72 hours PCR test and sailing from France

[Kevin1]

Hello,
I am wondering if anyone has practical experience of this problem.  According to government rules, a negative PCR is required 72hours before entering Ireland.  However, most labs will need at least 24 and sometimes 48 hours before getting a result.  With a sailing time on the France-Ireland ferry routes of 18 hours approx, there is almost no margin of comfort.  I was planning to bring the family to France this summer, (the kids will probably not have been vaccinated), but I don't see how anyone to overcome this issue.  Any ideas?
Kevin

[Kieran]

Hi Keven,

Things are changing so rapidly it's impossible to predict what will happen in a few weeks.

What age are the kids? If under 6, they would be exempt, Rocdoc here turn them around in 48 hours during peak times (so they are available 72 hours prior to arrival). It's tight, but it can be done.

[Kevin1]

True, but the problem is on the return journey from France.  On the way out it is fine - the french authorities accept a PCR test done 72 hours before departure from Ireland.  This is very feasible.  But for the return journey, the Irish authorities seem to want a PCR test with 72hours of arrival into Ireland.  That is completely different.  The sailing time is important for the France-Ireland leg but not the Ireland-France leg.  Has anyone actually succeeded in getting a PCR test in France (48 hours waiting time) and sailing to Ireland (18) hours sailing time) with the test still valid?     

[Kevin1]

OK, i have done some research on this, including a couple of calls to labs offering PCR tests in Brittany, - and have pretty much answered my own question, but it may have relevance for anyone planning to go to France in the summer with unvaccinated children. 

The labs generally can provide a result within 48hrs in slightly above 90% of cases.  Quite often it will be available the next day, but you cannot depend on it.  If they have symptomatic local cases, they will take priority and they will not guarantee they wil do your test on the day you book, but they reckon that should be rare by summer.  Last summer the French government supported local labs to be set up in areas of mass tourism, to add capacity for travellers.  No one knows if that will happen again in 2021.

If you get a test done at the last possible moment (to give yourself the best chance of having a valid result by the time your arrrive at an Irish port), your margin for error is approximately 6 hours.  i.e. if the ferry were 6 hours late, according to current rules you would not be allowed to disembark.  If you get your test done a little too early, this erodes into the safety margin.  Flights do not have a problem really (2 - 4 hours flying time increase your safety margin from receiving your PCR result to arriving in Ireland by several hours).

This issue has not been road-tested yet, and probably few people are aware of it, because non-essential France-Ireland travel has not occured under these rules.  Basically unless the Irish authorities change their stance, there is no practical way that I can see for Irish families (with unvaccinated children) to travel by ferry to France this summer.  The problem is only on the return journey.  A change in the rule to a negative test 72hours within embarcation, rather than within 72hours at time of arrival, would be enough to greatly facilitate things.


 

[IFPete]

your missing the point here. There is a Euro 2'000 fine per person for non essential overseas travel,

By the time Mid July comes it may be possible to travel on vaccine passport so before you attempt to travel to France you will know exactly where you stand without unncessary out of pocket expenses.

[Chris2016]

I really want to go on a trip to France on the WB yeats with my Family by time July 19th comes i should be fully vacinated . But i was on the irish ferries website and prices are so expensive . Its as cheap to fly to france or spain for a week all inclusive  .

[Shipmate]

I really want to go on a trip to France on the WB yeats with my Family by time July 19th comes i should be fully vacinated . But i was on the irish ferries website and prices are so expensive . Its as cheap to fly to france or spain for a week all inclusive  .

I thought they might do some offers to fill ships. I wonder what the commercial loads are like? Each trucker gets a 4 berth cabin I presume?

[Trucker]

From experience ,at the moment we truckers are still getting a cabin to ourselves ,rather than having to share with what is usually a stranger , unless we are lucky enough to meet a colleague or freind as we queue for boarding.
Id be out Friday night 23.15 Rosslare to Bilbao on Brittany, 2 nights marriving 8am Sunday morning , and back Cherbourg to Dublin Tuesday on Irish or Cherbourg to Rosslare Wednesday on Stena ,both 18 to 20 hours , all 1 driver to a cabin at the moment , which is very welcome .
But before Covid , even when the ferries were not busy ,there would be 2 to a cabin and during the busy tourist times ,4 to a cabin ,again sharing with possibly 1 ,2 or 3 strangers.

[Shipmate]

From experience ,at the moment we truckers are still getting a cabin to ourselves ,rather than having to share with what is usually a stranger , unless we are lucky enough to meet a colleague or freind as we queue for boarding.
Id be out Friday night 23.15 Rosslare to Bilbao on Brittany, 2 nights marriving 8am Sunday morning , and back Cherbourg to Dublin Tuesday on Irish or Cherbourg to Rosslare Wednesday on Stena ,both 18 to 20 hours , all 1 driver to a cabin at the moment , which is very welcome .
But before Covid , even when the ferries were not busy ,there would be 2 to a cabin and during the busy tourist times ,4 to a cabin ,again sharing with possibly 1 ,2 or 3 strangers.

Thanks for posting, didn't realise you'd have to share with more than one person.

[Trucker]

Yes indeed Shipmate.
Truck Rates.
?1300 odd Rosslare to Bilbao,  ?1000 odd Dublin to Cherbourg,  ?850 to ?900 Rosslare to Cherbourg .
All meals included,  except on Brittany Rosslare to Bilbao we pay 20% of the bill.
If the ferries are full of tourists,  we as freight drivers will share with up to 3 other drivers,  which may all be strangers.

[Shipmate]

Yes indeed Shipmate.
Truck Rates.
?1300 odd Rosslare to Bilbao,  ?1000 odd Dublin to Cherbourg,  ?850 to ?900 Rosslare to Cherbourg .
All meals included,  except on Brittany Rosslare to Bilbao we pay 20% of the bill.
If the ferries are full of tourists,  we as freight drivers will share with up to 3 other drivers,  which may all be strangers.

Not done the Bilbao route, might do it next summer. Is the food decent? Very good on the Cork Roscoff(PontAven).

[Trucker]

Food is spot on, on the Conemarra.
Great crew also.
Wednesday sailing is better as only 25 hours or so.
Friday night sailing 32 hours or so.

[12345teacher]

i arrived from bilbao last night 8pm11/06/21 in rosslare ...connemara had to wait till 9.30 pm for another ferry to leave before we could dock....i got pcr test on wednesday morning 9/6/21.at 8am in almeria cost was 95 euro...drove from almeria to madrid...stopped overnight in pinto madrid and left madrid and headed to bilbao.my pcr results were available from 3pm to download on 10/6/21....and i checked in at 4.15pm .....upon checkin pcr was required and i then proceeded to waiting lanes...where all cars were rigisouly checked by 4 spanish guardia civil....all trucks /vans/camper vans were xrayed.....before we got to passport control there was anouther check by guardia civil and they were emptying cars of most contents...tobacco was the question they kept asking how much we had....connemara left on time ...very plesent crossing ....food is good and usual average prices....not like pont aven standards...but was totally fine...and upon arrival in rosslare the guards on duty asked for passports/passenger location form/negative psr test results.....even tho you cant board ferry to ireland without negative pcr results.......hope this info is of help to people...

[ccs]

i arrived from bilbao last night 8pm11/06/21 in rosslare ...connemara had to wait till 9.30 pm for another ferry to leave before we could dock....i got pcr test on wednesday morning 8am in almeria ?95...drove from almeria to madrid...stopped overnight in pinto madrid and left madrid and headed to bilbao.my pcr results were available from 3pm to download....and i checked in at 4.15pm .....upon checkin pcr was required and i then proceeded to waiting lanes...where all cars were rigisouly checkrd by 4 spanish guardia civil....all trucks /vans/camper vans were xrayed.....before we got to passport control there was anouther check by guardia civil and they were emptying cars of most contents...tobacco was the question they kept asking how much we had....connemara left on time ...very plesent crossing ....food is good and usual average prices....not like pont aven standards...but was totally fine...and upon arrival in rosslare the guards on duty asked for passports/passenger location form/negative psr test results.....even tho you cant board ferry to ireland without negative pcr results.......hope this info is of help to people...

Great insight and information. Thanks!

[Kevin1]

thanks, that was interesting.  Your are right - I wonder why the Irish authorities bother checking PCR results on arrival, when there is clearly a multinational understanding that the departing authorities (in this case the Guardia Civil) will not let you board the ferry without negative a test report with 72 hours validity for arrival time. 

A similar report from a France to Ireland would be very good too, if there is anyone reading this and willing to do one.