Silhouette around Britain staycruisecations

[Definitas]

26 minutes ago, little britain said:

I honestly have no idea why X/RCI are making it so difficult for everyone with the PCR tests…. MSC have now successfully been sailing since 20/5 with testing on arrival and mid cruise…

 

I wonder how many people will just turn up at port and  get their tests done there now….

 

@Nick&Simon enjoy all your future cruises on Cunard: the rest of us will struggle on. 

My suspicion is that there will be a waiver to allow antigen tests at the port for the few who didn't get conclusive PCR tests.  It would be impossible to get large numbers of PCR tests done in time to sail at 1800 using a temporary facility at the port so relying on that on the day would be a risky strategy. I do agree with the decision to impose PCR testing. I have sympathy with Celebrity because it will be a commercial and PR disaster if they have an outbreak on board and so they have to take the best measures that they can and so are at the mercy of the testers in that respect. That said, we had our Eurofin tests done at 1500 yesterday at the Luton Airport Courtyard hotel and had results both by App and email late morning today so not even 24 hours since testing.  Clearly they are having some problems but it is working for some.

 

From our perspective, we are expecting that we will not get the full Celebrity product that we have become accustomed and which keeps bringing us back and we expect that there will be some bumps along the road, particularly on these early cruises.  We are however expecting that we will have a great time and that the crew will be doing their best to make it as good as it can be from the top down and that we will just have to take the odd hiccup in our stride. I'm willing to bet that life on board will be a great deal better than  life at home

[Nick&Simon]

1 hour ago, little britain said:

 

 

@Nick&Simon enjoy all your future cruises on Cunard: the rest of us will struggle on. 

 

 

If it saves us from this abomination we will do...

 

 

 

And single ply toilet tissue! 

Edited July 7, 2021 by Nick&Simon

[Wedgeh]

I'm pretty sure the testing regime mirrors what RC did in Singapore and it feels a bit overkill for a fully vaccinated cruise. I sailed on MSC in June with one dose with just a (self administered) lateral flow test beforehand, then one before boarding.

[TimWB]

22 hours ago, MacH said:

 

We had to drive 45 miles to Luton to get ours today. We decided to go with Eurofin so that the ball is in Celebrity’s court. 

Have booked today with Eurofin in Luton for the same reason. Was it at the Courtyard Hotel at the airport? If so how was your experience?

Tim

[Eglesbrech]

51 minutes ago, Nick&Simon said:

 

 

If it saves us from this abomination we will do...

 

 

 

And single ply toilet tissue! 

Where was this severed? Looks dreadful.

[dutchclogs]

4 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

Where was this severed? Looks dreadful.

Concierge snacks?   Actually better than the nachos and little else I can recall a while back!

[Bandic]

12 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

Where was this severed? Looks dreadful.

That was the concierge canapés for today. Not up to their usual standard.

[Eglesbrech]

Just now, Bandic said:

That was the concierge canapés for today. Not up to their usual standard.

Definitely not up to standard. They look awful.

[madmedic]

Does anyone have any further information on the antigen testing being set up on the current (3rdJuly) cruise. 

[Definitas]

1 hour ago, TimWB said:

Have booked today with Eurofin in Luton for the same reason. Was it at the Courtyard Hotel at the airport? If so how was your experience?

Tim

Hi Tim. The experience at the Courtyard was good. We went straight in. The two young people doing the testing were polite and efficient but knew nothing about the Celebrity aspect as such. We received our results this morning by email and App notification less than 24 hours after testing. The hotel car park is camera monitored but, if you give your registration to reception, they waive the £4 fee

[bluwes]

54 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

Where was this severed? Looks dreadful.

We always ask for cheese and biscuits 

[countingdown321]

I’ve seen two reports of problems with PCR test results after testing via Eurofin at Radisson Blu, East Midlands Airport.
 

Has anyone had a successful experience there? It’s our closest test site, but the reports I’ve seen don’t fill me with confidence.

[lovetoholiday]

4 minutes ago, countingdown321 said:

I’ve seen two reports of problems with PCR test results after testing via Eurofin at Radisson Blu, East Midlands Airport.
 

Has anyone had a successful experience there? It’s our closest test site, but the reports I’ve seen don’t fill me with confidence.

I think but don't know for sure that the problem might be that they didn't scan our QR codes. 

They told us today that they couldn't match our appointment to the barcodes on the test.

I went with my 2 friends and there was only the 3 of us, so no rushed job.  The 3 people there were very friendy and chatty and seemed as if they knew what they were doing. 

[countingdown321]

7 minutes ago, lovetoholiday said:

I think but don't know for sure that the problem might be that they didn't scan our QR codes. 

They told us today that they couldn't match our appointment to the barcodes on the test.

I went with my 2 friends and there was only the 3 of us, so no rushed job.  The 3 people there were very friendy and chatty and seemed as if they knew what they were doing. 

@lovetoholiday Thank you! I didn’t want to tag you directly with my question as didn’t want to add to your stress, so appreciate you responding. Did they contact you to let you know it hadn’t gone to plan and you’d need testing at the port, or did you have to chase them?

[lovetoholiday]

2 minutes ago, countingdown321 said:

@lovetoholiday Thank you! I didn’t want to tag you directly with my question as didn’t want to add to your stress, so appreciate you responding. Did they contact you to let you know it hadn’t gone to plan and you’d need testing at the port, or did you have to chase them?

They phoned my friend and told her there was a problem with her and her husband's.  She asked if mine was ok and they said no it was the same.  They didn't actually call me so I got the number off my friend and called them.  I told the guy on the phone about not having the QR codes scanned and it seemed to be an 'oh right' moment as if ' oh that explains it' kind of thing, but maybe that's just me reading that into it.

[lovetoholiday]

Just to add - the guy on the phone said, "oh very sorry about this but it will be fine you will still get on your cruise, you will just get tested again at the port"  Like it was no big issue!  All easy for him to say!

He said the results would take 20 minutes at the port.  

[delondin]

9 minutes ago, lovetoholiday said:

Just to add - the guy on the phone said, "oh very sorry about this but it will be fine you will still get on your cruise, you will just get tested again at the port"  Like it was no big issue!  All easy for him to say!

He said the results would take 20 minutes at the port.  

Kind of defeats the object of booking time off work and travelling for a test. 

[countingdown321]

13 minutes ago, lovetoholiday said:

They phoned my friend and told her there was a problem with her and her husband's.  She asked if mine was ok and they said no it was the same.  They didn't actually call me so I got the number off my friend and called them.  I told the guy on the phone about not having the QR codes scanned and it seemed to be an 'oh right' moment as if ' oh that explains it' kind of thing, but maybe that's just me reading that into it.

Thank you again, it gives me something to look out for to maximise the chances of a successful visit. 

[southamptonsue]

1 hour ago, lovetoholiday said:

I think but don't know for sure that the problem might be that they didn't scan our QR codes. 

They told us today that they couldn't match our appointment to the barcodes on the test.

I went with my 2 friends and there was only the 3 of us, so no rushed job.  The 3 people there were very friendy and chatty and seemed as if they knew what they were doing. 

I’m concerned now, we had the tests 36 hours ago and the website says test results “waiting”, but our QR codes weren’t scanned either.

I wish I wasn’t going on this cruise, it’s so stressful

[lovetoholiday]

2 minutes ago, southamptonsue said:

I’m concerned now, we had the tests 36 hours ago and the website says test results “waiting”, but our QR codes weren’t scanned either.

I wish I wasn’t going on this cruise, it’s so stressful

I've just checked the website and on mine it says - you have no test results.  So maybe 'waiting' is better.  I hope you get it ok eventually.

Cruising used to be so easy 😭

[dalesmouse]

9 hours ago, Nick&Simon said:

 

Foot stools are there in Concierge.

 

 Not sure what is going on but Eurofins have set up in The Meeting place and there is a big banner saying "welcome to your rapid Antigen test ".

 

This is on the Eurofins portal..

'Login to our portal to access your QR Code, make updates to your profile, and schedule your Debark testing appoint on the first day of your cruise. '. Looks like  there will be some testing before we leave the ship.  Communication, communication, communication.....not

 

 

 

 

 

[the penguins]

5 hours ago, Nick&Simon said:

 

 

If it saves us from this abomination we will do...

 

 

 

And single ply toilet tissue! 

Have been watching your reviews. All ships have problems and in our experience on Celebrity if you seek out the manager or director the situation is often quickly rectified. We have on many lines and on only one have we had the Captain walk out on a Q and A session in the main theatre because he had no answers to the many complaints. On the same cruise when the head chefs made an appearance in the main restaurant half the diners stood up and booed. The ship? Cunard's QM2.

[Bandic]

9 hours ago, dalesmouse said:

This is on the Eurofins portal..

'Login to our portal to access your QR Code, make updates to your profile, and schedule your Debark testing appoint on the first day of your cruise. '. Looks like  there will be some testing before we leave the ship.  Communication, communication, communication.....not

 

 

 

 

 

We have received our debarkation information and there is no mention of a test that needs to be completed.

 

I logged into the Eurofin app and it simply states that I am clear to debark. 

 

With regards to the PCR tests, our QR codes were not scanned when we were tested. The lady conducting the test already had our details on her ipad and asked us to confirm our DoB and names. She did scan the bar code on the test kit though and we had our results back within 36 hours.

 

I wouldn't stress about it too much. If you use Celebrity's preferred provider (Eurofins) and they mess it up, it is up to Celebrity to sort it out. Just do as instructed and plan to arrive at the port as normal. You will have a great time on-board.

[lovetoholiday]

1 minute ago, Bandic said:

With regards to the PCR tests, our QR codes were not scanned when we were tested. The lady conducting the test already had our details on her ipad and asked us to confirm our DoB and names. She did scan the bar code on the test kit though and we had our results back within 36 hours.

 

I wouldn't stress about it too much. If you use Celebrity's preferred provider (Eurofins) and they mess it up, it is up to Celebrity to sort it out. Just do as instructed and plan to arrive at the port as normal. You will have a great time on-board.

Thank you. Just getting ready to travel to Southampton and keeping my fingers crossed it all goes to plan tomorrow.  I'll relax once I am finally on board.

Enjoy your last day.

[oxmatt]

16 hours ago, Nick&Simon said:

 

 

If it saves us from this abomination we will do...

 

 

 

 

My kids would love this. Only there are 3 of them so they'd fight over everything.

 

Not so much the toilet paper though but better that than the toilets get clogged.