CCL requirements for testing for Alaska sailings???

[Eli_6]

Can we test 3 days out for an Alaskan cruise entering Canada with a PCR test if we are vaccinated/boosted?  I got the following email from Carnival re Canada and it is not very clear.  I am understanding the CCL letter to state that vaccinated/boosted guests can take a PCR test 3 days out. However, if we choose to take an antigen test instead, it has to be only 2 days out.  How do you read it? I googled and Canada government website says vaccinated guests don't require a test at all so that makes it even less clear. I asked this on the Canada forum, too.  I am trying to figure out when to schedule my test and testing 3 days out would be much more convenient due to school/work/travel.  

 

"All guests, two years and older, are required to present the negative results of a pre-cruise COVID-19 test at check-in. 

Vaccinated guests may present a PCR test taken between 72 and 24 hours prior to sailing.  As per Canadian requirements, vaccinated guests, including those who are up to date with their vaccines, may instead take an antigen test no earlier than two days prior to sailing.

Unvaccinated guests must present a PCR test taken between 72 and 24 hours before the sailing date and will also receive an antigen test at embarkation."

 

[nissach]

19 minutes ago, Eli_6 said:

Can we test 3 days out for an Alaskan cruise entering Canada with a PCR test if we are vaccinated/boosted?  I got the following email from Carnival re Canada and it is not very clear.  I am understanding the CCL letter to state that vaccinated/boosted guests can take a PCR test 3 days out. However, if we choose to take an antigen test instead, it has to be only 2 days out.  How do you read it? I googled and Canada government website says vaccinated guests don't require a test at all so that makes it even less clear. I asked this on the Canada forum, too.  I am trying to figure out when to schedule my test and testing 3 days out would be much more convenient due to school/work/travel.  

 

"All guests, two years and older, are required to present the negative results of a pre-cruise COVID-19 test at check-in. 

Vaccinated guests may present a PCR test taken between 72 and 24 hours prior to sailing.  As per Canadian requirements, vaccinated guests, including those who are up to date with their vaccines, may instead take an antigen test no earlier than two days prior to sailing.

Unvaccinated guests must present a PCR test taken between 72 and 24 hours before the sailing date and will also receive an antigen test at embarkation."

 

As a Canadian, we no longer have to test to re-enter Canada, and when we did need a negative test prior to April 1, only an Antigen test was required.  After April 1, no testing was required.  Perhaps non Canadians need to test??   For our upcoming Alaska cruise in July we will need an antigen test to board the plane  and to board the ship.  The same test can be used.

[Eli_6]

4 hours ago, nissach said:

As a Canadian, we no longer have to test to re-enter Canada, and when we did need a negative test prior to April 1, only an Antigen test was required.  After April 1, no testing was required.  Perhaps non Canadians need to test??   For our upcoming Alaska cruise in July we will need an antigen test to board the plane  and to board the ship.  The same test can be used.

That's what is strange. I got the email from Carnival about the different/more strict testing requirements but when I went to the Canadian government website it basically said all that was required of us was to show our vaccine cards.  

[Schoifmom]

I got the same letter for my July cruise, and that is how I read it.  3 days out for PCR and 2 days out for antigen.

 

I agree, it's strange.

[chocolate melting cake]

We came back from an Alaskan cruise on the Miracle several days ago, great cruise All I can tell you is that (as of May 2, when we cruised) 

1. You are correct about the 3 day PCR, 2 day antigen requirement but

2. One member of each family was also required to download the app "ArriveCan" and fill it out for all members-getting a QR code for each one. This was required whether or not you got off the ship in Canada. Carnival checked the code to board upon embarkation, then the CD made announcements, the room steward asked, and the waitstaff asked about it! We were told that if we lost the QR code, or could not show it in Canada we would each be fined $3000----the Carnival staff was quite nervous about it. The day we arrived in Victoria we got off for 20 minutes and went to the little souvenir shop. WE WERE NEVER ASKED FOR THE APP BY CARNIVAL, AMERICAN OR CANADIAN OFFICIALS!

[leela8]

Hi,

 

I read that Canada CAN go aboard and ask random guests to see the QR code, not sure that they do this or they may randomly pick ships for compliance.

[maryann2]

The ArriveCan app is linked to your passport.

All Canada requires is a list of the ship manifest so they would know if anyone has not completed the app. The same way they would know if someone has a previous DUI and were not allowed to enter Canada.

Cruise lines and airlines would be at fault for not checking prior to boarding.

[casnewydd]

My understanding is that for Canada you don't need a test for entry by air or land/rail, but they require a test for cruises etc.

I have an early flight from the UK on Sunday and therefore have to take an antigen test on Saturday for entry to the USA. This test would of also been ok for any cruise except Alaska. Because of the time difference between the UK and the west coast I will now take a PCR test at Heathrow on Sunday morning. An Antigen test would have left me only 1hour to catch the flight in an ever increasingly busy airport. I know I could take an Antigen test when in the USA, but wanted to lessen the risk with traveling in a plane with passengers who were only negative at a snapshot in time.

[JT1962]

I was on the Carnival Splendor on May 2 and can confirm this is what was needed:

 

PCR test between 72 & 24 hours prior to your cruise OR Antigen test anytime on the 2 days prior to your cruise. The PCR test date & specific  time are checked while they just care about the date of the antigen test.
 

ArriveCAN app completed within 72 hours prior to your cruise. 

Edited May 19, 2022 by JT1962

[db12284]

On 5/19/2022 at 7:31 AM, JT1962 said:

I was on the Carnival Splendor on May 2 and can confirm this is what was needed:

 

PCR test between 72 & 24 hours prior to your cruise OR Antigen test anytime on the 2 days prior to your cruise. The PCR test date & specific  time are checked while they just care about the date of the antigen test.
 

ArriveCAN app completed within 72 hours prior to your cruise. 

I’m going to be getting an PCR but was confused by the phrasing of being with 72 hours of ‘sailing’. Any idea if ’sailing’ is meant by the time of boarding the ship or the time the ship departing port? I’ve seen only one other person mention it and referred to it as ‘boarding’.

[Eli_6]

5 minutes ago, db12284 said:

I’m going to be getting an PCR but was confused by the phrasing of being with 72 hours of ‘sailing’. Any idea if ’sailing’ is meant by the time of boarding the ship or the time the ship departing port? I’ve seen only one other person mention it and referred to it as ‘boarding’.

My understanding is that you can take it any time during that day so technically, it could be more than 72 hours...i.e. if you board on Tuesday at 11 am but took the test Saturday at 9 am.  

[JT1962]

10 hours ago, db12284 said:

I’m going to be getting an PCR but was confused by the phrasing of being with 72 hours of ‘sailing’. Any idea if ’sailing’ is meant by the time of boarding the ship or the time the ship departing port? I’ve seen only one other person mention it and referred to it as ‘boarding’.

The PCR testing requirement is based on  a specific number of hours (not anytime a certain day like the Antigen test), so the time is important. There is a difference in wording between what Carnival (sailing time) has vs Canada (boarding time). I also had to factor in a 2 hour time difference coming from Central Time to Pacific Time.

 

No one could ever clarify the earliest time I could take  the PCR test. I took it late on Friday afternoon for my Monday departure, since I had an early Saturday AM flight and wanted the results before possibly flying 5 hours for nothing. The results were accepted by VeriFLY and Carnival, so I’m not sure how close they looked at the time.

 

Carnival says - “BERMUDA AND CANADA: Fully vaccinated guests traveling to Bermuda and Canada, including those who are up to date with their vaccines, can take either a PCR test between 72 and 24 hours prior to sailing, or an antigen pre-cruise test no earlier than two days prior to sailing, in order to comply with CDC and destination regulations.”

https://www.carnival.com/Legal/covid-19-legal-notices/covid-19-guest-protocols?icid=advisory_cruisehealth_040122

 

Canada says - Proof of a valid negative molecular test taken within 72 hours of your scheduled boarding time for example, if you’re scheduled to board at 11:00 am on Friday, your test must have been taken any time after 10:59 am on Tuesday

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

 

Edited May 21, 2022 by JT1962

[JT1962]

10 hours ago, Eli_6 said:

My understanding is that you can take it any time during that day so technically, it could be more than 72 hours...i.e. if you board on Tuesday at 11 am but took the test Saturday at 9 am.  

For cruises that visit Canada, the PCR test requirements are time specific (72 -24 hours prior to sailing). The Antigen tests are anytime in the 2 days prior to sailing. 
 

BERMUDA AND CANADA: Fully vaccinated guests traveling to Bermuda and Canada, including those who are up to date with their vaccines, can take either a PCR test between 72 and 24 hours prior to sailing, or an antigen pre-cruise test no earlier than two days prior to sailing, in order to comply with CDC and destination regulations.