No Smartphone, how do you do it?

[grammi]

I am working with my party of 5 which includes my brother and his wife and my mother. My mother has never and will never use any kind of smart phone. We are leaving finally August 13 for a two week land Sea tour out of Fairbanks. I’m trying to download most of my mother‘s stuff on my smart phone but it has been challenging. How does a Holland America handle all the details when the traveler doesn’t have a smart phone. What about the ARRCAN requirement? Any tips, suggestions, or observations would be helpful.

[Vict0riann]

My DH does my ArriveCAN on his iPhone, also boarding passes, etc., even my mobile passport for the US.    As far as the ArriveCAN for your mother, I would think you can do it for her and then just print out the QR code on a piece of paper for her.  

[Cruise Suzy]

You do NOT need a smartphone. Neither my DH nor I have a smartphone and we have cruised 3 times since the restart, most recently on an Alaskan cruise from Seattle in July.

 

You do need access to a computer - or have someone who does have a computer enter info for you. HAL check-in/health assessment is online but can be done by someone else if your DM doesn't have a computer.

 

ArriveCAN can be done online. The response is sent to any e-mail address and can be printed. Same with COVID test results.

 

If you are using VeriFLY and need to board with her, I think I read that one person can enter the info for another. But I am not sure since we don't have smartphones.

 

We had no problem boarding in July and weren't slowed down other than having to walk through the "snake" lines to reach the opening.. We had our 5 print documents (passport, COVID vaccination card, ArriveCAN, negative COVID test result, boarding pass) and the line was maybe 10 people long at most. Very little waiting time.

[12cruise2]

for ArriveCAN, here's where you can go to use the computer/internet, not a smartphone/app

https://www.canada.ca/en/border-services-agency/services/arrivecan.html

This is what we're planning to do in a few days; we don't own a smartphone, so do everything online that we can.  Since you do have a smartphone, you've been able to use apps and do much of it apparently.  Put her covid vaccination card into a PDF file, then that is what I'm told you upload onto the ArriveCAN web site; apparently one can manually enter her passport info, no upload needed for ArriveCAN.  Yes, print out document.  Someone mentioned they were asked to show that document at check-in, so one more thing to have handy at check-in.

And yes, per above, print out EVERYthing on paper; because of so many paper docs needed these days, we use a neck pouch and load the several things printed out, passport, covid vaccination card, covid test result, boarding pass, ArriveCAN printout into the neck pouch; we pull out docs as needed; plus the neck pouch is VERY handy because in the middle of showing docs, you have to go through security, taking off your docs, jackets, etc., so it's important to have a "safe" place to keep your check-in stuff.  At check-in, each station/person requires different documents; so again, handy to have a quick place to put all these loose things is in a neck pouch. 

[iancal]

We keep important travel data, QR codes, vax certificates etc. on both of our ipads.  We recently took our phones to Portugal and had those items on our smartphones and on our ipads just in case.

 

When we checking in for flights, etc. we just opened one ipad since it had both of our details.

[Chickadee910]

No smartphone but I do have an iPad mini that handle everything I need so to me it’s the same as a smartphone.

[rafinmd]

One thing to consider about Arrive Can.  The rules change from time to time so if you don't update the app RIGHT before you travel you could be working with obselete requirements.  The web version of ArriveCan is ALWAYS up to date.

 

Roy

[ski ww]

We don't have smartphones either. Do everything on the computer print copies of what we need & have no problems.

[Djptcp]

ski ww - we're with you. DH and I do not have a smart phone and we get along just fine. I print out our boarding passes, have our CDC cards with us, pre-cruise covid test results on paper, and have our passports. While waiting to do check in at port, we have noticed passengers fiddling around with their phones and causing people to wait. No thanks.

[rkacruiser]

ArrivCan is a totally needless hoop for travelers to jump through as I understand it.  What is its ultimate purpose?  

[Lido deck main]

2 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

ArrivCan is a totally needless hoop for travelers to jump through as I understand it.  What is its ultimate purpose?  

To ensure people who visit Canada are vaccinated.  If it is taking you more than two minutes to fill it out then it is operator error.

[rkacruiser]

21 hours ago, Lido deck main said:

To ensure people who visit Canada are vaccinated.  If it is taking you more than two minutes to fill it out then it is operator error.

 

And, that cannot be documented by our vaccination record on our CDC cards?  

[Lido deck main]

1 minute ago, rkacruiser said:

 

And, that cannot be documented by our vaccination record on our CDC cards?  

Exactly, That is what they are asking for your official government issued vaccination record, you upload your vaccination record, the official one, whether from your state, or the place where you received your vaccination, all you have to do is upload that to either the Arrivecan APP, or the website Arrivecan.  Once that is uploaded then when you enter Canada you no longer have to show your vaccination record.  It is one and done.

[rkacruiser]

18 minutes ago, Lido deck main said:

Exactly, That is what they are asking for your official government issued vaccination record, you upload your vaccination record, the official one, whether from your state, or the place where you received your vaccination, all you have to do is upload that to either the Arrivecan APP, or the website Arrivecan.  Once that is uploaded then when you enter Canada you no longer have to show your vaccination record.  It is one and done.

 

Thank you.  Why is not showing this paper document upon arrival in Canada sufficient?  

 

Uploaded?  APP?  Perhaps some of us are not so far into the 21st Century as you seem to be.

 

APP of which you speak? I have yet to find it on my smartphone.  

 

If Canada does not wish to host those of us of the 20th Century who have issues with tech, but, have a desire to return for a visit your country and spend money, OK by me.  It is not my loss.  Other than the enjoyment I would not receive by visiting your wonderful country.  

[Lido deck main]

4 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Thank you.  Why is not showing this paper document upon arrival in Canada sufficient?  

 

Uploaded?  APP?  Perhaps some of us are not so far into the 21st Century as you seem to be.

 

APP of which you speak? I have yet to find it on my smartphone.  

 

If Canada does not wish to host those of us of the 20th Century who have issues with tech, but, have a desire to return for a visit your country and spend money, OK by me.  It is not my loss.  Other than the enjoyment I would not receive by visiting your wonderful country.  

OMG there is a web based version you don’t need a cell phone I do not own a cell phone.  Why be so stubborn just go to your computer and type in under Google Arrivecan.  If you have truly been vaccinated there is nothing to fear.  Just try that on your computer.  I have faith in you that you can type that in Google.  Arrivecan.  Why not free your mind.

[rkacruiser]

Thanks. I am not stubborn.  I am resistant to needless bureaucratic nonsense that now exists for me to visit Canada.  If it was not needed in 2019 and previous years, it is not needed now.  Presenting my Passport with whatever visas that are required and, if needed my Yellow Vaccination Folder,  has ALWAYS been sufficient for me to travel around the world.  I have a paper document that certifies that I am fully vaccinated and fully boosted.  An immigration officer would refuse me entry to your country because I didn't have an APP or whatever?  

[leerathje]

42 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

And, that cannot be documented by our vaccination record on our CDC cards?  

 

In Canada, my vaccination record is a card with a bunch of info written on it, with no way for anyone else to verify that this information is correct.  It could be easily be forged.  BTW, not sure if you are aware, but for me to to enter the US, I need an official document, including a QR code, with the number of vaccines, the type, the lot number, the date of vaccination and issued by the Canadian government confirming same.  Sorry to tell you, but it's not just Canada that requires verifiable vaccine information, it's the US as well.

 

L.

 

[Hlitner]

I get it that some folks want to stay in the last century.  I could write a book why international travelers really need a working smartphone but with some folks it is like spitting in the wind.  But just consider all the awful airline problems with cancelled flights.  When that happens (and it happened to us recently while in Prague) if you have a Smartphone you immediately get a text and/or e-mail from the airline and you can use your phone to try and make alternative arrangements.  If you are en route to an airport there is no other way.  And once in the airport you can wait for 2-4 hours in a customer service line or accomplish the same thing on a smartphone in a few minutes.  And by the time you would get to the customer service person at the airport (which can take hours) all the available seats would be long gone...taken by those who know how to use their Smartphones.  Why do I mention the airlines?  Because this happened to us (in May) while in Prague and it happened to friends of ours in July when their SAS flight was cancelled out of Copenhagen.   In each case, having working Smart Phones saved the day (although not without lots of grief).

 

A few months ago it was nearly impossible to travel to many European destinations because they had Passenger Locator Forms (PLFs) which were Smartphone apps.  You filled out the form within a couple of days of arrival and they would send you a QR code (on your Smartphone) which you needed to enter a country.  Having it on your laptop or desktop computer does not do much good when moving through airports.  Fortunately, many of the countries are now eliminating these ridiculous apps.....except for Canada!    At one point the Greek government would not send the necessary QR code (to get in their country) until only a few hours before one's arrival.  There were folks who actually go the necessary QR code once their plane touched down in Greece and they could turn on their phones.  Fortunately, Greece did change their system after many folks spent hours in the airport because they did not have a Smartphone with that QR code (which let us breeze right through the checkpoints.

 

So if the question is whether it is possible to travel without a Smartphone, I guess the answer would be yes, but it can be very difficult.   On the other hand, there are still folks that prefer to use horses rather than cars.  

 

Hank

[rkacruiser]

1 minute ago, leerathje said:

Sorry to tell you, but it's not just Canada that requires verifiable vaccine information, it's the US as well.

 

Welcome to the fact that both of our countries employ bureaucrats that need "to be doing something" to justify their jobs.  Neither of our countries vaccine requirements seem to be doing much to stop the spread of this darn virus.  

 

I am not stupid enough to understand that these requirements are meant to help protect a country's citizens health.  But, with regard to Covid, what requirements have helped?  

 

Genuine and verified health requirements for travel are fine for me.  Fully agree.  It's these requirements that are imposed that seem to be put into place that have no logical reason, that I can understand, to which I object.  

[rkacruiser]

4 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

So if the question is whether it is possible to travel without a Smartphone, I guess the answer would be yes, but it can be very difficult

 

No, the question in my mind is not whether it is wise to travel without a smartphone.  The answer is yes.  One must have one.  And, I do.

 

My question is the need to have another hoop through which one must jump to travel to Canada.  If it was not needed in 2019, why is another hoop needed now if one has the proper paper documentation that has been accepted along with the proper, accepted by our CDC, on paper of my vaccination Covid records?  

 

If paper vaccination records that have been accepted for decades on our Yellow Folders are worth nothing in 2022, should I throw that Folder into the trash?  

[Lido deck main]

25 minutes ago, leerathje said:

 

In Canada, my vaccination record is a card with a bunch of info written on it, with no way for anyone else to verify that this information is correct.  It could be easily be forged.  BTW, not sure if you are aware, but for me to to enter the US, I need an official document, including a QR code, with the number of vaccines, the type, the lot number, the date of vaccination and issued by the Canadian government confirming same.  Sorry to tell you, but it's not just Canada that requires verifiable vaccine information, it's the US as well.

 

L.

 

HI L,

We, meaning B.C. and Canadian citizens have been able to get our B.C. and federal vaccination records for 1.5 years to just under two years ago.

Simply sign into this website, 

 

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/vaccines/vaccine-proof/get-canadian.html

 

have your B.C. Personal Health Record number, (On the back of your drivers license, or simply your card card number, and also have one of the dates that you have received one vcaccination, sign into this website, enter that information and voila, you have your federal vaccination record.

[Lido deck main]

3 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

No, the question in my mind is not whether it is wise to travel without a smartphone.  The answer is yes.  One must have one.  And, I do.

 

My question is the need to have another hoop through which one must jump to travel to Canada.  If it was not needed in 2019, why is another hoop needed now if one has the proper paper documentation that has been accepted along with the proper, accepted by our CDC, on paper of my vaccination Covid records?  

 

If paper vaccination records that have been accepted for decades on our Yellow Folders are worth nothing in 2022, should I throw that Folder into the trash?  

My son, who travelled to the states from Canada for training received a Covid vaccination, even him without any U.S. identification has his online vaccination record from the state.  If you have a paper copy perhaps go to a library or a state building and ask for assistance.