susandiego

Given that some ports do not accept a COR, and that the guidelines change so often, I would plan on Antigen (not PCR) testing, even if I obtained a COR.

Both the Celebrity and the Royal Caribbean info quoted by other cruisers in this thread say exactly that. From the Royal Caribbean page: "For all sailings departing on or after March 11, 2022, a Certificate of Recovery, for a positive COVID-19 case at least 11 days before boarding but no more than 90 days ago, may be provided in lieu of a pre-cruise COVID-19 test result to board the ship if it meets certain requirements." https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/if-recovered-from-covid-19-need-to-be-vaccinated-or-take-a-test-to-sail However, there's a list of ports that won't accept the COR. Waiting till after taking the required pre-cruise test would be too late, as that would be within 11 days of boarding, and the pre-cruise tests are within 24 to 72 hours before boarding, depending on the line and embarkation port.

Note also that you can test positive on a PCR test up to 90 days after an infection. So, if you didn't know you had a symptomless infection within the last 3 months, you could have a positive PCR test: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2022-05-08/what-do-i-do-when-my-pcr-is-positive-and-my-rapid-test-is-negative For my next cruise, I'll be doing home Antigen testing starting about a week before, to be confident both that I'm not unwittingly bringing the virus on board and that I'll pass the proctored pre-cruise test. I hope that will avoid any surprises close to the sail date.

Yes. Sorry, I did not mean to imply a COR exempts anyone from vaccination -- the content of the two pages that folks cited was focused on those two questions, but neither said that a COR would exempt you from being vaccinated. Thanks for pointing that out.

I've heard that, too. According to my local (California) health care providers, you can test positive on the PCR test up to 90 days after an infection, well after you're no longer contagious. I've found some info online to substantiate this, e.g., https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2022-05-08/what-do-i-do-when-my-pcr-is-positive-and-my-rapid-test-is-negative

I think lovesthebeach2 said their cruise is 45 days out. Still, you should have recovered by the time your pre-cruise test is required, so you should be able to provide a negative test result then. Following CDC guidelines, I think you'll be using rapid Antigen tests at home now as you notice your symptoms dissipating, and you should eventually start testing negative. These tests are more accurate when you perform them more than once, with 24-36 hours between tests, so a single negative test is not sufficient to show you're no longer infected. I would start using those home Antigen tests again about a week before the cruise, to be sure you haven't been re-infected. That will give you confidence about the official test you need to take before boarding. (Unless you were hoping to use the COR instead of a pre-cruise test? I can't speak to that.) This is just what I would do, based on current guidelines. Everything can change by then, and your Covid case might be different. I'm not a health care professional -- just a layperson doing some research recently.

That's my understanding, as well. Our health care provider recently let us know you can still have a positive PCR test result up to 90 days after the start of infection, apparently well after you're still contagious. l would check with my health care provider about whether a PCR test is the best method to indicate whether you've recovered from Covid-19. If your ports are in the US, the CDC site seems to maintain up-to-date guidelines, as well. I don't have the impression from these Celebrity and Royal Caribbean posts that they require a COR from everyone who has had Covid in the previous 90 days. The guidelines linked to in this thread seem focused on using a COR in lieu of either proof of vaccination or pre-cruise testing. It can be difficult to keep up with these changing guidelines; perhaps one of you knows better about this.