Earthworm Jim

Almost every ship is in the orange category on the CDC's color status board. I think it's safe to say Covid is currently widespread on cruise ships: https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/cruise/cruise-ship-color-status.html

Everyone agrees that is true, but it doesn't say "Molecular Test" in the Princess rules on the timing. It just says 3 days (US) or 72 hours (Canada) for a PCR test. 2 days antigen test. The Princess rules do say the NAAT test is accepted. They just don't say which category it falls in for the timing. Presumably the same as PCR as you say, but why not make that clear in the guidance?

Not clear at all, because a Rapid NAAT technically is neither a PCR nor an antigen test. Assumption seems to be it is treated as a PCR though.

Yeah, but that doesn't clear up anything because Princess' guidance says PCR and antigen for Canada departures, not molecular test like the Canadian requirement says. Everyone, most recently Buckeye10640, says NAAT is accepted as PCR. But it would clarify things much better if Princess just said "molecular test" as Canada does.

Nah. Unless it differs by state, which I guess it might. Here are the questions: 1. In the last 14 days, have you experienced any of these symptoms? Select all that apply You can answer whatever is accurate, including "None of the above" 2. In the last 14 days, have you had contact with someone who has a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19? Count any contact that lasted longer than 15 minutes, closer than 6 feet away. You can answer either yes or no, as appropriate. 3. Are you seeking a COVID-19 test because you have either recently returned from travel or are planning on traveling soon? This one is answered Yes, and that qualifies you for a free test. (Edit: Actually, I just made a test appointment and got approved for a free test even answering no to everything. So maybe it's free no matter what you answer.) Then there are questions about pre-existing conditions, pregnancy, vaccination status, and whether you've ever had Covid. Maybe it differs by state, if the testing is state funded. But, aside from the free Walgreens Rapid NAAT travel tests I've gotten in New York state, I've gotten a free Walgreens Rapid NAAT test for travel in Florida too. And Florida is about the most Covid-skeptic state there is.

A PCR test (including a rapid PCR test) is a type of NAAT test, but not all NAAT tests are PCR tests. It's like saying a Chevy is a car, but not all cars are Chevys. The Walgreens version is a NAAT test but not a PCR test. But it's a moot point because the real question is whether the Walgreens Rapid NAAT test is acceptable, and many people here have reported they have used it and it is acceptable. Myself included. That really what the OP was asking.

What lab? My understanding is the Rapid NAAT tests are done in the store, not a lab. They aren't sending them out to a lab and getting results in an hour or so. You must be talking about something different than the OP. Presumably a PCR test. OP was asking about their Rapid NAAT test, not a PCR.

Well, you'd get the port fees/taxes back either way, no show or canceling as Covid positive, so that's not the difference. What I was missing is that the entire booking would be canceled, not just the positive person's portion of it.

Yeah, that might be it. Which brings in the question of whether there are still last minute cabins available for the other person, and how much they cost, into the decision making on to whether to no show or cancel.

I don't know that I understand the advice to do a no show. If you do a no show, you're paying 2 cruise fares for one person. If you call and cancel one person due to the positive Covid test, we don't know for sure what would happen. But worst case, they charge the single supplement for the other person (which might end up costing about the same as the no show option) but in addition you get a FCC for the person canceled. Better case, which seems quite plausible to me, is that Carnival doesn't penalize the other person in the cabin for their cabinmate testing positive by charging the single supplement. That would be far better than a no show because the sick person gets the FCC and the other person just pays the normal amount. The only reason I can see to do the no show is if you have insurance and would rather collect on that than get a FCC. But the OP didn't have insurance. What am I missing?

So you gave up on the FCC for the positive person and their cabinmate in order to get two singles? If paying for 4 people so 2 people can have singles is a good trade for you, then why didn't you just book singles to begin with? (Since singles generally pay about double as far as I know)

This is all well and good. The Canadian requirements are clear. The problem leading to confusion is the Princess requirements don't say exactly what the Canadian requirements say. In theory, Princess could have more stringent requirements than what Canada requires. Princess says the NAAT test is accepted in their FAQs, but then muddies the water saying tests must be within 2 days for antigen (which a Rapid NAAT clearly is not) and 72 hours for PCR (which, though both are NAAT tests, a Rapid NAAT test isn't a PCR test either) So we're left with having to guess that when they say 72 hours for PCR, they really mean 72 hours for any accepted NAAT test. Which makes one uncomfortable relying on your guess being right to get on the ship. Why not just use the same language Canada uses and avoid confusion?

Yes we did the same thing in March. The FCC was approved 18 days later. Our PVP said she was asking them about it in the interim. I'm not sure if that sped things up or not. I had canceled due to the positive Covid test through our PVP, and I don't recall her saying we could book something immediately at that time if we wished. But it was all so sudden we hadn't yet given that any thought. So perhaps she did offer an immediate rebooking and I just declined and didn't find it notable enough to remember. In the end, it was better that we didn't rebook at the time of cancellation because we were able to use our FCC during the 50% off Birthday Sale they had. So we got a suite with the FCC from a balcony. This will be our first, and probably only I'd guess, suite.

I think you just answered your own question.

I can see both sides. In the short term, it may be of benefit to the bereaved survivors of the deceased to have a place to go and grieve. In the long term though, once the immediate family who remember and loved the deceased are gone, who is going to visit the grave anyway? And grave sites are costly and take up a lot of space when you account for the number of people that die each year. Even in the medium term, after the first couple of years I imagine visits to grave sites drop dramatically as the surviving loved ones come to grips with their loss.

If my personal anecdote makes you feel any better, my wife and I tested positive for Covid on February 24th and on March 24th we both tested negative before a cruise. Rapid NAAT test (at Walgreens, formerly known as ID-NOW test) both times. About 3 weeks after my positive test a home antigen test I did out of curiosity was negative too. So you might be negative, at least on some tests, 6 weeks later.

Note that, in theory at least, you need the positive test for 10 to 90 days ago OR the letter from the health official, not both, under Princess guidance. However, in practice it doesn't seem like it matters at all because if you try to go this route Princess will just have you do additional screening, which will be an antigen test. So you're going to have to pass a Covid test one way of the other anyway. Having had Covid within 90 days doesn't seem to really help you get on the ship.

This is entirely speculation, but I read a story about a Celebrity ship that needed to undergo barnacle removal from it's hull before going to Alaska because "the ship isn’t allowed to sail into many of the sensitive ecosystems in upper Alaska bringing with it sea life from the south such as California and Mexico." Perhaps Grand had a similar situation requiring a drydock? https://loyaltylobby.com/2022/05/09/celebrity-cruises-cancels-eclipse-alaska-sailing-because-of-sea-life-attached-to-the-ships-hull/

I don't have any personal experience with this, and I imagine if it worked someone more knowledgable would have mentioned it by now, but on my cruise's Check-In page it says: Don't have a compatible device? Try our web version (opens in a new window) Does that help at all?

Princess FAQ's say this: Yes, based on current Canadian requirements for voyages that embark in Canada on their cruise itinerary, all guests ages five and above will require a medically observed negative viral COVID-19 test result taken before boarding the ship: Within 2 days for Antigen Within 72 hours for PCR Below they have the list of acceptable tests, which has been quoted here many times, showing the acceptable antigen tests and acceptable NAAT tests. We know from this and passenger's experiences that a Rapid NAAT test is acceptable. But a Rapid NAAT test is neither an antigen test nor a PCR test. So is it 2 days or 72 hours before if you're using a Rapid NAAT test?

Thanks for your valuable input (or the lack thereof) on the subject at hand. 🙄