Cunard updated vaccination requirements 13th April

[July1963]

We will be sailing from Southampton July 15th. Flying in from the USA the day before. We will have limited Internet access and transport. How do we arrange this? It does not seem possible given the test has to be within a day of boarding. If we had know that we cannot test at the terminal a few weeks ago before final payment we would have cancelled. Not happy!!

Edited April 13, 2022 by July1963

[exlondoner]

25 minutes ago, July1963 said:

We will be sailing from Southampton July 15th. Flying in from the USA the day before. We will have limited Internet access and transport. How do we arrange this? It does not seem possible given the test has to be within a day of boarding. If we had know that we cannot test at the terminal a few weeks ago before final payment we would have cancelled. Not happy!!

I’m sure you would be able to get a test on arrival at Heathrow.

[Ukulele girl]

We are from the UK. We fly into Vancouver 2 days before we join our cruise on the 14th June. Timing tests is going to be difficult with the new rules plus Canadian rules.

When we skied in January we had to have an observed Lateral Flow Test (same as an antigen test). We booked this with a local chemist (Lloyds Group) and a member of staff did the test for us using what looked like a standard Gov Lateral Flow test kit. We were then given a certificate which we could show where necessary. Cost was £25 each.

On our return we had to complete a test on day 2 and we used an on line tests system via ukhealthtesting.com. They sent us a test (again like Gov Lat Flow kit) and we had to do the test at home and send a picture of the result, they then sent an email to confirm the result. This test cost around £15 each. 

I assume we will have to have an observed test as close to before we fly as possible but probably another in Vancouver as the first may have run out. We are staying at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver and their website mentions that they have a testing centre within the hotel. Other hotels may have the same.

In another post someone mentioned using Walgreens Vancouver for rapid testing (no idea what this is, chemist?, shop?).

Trying so hard not to let any of this hassle spoil the run up to the big holiday but I am stressing over the testing now.

[elmsliebev]

4 minutes ago, Ukulele girl said:

We are from the UK. We fly into Vancouver 2 days before we join our cruise on the 14th June. Timing tests is going to be difficult with the new rules plus Canadian rules.

When we skied in January we had to have an observed Lateral Flow Test (same as an antigen test). We booked this with a local chemist (Lloyds Group) and a member of staff did the test for us using what looked like a standard Gov Lateral Flow test kit. We were then given a certificate which we could show where necessary. Cost was £25 each.

On our return we had to complete a test on day 2 and we used an on line tests system via ukhealthtesting.com. They sent us a test (again like Gov Lat Flow kit) and we had to do the test at home and send a picture of the result, they then sent an email to confirm the result. This test cost around £15 each. 

I assume we will have to have an observed test as close to before we fly as possible but probably another in Vancouver as the first may have run out. We are staying at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver and their website mentions that they have a testing centre within the hotel. Other hotels may have the same.

In another post someone mentioned using Walgreens Vancouver for rapid testing (no idea what this is, chemist?, shop?).

Trying so hard not to let any of this hassle spoil the run up to the big holiday but I am stressing over the testing now.

that's helpful info, thanks. You currently don't need a test to fly into Canada if fully vax'd (as of 1st April!), it'sarranging the pre-cruise one that's the pain. On the Canada forum on here it seems some of the cruise lines have now changed to an observed LFT 2 days before, rather than 1 as Cunard say, so that may change. 

[Ukulele girl]

Thank you for the info about Canada not needing testing prior to travel (we are fully vax'd and boosted). I have just added to my post on the Roll Call to give the company that the hotel uses. 

I just looked at the information at the hotel and the testing is completed by a company called Fast-Test.Ca  who seem to have several locations in Vancouver offering various types of test. These can be booked on line I think.

[elmsliebev]

12 minutes ago, Ukulele girl said:

Thank you for the info about Canada not needing testing prior to travel (we are fully vax'd and boosted). I have just added to my post on the Roll Call to give the company that the hotel uses. 

I just looked at the information at the hotel and the testing is completed by a company called Fast-Test.Ca  who seem to have several locations in Vancouver offering various types of test. These can be booked on line I think.

I think we will be at the Fairmont Airport hotel (need to get confirmation) and I think the airport has testing facilities. We arrive on a Sunday evening, which doesn't help!

[July1963]

I made a mistake, We are actually arriving 2 days before we sail. It gives us a bit more time but still a hassle and expense. I just spoke with Cunard and they advised going to an approved testing center for the test. The lady I spoke with said we could have had issues with the at home/verified kits and it is safer to go to a facility. We will be staying with my sister in Basingstoke so will find somewhere nearby and go out on the day before. I did clarify the term "day before" with Cunard and it is any time during the day before. We are sailing on the 15th so we can test anytime on the 14th, even 4am if we wished!

[mcloaked]

Does anyone have a list of accepted private Covid test providers that Cunard will accept for the antigen test?   For example are the Boots or LloydsPharmacy tests that they do with a booked appointment acceptable? 

[cook68]

 We have just booked a private in person test. [need to travel 12 miles day before]  Testing with a DR who will then give us a certificate. £29 each Then we can all quite merrily march  into the local coffee shop catch covid and bring it on board with us the very next day. Fabulous! 

[Desert Cruisers]

There is a testing site at the Vancouver Airport. It's called CVM Medical.  They charge CAD 79 (+GST) for a rapid antigen test.  You can book and pay for test at covid-medical.ca.

 

Canada has changed the requirement from 1 to 2 days pre-embarkation.

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

 

A number of cruise lines started out with the 1-day requirement for cruises embarking in Canada but have now changed to 2-days.  Let's hope that Cunard gets its act together.  We board the QE in Ft. Lauderdale on May 14 and take it all the way to Vancouver and then on to Alaska.  Best that I can figure out is that we can be tested onboard before our initial arrival into Vancouver so that we can continue on the Alaska sailing.

 

Just as you do for flying into Canada, you must complete ArriveCAN & get a receipt before embarkation.

 

[cook68]

21 minutes ago, mcloaked said:

Does anyone have a list of accepted private Covid test providers that Cunard will accept for the antigen test?   For example are the Boots or LloydsPharmacy tests that they do with a booked appointment acceptable? 

We just booked from this list on the GOV.UK website. Note to add there is no search option [why one earth not is beyond me] you will have to just scroll away.... 
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1068746/covid-private-testing-providers-general-testing-13-4-22.csv/preview

Edited April 13, 2022 by cook68

[Pippa04]

2 hours ago, July1963 said:

We will be sailing from Southampton July 15th. Flying in from the USA the day before. We will have limited Internet access and transport. How do we arrange this? It does not seem possible given the test has to be within a day of boarding. If we had know that we cannot test at the terminal a few weeks ago before final payment we would have cancelled. Not happy!!

Where are you staying in Southampton?  There's a same day testing clinic in the West Quay shopping centre .  I think it's called the regenerative clinic.

[mcloaked]

The Southampton option won't work for anyone getting the coach on the day from other parts of the UK - so for those of us who do a 7 hour or more coach trip on the day of departure, we have to be able to do a private test near home the day before departure - and presumably any local provider that will do an antigen test and email the result would satisfy the new requirements, but as you say the government UK list is long and not obvious which of the many options is both locally convenient as well as acceptable to Cunard.

[D&N]

I believe Boots & LloydsPharmacy are "Fit to Fly" compatible and must therefore supply certificates in some manner that would satisfy Cunard. All the definitions of what is acceptable are on the "Preparing to sail - at the terminal - Southampton Departures" section of the Cunard en-gb website.

I note that it clearly states: "..does not need to be medically observed".

 

Certified tests from online suppliers should be fine as well. I looked at the P&O guidance yesterday, they give some examples of suppliers. We've used one of those (Randox Health) twice, the latter for LF/Antigen 2 day arrivals testing in UK. We chose them because they would send the tests to any UK address we specified and dispatched the tests soon after order was placed. We found some of the others were targeting delivery on the day the test was required and thought that was very risky particularly as we were only in the UK for 53 hours at a weekend.

 

Randox required you to use an app to scan and upload the test result. There was a QR code on the body of the plastic test result unit. About 15 minutes later a certificate appeared in the app.

 

 

 

 

[2BACRUISER]

I'm supposing as the test required is now unobserved for cruises out of S'ham a fit to fly test provided by companies like Chronomics (we used them to go away with TUI) will suffice? We had to do them at 9pm the night before flying the next day. 

 

Just checked Randox too they do one with their app £13.50 per person so provided you have wifi you could do your tests in transit from home to s'ham.

Edited April 13, 2022 by 2BACRUISER
to add info

[July1963]

29 minutes ago, Pippa04 said:

Where are you staying in Southampton?  There's a same day testing clinic in the West Quay shopping centre .  I think it's called the regenerative clinic.

Hi Pippa04, we are staying with my sister in Basingstoke. We will look for a place locally. I note the Government list only list by region, not town.

 

Update, I did find a Govt approved site LocalPCR in Hook less than 20 mins travel. They can do an Antigen with certificate. Expensive 55 Pounds.

Edited April 13, 2022 by July1963
Update

[mcloaked]

23 minutes ago, 2BACRUISER said:

I'm supposing as the test required is now unobserved for cruises out of S'ham a fit to fly test provided by companies like Chronomics (we used them to go away with TUI) will suffice? We had to do them at 9pm the night before flying the next day. 

 

Just checked Randox too they do one with their app £13.50 per person so provided you have wifi you could do your tests in transit from home to s'ham.

 

A mobile phone connection with 4G ( or 3G) would be just as good as wifi.....

[cook68]

22 minutes ago, July1963 said:

Hi Pippa04, we are staying with my sister in Basingstoke. We will look for a place locally. I note the Government list only list by region, not town.

 

Update, I did find a Govt approved site LocalPCR in Hook less than 20 mins travel. They can do an Antigen with certificate. Expensive 55 Pounds.

It looks like they are all different pricing then ours is £29 Fortunately not had to pay anything yet so If we do find somewhere closer or cheaper we can cancel in plenty of time. 

[LifeonMars]

1 hour ago, July1963 said:

I made a mistake, We are actually arriving 2 days before we sail. It gives us a bit more time but still a hassle and expense. I just spoke with Cunard and they advised going to an approved testing center for the test. The lady I spoke with said we could have had issues with the at home/verified kits and it is safer to go to a facility. We will be staying with my sister in Basingstoke so will find somewhere nearby and go out on the day before. I did clarify the term "day before" with Cunard and it is any time during the day before. We are sailing on the 15th so we can test anytime on the 14th, even 4am if we wished!

Any Lloyds Pharmacy nearby ? 

 

https://lloydspharmacy.com/pages/covid-19-lateral-flow-test?gclid=CjwKCAjw6dmSBhBkEiwA_W-EoDxYxJgJfCqeo8O6sRimgrFk-NSQCLO4q9nQ9lsuOvKkrulClQHiCRoCNYsQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

Or get your sister to order kits in your names with necessary documentation to her address and you do the tests at  her home the day before and upload and get emailed the results

From Qured or Randox or Prenetics etc.

 

Edited April 13, 2022 by LifeonMars

[cook68]

If anyone wants to find an in person testing centre if you down load rather than read online the GOV. UK link you can then change the PDF into "sort" then  change to read name or area. This makes it a lot easier to search the list. 
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1068746/covid-private-testing-providers-general-testing-13-4-22.csv/preview?fbclid=IwAR0LHSkc6dzJAGn9xeg3kWsrg1TUHUxQ2mFXmFqRV25-q70_XBfzgGgKahk

[July1963]

1 hour ago, LifeonMars said:

Any Lloyds Pharmacy nearby ? 

 

https://lloydspharmacy.com/pages/covid-19-lateral-flow-test?gclid=CjwKCAjw6dmSBhBkEiwA_W-EoDxYxJgJfCqeo8O6sRimgrFk-NSQCLO4q9nQ9lsuOvKkrulClQHiCRoCNYsQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

Or get your sister to order kits in your names with necessary documentation to her address and you do the tests at  her home the day before and upload and get emailed the results

From Qured or Randox or Prenetics etc.

 

Thank you LifeonMars. I found one in Sainsbury's only 2 miles from my sisters. It is 29 Pounds so a lot cheaper. I will need to confirm the information they include on the certificate conforms to Cunard requirements. Thank you again.

[Lakesregion]

Good of Cunard to reach out to all who are booked even on the world cruises about vaccinations and testing though the testing part is rather vague at this point. Navigating through all of this morass is like trying to cross a large quicksand pool without a very wide pole.

 

I anticipate multiple changes before we sail in January  2023 particularly in as much as Hong Kong remains closed and that is a vital point on the itinerary.

[Germancruiser]

I don´t see what the change is from my own sailing out of New York 5 weeks ago. I needed to be boostered and I needed to be tested negativ. Both have been checked prio check in. So I don´t see the change in their new version as of April.

[Lakesregion]

25 minutes ago, Germancruiser said:

I don´t see what the change is from my own sailing out of New York 5 weeks ago. I needed to be boostered and I needed to be tested negativ. Both have been checked prio check in. So I don´t see the change in their new version as of April.

No real change other then they extended the requirements through the World Cruise dates of January 2023. And it would appear they changed the cancellation policy from just FCC to a full refund if you find the requirements to cruise onerous.

[elmsliebev]

13 hours ago, Desert Cruisers said:

There is a testing site at the Vancouver Airport. It's called CVM Medical.  They charge CAD 79 (+GST) for a rapid antigen test.  You can book and pay for test at covid-medical.ca.

 

Canada has changed the requirement from 1 to 2 days pre-embarkation.

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

 

A number of cruise lines started out with the 1-day requirement for cruises embarking in Canada but have now changed to 2-days.  Let's hope that Cunard gets its act together.  We board the QE in Ft. Lauderdale on May 14 and take it all the way to Vancouver and then on to Alaska.  Best that I can figure out is that we can be tested onboard before our initial arrival into Vancouver so that we can continue on the Alaska sailing.

 

Just as you do for flying into Canada, you must complete ArriveCAN & get a receipt before embarkation.

 

thanks for this. We'll wait till a bit nearer the time so see if things change again but otherwise book here. I don't suppose you know if this place is after we clear customs and how long clearing customs would normally take (Sunday arrival c 18:45)? I'm hoping Cunard will change to 2 days as we could then get one done in the UK before we fly.