Now need a test EVEN if vaccinated!

[JessyCruises]

31 minutes ago, smplybcause said:

 

You only need an antigen test to get into the US. Which the rapid test is. Antigen is ok with Royal. I dunno what airport you're flying out of - but Toronto is giving rapid antigen tests in the airport. Just show up another 30 minutes before your flight and bingo bango you have a test to fly to the US and get on the ship.

 

The PCR you need to get home is harder to come by. There are some faster versions out there...but I tested on Wed morning and still don't have my results yet for a regular PCR. 

RCL said they are providing the test home at no cost.  I have a Facebook msg from Michael Bayley's account to me stating this.  But now I see that antigen tests are not accepted by Canada. I just msged them back for clarification

 

Edited July 29, 2021 by Canadian Disney Mom

[smplybcause]

7 minutes ago, Canadian Disney Mom said:

RCL is proving the test home at no cost.

 

That's nice of them. Hadn't seen that said for anything but Nassau and Europe sailings

[dodgestang]

1 hour ago, firefly333 said:

Where do you get free testing. 

 

 

 

We are using Walgreens

[JessyCruises]

6 minutes ago, smplybcause said:

 

That's nice of them. Hadn't seen that said for anything but Nassau and Europe sailings

This is what the answer was 

[cruise wizard]

I just got off the phone with Royal Customer Service.................call took a total of 48 minutes.

 

My call was to ask about the procedure for B2B guests for getting Covid testing for Florida cruises...........

 

OK - the first response was if I was vaccinated - no test required

 

I mentioned that there was a new procedure for Florida cruises starting on 8/1 that all had to be tested prior to boarding and this was posted on the Royal website

 

Agent had no idea of this and had to check again

 

Agent then confirmed YES that all passengers had to be tested

 

I asked again about B2B - do I need to have a second test before the second cruise

 

Agent said yes that the test would be on the ship and at NO COST (I am very skeptical)

 

[JessyCruises]

1 minute ago, cruise wizard said:

I just got off the phone with Royal Customer Service.................call took a total of 48 minutes.

 

My call was to ask about the procedure for B2B guests for getting Covid testing for Florida cruises...........

 

OK - the first response was if I was vaccinated - no test required

 

I mentioned that there was a new procedure for Florida cruises starting on 8/1 that all had to be tested prior to boarding and this was posted on the Royal website

 

Agent had no idea of this and had to check again

 

Agent then confirmed YES that all passengers had to be tested

 

I asked again about B2B - do I need to have a second test before the second cruise

 

Agent said yes that the test would be on the ship and at NO COST (I am very skeptical)

 

•  

I was told the same previously.

[rbell]

44 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Yup, I, too know several fully vaccinated people with covid.    Most feel like a common cold but got tested for various reasons (caring for elderly parent, etc etc).    they were all vaccinated with Moderna or Pfizer (don't personally know anyone with J & J).      

 

Vaccines are working as they were meant to work.     If we could just get the unvaxxed, vaxxed now! 

 

Sorry for anyone that wants to get vaxxed and cannot for medical reasons.     

Now thats the hard part

 

[Sunshine3601]

21 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

Doesn't all this change for these vloggers now with this announcement? We are not sure if it does or does not are we?

Why would this new requirement change anything for vloggers?   The cruise lines can continue to give them a test at the terminal.    Actually better to get one right at terminal then 3 days before travel.    A lot can happen in those 3 days.    If cruise lines stop giving them tests at terminal they probably could run a pharmacy or somewhere local to a port to get a antigen test and get results in less than 1 hr.

[coaster]

Everyday it seems like another hoop to jump through in order to cruise. Lower the unlimited drink package to around $30 a day and I can overlook the details...

Edited July 29, 2021 by coaster

[Slidell_Cruiser]

A test too far, currently 16 of my booked cruises as a TA, the guests, called or emailed and want there money back with this new protocol in place…

just the facts, no spin here…Stay safe all….

 

[ace2542]

10 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Why would this new requirement change anything for vloggers?   The cruise lines can continue to give them a test at the terminal.    Actually better to get one right at terminal then 3 days before travel.    A lot can happen in those 3 days.    If cruise lines stop giving them tests at terminal they probably could run a pharmacy or somewhere local to a port to get a antigen test and get results in less than 1 hr.

What if Mario did things a bit differently to use him as an example. What if he moved from line to line instead of staying on Royal. Would this cause him problems?

Edited July 29, 2021 by ace2542

[Slidell_Cruiser]

12 minutes ago, rbell said:

Now thats the hard part

 

 

13 minutes ago, rbell said:

Now thats the hard part

 

Vaccines are 90% effective and on average 10% off the population get covid …so for every 1000 vaccinated, expect 10 to get covid, scientific fact and simple math..

stay safe all..

[F27TW]

2 hours ago, DCPIV said:

 

I haven't looked, but I would bet dollars to donuts that home administered tests of any sort do not suffice.  

 

And they certainly shouldn't.

[whoopie]

2 hours ago, luckyfincruiser said:

Just saw that Royal now wants all of us vaccinated to get tested before the cruise too.  Pretty ridiculous.  And I have my PhD in Microbiology so I feel I can comfortably say that!  Cruising in two weeks.

I agree it is annoying and inconvenient . I was just on American Cruise Line and they did test of all passengers right before boarding. They did them at their expense without inconveniencing the passengers. We didn't have to find out where to get tests and find time to go there, etc.

[trippintex]

10 minutes ago, coaster said:

Everyday it seems like another hoop to jump through in order to cruise. Lower the unlimited drink package to around $30 a day and I can overlook the details...

I just told my wife the same thing only $20

[ryano]

Wow, so the goalpost has been moved again.  I don't know of anywhere around here that has the antigen testing. I was tested three times via PCR last year.  EVERY time it took a week to get results back so what happens in that case?    I'm so over all this.   I wish I could just get all my money back.  If they are gonna be requiring this, they need to do it at the port, on their dime. Seriously frustrated. 

[coaster]

3 minutes ago, trippintex said:

I just told my wife the same thing only $20

You lowered the bar. Not a bad thing! 

[Sunshine3601]

18 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

What if Mario did things a bit differently to use him as an example. What if he moved from line to line instead of staying on Royal. Would this cause him problems?

Again, why would this be a problem?  There are ways to get an antigen test between 2 cruises. 

 

[Sunshine3601]

7 minutes ago, ryano said:

Wow, so the goalpost has been moved again.  I don't know of anywhere around here that has the antigen testing. I was tested three times via PCR last year.  EVERY time it took a week to get results back so what happens in that case?    I'm so over all this.   I wish I could just get all my money back.  If they are gonna be requiring this, they need to do it at the port, on their dime. Seriously frustrated. 

do you have a local CVS or Walgreens?    Check with them on how long they are currently taking to get PCR results.   Results are coming back much quicker than last year.    My local pharmacies are running a day or less (compared to 3 or 4 days this past winter).    

And CVS offers the antigen test option too, at least here in PA they do. 

[MikeMSD]

Does anyone know if the Walgreens Rapid Diagnostic ID NOW tests count as PCR? The RT-PCR has a warning saying that results may not be available before travel. ID NOW lists a 24 hour turnaround time. I can’t find any local pharmacies offering Antigen testing.

[MorganClark]

2 hours ago, luckyfincruiser said:

Just saw that Royal now wants all of us vaccinated to get tested before the cruise too.  Pretty ridiculous.  And I have my PhD in Microbiology so I feel I can comfortably say that!  Cruising in two weeks.

 

I just got back from Adventure of the Seas. Royal required us to have a pcr before the cruise. I had it done through my PCP and lab, and it was covered by my insurance. When I checked in at the Colonial Hilton in Nassau for the cruise, my negative pcr test result was rejected for being more that 5 days prior to the sailing date. Only thing is, RCI's written policy stated that the pcr test result had to be 5 days or less from the date arriving in the Bahamas (which mine was).

 

Turned out to be no biggie; they just sent me to another room in the hotel and administered a rapid antigen test. I had my negative result via e-mail within 15 minutes.

[ace2542]

8 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Again, why would this be a problem?  There are ways to get an antigen test between 2 cruises. 

 

If you are willing to have blood drawn. Some people are not.

[MikeMSD]

1 minute ago, ace2542 said:

If you are willing to have blood drawn. Some people are not.

You’re thinking of Antibody test. Antigen test is a nose swab just like a PCR test. It just uses a different technology to test the sample. 

[BecciBoo]

My scenario is we fly on the Friday 10th, are in Tampa with friends on Saturday, cruise on Sunday.  If we test at home the day before the 10th it'll be too soon, if we have to wait for results past Saturday, it will be too early (no results before boarding)???  How can they expect you to do this in some instances.  We would have to leave for Little Rock wee hrs of the morning, find a testing center before our plane leaves at 11...so complicated.

Edited July 29, 2021 by BecciBoo

[MrMarc]

2 hours ago, luckyfincruiser said:

Just saw that Royal now wants all of us vaccinated to get tested before the cruise too.  Pretty ridiculous.  And I have my PhD in Microbiology so I feel I can comfortably say that!  Cruising in two weeks.

That's pretty surprising to me, I am not a microbiologist and I am not questioning your credentials or judgement, just expressing an opinion.  .  Given the breakthrough infections and new mutations it makes perfect sense to me.  Yes, I know that even if infected, a vaccinated person rarely carries enough of a viral load to be contagious.  However, as the onshore cases start rising, they want to be doubly sure that they don't have an outbreak onboard.  So far there seem to be more cases of 1 or 2 cases popping up, so they want to try and reverse that trend.  Is it being overly cautious, yes.  But does overly cautious make sense for a cruise line right now?  I would have to say yes.