Going to Australia and the covid requirement

[Shaver John]

We just signed up to go to Australia in  March 2023 on the Majestic Princess. Just got a message from Princess that we have to have a negative covid test one day before boarding the ship. That means that we will be in Australia for 3 days before we find out if we are able to get on the ship, and also 14 days before we could fly back home as we are using Easy Air for transport. As the air cost twice as much as the cruise this does not really seem viable. Does anyone know if Australia is thinking of changing this requirement in the near or far future as it will not be something we will be able to deal with in the current condition and we would really like to go to Australia. Thank you.

[can786]

I recently booked the Majestic Princess sailing on March 1, 2024 and got the same message from Princess.  I just checked the Australian government's website and this is what is says:

 

From this date, you do not need to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test to meet Australia's travel requirements. Some countries, airlines and vessel operators may require a pre-departure test result at check-in before you can board your flight or ship. Check the entry requirements of the country you are travelling or transiting through, and your airline or vessel operator’s requirements. 

[azbirdmom]

Thinking you mean 2024?  We are on an Australian cruise this December and when I input our booking number here are no restrictions shown which is in line with what I had been told about the testing requirement having been withdrawn https://www.princess.com/protocol/ .  But the FAQs for Australian cruises on the Princess website seems to be out of date as it still shows testing required.  That's probably what generated the email that you received and in typical Princess fashion it takes them time to make website updates.  It's a long way off and lots can change before then but as of right now testing isn't necessary.

[Shaver John]

So sorry,

yes, I meant 2024.  Gee, that seems so far away but so close. We have checked the internet and it seems like this may still be in place.  Wish we knew for sure, I know it is far off, but hard to make other plans if this is a viable trip as it is our first choice, but not if we still have this condition. Thank you.

[LACruiser88]

We are booked for the April 10th, 2024, Sydney to Seattle voyage on the Majestic.  We have not received anything regarding covid testing.  This is too far down the calendar to worry about now.

[Tripmode33]

The pre-cruise covid test is still a current requirement in Australia. We've boarded three different cruise lines in last two months, including Princess.  Today we do another RAT covid test to photograph before boarding ship tomorrow.  Many folk consider it quite a joke as it's a self-test and stories abound that people are photographing any negative test they can get their hands on.  We're due to enter our fifth wave of covid here so many do still care, but there is little evidence of mask wearing onboard or other extra covid precautions.

I would be very surprised if they don't drop the testing requirement before your cruise next year.  I wouldn't let it impact your travel planning.

[Shaver John]

Thank you for the answers. I sure hope that this will change in the next several months. I would love to climb the Bridge. Thank you.

[charliedalrymple]

6 hours ago, Shaver John said:

Thank you for the answers. I sure hope that this will change in the next several months. I would love to climb the Bridge. Thank you.

 

John, the bridge climb is awesome!  Just be advised that they give you a breathalyzer test when you check in (for safety reasons)--so no day drinking beforehand!

[Thrak]

We sail in late October and have heard nothing about testing. I'm not going to worry about it. We obviously won't fly to Melbourne on the day of the cruise but, if we did, a test done before our flight would already be "two days old" when we boarded. As it is we board our plane on October 25th and have a hotel stay "that night" on October 27th.

[Ken the cruiser]

Just for reference, we were recently on an Eclipse B3B from Sydney to Vancouver where the first leg was a 3-day cruise to nowhere RT out of Sydney. The rule was we had to take an unsupervised antigen test no earlier than 1 day prior to boarding that first leg. Our flight left Alabama at 3:40 pm April 17 and arrived in Sydney at 7 am on April 19, which was also our 3-day Eclipse cruise embarkation day.

 

To meet the 1-day requirement and remembering we were 15 hours behind Sydney, we were able to believe it or not take the unsupervised antigen test at least 5 hours prior to boarding our flight on the 17th. How you ask? We took the test based on Sydney time, not our time. For example, when our flight left Alabama, it was 6:40 am on April 18 (Sydney time). So we in essence had 6 hours prior to our flight to take the test. All we had to do was set my iPhone to Sydney time before taking the photo of our negative tests. Another upside to using local Sydney time was that if one of us had tested positive, we could take steps to cancel the cruise before we got on the plane. 

 

But my unofficial guess over here in the peanut gallery is the testing requirement will have totally disappeared by the time of your cruise in March 2024.

[nini]

Unfortunately, Princess is still requiring this AND NOT Australia or New Zealand. I really do not know why Princess continues this.

[2022cruisey]

All cruises departing Australia require this - it is cruise protocols issued by the government. https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/travel/cruising-rules/cruise-factsheet

Nothing to do with individual cruise lines.

[2022cruisey]

Another source for all Australian ports.  For clarity, you must be fully vaccinated and have a negative RAT before boarding a cruise ship leaving from any Australian port.  This has not changed so whilst you can enter Australia via a flight without vaccination or testing, you must have both of those to go on a cruise.

https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/cdna-national-guidelines-for-cruising-in-australia 

[sewgood]

At 2 and a half minutes into the video the pre-covid test is discussed.

He said there are rumours of it being under review next month.

Hopeful the government will get rid of it then.

 

 

[charliedalrymple]

Couldn't we theoretically do a RAT test at check-in if they require a test?  Perhaps we should bring a few just in case.

[cruise_critical]

Couple of months ago, they barely looked at the at-home-self-test RAT photos for more than 2 seconds. They see 1 line, and go okay in a blink. Could have easily used a photo off the internet, or just take 4 photos of the same negative test and end result would have been the same. As mentioned above, hopefully the eastern seaboard rules change within the next few months.

[capriccio]

4 hours ago, charliedalrymple said:

Couldn't we theoretically do a RAT test at check-in if they require a test?  Perhaps we should bring a few just in case.

In April my sister and brother-in-law didn't pay attention to the warning I gave them (we were cruising together) about the timing of the RAT test (no more than 24 hours in advance).  They arrived for embarkation before we did and, as she later told me, I was correct.  The check-in staff (this was in Sydney) simply provided them with tests to self administer at the counter and then had them stand aside until they read the results.  My sister says everyone was very kind and said they run into this issues a few times every check-in.  Hence their supply of free test kits.

[antsp]

4 hours ago, cruise_critical said:

Couple of months ago, they barely looked at the at-home-self-test RAT photos for more than 2 seconds. They see 1 line, and go okay in a blink. Could have easily used a photo off the internet, or just take 4 photos of the same negative test and end result would have been the same. As mentioned above, hopefully the eastern seaboard rules change within the next few months.

Loads of people doing that at restrictions were dragging, everyone was suddenly an expert in photoshop 

[Steelers36]

15 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

All we had to do was set my iPhone to Sydney time before taking the photo of our negative tests.

Anyone could set their phone to any time before taking a photo.  Not to suggest you were doing anything nefarious.  Another poster above suggested some folks were finding ways around it.  I would think these days, catching it is pretty low probability and some reasonable precautions pre-cruise would pretty much assure being okay.  Like just avoid super crowds in an indoor space.

[Ken the cruiser]

18 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Anyone could set their phone to any time before taking a photo.  Not to suggest you were doing anything nefarious.  Another poster above suggested some folks were finding ways around it.  I would think these days, catching it is pretty low probability and some reasonable precautions pre-cruise would pretty much assure being okay.  Like just avoid super crowds in an indoor space.

True. We just wanted to be able to "check the testing box" with a clear conscience as well as confirm we didn't have it before getting on the plane in Alabama.

[Tedferg]

How about cruises ending in Sydney? We are booked on Honolulu - Sydney Oct 2 2023.

[charliedalrymple]

13 hours ago, Tedferg said:

How about cruises ending in Sydney? We are booked on Honolulu - Sydney Oct 2 2023.

 

Australia no longer has a testing requirement to enter the country (except for anyone coming from China).  You will be fine.

[2022cruisey]

5 hours ago, charliedalrymple said:

 

Australia no longer has a testing requirement to enter the country (except for anyone coming from China).  You will be fine.

If you read the cruise requirements documents above, it is not that clear.  It states that all cruises arriving or departing have to meet the requirements. Different to air.

[SargassoPirate]

2 hours ago, 2022cruisey said:

If you read the cruise requirements documents above, it is not that clear.  It states that all cruises arriving or departing have to meet the requirements. Different to air.

I wonder how they'll handle a world cruise that arrives in Sydney on day 45 after leaving Fort Lauderdale?

[jwattle]

3 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

I wonder how they'll handle a world cruise that arrives in Sydney on day 45 after leaving Fort Lauderdale?

They'll probably test onboard.