ArriveCAN Nightmare & Random Testing

[realnice46]

Filled out first form , then things went smooth at airport and flight to Vancouver. Arrived at hotel, checked in and room was ready. Great! Then went to get our Covid test, that was smooth and quick. Things went downhill from there. I was unable to access emails until we returned to hotel after late lunch. At first phone wouldn’t connect to Wi-Fi, Joanna at hotel was amazing and fixed the problem. Then was able to access my emails, we both tested negative, perfect. Then the next email that I had been randomly selected for another test. Of course by now it’s too late to test today. Finally registered and will go for in person test tomorrow and hope that’s negative and receive results in time to board ship on Sunday.

Next problem was filling out second ArriveCAN form again Joanna helped with that but still not sure that’s right and I just realized I entered wrong flight number, not sure how to fix that yet. Sorry I’m rambling but it’s been a awful day and I needed to vent. Still can’t get excited about cruise.

[Nicole&Pete]

On 9/10/2022 at 11:31 AM, realnice46 said:

Filled out first form , then things went smooth at airport and flight to Vancouver. Arrived at hotel, checked in and room was ready. Great! Then went to get our Covid test, that was smooth and quick. Things went downhill from there. I was unable to access emails until we returned to hotel after late lunch. At first phone wouldn’t connect to Wi-Fi, Joanna at hotel was amazing and fixed the problem. Then was able to access my emails, we both tested negative, perfect. Then the next email that I had been randomly selected for another test. Of course by now it’s too late to test today. Finally registered and will go for in person test tomorrow and hope that’s negative and receive results in time to board ship on Sunday.

Next problem was filling out second ArriveCAN form again Joanna helped with that but still not sure that’s right and I just realized I entered wrong flight number, not sure how to fix that yet. Sorry I’m rambling but it’s been a awful day and I needed to vent. Still can’t get excited about cruise.

Hello,

 

I hope you got everything sorted in the end?

 

Hope you have a lovely cruise!

[WorkerBee74]

Sounds more like an internet nightmare than an ArriveCAN nightmare...

 

 

[Arizona Wildcat]

On 9/10/2022 at 2:01 AM, realnice46 said:

Filled out first form , then things went smooth at airport and flight to Vancouver. Arrived at hotel, checked in and room was ready. Great! Then went to get our Covid test, that was smooth and quick. Things went downhill from there. I was unable to access emails until we returned to hotel after late lunch. At first phone wouldn’t connect to Wi-Fi, Joanna at hotel was amazing and fixed the problem. Then was able to access my emails, we both tested negative, perfect. Then the next email that I had been randomly selected for another test. Of course by now it’s too late to test today. Finally registered and will go for in person test tomorrow and hope that’s negative and receive results in time to board ship on Sunday.

Next problem was filling out second ArriveCAN form again Joanna helped with that but still not sure that’s right and I just realized I entered wrong flight number, not sure how to fix that yet. Sorry I’m rambling but it’s been a awful day and I needed to vent. Still can’t get excited about cruise.

You certainly had problems with your WiFi connection.   Understandable.   You were upset and entered some possibly incorrect  data into ArriveCAN.   All you needed or still need to do is login to the ArriveCAN app and enter the data again.  All your personal data such as vaccination and passport will be there.  Takes a couple minutes.  Have not heard any issue with ArriveCAN yet.

As for Canada selecting you for a covid test, that policy has been in place for some months.  You simply needed to provide them a copy of the same negative test you showed the cruiseline.

For others with WiFi issues would it be less stressful to simply pay for a bit of data when overseas?  We paid $4.75. for 19 minutes of time to guarantee we could complete our proctored covid test and get the results.

[realnice46]

On 9/11/2022 at 10:27 AM, Arizona Wildcat said:

You certainly had problems with your WiFi connection.   Understandable.   You were upset and entered some possibly incorrect  data into ArriveCAN.   All you needed or still need to do is login to the ArriveCAN app and enter the data again.  All your personal data such as vaccination and passport will be there.  Takes a couple minutes.  Have not heard any issue with ArriveCAN yet.

As for Canada selecting you for a covid test, that policy has been in place for some months.  You simply needed to provide them a copy of the same negative test you showed the cruiseline.

For others with WiFi issues would it be less stressful to simply pay for a bit of data when overseas?  We paid $4.75. for 19 minutes of time to guarantee we could complete our proctored covid test and get the results.

Finally on board ship. Random testing was free but an $8 cab ride each way. You had to use a life lab approved facility. Now I get email to check my results and when I click website under maintenance.

[idealsol]

Just wondering if you arrive in Canada to leave on cruise later the same day and then get selected for random testing.

What happens in you simply don’t do the random test

[d9704011]

8 minutes ago, idealsol said:

Just wondering if you arrive in Canada to leave on cruise later the same day and then get selected for random testing.

What happens in you simply don’t do the random test

The RCMP and CBSA will hound you mercilessly.  Probably, next time you try to cross the Canadian border, there will be untold questions to answer and forms to be filled out.... in triplicate!!

[idealsol]

25 minutes ago, d9704011 said:

The RCMP and CBSA will hound you mercilessly.  Probably, next time you try to cross the Canadian border, there will be untold questions to answer and forms to be filled out.... in triplicate!!

HaHa !!

[lovecruzin]

On 9/11/2022 at 11:27 AM, Arizona Wildcat said:

 

As for Canada selecting you for a covid test, that policy has been in place for some months.  You simply needed to provide them a copy of the same negative test you showed the cruiseline.

 

Flying to YVR this week. Are you saying that if we are randomly selected upon arrival for a Covid test, we can just show the negative test that we are using to board the ship?

If so, who would we show it to? 

[TrueCruiseaholic]

4 minutes ago, lovecruzin said:

Flying to YVR this week. Are you saying that if we are randomly selected upon arrival for a Covid test, we can just show the negative test that we are using to board the ship?

If so, who would we show it to? 

You still have to test in Canada. This was the case a few months ago.

 

Personally know a cruiser flying through Canada back to US a few months ago. They were randomly selected for testing. Previous COVID test for travel was not sufficient (back when US was requiring a negative test). They had to be retested in the airport before their connection. Cruiser told Canadian officials that they were traveling straight through Canada. Canada still requires testing in Canada regardless of a previous negative test before boarding a plane into Canada. They received their negative result approximately 24 hours after testing in the airport - when they were already home.

[dlh015]

"They received their negative result approximately 24 hours after testing in the airport - when they were already home."

 

How very fortunate for them! I mean, imagine if the RCMP had to ride all that distance!  🤣

[Northern Aurora]

21 minutes ago, lovecruzin said:

Flying to YVR this week. Are you saying that if we are randomly selected upon arrival for a Covid test, we can just show the negative test that we are using to board the ship?

If so, who would we show it to? 

 

This actually happened to friends.  They flew into Vancouver less than 12 hours before boarding a cruise ship.  They tested negative before boarding the flight from the US to Vancouver.  The husband was flagged for random testing at the Vancouver airport.  Even though he had a extremely recent proctored test he needed to submit to the second test.  Check your e-mail before leaving the airport.  There are instructions in the e-mail.

[lovecruzin]

23 minutes ago, Northern Aurora said:

 

This actually happened to friends.  They flew into Vancouver less than 12 hours before boarding a cruise ship.  They tested negative before boarding the flight from the US to Vancouver.  The husband was flagged for random testing at the Vancouver airport.  Even though he had a extremely recent proctored test he needed to submit to the second test.  Check your e-mail before leaving the airport.  There are instructions in the e-mail.

I thought it sounded too good to be true 😆 

[cmich068]

11 hours ago, idealsol said:

Just wondering if you arrive in Canada to leave on cruise later the same day and then get selected for random testing.

What happens in you simply don’t do the random test

 

Practically speaking, the Public Health Agency of Canada will maybe call you to ask why you didn't do the test, and if so you will advise them you have left Canada, and then they'll drop the whole thing.

[GateGuardian]

Just to add, the chances of 

11 hours ago, lovecruzin said:

Flying to YVR this week. Are you saying that if we are randomly selected upon arrival for a Covid test, we can just show the negative test that we are using to board the ship?

If so, who would we show it to? 

 

Chances of getting randomly selected now is rare now with the cases gone back down. It was bit different a few months back. However, if you do get selected, none of the previous tests matters.

 

Also, they're suppose to give you a kit if you get randomly selected or if they're no testing available on site. I travel a few times a month back and forth between US and CAN and have never been randomly selected for testing.

Edited September 14, 2022 by GateGuardian

[Ashland]

4 hours ago, GateGuardian said:

Just to add, the chances of 

 

Chances of getting randomly selected now is rare now with the cases gone back down. It was bit different a few months back. However, if you do get selected, none of the previous tests matters.

 

Also, they're suppose to give you a kit if you get randomly selected or if they're no testing available on site. I travel a few times a month back and forth between US and CAN and have never been randomly selected for testing.

Flying into YVR from US for a cruise the same day. If randomly selected to test are you saying they will give us a test kit at YVR...I thought we had to go to an off site location to test ??

 

I hope you're right about being selected is less probable now as we've been stressing a lot about how the six of us will manage as we have private transportation scheduled to take us from YVR to Canada Place. Hoping you'll reply and thanks for your info.

[cruising teacher]

I was selected yesterday. Our taxi driver said 3 people per flight. Plan on a $20 taxi ride to the testing facility and another taxi ride to your hotel or the port. No bathrooms or internet but there is a McDonalds with both. A Royal PITA!!! Guess when the next time is I’m coming back to Canada🥺

[dlh015]

Looks like another case of  'my dogma ran over my karma'...

[LeeW]

Second hand, but from person sailing with friends who were affected:

 

26 August NB Radiance lady was selected for random testing when she flew into Vancouver.  Tested at local pharmacy/test facility in town.  Two days after sailing she was notified she was positive.  She had been negative when she did her precruise test the day before her flight.  She was quarantined for remainder of cruise.  Her husband tested negative but wasn't allowed to eat in public areas.  

 

Cruise didn't seem to have much of a covid issue.  Also heard from people boarding the next cruise in Seward that many people on two cruisetour buses failed the preboarding test.  Since we were doing B2B we didn't have to test for the cruise back to Vancouver.

[gold1953]

7 hours ago, LeeW said:

Second hand, but from person sailing with friends who were affected:

 

26 August NB Radiance lady was selected for random testing when she flew into Vancouver.  Tested at local pharmacy/test facility in town.  Two days after sailing she was notified she was positive.  She had been negative when she did her precruise test the day before her flight.  She was quarantined for remainder of cruise.  Her husband tested negative but wasn't allowed to eat in public areas.  

 

Cruise didn't seem to have much of a covid issue.  Also heard from people boarding the next cruise in Seward that many people on two cruisetour buses failed the preboarding test.  Since we were doing B2B we didn't have to test for the cruise back to Vancouver.

Her pre cruise test would be antigen. The other test PCR which is much more sensitive. She may not have been negative the day before but just not enough virus to show on antigen 

[vermonter16]

4 hours ago, gold1953 said:

Her pre cruise test would be antigen. The other test PCR which is much more sensitive. She may not have been negative the day before but just not enough virus to show on antigen 

A PCR test could have shown she'd been positive months prior.  Took a PCR test a week before the cruise,  a rapid before we flew and then a proctored rapid 3 days later.