Test for St. Martin. Is Walgreen ID Now test allowed? 72 hours or 48 hour?

[caymancouple]

Need to schedule the test for going to St. Martin.  Island requires 48 hours for Antigen and 72 hours for PCR.  First question, anyone submitted this test to St. Martin and if so, what was the time frame for taking it?

Thanks.  This is so stressful.

[markeb]

This post reports success with the ID Now for St Maarten. But they're repeating with a RT-PCR as well.

 

From what I can find, the ID Now is not a RT-PCR; it uses a different amplifying technology. But at least one person on CC has been successful in using it for admission to St Maarten.

 

 

[Kreative03]

Walgreens offers a few tests - the Rapid diagnostic test below is ID NOW, which is a NAAT test. It does not count as a RT-PCR test and I would not hold out hope that both St. Maarten and Celebrity will accept it, given they are very specific on what they are looking for.

 

You may take an antigen test (BINAX NOW) to enter St. Maarten so long as you are fully vaccinated, but it does not meet the Celebrity requirements at this time.

  

"

• As of July 1, 2021 - All visitors must present a negative naso-pharyngeal RT-PCR test results taken within 72 hours prior to departure.  US and Canadian visitors have the option of presenting an antigen test taken 48 hours prior to departure however, Celebrity Cruises recommends that guests complete an RT-PCR 72 hours prior to arrival to St. Maarten in order to meet both government and Celebrity requirements. "

(below is from St. Maarten website: https://stmaartenehas.com/faq/)

[caymancouple]

This is so confusing

[Kreative03]

@caymancouple - Take a RT-PCR test within the 72hrs prior (3 days before) you cruise. The PCR is required to board the ship. If you are traveling to St. Maarten well ahead of cruising, you may take the Antigen test within 48hrs (2 days) of arrival to St. Maarten instead of a PCR test, if you wish.

 

While testing is inconvenient, it is usually free within the US and you can get tested frequently if you are concerned about meeting changing requirements. The regular PCR test is the most widely accepted and turnaround times are quite good lately (within 24hrs for most large chains). There are some folks who have posted places you can get your PCR test prior to cruising in St. Maarten if you have an extended stay there prior to cruising.

 

 

[caymancouple]

39 minutes ago, Kreative03 said:

@caymancouple - Take a RT-PCR test within the 72hrs prior (3 days before) you cruise. The PCR is required to board the ship. If you are traveling to St. Maarten well ahead of cruising, you may take the Antigen test within 48hrs (2 days) of arrival to St. Maarten instead of a PCR test, if you wish.

 

While testing is inconvenient, it is usually free within the US and you can get tested frequently if you are concerned about meeting changing requirements. The regular PCR test is the most widely accepted and turnaround times are quite good lately (within 24hrs for most large chains). There are some folks who have posted places you can get your PCR test prior to cruising in St. Maarten if you have an extended stay there prior to cruising.

 

 

We are going early.  So I can cover the test for the ship in St. Martin.  It is the test to get there.... and it is the 4th of JULY weekend.  We need tested Sunday JULY 4th if we do the PCR test.  Monday (the official holiday) July 5th if we do the antigen.  Having a very hard time because of the holiday.  Found one Walgreens in about 40 miles from me open on Sunday that will do this Abbot Labs Instant ID NOW test.  Which is a PCR test, but they want to use their name for it... ID NOW  But I was hoping I could find on here someone with experience who had gotten into St. Martin with that test.

[Longboysfan]

We're scheduled for testing at Walgreens on Thursday morning.

Same day results to send to St. Maarten.

Cruise is on Saturday.

[caymancouple]

2 hours ago, Longboysfan said:

We're scheduled for testing at Walgreens on Thursday morning.

Same day results to send to St. Maarten.

Cruise is on Saturday.

I emailed St. Maarten and just heard back.  YES, the Walgreens ID NOW test is accepted and it is the 72 hour test.

[amcb]

47 minutes ago, caymancouple said:

I emailed St. Maarten and just heard back.  YES, the Walgreens ID NOW test is accepted and it is the 72 hour test.

Good to know!! 

[fsr44]

3 hours ago, caymancouple said:

I emailed St. Maarten and just heard back.  YES, the Walgreens ID NOW test is accepted and it is the 72 hour test.

That's excellent news.  Thank you for sharing.  Will Celebrity also accept this test?  

[caymancouple]

3 hours ago, fsr44 said:

That's excellent news.  Thank you for sharing.  Will Celebrity also accept this test?  

That I don't know

[DallasGuy75219]

3 hours ago, fsr44 said:

That's excellent news.  Thank you for sharing.  Will Celebrity also accept this test?  

That's the million dollar question that no one has been able to answer, either anecdotally or in writing from Celebrity. 

[bdmagee]

7 hours ago, caymancouple said:

I emailed St. Maarten and just heard back.  YES, the Walgreens ID NOW test is accepted and it is the 72 hour test.

Can I just confirm who you contacted?  The EHAS email address?  Much thanks!

[bdmagee]

3 minutes ago, DallasGuy75219 said:

That's the million dollar question that no one has been able to answer, either anecdotally or in writing from Celebrity. 

Agree.  But knowing that St Maarten will accept the ID Now test would take some stress off getting the EHAS approved more quickly. 

[caymancouple]

20 minutes ago, bdmagee said:

Can I just confirm who you contacted?  The EHAS email address?  Much thanks!

If you go to the EHAS website there is a contact us form.  I used it.  They responded to my personal email from:  EHAS@sintmaartengov.org   I then replied back via that email address with a follow-up question and received a response.

[bdmagee]

7 minutes ago, caymancouple said:

If you go to the EHAS website there is a contact us form.  I used it.  They responded to my personal email from:  EHAS@sintmaartengov.org   I then replied back via that email address with a follow-up question and received a response.

Thank you for the information!

[Sunshine2000]

St Maarten Travel Requirements as of July 1, 2021

 

Celebrity Boarding Requirements:

"All guests must present a negative RT-PCR test taken 72 hours prior to arrival to St Maarten."

 

Does this mean that if you are staying on the island pre-cruise  you do NOT need to obtain another RT-PCR test before departing on the ship?  Will the RT-PCR taken to obtain the Pre Approval to enter St Maartin be our only necessary test?

 

Any thoughts?

 

 

[Fouremco]

There are two separate sets of requirements, those established by the Sint Maarten government for entry to the island and those established by Celebrity for boarding the ship. If you arrive in Sint Maarten early and your PCR test was taken outside the parameters established for embarkation, you will need a second test conforming with Celebrity's requirements.

[amcb]

10 minutes ago, Sunshine2000 said:

St Maarten Travel Requirements as of July 1, 2021

 

Celebrity Boarding Requirements:

"All guests must present a negative RT-PCR test taken 72 hours prior to arrival to St Maarten."

 

Does this mean that if you are staying on the island pre-cruise  you do NOT need to obtain another RT-PCR test before departing on the ship?  Will the RT-PCR taken to obtain the Pre Approval to enter St Maartin be our only necessary test?

 

Any thoughts?

 

 

This is interesting.  Where did you see this? It would be lovely if only the test to get into St. Maarten were required.

[Sunshine2000]

The St Maarten Travel Requirements as of July 1, 2021 can be located on the Celebrity web page at the very top where it notes, "View Health and Travel Requirements to keep you Healthy at Sea." When you select this it brings up another window - Healthy At Sea.  From the Healthy At Sea page go down to the dark blue horizontal bar and select "Country Travel Requirements."  Select St Maarten and this document begins with the Vaccination Policy, followed by the St Maarten Travel Requirements, and then the Celebrity Boarding Requirements.

 

"All guests must present a negative RT-PCR test taken 72 hours prior to arrival to St. Maarten."

 

The above statement does not indicate 72 hours prior to Boarding which is different than prior to arrival.

 

Any clarification?

 

 

[DallasGuy75219]

30 minutes ago, Sunshine2000 said:

The St Maarten Travel Requirements as of July 1, 2021 can be located on the Celebrity web page at the very top where it notes, "View Health and Travel Requirements to keep you Healthy at Sea." When you select this it brings up another window - Healthy At Sea.  From the Healthy At Sea page go down to the dark blue horizontal bar and select "Country Travel Requirements."  Select St Maarten and this document begins with the Vaccination Policy, followed by the St Maarten Travel Requirements, and then the Celebrity Boarding Requirements.

 

"All guests must present a negative RT-PCR test taken 72 hours prior to arrival to St. Maarten."

 

The above statement does not indicate 72 hours prior to Boarding which is different than prior to arrival.

 

Any clarification?

 

 

It's 72 hours before your check-in at the cruise terminal. Celebrity has consistently disseminated incorrect and conflicting requirements since they started the SXM sailings. 

[Albabe28]

Interesting… I just reviewed the website too and found what you are describing. That would be great if there is no longer a second test requirement. 

[amcb]

The chart on the homeport page still shows the requirement of 72 hours prior to arriving at the terminal. But it doesn't look like it's been updated because it still refers to the 120 hour requirement for St. Maarten.

 

I wonder if they tried to come to some agreement with St. Maarten since now the 72 hour requirement is in place for St. Maarten. 

[Sunshine2000]

Why did they release an update with different verbiage? 

 

 

[Sunshine2000]

2 minutes ago, amcb said:

The chart on the homeport page still shows the requirement of 72 hours prior to arriving at the terminal. But it doesn't look like it's been updated because it still refers to the 120 hour requirement for St. Maarten.

 

I wonder if they tried to come to some agreement with St. Maarten since now the 72 hour requirement is in place for St. Maarten. 

It has been updated and is listed as "St Maarten Travel Requirements as of July 1, 2021."  I'm just looking for clarification.