Going to Australia and the covid requirement

[Thrak]

I hadn't actually thought about using the cruise port time but it makes perfect sense. That gives us 7 hours here in California in which to test before we miss the deadline. Close but better than flying to Melbourne and testing there.

 

Soooo... Do you just do the test and take a photo of the result? Does the photo of the test have to show the time and date?  How, exactly, does this work?

Edited May 28, 2023 by Thrak

[Steelers36]

6 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

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

Perhaps a port stop is treated differently than a beginning/ending of a voyage?  This was the case in some situations when there was a myriad of testing protocols a year ago.

[Ken the cruiser]

19 minutes ago, Thrak said:

I hadn't actually thought about using the cruise port time but it makes perfect sense. That gives us 7 hours here in California in which to test before we miss the deadline. Close but better than flying to Melbourne and testing there.

 

Soooo... Do you just do the test and take a photo of the result? Does the photo of the test have to show the time and date?  How, exactly, does this work?

We first took the test around 9 am on April 17 (Alabama time). Once the tests showed negative results, we set the time on my iPhone to Sydney time in the General > Date&Time section. Basically, you turn “Set Automatically” off, then change the Time Zone setting to Sydney, Australia.
 

I then took a picture of each test with a copy of our Drivers License next to each one. If you then go to your photo gallery, select the picture, then click on the “i” in a circle at the bottom the screen, it will display the time the photo was taken. This is what we showed the check-in person at the cruise terminal. We also placed the actual tests in a ziplock bag and took them with us just in case someone wanted to see them, which no one did. They were quite happy with the photo.

[SargassoPirate]

56 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Perhaps a port stop is treated differently than a beginning/ending of a voyage?  This was the case in some situations when there was a myriad of testing protocols a year ago.

It's all a bunch of theater.  When cruising restarted, I took a test prior to the first cruise and the port people took a quick look at my results from CVS on my phone and waved me through.  The next cruise was six or seven weeks later and I got another test, but this time at the port.  Afterwards, I proceeded to the checkpoint and showed them my results on my phone.  It was later after I was all checked in that I realized I had shown them the screenshot from my earlier cruise.  They didn't notice the time or date, just that I had something to show.

 

That second cruise was a B2B and a couple of days before turnaround I had to report for a COVID test.  There was plastic sheeting on the floor and the workers were in moon suits.

 

We've come a long way.

[cruise_critical]

2 hours ago, Thrak said:

I hadn't actually thought about using the cruise port time but it makes perfect sense. That gives us 7 hours here in California in which to test before we miss the deadline. Close but better than flying to Melbourne and testing there.

 

Soooo... Do you just do the test and take a photo of the result? Does the photo of the test have to show the time and date?  How, exactly, does this work?

No, they do not look at the time stamps of each photo (would drag the entire boarding process like crazy) but do try to at least take it at the right time for better conscience ofc. Then just take a photo of the (negative) RAT test like below and that's it. They ask for the RAT test photo, and when you show them on your phone, they just take a glance at it for 1 second and let you through.

 

e.g. (random photo I found on the net)

[Tripmode33]

On 5/29/2023 at 7:56 AM, cruise_critical said:

No, they do not look at the time stamps of each photo (would drag the entire boarding process like crazy) but do try to at least take it at the right time for better conscience ofc. Then just take a photo of the (negative) RAT test like below and that's it. They ask for the RAT test photo, and when you show them on your phone, they just take a glance at it for 1 second and let you through.

 

e.g. (random photo I found on the net)

Remember though the photo requires three items in photo: a government issued photo ID and your RAT test along with device showing date and time.

We've never been asked to show photo, nor have any of our cruising friends. They simply ask if you've done the RAT and have never wanted to see photo. This was at six cruises in past six months (Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne embarkations).

[photomikey]

I'll be on the Royal Princess in Nov of 2023 (in about 90 days) - I'm going to post my understanding of the covid requirements to board, could anyone confirm or clarify if this is correct?

 

• You need two doses of a covid vaccine, two doses from 2021 (two, almost three years ago) are perfectly acceptable
• No boosters at all are required, just the two shot sequence from 2021
• You need to show your paper vaccine record, no QR code or actual verification is required
• At boarding they will ask if you took a covid test before boarding and if it was negative and you must confirm that you took a covid test and that it was negative to board, but they won't ask to see it and they won't test you at the pier

 

Is this all correct?

[Hammoandnads]

That’s all you’ll need (the 2 initial vax). The process is quick, just a glance at those documents. My international vaccine certificate (Australian one) has a QR code on it but they don’t scan it - just glance that you brought it along. On a recent trip they didn’t ask for photos of our negative tests, but I had them just in case. Boarded in Sydney, whereas Melbourne and other Aussie ports will likely be more thorough.

[capriccio]

4 hours ago, photomikey said:

• At boarding they will ask if you took a covid test before boarding and if it was negative and you must confirm that you took a covid test and that it was negative to board, but they won't ask to see it and they won't test you at the pier

 

Is this all correct?

See my post #17 if you haven't already.  They could ask to see it or could have already seen it (I think we had to upload the picture back in April) and, at that time at least, they were testing at the pier when necessary.

[LittleFish1976]

7 hours ago, photomikey said:

I'll be on the Royal Princess in Nov of 2023 (in about 90 days) - I'm going to post my understanding of the covid requirements to board, could anyone confirm or clarify if this is correct?

 

• You need two doses of a covid vaccine, two doses from 2021 (two, almost three years ago) are perfectly acceptable
• No boosters at all are required, just the two shot sequence from 2021
• You need to show your paper vaccine record, no QR code or actual verification is required
• At boarding they will ask if you took a covid test before boarding and if it was negative and you must confirm that you took a covid test and that it was negative to board, but they won't ask to see it and they won't test you at the pier

 

Is this all correct?

If you're boarding in Australia you will need a photograph of your negative test and in the same frame, your government issued proof of ID and something showing the date and time (although the photo will be date and time stamped by your phone). As for not needing a booster, you'd have to check the Princess website and see what the info there says.

 

I don't know what proof of vaccination records you have in the US. As an Australian I would show my digital proof of vaccinaiton certificate on my smart phone.

[cruise_critical]

As per Australlian definition of fully vaccinated, Princess cruise does not need a Booster. Only the primary course of the vaccine is sufficient. (including mixed. e.g. first pfizer, second novavax) A

See 2nd point in Princess FAQ for sailings involving Australia:
https://www.princess.com/plan/cruise-with-confidence/cruise-health/frequently-asked-questions/au-cruises/covid-19-acknowledgment/

[Torfamm]

13 hours ago, photomikey said:

• At boarding they will ask if you took a covid test before boarding and if it was negative and you must confirm that you took a covid test and that it was negative to board, but they won't ask to see it and they won't test you at the pier

 

Is this all correct?

You must bring proof of the negative results. Details are here https://www.princess.com/plan/cruise-with-confidence/cruise-health/frequently-asked-questions/au-cruises/

[Jimmy147]

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