Onboard Covid testing for international passengers?

[Girl of the South]

I had to call DCL today about another matter but I did ask about foreign vaccine cards as my friend is coming from Switzerland (for a Jan cruise) and she said it should be accepted. They accepted cards from the UK on the UK sailings so my friend should be fine. She will have to upload to the Safe Passage site and I hope get an acceptance from there.

There is a protocol for sailings through the end of the year that requires insurance for those 12 and up. I have my insurance with TravelGuard and they won't accept all foreigners. Just some countries. I asked DCL if my Swiss friend, if REQUIRED, could get insurance through DCL and she can - for $188 - 7 night cruise. Steep but we will probably do whatever it takes to be out at sea!

 

[Girl of the South]

Oh , and I forgot. for unvaccinated passengers this was in the email today:

Debarkation Day COVID-19 Testing

All Guests (adults and children, regardless of age) on 5-night and longer sailings are required to undergo a PCR COVID-19 test administered by Inspire Diagnostics on the ship prior to debarking. A $65 test fee will be charged to the folio of all Guests 12 years of age and older. Guests under 12 will be tested at no charge. Guests on 5-night or longer sailings who are fully vaccinated may choose to provide proof of vaccination instead of undergoing COVID-19 debarkation testing.

BUT I'm not sure how long this will go on and you will have also had to have had a pre-board test as well. So i doubt you could only pay for this test if you needed it to get back into your own country.

 

[AquaDame]

I got the same this morning for my March 2022 trip; seems like they expect this to be the norm for the next half a year at least.

 

[grantclaire]

Oh , and I forgot. for unvaccinated passengers this was in the email today:

Debarkation Day COVID-19 Testing

All Guests (adults and children, regardless of age) on 5-night and longer sailings are required to undergo a PCR COVID-19 test administered by Inspire Diagnostics on the ship prior to debarking. A $65 test fee will be charged to the folio of all Guests 12 years of age and older. Guests under 12 will be tested at no charge. Guests on 5-night or longer sailings who are fully vaccinated may choose to provide proof of vaccination instead of undergoing COVID-19 debarkation testing.

BUT I'm not sure how long this will go on and you will have also had to have had a pre-board test as well. So i doubt you could only pay for this test if you needed it to get back into your own country.

I got the same email, trying to sort it out. Sailing March 19. I am fully vaccinated in Canada and need a test before flying home, can only stay one extra day. Might not have time to get results back.

 

[starry_solo]

Oh , and I forgot. for unvaccinated passengers this was in the email today:

Debarkation Day COVID-19 Testing

All Guests (adults and children, regardless of age) on 5-night and longer sailings are required to undergo a PCR COVID-19 test administered by Inspire Diagnostics on the ship prior to debarking. A $65 test fee will be charged to the folio of all Guests 12 years of age and older. Guests under 12 will be tested at no charge. Guests on 5-night or longer sailings who are fully vaccinated may choose to provide proof of vaccination instead of undergoing COVID-19 debarkation testing.

BUT I'm not sure how long this will go on and you will have also had to have had a pre-board test as well. So i doubt you could only pay for this test if you needed it to get back into your own country.

Maybe you can ask to do this test?

 

[grantclaire]

I think I read that DCL requires guests that have been out of the U.S. before the cruise have to provide a test even if vaccinated. If we test before our flight from Toronto to MCO will DCL accept this test?

 

[yowcruiser]

Deleted

 

[yowcruiser]

Oh , and I forgot. for unvaccinated passengers this was in the email today:

Debarkation Day COVID-19 Testing

All Guests (adults and children, regardless of age) on 5-night and longer sailings are required to undergo a PCR COVID-19 test administered by Inspire Diagnostics on the ship prior to debarking. A $65 test fee will be charged to the folio of all Guests 12 years of age and older. Guests under 12 will be tested at no charge. Guests on 5-night or longer sailings who are fully vaccinated may choose to provide proof of vaccination instead of undergoing COVID-19 debarkation testing.

BUT I'm not sure how long this will go on and you will have also had to have had a pre-board test as well. So i doubt you could only pay for this test if you needed it to get back into your own country.

Won't hurt to ask but the text is "won't have to take the test by providing proof of vaccination"... which I read to be that you do have the option to take it if you choose to... Now, not sure if InspireDiagnostics will be providing test results in a report/format for entry into a foreign country... I hope so

 

[grantclaire]

If fully vaccinated, you do not need to provide the "pre-trip test", but you will be subject to the embarkation test, and it will be paid for by DCL. I take it that part of the logic for such is that at this time, to enter the US, you do need a test anyway.

Thanks, thats what I was hoping for.

 

[grantclaire]

Th

Won't hurt to ask but the text is "won't have to take the test by providing proof of vaccination"... which I read to be that you do have the option to take it if you choose to... Now, not sure if InspireDiagnostics will be providing test results in a report/format for entry into a foreign country... I hope so

Thanks, alot of testing questions to travel now!

 

[Girl of the South]

I asked about my friend from Switzerland and was told (this is of course, subject to whatever is going on in January 2022) that her Vaccination Card would get her on and off the ship. As to getting into the US or back into Switzerland, she might require tests. If you have been fully vaccinated you do NOT need to take a debarkation Covid test.

Guests on 5-night or longer sailings who are fully vaccinated may choose to provide proof of vaccination instead of undergoing COVID-19 debarkation testing.

There is a Canadian cruiser who does a lot of YouTube videos named Don I think? And he had a test on a cruise ship in FL and wanted to use the results to fly back to Canada. BUT the cruise ship somehow lost the results and he was stuck in FL I think for a few days trying to sort it out. I think one has to be prepared for 'what if's' at the moment.

I am guessing that if you say you have not been vaccinated and choose to take the Covid test getting on and off the ship, that is up to you. There is a $65 charge on the debarkation test. I think the embarkation test is paid for by DCL.

 

[SirDuff]

I asked about my friend from Switzerland and was told (this is of course, subject to whatever is going on in January 2022) that her Vaccination Card would get her on and off the ship. As to getting into the US or back into Switzerland, she might require tests. If you have been fully vaccinated you do NOT need to take a debarkation Covid test.

Guests on 5-night or longer sailings who are fully vaccinated may choose to provide proof of vaccination instead of undergoing COVID-19 debarkation testing.

There is a Canadian cruiser who does a lot of YouTube videos named Don I think? And he had a test on a cruise ship in FL and wanted to use the results to fly back to Canada. BUT the cruise ship somehow lost the results and he was stuck in FL I think for a few days trying to sort it out. I think one has to be prepared for 'what if's' at the moment.

I am guessing that if you say you have not been vaccinated and choose to take the Covid test getting on and off the ship, that is up to you. There is a $65 charge on the debarkation test. I think the embarkation test is paid for by DCL.

Is your friend American? If not, currently, she cannot get into the states at all. So, having a card that works for the cruise is a moot point.

Also, I live in Switzerland and have never heard of a vaccine card here (though different cantons may do things differently). We have an app (aligned with but not the same as the EU app), paper certificates, and PDFs - no card.

 

[Girl of the South]

As I said in my post, the cruise is in January 2022. That's 5 months from now. I hope by then she will be able to get into the states. She is from near Interlaken, so Canton Bern - and whatever proof she has of being vaccinated will be fine I'm sure. Ours isn't really a 'card' either. It's a piece of paper - around the size of a postcard but not as thick.

 

[Intr3pid]

If fully vaccinated, you do not need to provide the "pre-trip test", but you will be subject to the embarkation test, and it will be paid for by DCL. I take it that part of the logic for such is that at this time, to enter the US, you do need a test anyway.

Not for international guests - they still need to upload their test results regardless of vaccination status. I assume that's because Inspire doesn't yet have a good way to confirm global vaccination proofs. This will likely change once vaccine passports/certificates are rolled out.

The only exclusion seems to be if you have been in the US already for 5 days prior to the cruise. This was relayed to our Canadian friend over the phone two weeks ago.

 

[yowcruiser]

Not for international guests - they still need to upload their test results regardless of vaccination status. I assume that's because Inspire doesn't yet have a good way to confirm global vaccination proofs. This will likely change once vaccine passports/certificates are rolled out.

The only exclusion seems to be if you have been in the US already for 5 days prior to the cruise. This was relayed to our Canadian friend over the phone two weeks ago.

Yes, you're right. I had two e-mails from DCL on this topic and the most recent one is as you quoted

 

[grantclaire]

Yes, you're right. I had two e-mails from DCL on this topic and the most recent one is as you quoted

OK so unless I travel 5 plus days before the cruise I am looking at an extra test.

 

[yowcruiser]

OK so unless I travel 5 plus days before the cruise I am looking at an extra test.

I'd say call DCL... as the web site and e-mails sent by DCLs most recently are inconsistent/incomplete

The know before you go page, under the before you leave home section, and the providing proof of vaccination header states that Out of Country guests cannot bypass the pre-arrival test nor the embarkation day test. DCL will pick up the tab for the embarkation day test, but not the pre-arrival. The website also states under pre-cruise checklist and embarkation day header that guests that have travelled from outside the US 5 days prior to the sailing need to undergo the embarkation PCR test - but this 5-day rule is not stated as not applying to the pre-arrival test, only the embarkation day test. Moreover, none of the e-mails sent in the last week by DCL states the out of country "conditions".

Long story short though, and because DCL requires a lab-based PCR, not rapid PCR - you may or may not have to take an extra test... it really depends when your flight to the US is. For example, flying on a Friday for a Saturday cruise, you could have a PCR test done with a 48-72 hours turnaround let's say on Tuesday to meet US entry requirements, and this test would also be valid for DCL... but if you leave on a Monday... you might have to take an extra test while in the US, as you have flown from outside the US and the 5-day rule seem only to apply to the embarkation day test, not the pre-trip test. I am getting confused just writing this post...

 

[grantclaire]

I'd say call DCL... as the web site and e-mails sent by DCLs most recently are inconsistent/incomplete

The know before you go page, under the before you leave home section, and the providing proof of vaccination header states that Out of Country guests cannot bypass the pre-arrival test nor the embarkation day test. DCL will pick up the tab for the embarkation day test, but not the pre-arrival. The website also states under pre-cruise checklist and embarkation day header that guests that have travelled from outside the US 5 days prior to the sailing need to undergo the embarkation PCR test - but this 5-day rule is not stated as not applying to the pre-arrival test, only the embarkation day test. Moreover, none of the e-mails sent in the last week by DCL states the out of country "conditions".

Long story short though, and because DCL requires a lab-based PCR, not rapid PCR - you may or may not have to take an extra test... it really depends when your flight to the US is. For example, flying on a Friday for a Saturday cruise, you could have a PCR test done with a 48-72 hours turnaround let's say on Tuesday to meet US entry requirements, and this test would also be valid for DCL... but if you leave on a Monday... you might have to take an extra test while in the US, as you have flown from outside the US and the 5-day rule seem only to apply to the embarkation day test, not the pre-trip test. I am getting confused just writing this post...

Sure is confusing, thanks for trying to explain.

 

[gismo1554]

OK so unless I travel 5 plus days before the cruise I am looking at an extra test.

I emailed DCL as this confused the hell out of me too! They sent me the below information which suggests yes you have to test but no you wont be charged

Voluntarily Choose to Provide Proof of a Covid-19 Vaccination:
Guests who are fully vaccinated may choose to provide proof of vaccination in order to be exempt from pre-arrival and Embarkation Day COVID-19 testing.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers people to be fully vaccinated 14 days after the final dose has been administered.
Guests who are arriving into the United States 5 or more days prior to their sail date and who are fully vaccinated may choose to provide proof of vaccination instead of undergoing COVID-19 pre-trip testing.
Vaccinated Guests arriving from outside the United States less than 5 days prior to their sail date who are required to undergo the rapid test on Embarkation Day will not be charged for the test.
Guests may visit the Safe Passage website 33 days before—but no later than 24 hours before—sailing to upload an image showing proof of vaccination.
For Guests choosing this option, it is recommended to bring proof of vaccination (vaccination card) to the port for embarkation.

 

[dvcdisney]

I emailed DCL as this confused the hell out of me too! They sent me the below information which suggests yes you have to test but no you wont be charged

Voluntarily Choose to Provide Proof of a Covid-19 Vaccination:
Guests who are fully vaccinated may choose to provide proof of vaccination in order to be exempt from pre-arrival and Embarkation Day COVID-19 testing.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers people to be fully vaccinated 14 days after the final dose has been administered.
Guests who are arriving into the United States 5 or more days prior to their sail date and who are fully vaccinated may choose to provide proof of vaccination instead of undergoing COVID-19 pre-trip testing.
Vaccinated Guests arriving from outside the United States less than 5 days prior to their sail date who are required to undergo the rapid test on Embarkation Day will not be charged for the test.
Guests may visit the Safe Passage website 33 days before—but no later than 24 hours before—sailing to upload an image showing proof of vaccination.
For Guests choosing this option, it is recommended to bring proof of vaccination (vaccination card) to the port for embarkation.

So, essentially, as a fully vaccinated Canadian, I can enter US 5+ days prior to my cruise (ie. stay at WDW resort) and I won't need to do the pre-test. I would need to the embarkation test but DCL will pay for that test. Is that correct?

This is essentially the issue I was having. I would need to take a test before entering US already. But I didn't want to have to do pre-test, then an embarkation test.

Now if only Canada would just require arrival tests (instead of 72hr pre-test) to fly back, then I would be less anxious.