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Australia - Covid 19 Test

Tedferg

By Tedferg,
in Princess Cruises

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Thrak

Thrak

Posted
Posted
28 minutes ago, pompeii said:

Looks like things might be changing.  The NSW Premier is talking about scrapping the remaining covid protocols for cruising.  

Leave your mask at home: Minns set to scrap all COVID regulations on NSW cruising - Travel Weekly

 

 

I won't hold my breath. We board in SF on September 26. Since the "final destination" of the initial cruise segment is Sydney I believe we will have to provide a negative test in order to board. Of course we won't actually hit Sydney until 24 days later... How this requirement is productive is beyond me but it's not my call to make.  I am certainly in the "ditch the test requirement but keep the vaccination requirement" camp. I know many won't agree with that - especially the vaccination requirement - but, like everybody else, I'm entitled to my own viewpoint. I heartily agree that many people are "faking" the test by changing the setting on their phones prior to taking the picture o the negative test which makes it an even more bogus requirement. As others have said, a test taken after a loooooong plane flight has little bearing on one's condition a few days later after having already boarded the ship. Just one more example of how those in government seem to lack any sort of real world common sense.

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azbirdmom Great Review Rare

azbirdmom

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, pompeii said:

Looks like things might be changing.  The NSW Premier is talking about scrapping the remaining covid protocols for cruising.  

Leave your mask at home: Minns set to scrap all COVID regulations on NSW cruising - Travel Weekly

 

 

Thanks for sharing!  Our cruise isn't until December 2nd but not having to test would be one less thing to worry about.  Will keep watching for further developments.

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coo359a2

coo359a2

Posted
Posted

We arrive in SF on   25 Sept and will take the required test that night before boarding the Grand P. the next day.  Plan to bring several tests in case we decide to self test during our cruises. Hopefully NSW government doesn't drag their feet on implementing this change.  Two in our family group arrive on  13 Nov and it would be nice if they didn't have to worry about taking a test before boarding on the 15th.

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dcourt

dcourt

Posted
Posted
On 8/23/2023 at 5:22 PM, Daniel A said:

Even if the governments in Australia lift all requirements, I would still make sure what the cruise line's protocols are.  Sometimes it takes time for changes to filter down the chain.

I had a cruise planned that was coming from Australia to Hawaii then onto Vancouver this past May 2023.  I was getting on in Hawaii and going to Vancouver.  As an American I was not required to be vaccinated and in Canada they did not required you to be vaccinated yet 30 days prior to the cruise Royal Caribbean send out an email to everyone saying that you had to be fully vaccinated to do that cruise.  Neither US or Canada had that requirement but RCI imposed it.  

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Thrak

Thrak

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, pompeii said:

Here you go, official word that NSW has scrapped covid protocols for cruises:

 

NSW sails towards normality with the lifting of COVID cruise ship protocols | NSW Government

 

Since I'm sure they don't want extra impediments to discourage passengers, cruise lines shouldn't be too far behind.

 

I've been watching and waiting for an update on this. Thank you for posting the link. Hopefully Princess will get the message before we board the end of next month.

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pompeii

pompeii

Posted
Posted
9 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

I've been watching and waiting for an update on this. Thank you for posting the link. Hopefully Princess will get the message before we board the end of next month.

Our cruise to Sydney leaves exactly four weeks from today so I was glad to see this as well. I’m pretty confident that Princess will drop the requirement in plenty of time.  I doubt that they want the headache of requiring testing any more than we do. 

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coo359a2

coo359a2

Posted
Posted
14 minutes ago, pompeii said:

Our cruise to Sydney leaves exactly four weeks from today so I was glad to see this as well. I’m pretty confident that Princess will drop the requirement in plenty of time.  I doubt that they want the headache of requiring testing any more than we do. 

Last Princess update for the AU/NZ FAQs   was 22 June.  Hopefully,   there will soon be an update to the Cruise Health FAQ to reflect this change in protocol.  Will be nice to know that no pre or post cruise testing will be required.  We still plan to test before leaving home so that we know we are Covid free at the start of our 6 B2Bs.  

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azbirdmom Great Review Rare

azbirdmom

Posted
Posted
21 minutes ago, pompeii said:

There's nothing on the Princess site about Covid testing anymore.  It's been removed from the important notices on our cruise(s) as well.  

 

Wow, that was quick.  It was definitely there last week.  There are still a couple of stray links in the Personalizer but those go to the FAQs or the Important Notices section and the Australia protocols aren't there.

 

image.png.cb1f7643516b91eeb85c27892069adda.png

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coo359a2

coo359a2

Posted
Posted
31 minutes ago, pompeii said:

There's nothing on the Princess site about Covid testing anymore.  It's been removed from the important notices on our cruise(s) as well.  

Thanks for posting.  I did check 2 Travel Summaries and it is really gone.

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dlh015 Great Review Rare

dlh015

Posted
Posted
39 minutes ago, coo359a2 said:

Thanks for posting.  I did check 2 Travel Summaries and it is really gone.

Yep, it's gone from my cruise also. Just the 'standard verbage' in it's place. It has also been removed from my Travel Summary.

 

I've been checking every day...

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Steelers36

Steelers36

Posted
Posted
On 8/23/2023 at 4:13 PM, Thrak said:

 

I won't hold my breath. We board in SF on September 26. Since the "final destination" of the initial cruise segment is Sydney I believe we will have to provide a negative test in order to board. Of course we won't actually hit Sydney until 24 days later... How this requirement is productive is beyond me but it's not my call to make.  I am certainly in the "ditch the test requirement but keep the vaccination requirement" camp. I know many won't agree with that - especially the vaccination requirement - but, like everybody else, I'm entitled to my own viewpoint. I heartily agree that many people are "faking" the test by changing the setting on their phones prior to taking the picture o the negative test which makes it an even more bogus requirement. As others have said, a test taken after a loooooong plane flight has little bearing on one's condition a few days later after having already boarded the ship. Just one more example of how those in government seem to lack any sort of real world common sense.

Regardless of where one stands on tests and vaccination for C-19, it should be unanimous that a test taken in the US 24 days ahead of landing in Australia is meaningless.

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Thrak

Thrak

Posted
Posted

Got the email for the first 3 legs of our cruises. There are still 3 that are definitely all Australia/New Zealand cruises that I haven't received the notice for yet. Not going to worry about it. w00t!

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startedwithamouse "Live from...." Rare

startedwithamouse

Posted
Posted
On 8/23/2023 at 1:13 PM, Thrak said:

 

I won't hold my breath. We board in SF on September 26. Since the "final destination" of the initial cruise segment is Sydney I believe we will have to provide a negative test in order to board. Of course we won't actually hit Sydney until 24 days later... How this requirement is productive is beyond me but it's not my call to make.  I am certainly in the "ditch the test requirement but keep the vaccination requirement" camp. I know many won't agree with that - especially the vaccination requirement - but, like everybody else, I'm entitled to my own viewpoint. I heartily agree that many people are "faking" the test by changing the setting on their phones prior to taking the picture o the negative test which makes it an even more bogus requirement. As others have said, a test taken after a loooooong plane flight has little bearing on one's condition a few days later after having already boarded the ship. Just one more example of how those in government seem to lack any sort of real world common sense.

Check your cruise personalizer. Testing requirements for our cruise are no longer listed.

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LC1950

LC1950

Posted
Posted (edited)
43 minutes ago, Zacb said:

Just got an email from Princess for my October departure out of Melbourne. No more testing requirements. 👍

Just received email concerning my upcoming November cruise on the Grand Princess ...

 

"You love travel, and we love making it simple to fulfill those dreams. So we're happy to report that effective immediately, the requirements to join a cruise from Australia will now align with all other cruises globally without vaccination or pre-cruise testing requirements.

This protocol shift applies to itineraries to all destinations sailing to or from an Australian port.

We can't wait to create new memories with you on your upcoming voyage!"

Edited by LC1950
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