Measures to Support Safe Cruise Travel in Canada

[ByThePond]

The latest version of this bulletin (says that updated on 18 Feb) can be found at https://tc.canada.ca/sites/default/files/2022-02/SSB-18-2021E_0.pdf. It states that a "COVID-19 Management Plan" must be implemented for each cruise ship operating in Canadian waters.  Furthermore, the cruise ship must notify the government of Canada that they have implemented their plan 45 days before first entering or operating in Canadian waters. Under Testing Framework, it states "Additional details on testing will be provided through periodic updates to this document."

 

The first ship scheduled to dock in Victoria is Caribbean Princess on 6 April. 45 days before that date was Sunday. Rhetorical question but how can they submit their COVID-19 Management Plan if the Canadian Government has not finalized the requirements. 

[broberts]

13 minutes ago, ByThePond said:

The latest version of this bulletin (says that updated on 18 Feb) can be found at https://tc.canada.ca/sites/default/files/2022-02/SSB-18-2021E_0.pdf. It states that a "COVID-19 Management Plan" must be implemented for each cruise ship operating in Canadian waters.  Furthermore, the cruise ship must notify the government of Canada that they have implemented their plan 45 days before first entering or operating in Canadian waters. Under Testing Framework, it states "Additional details on testing will be provided through periodic updates to this document."

 

The first ship scheduled to dock in Victoria is Caribbean Princess on 6 April. 45 days before that date was Sunday. Rhetorical question but how can they submit their COVID-19 Management Plan if the Canadian Government has not finalized the requirements. 

 

The plan simply has to state that the testing requirements will be met once provided. Plan is a lot more than testing.

[Fouremco]

I didn't do a line-by-line comparison with the previous revision dated February 1, but I didn't notice any significant changes with this latest version. The major issue of interest to those of us on CC is what the testing requirements will be, and that remains unchanged in the document. 

[netpj]

If this is correct, there will still be issues this year for cruises embarking/disembarking or stopping in Canadian ports.

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/6787/

[*Miss G*]

I honestly don’t see anything much different than what is currently being done.  Everyone must be vaccinated to board a ship and everyone must test negative to board a ship.  🤷‍♀️

 

The text, below, is what I have a big beef with.  How is Alaska at the mercy of Canadian government when it is their own government with the rule?  That has nothing to do with us.  Same goes for last line.  Ugh.  I can’t even.  😡

 

Said Murkowski: "Alaska's economy and our communities should not be at the mercy of decisions made by the Canadian government and I will do whatever is needed to ensure Alaskans can prosper."

 

 

Sullivan didn't mince words, either, saying, "Simply put, we need a banner year for visitors in 2022. Alaskans cannot gamble again on the goodwill and commonsense of our Canadian neighbors, who failed us last year."

 

 

Edited February 23, 2022 by *Miss G*

[broberts]

1 hour ago, *Miss G* said:

I honestly don’t see anything much different than what is currently being done.  Everyone must be vaccinated to board a ship and everyone must test negative to board a ship.  🤷‍♀️

 

The text, below, is what I have a big beef with.  How is Alaska at the mercy of Canadian government when it is their own government with the rule?  That has nothing to do with us.  Same goes for last line.  Ugh.  I can’t even.  😡

 

Said Murkowski: "Alaska's economy and our communities should not be at the mercy of decisions made by the Canadian government and I will do whatever is needed to ensure Alaskans can prosper."

 

 

Sullivan didn't mince words, either, saying, "Simply put, we need a banner year for visitors in 2022. Alaskans cannot gamble again on the goodwill and commonsense of our Canadian neighbors, who failed us last year."

 

 

 

Accuracy in politics, a foreign concept to some.

 

[Fouremco]

The author apparently has a bone to pick with Canada for some reason, and has gone out of his way to be critical. For example, he makes a big issue over passengers needing to be vaccinated to enter Canada, but the same requirement exists for anyone entering the US by land, sea or air, other than on RT cruises out of the US. He has also either overlooked or is simply unaware of the fact that the Minister of Transport stated on February 15 that with the cruise season in Canada rapidly approaching, the lingering questions that have the author in a tizzy, including testing, will be answered "very soon".

[*Miss G*]

Yeah, at the end of the article it asks you to pick a smiley but doesn’t give an option for shoddy reporting. 😒

[stefndoug]

I see the Alaska season for Canada not happening...but I hope I am wrong.  The amount of testing that will need to happen will be nuts.  If the cruise is round trip Seattle, then one would have to test coming into Victoria, including using the arrivecan app.  If the cruise is out of Vancouver, then you would test to come onto the ship (cruiseship rules) and then have to test again at disembarkation because you would have been in the US and coming back into Canada...and have to use the Arrivecan app. I think the cruiselines would be smart to say "screw you" to Canada again and bypass us if we require all those stupid testing and arrivecan requirements.   

[stefndoug]

51 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

The author apparently has a bone to pick with Canada for some reason, and has gone out of his way to be critical. For example, he makes a big issue over passengers needing to be vaccinated to enter Canada, but the same requirement exists for anyone entering the US by land, sea or air, other than on RT cruises out of the US. He has also either overlooked or is simply unaware of the fact that the Minister of Transport stated on February 15 that with the cruise season in Canada rapidly approaching, the lingering questions that have the author in a tizzy, including testing, will be answered "very soon".

You don't need to test to cross the land border into the US if one is vaccinated.  Or do you mean something else?  

[Fouremco]

2 hours ago, stefndoug said:

You don't need to test to cross the land border into the US if one is vaccinated.  Or do you mean something else?  

Take another look. I didn't mention testing in relation to land entry for that very reason.

Edited February 24, 2022 by Fouremco

[DHP1]

2 hours ago, stefndoug said:

I see the Alaska season for Canada not happening...but I hope I am wrong.  The amount of testing that will need to happen will be nuts.  If the cruise is round trip Seattle, then one would have to test coming into Victoria, including using the arrivecan app.  If the cruise is out of Vancouver, then you would test to come onto the ship (cruiseship rules) and then have to test again at disembarkation because you would have been in the US and coming back into Canada...and have to use the Arrivecan app. I think the cruiselines would be smart to say "screw you" to Canada again and bypass us if we require all those stupid testing and arrivecan requirements.   

Princess Cruise had a big sale on the past week for their Alaskan cruise.  So maybe they know something.  We just have to wait and see.

[*Miss G*]

2 hours ago, stefndoug said:

I see the Alaska season for Canada not happening...but I hope I am wrong.  The amount of testing that will need to happen will be nuts.  If the cruise is round trip Seattle, then one would have to test coming into Victoria, including using the arrivecan app.  If the cruise is out of Vancouver, then you would test to come onto the ship (cruiseship rules) and then have to test again at disembarkation because you would have been in the US and coming back into Canada...and have to use the Arrivecan app. I think the cruiselines would be smart to say "screw you" to Canada again and bypass us if we require all those stupid testing and arrivecan requirements.   

 

- We all currently have to test to board a ship so nothing new to add there.

- Ships have been testing if an arrival country requires it so nothing new to add there.

- ArriveCAN isn’t a big deal and no different than the current protocols required by some countries but are gradually being phased out or have been left with the airlines to deal with.  Might be a good idea for Canada to leave this for the cruise lines to deal with as part of the check-in process as well.

 

I agree with you in that testing the vaccinated and requiring a kind of tracing system via the arrival apps and forms is beginning to seem nonsensical but I also think the vaccinated world is moving into the endemic stage and the tighter restrictions will remain only for the unvaccinated.

 

TLDR:  Restrictions and policies are changing daily.  I expect these to as well.

[broberts]

2 hours ago, stefndoug said:

I see the Alaska season for Canada not happening...but I hope I am wrong.  The amount of testing that will need to happen will be nuts.  If the cruise is round trip Seattle, then one would have to test coming into Victoria, including using the arrivecan app.  If the cruise is out of Vancouver, then you would test to come onto the ship (cruiseship rules) and then have to test again at disembarkation because you would have been in the US and coming back into Canada...and have to use the Arrivecan app. I think the cruiselines would be smart to say "screw you" to Canada again and bypass us if we require all those stupid testing and arrivecan requirements.   

 

This makes some assumptions that I'm not sure are likely. It seems to me that it is quite possible the only testing will be cruise line required. Of course crossing a border to embark may require a test, much as it does today.

 

As to ArriveCan, Canada has always required completion of an arrival questionnaire and document check, as does the US. Since this didn't discourage Vancouver departures pre-pandemic I fail to understand why it would now.

[stefndoug]

I have 2 cruises booked out of Vancouver...I sure hope it goes well this year.  Keeping my fingers crossed but not getting my hopes up.