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9 minutes ago, AustinCruise said:

The same remote proctored ones?  Or the standard ones that look similar that I can get at the local grocery?

Yep, the proctored ones. The Binaxnow Ag Card ones which use the Navica App.

45 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

For those in the DC area, the local libraries are giving away ( limit of two per person) the test accepted by RCI. The ones we got have an expiration of 12/28. Seems like Abbott is really dumping their stock of these before they expire. 

Cincinnati/Hamilton County Ohio libraries doing the same. Limit 12

Following along!

If you don't mind, I'd be very interested to know what time you end up arriving/boarding with a Group A check in time - also what time the rooms are available. Thanks, and have a great trip!

Well, after about 45 minutes on hold for a representative, and his consultation with a supervisor - the answer was "no can do". Price drop difference cannot be applied as OBC.

Might be a case of "call back and ask someone else"... Or just forget it and move on.

5 minutes ago, LACruiser88 said:

After final payment, we have been able to obtain OBC and upgrades, never any refunds.

This is what I was hoping to hear (although honestly, not expecting) - thank you!

I booked direct with Princess (and am in the US).

5 days before - wow. So it CAN be done apparently?

Yeah, that's pretty much what I thought. Thanks for the feedback

There has been a modest price drop for my January Sky sailing. I understand some cruise lines are allowing a refare after final payment where the fare difference is returned as OBC. Does anyone have experience with this type of thing recently on Princess, or is this idea a non-starter?

Thanks for any insights!

2 hours ago, cltnccruisers said:

I used 1 of the 3 tests I have yesterday and there was no mention of an expiration date.   Looking at one of the remaining packs I see 2 dates but neither are clearly labeled.  Any idea how to verify the expiration date?

Look up your lot number on the attached PDF from Abbott. Shows both the original and extended expiration dates.

Case 01269955-COL-03030 BinaxNOW™ COVID-19 Ag Home Test Product Expiry Update - Customer Letter EN - US.pdf

I had the beef wellington on our 6nt Adventure New Years cruise 2019-2020. It was available on formal night.

It does seem to be working a lot better now. Whatever they did...

I'm on Android 12 (beta) and it still doesn't work. I made the mistake of uninstalling it and now have to wait for it to be uploaded to the Google store again.

27 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

It's not in the Play Store, so I feel like I am in dry-dock now.  Lesson learned - don't delete the Princess app unless I know I can reinstall it.

I just made the same mistake... Uninstalled it only to find it's not available anymore.

31 minutes ago, molly361 said:

9 hours ago, Iamcruzin said:

Town of Oyster Bay is 60 and I am a beach person. I hope they still have the same social distancing rules as they did last year.  It  was such a pleasure last year.

I already miss the social distancing at the bar during happy hour.  Liked it when only half or so bar stools were there

Completely agree. I have been flying and traveling for work regularly throughout the pandemic. I will miss pandemic flying - it's been fantastic. No lines, extra space on the plane, cheap hotels... It's been pretty great actually.

112 flight segments flown since last March. Still haven't gotten Covid.

We had 8616 and 8618 on Adventure. Pretty standard balcony cabin, but right on the center of the hump. Just off the elevator lobby which was pretty convenient. No noise issues from the stairs/elevators. Being able to see forward/aft is pretty nice.

December 29, 2019 - January 4, 2020 (New Years). Adventure of the Seas, Grand Cayman, Costa Maya, Cozumel

Pretty good summary of US deaths, including those attributed to Covid in this March 31, 2021 paper by the CDC:

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/pdfs/mm7014e1-H.pdf

They estimate 377,883 deaths last year as "Covid deaths". 60% of which were in people ages 75+

Kroger is doing antibody tests. Not PCR. I got one. Results take about 15 minutes but antibody tests are not sufficient for international travel requirements.

Many airports do now have on-site PCR testing available. Not cheap, but available.

Here's a snip from the email sent to Captain's Club members:

"As always, the health and safety of our guests, crew and places we visit continues to be our top priority. The ship will sail with vaccinated crew and will be available to vaccinated adult guests and children under the age of 18 with a negative test result within 72 hours of embarkation. In addition, guests must meet St. Maarten’s travel requirements, which currently include presenting a negative PCR test taken within 72-hours of arrival to the island. Celebrity Millennium will sail with comprehensive, multilayered health and safety measures developed with expert guidance from parent company Royal Caribbean Group’s Healthy Sail Panel and Global Head of Public Health and Chief Medical Officer; and local health and government authorities. These measures, including vaccination requirements, will evolve in keeping with current public health standards. Details on all health and safety measures across the entire Celebrity Cruises vacation experience can be found at https://www.celebritycruises.com/healthy-at-sea."

I think it's pretty safe to assume masks will be required.

We have not done a Panama Canal cruise, but had an aft balcony on Radiance (8672 - center aft, deck 8 ) for an Alaska cruise. It was fantastic. Balcony was very deep with two lounge chairs, two regular chairs and a small table. And of course, the wake view can't be beat...

2 hours ago, leisuretraveler223 said:

 

You can disagree all you want. But you won't have a single epidemiologist or infectious disease specialist on your side.  Pointing out the relative success of a handful of cruises in carefully cultivated markets is in no way representative of the problems that would be inherent in a filled ship out of Florida.

 

The cruise model is PERFECT for magnifying the spread.  I think it's laughable that cruise lovers are in denial about this.  Still in doubt, riddle me this: often did you every hear about a noro outbreak tied to a plane?

Oxford University Press

Clinical Infectious Diseases, Volume 50, Issue 9, 1 May 2010

https://academic.oup.com/cid/article/50/9/1216/314935

To answer the OP's question directly: 'Who feels safer on a Ship than on a Plane?', I suppose I do - 'feel safer on a ship than a plane' for the reasons stated previously - ability to find your own space, avoid others if uncomfortable, go outside.. etc.

That said, I have been traveling for work regularly by air throughout the pandemic, which I will define somewhat arbitrarily as starting March 1, 2020 in the US. Since that date, I have flown 15 round trips, on 50 individual flight segments. Many cross country (3+hours) - so we'll estimate ~100 hours IN a plane in the last 10-11 months. Plus, of course time in airport terminals, rental cars, hotels, etc. To be fair, these flights were exclusively on Delta - which has been doing an exceptional job in terms of aircraft cleaning, limiting capacity, blocking seats, enforcing masks, reorganizing the boarding process etc. Other airlines have not been so careful... I have not contracted Covid - nor have any of my colleagues. I have been tested multiple times (both PCR and antibody) out of caution (and curiosity). 

I'm not suggesting any definitive conclusion be drawn from this. I'm simply passing along my experience as a data point. In my opinion (keyword: opinion - again, I'm not an expert, this is simply my experience / observation) air travel (caveat: on Delta) is not particularly risky as long as normal precautions are taken (masks, etc.). Given the inherent space available to individuals on a cruise ship over the space on an airplane, I would imagine cruise ships to be FAR LESS likely to promote the spread of Covid than a plane - and I've been on a plane a LOT without incident.

So I guess: Plane = not bad, Ship = VERY not bad?

Deleted.

1 hour ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

Final payment is in late October--so we need to make a decision soon.  

At the moment, unless the extend the policy, the 'Cruise with Confidence' options (including the Lift and Shift) must be done by the end of this month (September 30).

56 minutes ago, LucasLounger1 said:

And keep checking. My invoice after L&S was correct, as was the reservation online. About a month ago it had jumped up $200. I called and she said I had to call back in ten days. After ten days I logged in and it had jumped up $4000! I called again and got a fellow who seems to have fixed it. 

 

This constant double and triple checking really pees me off! 

I had something similar happen to a Royal Caribbean sailing a few years ago. Booked online at one price, the emailed invoice was thousands higher than the website confirmation. Called and fixed it. Logged in months later to find it jumped by ~$2500 randomly... Called and fixed it again...

For my Lift and Shift, I called this morning as advised. It took the agent a while to generate the new invoice showing the perks, but eventually she was able to do so. All is well (for now).