Covid test requirements for cruises leaving Australian ports

[Ron Richards]

We will be sailing on Quest from Sydney on Feb 6th. Has anyone recently sailed on Azamara from an Australian port? If so, can you let me know about the Covid testing requirement? Is it still being enforced? The website seems to suggest that the Australian Government accepts home tests. Has anyone used that route? Does it mean it can be a self test and not have to be through a medical provider / Covid testing company?  Also of interest, not just for cruises from Australia, what are cruisers experiences of recent Azamara cruises re Covid? Have there been many Covid "outbreaks" on board and if so, how were they handled?

[Edinburghgirl1]

8 hours ago, Ron Richards said:

We will be sailing on Quest from Sydney on Feb 6th. Has anyone recently sailed on Azamara from an Australian port? If so, can you let me know about the Covid testing requirement? Is it still being enforced? The website seems to suggest that the Australian Government accepts home tests. Has anyone used that route? Does it mean it can be a self test and not have to be through a medical provider / Covid testing company?  Also of interest, not just for cruises from Australia, what are cruisers experiences of recent Azamara cruises re Covid? Have there been many Covid "outbreaks" on board and if so, how were they handled?

On our cruise in November on the Quest we heard  half way through that 1 crew member had tested positive for Covid. I never heard about any passengers but there were many who looked unwell and there was a lot of serious coughing going on  round the ship. Not sure if it was Covid or some sort of respiratory illness but we just tried to keep our distance from these folks as best we could, avoided the elevators and masked up on the bus on the way to to the Azamazing  event  and it paid off. 

Edited January 16, 2023 by Edinburghgirl1

[Bpos]

1 hour ago, Edinburghgirl1 said:

On our cruise in November on the Quest we heard  half way through that 1 crew member had tested positive for Covid. I never heard about any passengers but there were many who looked unwell and there was a lot of serious coughing going on  round the ship. Not sure if it was Covid or some sort of respiratory illness but we just tried to keep our distance from these folks as best we could, avoided the elevators and masked up on the bus on the way to to the Azamazing  event  and it paid off. 

How did you have your covid test administered, at home or by a "supervised test" at a chemist or medical facilities.  The Azamara site is confusing as to what is required for Australian passengers - it says test have to be "supervised" but also that in Australia "home test kits" are acceptable.  Acceptable - yes, but administered under supervision?????.  Would like to know your experience.

[Edinburghgirl1]

7 hours ago, Bpos said:

How did you have your covid test administered, at home or by a "supervised test" at a chemist or medical facilities.  The Azamara site is confusing as to what is required for Australian passengers - it says test have to be "supervised" but also that in Australia "home test kits" are acceptable.  Acceptable - yes, but administered under supervision?????.  Would like to know your experience.

The boarded in Dubai and no testing was required just proof of vaccination

[Bpos]

Is there any Aussie who have boarded Azamara Quesr in the last month or so in an Australian port who can advise on “home testing kits” acceptance when boarding on day 1.  Getting an answer is like trying to find a unicorn at present, thank you

[Edinburghgirl1]

20 hours ago, Bpos said:

How did you have your covid test administered, at home or by a "supervised test" at a chemist or medical facilities.  The Azamara site is confusing as to what is required for Australian passengers - it says test have to be "supervised" but also that in Australia "home test kits" are acceptable.  Acceptable - yes, but administered under supervision?????.  Would like to know your experience.

If it’s an at home proctored test you’ll have to purchase the kit from a site which includes a tele call with an agent who watches you taking the test. You follow their instructions and then upload result to the site they give you, they then email you the result which you can show to Azamara. We did many of these last year when tests were still required to board in most countries. Just google proctored Covid test and I’m sure some sites will pop up, . 

[Baynanno1]

Australian ports accept home tests - unsupervised, but with photographic evidence of date and time taken plus/minus the actual test for viewing by staff supervising boarding.

We boarded another line in December, tested in our hotel room the afternoon before and photographed our results against the computer showing date and time.

 

From the New South Wales Government website :

https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/travel/cruising-rules

Eastern Seaboard and Western Australian Cruise Protocols :

 

"6.2 Passengers must have a PCR test within 48 hours before boarding, or a self-administered RAT within 24 hours before boarding. Cruise lines will advise passengers embarking in Australia that pre-embarkation PCR testing must be done at a private laboratory."

[baytraller]

When boarding another line in Sydney the Australian official asked for 

 

1) Proof of Vaccination

 

2) The actual negative RAT test (self administered)

 

Also had photo showing the date and time, negative Rat test and photo ID

 

But did not ask to see photo

 

Cheers Peter, will be on the Azamara Quest on 6th of February

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bpos]

27 minutes ago, baytraller said:

When boarding another line in Sydney the Australian official asked for 

 

1) Proof of Vaccination

 

2) The actual negative RAT test (self administered)

 

Also had photo showing the date and time, negative Rat test and photo ID

 

But did not ask to see photo

 

Cheers Peter, will be on the Azamara Quest on 6th of February

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peter please post you experience when boarding Azamara Quest as we join it in Perth on 19 Feb and I want to know if I need a supervised test or not - Their website on covid testing is not that clear!

[baytraller]

 

The Covid testing requirements in Sydney are defined by the NSW Government

 

I believe Perth will be the same as document states

 

Eastern Seaboard and Western Australian Cruise Protocols

 

We will have only a self administered Rat test result plus photo evidence (same as when we boarded the Celebrity Eclipse ) for Azamara Quest

 

The documentation may not be clear but boarding Celebrity Eclipse in December was very straightforward  as stated above

 

 

Edited January 18, 2023 by baytraller

[baytraller]

Just received email from Azamara for our 6th of February cruise

From Sydney to Perth on the Quest

 

Testing:

To strive for a COVID-19 free environment, guests will be required to provide a negative COVID-19 test upon embarkation. For this sailing, the COVID-19 test can either be:

PCR: Test date no older than 48 hours prior to embarkation and must be demonstrated by showing a test result certificate issued by a medical practitioner; OR

Antigen: Test date must be within 24 hours of embarkation and can be demonstrated by showing either the test strip itself, a test result certificate issued by a medical practitioner, or a picture taken of the test strip result with a date stamp.

For Guests that cannot present a negative COVID-19 test upon embarkation testing is available in the terminal or on the boarding deck for $59 USD.

Boarding will be denied to those guests who test positive or cannot provide a negative COVID-19 test.

 

Cheers Peter

Edited January 31, 2023 by baytraller