Pre Covid-19 Testing on Australian Princess Cruises

[Megzagem]

Hi all, what does everyone do when required to provide a negative Covid-19 test 24 hours before boarding? We are scheduled to travel on 26 Jan 23 Brisbane to PNG but were told as it is an International Cruise then pre covid tests cost $130 per person, but... they are free if we are only travelling/cruising locally!

We are Aussies and shouldn't a negative RAT test certificate be the same regardless if you are cruising locally versus internationally? 

[Aus Traveller]

Which cruise line are you travelling with? Most only require a RAT test (not supervised).

[Megzagem]

Hi @Aus Travellerwe are travelling on the Corel Princess.

[Aus Traveller]

1 minute ago, Megzagem said:

Hi @Aus Travellerwe are travelling on the Corel Princess.

We were on the Coral in June/July and go again on the ship next week. All you need to do is use a RAT test at home within 24 hours of the cruise. Place the test strip on a sheet of paper on which you have written your name and beside a clock or the screen of your phone showing the date and time. Photograph this with either a camera or another phone. This proof of your negative RAT has to be up-loaded onto the Medallion app. Don't worry if you can't do this. You will be assisted at the terminal. Do NOT take the RAT test strip with you to the terminal as it is a bio-hazard.

 

You should have with you a printed out copy of your vaccination status. This is available from your MyGov account (Medicare).

 

If you have any further questions don't hesitate to ask.

[Megzagem]

Many thanks @Aus TravellerI had a feeling it would be something easy like this 🙂

Enjoy your cruise next week :)

[arxcards]

12 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

We were on the Coral in June/July and go again on the ship next week. All you need to do is use a RAT test at home within 24 hours of the cruise. Place the test strip on a sheet of paper on which you have written your name and beside a clock or the screen of your phone showing the date and time. Photograph this with either a camera or another phone. This proof of your negative RAT has to be up-loaded onto the Medallion app. Don't worry if you can't do this. You will be assisted at the terminal. Do NOT take the RAT test strip with you to the terminal as it is a bio-hazard.

 

You should have with you a printed out copy of your vaccination status. This is available from your MyGov account (Medicare).

 

If you have any further questions don't hesitate to ask.

Just to add. Princess is specifically asking that your photo ID, passport in this case, be included in the photo. Just writing your name on paper isn't sufficient. That is the current requirement, as I had to accept those terms on the personaliser yesterday for our cruise next month.

[Aus Traveller]

Just now, arxcards said:

Just to add. Princess is specifically asking that your photo ID, passport in this case, be included in the photo. Just writing your name on paper isn't sufficient. That is the current requirement, as I had to accept those terms on the personaliser yesterday for our cruise next month.

thanks for that extra info.

[icat2000]

I just did mine for Luminosa next to phone with date and time and drivers license and took a picture next to negative RAT.

 

For international cruise I would swap out the drivers license for Passport photo. I'm cruising Princess in March so that what I'm going to do, but I check closer to the time to see what the procedures are.

[alicat2464]

19 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

We were on the Coral in June/July and go again on the ship next week. All you need to do is use a RAT test at home within 24 hours of the cruise. Place the test strip on a sheet of paper on which you have written your name and beside a clock or the screen of your phone showing the date and time. Photograph this with either a camera or another phone. This proof of your negative RAT has to be up-loaded onto the Medallion app. Don't worry if you can't do this. You will be assisted at the terminal. Do NOT take the RAT test strip with you to the terminal as it is a bio-hazard.

 

You should have with you a printed out copy of your vaccination status. This is available from your MyGov account (Medicare).

 

If you have any further questions don't hesitate to ask.

I did this for my cruise on coral princess that I boarded on the 2nd. Only difference is you need to have the photo I’d, so name and picture match. They say on the app to use your passport. If you have multiple travellers, they also said to write the name on each rat test.
They didn’t check any at the port, just asked to attest that you had done it and could verify that it had been uploaded. Same with my important documents, like vac certificate, they could see it uploaded but she was appreciative I had a copy as well 🤷‍♀️ 

[Aus Traveller]

10 minutes ago, alicat2464 said:

I did this for my cruise on coral princess that I boarded on the 2nd. Only difference is you need to have the photo I’d, so name and picture match. They say on the app to use your passport. If you have multiple travellers, they also said to write the name on each rat test.
They didn’t check any at the port, just asked to attest that you had done it and could verify that it had been uploaded. Same with my important documents, like vac certificate, they could see it uploaded but she was appreciative I had a copy as well 🤷‍♀️ 

The only difference from our cruises late last year is that we now need a photo ID with the RAT. We photographed each of our RATS separately so will continue to do the same (but now including a pic of our passports).

[Lunur]

Can someone detail the process for Carnival Splendor please? Is this just a photo on your phone that you show upon check in, or does it need to be printed out?

Thanks for your help! 

[arxcards]

1 hour ago, Lunur said:

Can someone detail the process for Carnival Splendor please? Is this just a photo on your phone that you show upon check in, or does it need to be printed out?

Thanks for your help! 

Either. If you have it on your phone, that is great. You would only print it if you couldn't display it on your phone, or don't trust your phone.

[chubbypiggy]

I plan to bring my home (U.S.) self-test and perform the test in the hotel the night (April 3) before my Princess cruise. We have 1 day in Sydney before our cruise. All the home self-test kits (made in U.S.) I have at home will expire on March 31, 2023.  When my sister went to Canada a few months ago, she brought back some self-test (made in Canada) with the expiration date of July 31, 2023.  So I decided to bring those test kits to Sydney. 

 

When I checked the site (below) last month, the Canada test kits I have were on the list of self-test that were approved in Australia.  Today I went to that website again, and noticed the list was updated on January 30, 2023.  Now, the kits from the Canada manufacturer is no longer on the approval list.  Does that mean if I use those kits that are not on the approval list, Princess will not accept my test result?

 

https://www.tga.gov.au/products/covid-19/covid-19-tests/covid-19-rapid-antigen-self-tests-home-use/covid-19-rapid-antigen-self-tests-are-approved-australia   

[OzKiwiJJ]

6 minutes ago, chubbypiggy said:

I plan to bring my home (U.S.) self-test and perform the test in the hotel the night (April 3) before my Princess cruise. We have 1 day in Sydney before our cruise. All the home self-test kits (made in U.S.) I have at home will expire on March 31, 2023.  When my sister went to Canada a few months ago, she brought back some self-test (made in Canada) with the expiration date of July 31, 2023.  So I decided to bring those test kits to Sydney. 

 

When I checked the site (below) last month, the Canada test kits I have were on the list of self-test that were approved in Australia.  Today I went to that website again, and noticed the list was updated on January 30, 2023.  Now, the kits from the Canada manufacturer is no longer on the approval list.  Does that mean if I use those kits that are not on the approval list, Princess will not accept my test result?

 

https://www.tga.gov.au/products/covid-19/covid-19-tests/covid-19-rapid-antigen-self-tests-home-use/covid-19-rapid-antigen-self-tests-are-approved-australia   

I doubt they'll even check exactly what the test kit was. In fact it might be impossible as you only take a photo of the result. But why bother bringing one from home? You can get them easily enough here at any pharmacy. 

Edited February 2, 2023 by OzKiwiJJ

[cruiser3775]

The RAT tests are very easily obtained once you are in Australia, and are inexpensive. 

When you take the photo of the test, place it alongside your photo ID (passport or drivers licence). If you take the photo with your phone, the date and time are embedded and can be displayed on check in.

[arxcards]

The ones you have will be fine.

[chubbypiggy]

Thank you everyone for your information.  

[chubbypiggy]

18 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I doubt they'll even check exactly what the test kit was. In fact it might be impossible as you only take a photo of the result. But why bother bringing one from home? You can get them easily enough here at any pharmacy. 

Besides testing the day before embarkation, during our 28 day cruise vacation, we plan to test ourselves every 4 days and also on the last day before disembarkation,  If we test positive, we need to be isolated; we don't want to give the virus to others if we are positive.  So we need about 18 test kits for the two of us.  The 20 tests we have at home expire in July, we might as well use it.  So we prefer to bring those tests instead of buying new ones in Sydney. 

[Aus Traveller]

1 hour ago, chubbypiggy said:

Besides testing the day before embarkation, during our 28 day cruise vacation, we plan to test ourselves every 4 days and also on the last day before disembarkation,  If we test positive, we need to be isolated; we don't want to give the virus to others if we are positive.  So we need about 18 test kits for the two of us.  The 20 tests we have at home expire in July, we might as well use it.  So we prefer to bring those tests instead of buying new ones in Sydney. 

I agree with you. Use the test kits you have rather than buying new ones.

[OzKiwiJJ]

4 hours ago, chubbypiggy said:

Besides testing the day before embarkation, during our 28 day cruise vacation, we plan to test ourselves every 4 days and also on the last day before disembarkation,  If we test positive, we need to be isolated; we don't want to give the virus to others if we are positive.  So we need about 18 test kits for the two of us.  The 20 tests we have at home expire in July, we might as well use it.  So we prefer to bring those tests instead of buying new ones in Sydney. 

Fair enough. Although be aware that the tests don't always show positive even when you have symptoms. I caught Covid on a cruise, the Medical center gave me a PCR test which was negative but I was asked to isolate. Next day I tested postive. And the RATs are less sensitive than PCR tests. But it's certainly a good idea to monitor yourself if you have concerns.

 

Enjoy your cruise. Are you doing the Princess Round Australia cruise? If so, it's wonderful. 

[chubbypiggy]

3 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Fair enough. Although be aware that the tests don't always show positive even when you have symptoms. I caught Covid on a cruise, the Medical center gave me a PCR test which was negative but I was asked to isolate. Next day I tested postive. And the RATs are less sensitive than PCR tests. But it's certainly a good idea to monitor yourself if you have concerns.

 

Enjoy your cruise. Are you doing the Princess Round Australia cruise? If so, it's wonderful. 

Thank you for the information.

 

We are doing the 27 days TransPacific cruise on Majestic.  April 4 from Sydney to Los Angeles.  Will visit 3 NZ ports, Tahiti (overnight), and 3 Hawaii ports.  About 20 years ago, we did a 8 days land tour of Australia (Sydney, Gold Coast, Melbourne), so this time, we will arrive Sydney only one day before the cruise (just in case of flight delay).  We will arrive at 8 a.m., so we will have a full day to do some shopping for snacks and souvenirs to take back to the U.S. for friends/family.     

[OzKiwiJJ]

2 hours ago, chubbypiggy said:

Thank you for the information.

 

We are doing the 27 days TransPacific cruise on Majestic.  April 4 from Sydney to Los Angeles.  Will visit 3 NZ ports, Tahiti (overnight), and 3 Hawaii ports.  About 20 years ago, we did a 8 days land tour of Australia (Sydney, Gold Coast, Melbourne), so this time, we will arrive Sydney only one day before the cruise (just in case of flight delay).  We will arrive at 8 a.m., so we will have a full day to do some shopping for snacks and souvenirs to take back to the U.S. for friends/family.     

That should be a lovely cruise. Repositioning cruises are great and that one will have lots of relaxing sea days. Enjoy!

[chubbypiggy]

12 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

That should be a lovely cruise. Repositioning cruises are great and that one will have lots of relaxing sea days. Enjoy!

Yes, 18 sea days, so nice!  We love sea days. We only cruise on Princess, and we have visited almost all the ports that their ships go to that we want to visit.  Now, we mainly go on the Princess cruises that have many sea days.☺️  We have done a lot of repositioning cruises and loved all of them.  

[RobinBancs]

Princess will ask you to do some tests during the journey and supply the kits for them. We had to test two times on our 19 night cruise on Grand last month. 

[arxcards]

6 hours ago, RobinBancs said:

Princess will ask you to do some tests during the journey and supply the kits for them. We had to test two times on our 19 night cruise on Grand last month. 

Maybe. 

As they are not returning to Australia, how they report numbers to US CDC will determine whether they will continue doing screening tests on longer cruises. NZ and Tahitian requirements may play a part, but once bound for Hawaii, I think all bets will be off.

 

But yes, if they want to test you aboard, they will provide them.