope this makes it easier for everyone to get back to cruising both sides of the border!

 

HEALTH AND SAFETY GUIDELINES FOR ALASKA & CANADA/NEW ENGLAND CRUISES

Our Alaska and Canada/New England cruises are available for guests who have received their final dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days prior to the beginning of the cruise and can provide a negative viral COVID-19 PCR or antigen test taken before embarkation. Guests under 5 years of age do not need to be vaccinated. Children under 2 years of age do not need to be tested prior to cruising.

 

Within 72 hours of your cruise embarkation, sign into ArriveCAN from a computer or download the mobile app to enter your proof of vaccination and travel information to get your ArriveCAN receipt. Please bring a digital copy of the email or print your receipt and take it with you when you travel.

 

CRUISES ORIGINATING IN U.S. PORTS: Proof of Negative COVID-19 Test Guests who are up to date with their vaccines may take their COVID-19 PCR or medically observed antigen test within 3-days prior to sailing. Up to date means a person has received all recommended COVID-19 vaccinations, including any booster dose(s), when eligible. If a guest is fully vaccinated but not up to date with their vaccines (i.e., is eligible for a booster but has not received one), they must take their pre-cruise COVID-19 test within 2 days prior to sailing.

 

CRUISES ORIGINATING IN CANADIAN PORTS: Proof of Negative COVID-19 Test Guests who are up to date with their vaccines or fully vaccinated may take their COVID-19 PCR within 3-days prior to sailing or an medically observed antigen test within 1-day before sailing.

 

 

0329-alaska-canada-health-protocols.pdf 427.02 kB · 1 download

@ehyup71 what is your take on our situation to get back home to Canada after April 1 as a fully vaccinated and boosted citizen who was tested positive on a cruise 7or 8 days before April 1st . 
I have had different answers and even the government person from the Covid Hotline was not 100 % sure yet of the new relaxed rules .

 

Coming from the US do I need to be at least 5 days or 10 days of isolation ( how to proof that ) or do I need a negative Antigen test taken by a medical licensed person or a PCR test which results take longer to acquire . 
 

Tony 

[ehyup71]

1 hour ago, sailingdutchy said:

@ehyup71 what is your take on our situation to get back home to Canada after April 1 as a fully vaccinated and boosted citizen who was tested positive on a cruise 7or 8 days before April 1st . 
I have had different answers and even the government person from the Covid Hotline was not 100 % sure yet of the new relaxed rules .

 

Coming from the US do I need to be at least 5 days or 10 days of isolation ( how to proof that ) or do I need a negative Antigen test taken by a medical licensed person or a PCR test which results take longer to acquire . 
 

Tony 

 

It's a great question! Attached is the "Travellers with symptoms return to Canada" info sheet from Transport Canada with the details. If you are coming home after April 1st and it has been more than 10 days since your positive test I don't believe any further isolation or proof of testing is required.  You should just need to show your proof of vaccination. 

 

In short form, my understanding of the rules after April 1st from the attached information is this:

 

Every person who enters Canada who suspects they have COVID, shows symptoms of COVID, or has received a positive result for any type of COVID within 10 days before or on the day on which they enter Canada,  as well as every person who travelled with that person, must:

 

1. Go Directly to the place that you will isolate for the next 10 days

2. Take COVID Molecular Tests as directed

3. Report your arrival at your place of isolation within 48 hours in ArriveCAN or 1-833-641-0343 (if you didn’t use or cannot use ArriveCAN).

 

** Edited to add

 

Of course, the interesting part of this is that without having to show a COVID test at the border, they would have no way of knowing you had tested positive for COVID unless you disclosed it.  They do tell you that "providing false information can result in a fine" ... but I don't know if the Canada Border Agents are going to ask that direct question of "Have you tested positive for COVID in the last 10 days?".   Like I said, interesting question and we may not get the answers until AFTER April 1st!

 

 

 

travellers-with-symptoms-return-canada-en.pdf

Edited March 31, 2022 by ehyup71

[sailingdutchy]

9 hours ago, ehyup71 said:

 

It's a great question! Attached is the "Travellers with symptoms return to Canada" info sheet from Transport Canada with the details. If you are coming home after April 1st and it has been more than 10 days since your positive test I don't believe any further isolation or proof of testing is required.  You should just need to show your proof of vaccination. 

 

In short form, my understanding of the rules after April 1st from the attached information is this:

 

Every person who enters Canada who suspects they have COVID, shows symptoms of COVID, or has received a positive result for any type of COVID within 10 days before or on the day on which they enter Canada,  as well as every person who travelled with that person, must:

 

1. Go Directly to the place that you will isolate for the next 10 days

2. Take COVID Molecular Tests as directed

3. Report your arrival at your place of isolation within 48 hours in ArriveCAN or 1-833-641-0343 (if you didn’t use or cannot use ArriveCAN).

 

** Edited to add

 

Of course, the interesting part of this is that without having to show a COVID test at the border, they would have no way of knowing you had tested positive for COVID unless you disclosed it.  They do tell you that "providing false information can result in a fine" ... but I don't know if the Canada Border Agents are going to ask that direct question of "Have you tested positive for COVID in the last 10 days?".   Like I said, interesting question and we may not get the answers until AFTER April 1st!

 

 

 

travellers-with-symptoms-return-canada-en.pdf 757.44 kB · 2 downloads

Thank you very very much for your clear reply to me , this helps us a lot so we can at least prepare for a flight home after April 1st we have hardly any symptoms and will do some more home testing , so we travel as save as possible and will be negative.
I very much appreciate your help , this is the clearest response I have had .

 

take care and stay safe , hope to meet you one day on one of the Dam ships 

 

Tony 

[GulfShoresCruiser]

Timely post for us.....

 

We just "cheated" on Holland (we have 3 stars on our belly). 

 

We took our first cruise on Princess.  We now fully know why we love Holland and we are running back to the dark hulled 'dam ships and we apologize for our misstep.

 

I'll need to compose my thoughts and explain fully later.......but lots of reasons that center around:

 

• crew
• food
• ship design & capacity
• technology (Princess wastes my vacation time with their medallion technology)

 

Again, it's back to Holland and we now know why!  We consider ourselves grateful for being able to cruise with Holland America Line now and we have no plans to cheat again!