COVID test required for Quebec City - where to get?

[snoopysnake]

We are cruising from Boston to Quebec City (one way) and boarding a different cruise line (NCL) on Sep.9 to return to Boston less than 72 hours later.  There seems to be a lot of conflicitng info about whether NCL will require us to get a COVID test to sail from QC to Boston.  Someone from NCL told us that the test is required and that the other sources are not correct.

 

Anyway - we want to be prepared, so where can we get a COVID test in Quebec City so we can travel back to Boston again?.  We are getting our test for departing from Boston but that won't be good anymore for returning.

 

Please advise us!  Thanks in advance.

[broberts]

At the present time anyone 5 or older, boarding a cruise ship in Canada or that will be porting in Canada must have a negative COVID test to board.

 

You will need a negative test to board in Boston and another to board in Quebec city.

 

See https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/cruise for details and up-to-date requirements.

[LHT28]

this  may help or not

https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/cruise#pre-embarkation-test

 

 You will also need to fill in the ARRIVECAN  before boarding  the ship in Boston

[sunviking90]

As others confirmed, you do need to test. Most people now are doing online proctored tests with their own (sometimes free from the government) kit as it’s the most cost effective way. If you have hotel wifi, it should be fairly easy. If you’re not comfortable doing this, I would contact the hotel where you’ll be staying in Quebec City and see if they can recommend a private testing clinic nearby. I googled and found this company. https://covidtest.santemedic.ca/quebec#contact
Their location is about 3 miles from the tourist areas in Quebec City. Hope this helps.

Enjoy your cruises! Your itinerary is one of my favourites.

Edited August 23, 2022 by sunviking90

[lx200gps]

14 hours ago, snoopysnake said:

We are cruising from Boston to Quebec City (one way) and boarding a different cruise line (NCL) on Sep.9 to return to Boston less than 72 hours later.  There seems to be a lot of conflicitng info about whether NCL will require us to get a COVID test to sail from QC to Boston.  Someone from NCL told us that the test is required and that the other sources are not correct.

 

Anyway - we want to be prepared, so where can we get a COVID test in Quebec City so we can travel back to Boston again?.  We are getting our test for departing from Boston but that won't be good anymore for returning.

 

Please advise us!  Thanks in advance.

A lot of pharmacies in Quebec still offer COVID testing and at reasonable cost.  Look for names like Pharmaprix and Uniprix, two very big province-wide pharmacy chains.  Where exactly will you be staying in Quebec City, that would help us nail down a location where you can get tested. Surprisingly, the Quebec government is actually helpful and has created a website that we have used a number of times to find, and book, our pre-travel COVID tests.  All you need to do is enter your postal code and it identifies available COVID Testing sites near you, sorted by distance.

 

https://portal3.clicsante.ca/

 

Select category COVID-19, Select sub-category COVID Antigen Screening (no symptoms) and enter the postal code, and it gives you a long list of business, pharmacies etc, to choose from. Not all have openings every day so you may have to go through a few until you find one that matches your requirements.

[Brentwood Bay]

We are embarking the Statendam on September 7 from Quebec City.  To meet the Covid testing requirements we have organized an antigen test for September 6.  The nurse/technician is coming to our hotel (Port Royal) room to administer/monitor the testing for us and friends.  The testing firm is called:

 

Equipe Medicale Quebec 

 

The testing cost is $90 Can per person.

[hazysnake]

3 hours ago, lx200gps said:

A lot of pharmacies in Quebec still offer COVID testing and at reasonable cost.  Look for names like Pharmaprix and Uniprix, two very big province-wide pharmacy chains.  Where exactly will you be staying in Quebec City, that would help us nail down a location where you can get tested. Surprisingly, the Quebec government is actually helpful and has created a website that we have used a number of times to find, and book, our pre-travel COVID tests.  All you need to do is enter your postal code and it identifies available COVID Testing sites near you, sorted by distance.

 

https://portal3.clicsante.ca/

 

Select category COVID-19, Select sub-category COVID Antigen Screening (no symptoms) and enter the postal code, and it gives you a long list of business, pharmacies etc, to choose from. Not all have openings every day so you may have to go through a few until you find one that matches your requirements.

Our hotel in Quebec City is the Le Concorde.

[hazysnake]

3 hours ago, Brentwood Bay said:

We are embarking the Statendam on September 7 from Quebec City.  To meet the Covid testing requirements we have organized an antigen test for September 6.  The nurse/technician is coming to our hotel (Port Royal) room to administer/monitor the testing for us and friends.  The testing firm is called:

 

Equipe Medicale Quebec 

 

The testing cost is $90 Can per person.

I Googled that clinic and I only found their Montreal address.  What is their contact information (e.g. telephone, email) for Quebec City?

[3Shelaghs]

4 hours ago, Brentwood Bay said:

 

 

The testing cost is $90 Can per person.

OUCH!!!!

[JillK]

2 hours ago, 3Shelaghs said:

OUCH!!!!

Testing costs suck all round but the above price isn't too bad, especially when you consider the nurse is coming to them... when the cruise line regulations changed after we had booked our cruise and flights and we suddenly needed to test our sons (10 and 12) when we would already be in California, Carnival was willing to provide testing at the pier for $150 USD per! We bought the Switch tests and did them from the hotel for around $100 Cdn. 

[david,Mississauga]

6 hours ago, hazysnake said:

Our hotel in Quebec City is the Le Concorde.

 

Pharmaprix is the Québec name of the Shoppers Drug Mart chain.  Their site says they charge $40 for a rapid antigen test. That is the same as in Ontario and cheaper than in British Columbia.

 

You can search for the most convenient location.

 

https://www.pharmaprix.ca/en/health-and-pharmacy/covid-19/testing/antigen-screening

 

The postal code for Le Concorde is  G1R 4W6.

[doctoranna]

Note that if you have had Covid (documented by a positive PCR test) in the last 180 days and recovered (last positive test more than 10 days ago and no symptoms now), you would just have to show your positive PCR test result to board the ship.

[Lois R]

On 8/23/2022 at 11:38 AM, Brentwood Bay said:

We are embarking the Statendam on September 7 from Quebec City.  To meet the Covid testing requirements we have organized an antigen test for September 6.  The nurse/technician is coming to our hotel (Port Royal) room to administer/monitor the testing for us and friends.  The testing firm is called:

 

Equipe Medicale Quebec 

 

The testing cost is $90 Can per person.

Did you call the firm and set it up yourselves or did the hotel advocate on your behalf?

[snoopysnake]

Thank you all for your responses - we wound up getting tested in the Quebec City terminal right as we disembarked.  We had to wait about an hour for the test area to open (about 10 am - it seems to be a little informal) but got our tests, which were NEGATIVE!  They also didn't charge us.  (I suppose it will end up on our medical insurance bills, though.)