Pre-French Polynesian paperwork and testing from US

[Mocamps]

Hi everyone,

 

I am super-excited about the US opening up to Europeans as it means that our November Tahiti cruise on Windstar can now go ahead!! This trip has been long-awaited having been postponed since April 2020.

 

So I'm now in a frenzy of planning and would really welcome some advice on what paperwork needs to be done and when. I know we need a Covid test and I will need to arrange that in the US as we'll be there for the 72 hours before our flight to FP. I'm currently trying to work out where I'll need to get that done in order to have the results back in time. It was tricky enough trying to organise it in the UK but it's even more challenging trying to do it in another country!.

 

But I'm also a bit uncertain about what else I need to do before I go? I know there's a form to fill in for FP and that it's needed sometime in the 30 days before arrival but can I do that before we do the testing or will we also need to do that from the US as well? And also what test do we need to have before returning via the US.

 

I think people from the US have been travelling for some time now so I'm hoping someone can help on this forum? I can then concentrate on finding out what we need to do before we try to enter the US!! Everything is so complicated these days!! It was so much easier when all we needed to worry about was if our passports and ESTAS were still valid!!

[Petoonya]

@Mocamps

Someone I know should be arriving home from Wind Spirit 10/7 sailing in about a week and maybe can share up to date news. In the meantime check out the Tahiti board on TA.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g309679-i1940-Tahiti_Society_Islands.html

 

[NewSalty]

I filled out the ETIS form a few days ago and don't remember anything that would prevent you from doing it before you come to the US.  Definitely don't need to have been tested yet, as we have not.

[baloothecat]

@Mocamps

We just returned  two days ago from b2b sailings on the Windspirit Oct.7 & 14. ETIS form had to be filled out 30-6days prior departure. No need to wait till you come to the US. Also a sworn statement. Bring your actual vaccination cards. We did a RT-PCR test 3days before in a drive through CVS,(we live near  Los Angeles) got results in 30hours. Print copies of everything. Airline websites like Air Tahiti Nui and United Airlines  also have information on recommended sites for testing in the US.

 

The latest requirements are always posted here:

https://tahititourisme.com/en-us/covid-19/

We tested on the ship for the antigen  test needed to return home to the US. Likewise friends from Canada were also able to get the test they needed from the ships doctor in order to get home. Very convenient. 
 

I know there are so many hoops to jump through to travel to get there,  but I promise it will be so worth it! 

[Mocamps]

Thank you. We’ve done our ETIS and got approval. We’ve booked PCR tests (it seemed more straightforward than working out which antigen tests were acceptable!) in US with a company called City Health at San Jose airport (we’re diverting there as it seemed the easiest place to fit in with our few days in California). We take the tests 2 days before our flight and they say their turnaround is 36-48 hours so fingers crossed!! I’ve booked accommodation in US for our mini road trip so think I’m just about all set for the American part of the trip. Still waiting for confirmation of what tests we need to do here before getting to US but I guess that will come sometime before 8th November. Reckon I’m just about ready to focus on the part in FP!! Can anyone remind me how I order tests on Windstar for getting back to the US? Or is it easier just to do it at the airport?
 

 

[RlyLvn]

Hi Baloothecat!

 

Thats great to hear that you just returned from Wind Spirit. We are scheduled to be down there on Star Breeze for the 17 night December 30th. 
How full was your ship?

Was it a hassle to get your COVID Test on arrival at the airport?  How long did it take?
is Windstar still testing at the pier prior to embarkation?
Did you get tested anytime during the cruise?
 

Also we have an early morning flight back home. How easy was it to navigate the airport on your return?
 

I hope you don’t mind me asking you all these questions. 
 

Thanks a lot,

Denise and Brian from San Diego. 

[baloothecat]

@RlyLvn Happy to answer any questions. 
How full was your ship?
60 passengers on Oct7 sailing, 80 passengers on Oct.14th. 148 capacity.

 

Was it a hassle to get your COVID Test on arrival at the airport?  How long did it take?

Not a problem. It was a proctor directed self test. 2 swab, 1 nasal, 1 saliva..  It took us approx 1hr 10min to get through immigration and covid airport testing.

 

is Windstar still testing at the pier prior to embarkation? Yes, an antigen test by the medical team. Had a glass of champagne and chatted with other passengers while waiting.

 

Did you get tested anytime during the cruise? No. We did have our temperature checked daily on the Oct.14th sailing. It was a new requirement from French Polynesia.

 

Also we have an early morning flight back home. How easy was it to navigate the airport on your return?
 Airport was easy to navigate. If you don’t have prearranged airport transport, Suggest having reception call you a cab if you have an early morning departure. Also recommend having the antigen test required to return  US done while onboard. $49, they deliver a hard copy to your cabin. One less line to be in at the airport- they won’t let you check in until you show the neg test.

 

Also for anyone else reading this:  We bought and transported from the US the Binax now tests to be proctored online with the NAVICA app. Upon using the ships internet, we quickly realized the difficulty we would have trying to stream for 1/2hour so we just had the ship do it and charged it to our room. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mocamps]

Thank you. When did you have your onboard tests done? We’d ideally like to use the same tests for US and UK so would need to be within 48 hours of when we leave US - 24 hours after we leave Papeete! Do you think that’s possible?

[Wilcoam]

A humurous story, my wife and I are on route to Tahiti today, we had to enter the US first, (SFO), sleepover in a airport hotel (Hyatt) then board the SFO United flight today (next day) for PPT

 

We used the United app to load up our docs, the ETIS, vax certs, and antigen test, the fires leg was fine, bbut at no point did human being look at anything going into the US, and the app would not let us check in for the PPT leg, saying a human had to verify the ETIS, which of course has to be filled out 6 days in advance

 

Well my wife seriously messed this up, she filled it out online, with um old passports, lol, so when we checked in for our PPT leg today, the ETIS didn't match our passports!

 

Now we're seasoned travellers, we didn't panic, we found some seats, she took out her I-phone, I got my laptop out, we re-filed, from scratch, sure it took 20 minutes, and ended we paying twice, but we got the ETIS, showed it to the United agent, got the boarding cards, off we went 🙂

 

So much for 6 days in advance, lol 

 

The ironic part, at no point was our vax or antigen test verified on the PPT leg, period, by the same United agent, it's the 2nd ro 3rd time travelling recently where I checked in marking off that I had taken a test, or have been vaxed, without actually showing anything, lol

 

We specifically co-ordinated our Antigen test so it was 48 hrs b4 both the SFO and PPT leg, but we did notice free antigen testing and free 3rd dose vax in SFO, point being, major airports have your back, and in this crazy modern digital world we live in, mobile laptops and I-phone sure come in handy!!!!

 

5 hrs till we land in PPT, 6.5 hrs b4 our first poisson cru and french vanilla creme brule.... 

 

     

Edited October 26, 2021 by Wilcoam

[RlyLvn]

Great information Baloothecat!  Thank you so much. How did you pay for the test at the airport in PPT?

Wilcoam have a great time! Enjoy that creme brûlée!

[baloothecat]

@Mocamps we did the antigen test the day before arriving back in port. I’m sure it’s possible, just be sure to count back the hours correctly, even adding some extra time wiggle room for delayed flight(s) and schedule the latest onboard test you can get before disembarkation. I’d  try to get on the schedule for the return testing as soon as you can after boarding. The slots do fill up. Otherwise you can do antigen testing at the airport in Papeete, only antigen though. 
 

@RlyLvn I’m assuming you are asking about the testing upon arrival in Papeete? You pay for the test electronically when you fill out your ETIS form. It’s approx $50usd pp. Once you do the self test, you don’t have to wait for the results and are free to go. They will only contact you if you test positive. No news is good news!

 

@Wilcoam glad you were able to quickly resolve that issue. I think the  ETIS approval  is now computerized, whereas before it was a person approving the applications. We flew Hawaiian Airlines and had to show everything at LAX then in Honolulu every passenger was called up to the podium at the gate to reverify our docs. Shipmates from Canada were  told at LAX by Air Tahiti Nui that their PCR test was not on the approved list and had to retest at LAX  airport. 

 

the key to traveling these days is to keep a cool head and allow yourself extra time in case there are hiccups!

[RlyLvn]

Yes I was asking about the arrival in PPT.   Glad to hear that it’s taken care of before we leave.  It was the same when I went to the UK in May of this year. 
Thank you again for the info.  Really helps.