Conflicting Information

[hova]

Hello... I am seeing some conflicting information on some of the message boards, so thought I would try and get clarification.  We are Canadian and will be taking an Alaskan cruise (in May) aboard Holland America Koningsdam from Vancouver (round trip). So... here goes.

1.  Antigen test prior to boarding ship - does it have to be done within one day of embarkation, or do we have two days?

2.  Do we fill out the ArriveCan app or the VeriFLY app?  

3.  Do we fill out the app prior to boarding the ship in Vancouver, or before we return a week later (or both?)

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

hova

[Mike & Zen]

The confusion has resulted from cruise lines jumping the gun with Canada requirements before our Minister of Transport officially signed the new order on 31 March to take effect 1 April 2022.

 

Cruise lines took Backgrounder news and media news conferences information as “official” requirements instead of waiting for the Minister to “officially” sign the order!  
 

It is official, within two days for a negative antigen test to board a cruise ship embarking/originating in Canada, and remains at 72 hours (not 3 days) for a molecular (PCR, etc) COVID test.

 

Also, my go to cruise line, Princess, has very poorly written the Canada requirements that many people have incorrectly interpreted them that a negative COVID antigen test must be completed within one day prior to boarding their cruise ship in Seattle or San Francisco to start their Alaska cruise to satisfy Canada’s requirements! 
 

Its been stated for a few weeks that effective 1 April fully vaccinated travellers to Canada by air, land, and water do not require a COVID test to enter. However, air and land travellers are subject to random COVID testing.

 

The HAL Canada requirements are easily read and understood…they use the word “originating” in Canada, which is very clear…hopefully Princess will re read and change their wording to be unambiguous.

 

Also, it is a mandatory Canada requirement to enter your vaccination and other information in the ArriveCAN app or website within 72 hours of entering Canada by air, land, or water.  You can enter up to 8 people in the app or website.
 

Also, to answer your question, yes, you must enter your info in the ArriveCAN app or website within 72 hours of embarking/originating your cruise in Canada, in this case, Vancouver. And same when you come back to Vancouver as you have left Canada, travelled to the USA, and are coming back to Canada.

 

For your Verifly question, yes, it is a Holland America lines requirement to enter your info to speed up the embarkation process.  I believe some Carnaval cruise line ships experimented wth this and now HAL is using it.  I wouldn’t be surprised if other Carnival Corporation ships try it in the future. 
 

And for info, this means if you start your Alaska (or Canada/New England) cruise from a USA port, for example, Seattle, cruise to Alaska, then on your way back to Seattle, you must visit a mandatory foreign port, normally Victoria, to satisfy the USA PVSA.  It is mandatory within 72 hours to enter the required information into the ArriveCAN app or website before entering Victoria to comply that you have entered Canada by water. And no, you do not need a COVID test if you are fully vaccinated as mentioned effective 1 April no test required if entering by water.

 

And, yes, even though you might not get off the ship in Victoria, it is mandatory to enter your information in the ArriveCAN app or website.  And it states in the ArriveCAN help FAQs that if you are entering Canada in a cruise ship (a port stop), in the quarantine plan, enter your cabin number as your quarantine address.  
 

There is a ship called the Victoria Clipper that runs between Victoria and Seattle in the Spring to Fall, and in the Victoria terminal are stationed a few US Customs and Border Protection agents for pre clearance to enter the USA.  I can imagine what they would do if I said, no, I don’t want to show you my vaccination info or show you my passport, etc, as I don’t plan on getting off the ship in Seattle, just staying on for the trip back to Victoria!

Hopefully, very soon, cruise lines will update their websites with the correct information.

Also, there is some testing required for unvaccinated children and others.  That info is in the bulletin below.

 

Hope this helps…more than enough to read. If there’s any major errors, send an official link, and I’ll buy you a cold beer next time your on a Princess cruise!

 

By the way, we have been on 8 Princess cruises out of Seattle and San Pedro since cruising started up and have used the ArriveCAN app a couple times.  The info in the app is linked to your passport from what I’ve heard, so, don’t be surprised if the CBSA person doesn’t look at the app when you show it to him/her.  And we’ve been lucky when arriving back to YVR…for our two arrivals, we have been random COVID tested both times!  Both negative.

 

Read following links for latest info:

 

Transport Canada Ship Safety Bulletin  (Pre-Embarkation Testing Requirements for Passengers):

 

https://tc.canada.ca/en/marine-transportation/marine-safety/ship-safety-bulletins/measures-support-safe-cruise-travel-canada-ssb-no-18-2021-modified-april-1-2022

 

PDF Version:

 

https://tc.canada.ca/sites/default/files/2022-03/SSB-18-2021E.pdf

 

And hopefully this link to HAL requirements for Alaska/Canada cruises works.  The info is outdated but very clear, unlike Princess.

 

chrome://external-file/0329-alaska-canada-health-protocols.pdf
 

[Mike & Zen]

Try this link for HAL Alaska/Canada cruises then click or tap on the PDF link to read

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/worry-free-promise/travel-well/frequently-asked-questions/faq-for-cruises-from-usa.html
 

[Mike & Zen]

I forgot to mention, make sure you use the current version of the ArriveCAN app.  It was updated about three days ago.   It would be wise to keep checking for updates.

[ehogan]

57 minutes ago, Mike & Zen said:

Also, to answer your question, yes, you must enter your info in the ArriveCAN app or website within 72 hours of embarking/originating your cruise in Canada, in this case, Vancouver. And same when you come back to Vancouver as you have left Canada, travelled to the USA, and are coming back to Canada

With reference to your first sentence above:  We live in B.C. and will be embarking in Vancouver.  I have filled out the ArriveCan app with the information required up to the point where you enter your date and time of return to Canada.  Beyond that point you need to wait until you are within 72 hours of disembarking and returning to Canada and then you can complete and submit your info.  Why would you need to submit info upon embarking and leaving Canada?

[gnome12]

15 minutes ago, ehogan said:

With reference to your first sentence above:  We live in B.C. and will be embarking in Vancouver.  I have filled out the ArriveCan app with the information required up to the point where you enter your date and time of return to Canada.  Beyond that point you need to wait until you are within 72 hours of disembarking and returning to Canada and then you can complete and submit your info.  Why would you need to submit info upon embarking and leaving Canada?

Didn't it say at the time of the original announcement that cruise ship passengers departing from Canada are required to use the web version of ArriveCAN? It might look different than the app.

[SilvertoGold]

Mike and Zen!  Thank you for the exhaustive info.

 

Two questions:

 

HAL's info pages note both one day and two days for the Antigen test.  It does seem that it is, now, two days, right?

 

HAL's info page recommends VeriFLY.  Where is it noted that it is required?

 

Thanks again for all this consolidated info.  Very helpful!

[broberts]

Within two days for antigen tests. See Pre-Embarkation Testing Requirements for Passengers in https://tc.canada.ca/en/marine-transportation/marine-safety/ship-safety-bulletins/measures-support-safe-cruise-travel-canada-ssb-no-18-2021-modified-april-1-2022

 

Cruise passengers must complete the ArriveCan process prior to boarding a cruise that enters Canada. See How to use ArriveCAN section of https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/arrivecan.html

 

 

[Fouremco]

2 hours ago, gnome12 said:

Didn't it say at the time of the original announcement that cruise ship passengers departing from Canada are required to use the web version of ArriveCAN? It might look different than the app.

There are three current documents addressing the use of ArriveCAN and cruising:

 

1. The Transport Canada "Preventing or Limiting the Spread of COVID-19 on Cruise Ships" backgrounder dated March 31 https://www.canada.ca/en/transport-canada/news/2022/03/preventing-or-limiting-the-spread-of-covid-19-on-cruise-ships.html;

 

2.The Canada.ca "Use ArriveCAN to Enter Canada" document updated April 1 (https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/arrivecan.html), and

 

3. The Transport Canada "Measures to Support Safe Cruise Travel in Canada - SSB No.: 18/2021 (modified April 1, 2022)" ship safety bulletin https://tc.canada.ca/en/marine-transportation/marine-safety/ship-safety-bulletins/measures-support-safe-cruise-travel-canada-ssb-no-18-2021-modified-april-1-2022

 

Of the three, only the oldest document , the Backgrounder, makes any mention of the requirement to use the web version of ArriveCAN. In one section, it appears that this is a requirement for all passengers for boarding, whether in Canada or for a cruise destined for Canada:

 

Passenger obligations

 

Pre-boarding a cruise ship

• Passengers must take a COVID-19 molecular test within 72-hours before boarding a cruise ship or take an antigen test within one day of the scheduled departure.
• Before their cruise departs, a traveller will need to enter their trip information into the ArriveCAN website.

Elsewhere in the document, the wording appears to narrow this requirement to passengers heading to Canada, excluding those boarding here:

 

ArriveCAN

 

Cruise passengers travelling to Canada must submit their information on the web-based version of ArriveCAN to provide mandatory travel information before boarding their cruise ship to report on signs or symptoms of COVID-19.

 

On the other hand, the more recent ArriveCAN document addresses the need to use ArriveCAN, but makes no mention at all about app versus web-based version:

 

Who needs to use ArriveCAN

All travellers, with limited exceptions, whether entering Canada by air, land, rail or marine vessel, must use ArriveCAN unless you're exempt from this requirement due to an accessibility need.

 

You'll need to submit your information within 72 hours:

• before your arrival to Canada
• and/or before boarding a cruise ship destined for Canada

 

Given the fact that the Backgrounder is essentially a press release and is already in conflict with the Ship Safety Bulletin on the issue of testing within 1 day of boarding, the lack of any other current GOC source specifying the use of the web-based version AFAIK leads me to believe that the use of the app is acceptable. But that's JMO, and hopefully more definitive information will be forthcoming as the season kicks off. 

 

[hova]

Thanks everyone for the detailed information and documentation, but let me summarize to ensure I have this correct.

1. I have two days to do my Antigen test prior to boarding (even though the HAL documentation states one day).   I sure hope they update their information!

2&3.  Prior to boarding, fill out both the VeriFLY and ArriveCan (new version) apps.  Upon return to Vancouver, fill out the ArriveCan app again.

 

If this isn't correct, let me know, otherwise a big thank you!

 

hova

 

[broberts]

7 minutes ago, hova said:

Thanks everyone for the detailed information and documentation, but let me summarize to ensure I have this correct.

1. I have two days to do my Antigen test prior to boarding (even though the HAL documentation states one day).   I sure hope they update their information!

2&3.  Prior to boarding, fill out both the VeriFLY and ArriveCan (new version) apps.  Upon return to Vancouver, fill out the ArriveCan app again.

 

If this isn't correct, let me know, otherwise a big thank you!

 

hova

 

 

As with passport expiry dates, in my opinion the most restrictive rule should be used. Until HAL changes its documentation I would presume one day for its cruises departing Canada.

 

[gnome12]

41 minutes ago, hova said:

Prior to boarding, fill out both the VeriFLY and ArriveCan (new version) apps.  Upon return to Vancouver, fill out the ArriveCan app again.

My reading doesn't suggest that you need to fill out ArriveCAN again. Filling it out before boarding seems to cover both. (I thought the reason for filling out ArriveCAN before departure was to avoid issues with connectivity on the cruise, so requiring you to fill it out again seems counter-intuitive.

 

However, what I do get is that it doesn't matter whether you are boarding in Canada or not, you are supposed to fill in ArriveCAN before the cruise departs if you are "destined for Canada" which may mean just a port stop, and definitely means a cruise ending in Canada.

[cmich068]

53 minutes ago, broberts said:

 

As with passport expiry dates, in my opinion the most restrictive rule should be used. Until HAL changes its documentation I would presume one day for its cruises departing Canada.

 

 

Yes, this. Cruise lines can set tighter rules than they are legally required to, and they are balancing Canadian rules, CDC guidelines, and a desire for their ships to not become hotbeds of infection. If HAL still says one day, I would be prepared to have a test one day before. 

[SilvertoGold]

Phoned HAL Seattle this morning.  Reservation agent looked up our booking (Vancouver to Vancouver R/T) and said without any hesitancy that the antigen testing window is two days before scheduled departure.

[redtop101]

29 minutes ago, cmich068 said:

 

Yes, this. Cruise lines can set tighter rules than they are legally required to, and they are balancing Canadian rules, CDC guidelines, and a desire for their ships to not become hotbeds of infection. If HAL still says one day, I would be prepared to have a test one day before. 

....and so, yes - they are totally confusing everyone from cruise line to cruise line 😞

[ehogan]

Just got off the phone with the ArriveCan help line.

 

e.g. An Alaskan round trip from Vancouver

 

As a Canadian, leaving from Canada and embarking on a cruise ship you do NOT need to submit an ArriveCan application (you can still load up your vax info/passport info ahead of time). Makes sense since in order to submit you need to be within 72 hours of arriving  back into Canada and the app wont allow completion and submission until you are in that range.

 

 

Before the cruise returns to Canada to disembark you must submit your completed Arrive Can within 72 hours of arrival.  So that would mean you might have to complete and submit in a U.S. port or using  cruise ship internet.

Edited April 4, 2022 by ehogan
Added comment

[Mike & Zen]

6 hours ago, ehogan said:

With reference to your first sentence above:  We live in B.C. and will be embarking in Vancouver.  I have filled out the ArriveCan app with the information required up to the point where you enter your date and time of return to Canada.  Beyond that point you need to wait until you are within 72 hours of disembarking and returning to Canada and then you can complete and submit your info.  Why would you need to submit info upon embarking and leaving Canada?

Ehogan, thanks for your question.  I found the information in two locations on the web and in a telecon with ArriveCAN.

 

Since the OP is cruising with HAL, it states in their FAQs for cruising under Planning and Cruise Information and in the question, What requirements must be completed prior to boarding?

 

5.  Complete ArriveCAN* within 72 hours of embarkation if sailing to or from a Canadian port.

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/worry-free-promise/travel-well/frequently-asked-questions/faq-for-cruises-from-usa.html

 

The second location was in the Help for ArriveCAN website under, Entering your travel information into ArriveCAN, and clicking on, Your travel date.  There you will see:

 

 You can only complete your submission if you're planning to:

• arrive in Canada within the next 72 hours
• or board a cruise ship within the next 72 hours
• https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/arrivecan/help.html

Lastly, I called ArriveCAN, citing the 2 references above and asked if the first HAL reference is cruise line specific and if the second reference was correct.  And I mentioned this is for a Canadian embarking a cruise ship in a Canadian port, Vancouver, on a closed loop cruise, starting and ending in Vancouver after travelling to Alaska.   After 5 minutes on hold, she came back and quoted me the following from her ArriveCAN data base:

 

"Cruise ship travellers must present an ArriveCAN receipt to the cruise line operator upon boarding including for cruises whose departure and final destination are Canada."

 

Hope this answers your question. 

 

For me, I always prefer to be on the safe side, and will have the info in my ArriveCAN app in case the ships personnel in which I am boarding in their ship ask to see it.  If they don't ask, nothing lost. 

 

And again, I hope the cruise lines update their websites with the latest Transport Canada changes sooner than later to avoid any confusion as I and probably you, too, have witnessed here on Cruise Critic with outdated info.

 

I'll get my fair share of this as we'll be spending about 3 months cruising Alaska/BC this year, a month out of Seattle in two Princess ships;  a month onboard Queen Elizabeth out of Vancouver, and about a month onboard a Princess ship out of Vancouver, too.  Keeping our fingers crossed about cancellations!  Enjoy your day.

 

 

[broberts]

1 hour ago, Mike & Zen said:

You can only complete your submission if you're planning to:

• arrive in Canada within the next 72 hours
• or board a cruise ship within the next 72 hours
•  

 

The current content at https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/arrivecan.html#a3 is slightly different:

 

You'll need to submit your information within 72 hours:

• before your arrival to Canada
• and/or before boarding a cruise ship destined for Canada

 

Sometimes browsers do not display most current content. GOC web pages have a Date Modified near the bottom. This quote is from the page dated 2022-04-01.

 

 

Edited April 4, 2022 by broberts

[ehogan]

2 hours ago, Mike & Zen said:

Lastly, I called ArriveCAN, citing the 2 references above and asked if the first HAL reference is cruise line specific and if the second reference was correct.  And I mentioned this is for a Canadian embarking a cruise ship in a Canadian port, Vancouver, on a closed loop cruise, starting and ending in Vancouver after travelling to Alaska.   After 5 minutes on hold, she came back and quoted me the following from her ArriveCAN data base:

 

"Cruise ship travellers must present an ArriveCAN receipt to the cruise line operator upon boarding including for cruises whose departure and final destination are Canada."

Hopefully this will be my last question.

 

So from the above interpretation does this mean that upon receiving the ArriveCan app receipt for embarking on the cruise in Vancouver I use this receipt again for CBSA for disembarkation in Vancouver two weeks later (which doesn't seem logical).  Or, do I need to make another submission 72 hours before arriving back in Vancouver.  
 

Princess is not asking for ArriveCan proof on embarkation as far as I could discover.

[Mike & Zen]

Lol.  And the current content here, the one I quoted in my last post is current.

 

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/arrivecan/help.html

 

You can only complete your submission if you're planning to:

• arrive in Canada within the next 72 hours
• or board a cruise ship within the next 72 hours

The above is from the Help for ArriveCAN website with Date Modified: 22-04-01 as below

Date modified:

 

2022-04-01

 

Is it my turn now? LOL!   

 

All joking aside, I suggest we get back to the OP questions to make sure they are answered with the most up to date "official" information effective 1 April 2022 (not old backgrounder news, etc). 

 

Very briefly, OP, yes, Transport Canada changed the negative antigen testing requirement to no more than 2 days before initially boarding the cruise ship from 1 day.   And the requirement for a negative molecular test no more than 72 hours before initially boarding the cruise ship remains the same. 

 

The most important change for most cruisers is the change from 1 day to 2 days for the negative antigen test.  This is a big stress reliever.

 

You have the official link from Transport Canada to read all requirements effective 1 April 2022.  There is lots of good info in that Ship Safety Bulletin.  And SilvertoGold verified this with a telecon to HAL.  Thanks for that. 

 

Since you are sailing with HAL your question regarding ArriveCAN is answered in the HAL FAQs.  You have the link for that, too.

 

Complete ArriveCAN* within 72 hours of embarkation if sailing to or from a Canadian port.

 

I may suggest you go with the above for now.  On your return to Canada, you will have to enter new arrival times, etc, etc, on the ArriveCAN app within 72 hours of entering Vancouver.

 

It takes little time to enter your data in ArriveCAN to have it ready for your boarding just in case you are asked for it by shore staff.   The shore staff, from my experience, is more interested in seeing you are fully vaccinated, have a negative Covid test within the correct timeframe, etc.  As SilvertoGold stated, the Verifly is not required but it is suggested/recommended to use to speed up embarkation.  Certainly use Verifly to help with embarkation.

 

My telecon with an ArriveCAN help desk rep echoes the above regarding ArriveCAN.  She quoted directly off her ArriveCAN data base.

 

"Cruise ship travellers must present an ArriveCAN receipt to the cruise line operator upon boarding including for cruises whose departure and final destination are Canada."

 

Another poster called ArriveCAN and received a different answer.

 

The above and other posts by people on this thread have sage advice.  The key issue is that it does take awhile for cruise lines to update information in a timely manner to give people a warm and fuzzy.  Cruise lines shore staff are short staffed, too.  But patience will be needed for cruise lines to update their websites. They will have to do it shortly as cruises to Alaska start soon and cruisers who know about the official new changes, especially the antigen test from 1 day to 2 days, are getting impatient.  Even the travel canada website has the old info regarding the antigen testing requirements.  I brought that to the attention of the ArriveCAN help person, and she said she would forward that to her managers soonest.

 

If anyone here has anything else to help the OP, hova, please post.  Patience to all.  Thanks.

 

 

[Mike & Zen]

3 hours ago, ehogan said:

Hopefully this will be my last question.

 

So from the above interpretation does this mean that upon receiving the ArriveCan app receipt for embarking on the cruise in Vancouver I use this receipt again for CBSA for disembarkation in Vancouver two weeks later (which doesn't seem logical).  Or, do I need to make another submission 72 hours before arriving back in Vancouver.  
 

Princess is not asking for ArriveCan proof on embarkation as far as I could discover.

Yes, you are correct.  You will need to re enter new times, etc, for entering Canada.  Yes, my go to cruiseline, Princess, in my opinion, really needs to look at their wording in this Canada requirements matter.  It has caused a lot of misinterpretations on the Princess threads!  As I mentioned before, when crossing the border back to Canada, CBSA didn't even look at our ArriveCAN app!  And all the above could change in a heartbeat by Transport Canada. Hopefully, the cruise lines will get their websites changed quickly.

[Mike & Zen]

7 hours ago, SilvertoGold said:

Phoned HAL Seattle this morning.  Reservation agent looked up our booking (Vancouver to Vancouver R/T) and said without any hesitancy that the antigen testing window is two days before scheduled departure.

Excellent!  Happy to hear you got a knowledgeable agent.

[Mike & Zen]

12 hours ago, SilvertoGold said:

Mike and Zen!  Thank you for the exhaustive info.

 

Two questions:

 

HAL's info pages note both one day and two days for the Antigen test.  It does seem that it is, now, two days, right?

 

HAL's info page recommends VeriFLY.  Where is it noted that it is required?

 

Thanks again for all this consolidated info.  Very helpful!

Your welcome, and thank you for the kind words. Lots of changes happening, and again, have patience waiting for the cruise lines to update their websites.

[Raveler]

On HAL's site under "cruises from US & Canada" it still says 1 day for the antigen test. I hope it's two days as we are flying 1 day early to YVR and I don't want to pack and get on a plane if positive.

[hova]

Mike & Zen and all the rest of you great people, thank you for the information, it is really appreciated.  I now have the information that I need, and most of all, will continue to read these forums for changes that are sure to happen over the next month.    Looking forward to cruising after a two year absence!

hova