John H announced masks and Mandatory testing,

[cruiseracer]

Legal in casino!!! 

[rayj130]

46 minutes ago, BTromboneFrack said:

OK, we will be driving to the cruise across parts of the country we are unfamiliar with.   How does one get a COVID test when they won't be staying in any one place for more than one night?   

 

The results of your test are emailed and are also available online. You can just print them from wherever you are when they become available.

[freewilly]

Ok.. so we leave cruise on Monday… is CARNIVAL requesting slow PCR or rapid test. 

[LHARTWICK]

5 minutes ago, MrMarc said:

 Which is amazing, because if you have even been vaguely following the news and other cruise lines you should have known this was coming.  

We booked this cruise in June.  Delta wasn't even a blip on the radar.  Had it been, I sure wouldn't have booked it.  I don't even watch the news and know all about the surge.

[BlerkOne]

12 minutes ago, HxFx said:

I just booked last night (for next month). Is there a 24 hour penalty free zone like with airlines?

I think not unless your state has a law that provides for it.

[mommysoncruiser]

I'm just happy people are cancelling or rescheduling. Should make for a more personalized cruise experience. Thanks carnival for doing what is necessary to keep the people safe!

[gnocchi_mommy]

4 minutes ago, Albums in the Attic said:

I can promise you... your health insurance is NOT required to cover testing for travel.  I know this with 100% certainly.  That is why I mentioned the need to lie.  And I'm not even saying you need to lie.  But to be covered by insurance, it needs to be a symptomatic test, exposed test, etc.  Travel testing is most certainly not covered.  Now... do you tell a CVS the purpose of the test?  Does CVS even ask?  I'm sure most could slip through the cracks.  But as someone pointed out... the ethics are very murky.

CVS has “for future travel to prevent spread” as one of the options when scheduling.

[IntrepidFromDC]

1 minute ago, freewilly said:

Ok.. so we leave cruise on Monday… is CARNIVAL requesting slow PCR or rapid test. 

From reading above, antigen or PCR if you're fully vaccinated; PCR only if not.  

[TooManyWakeUpsTilWeSail]

24 minutes ago, BrotherCraig said:

Easy to do and it has been free.

Free for all or free once providing insurance info?  My prior testing was 3 day results to be covered by insurance.  Not sure I’m willing to cough up another $300 for 2x pax.

 

Edit to say this about CVS RAPID testing w/o insurance:

 

Self-pay is not available for rapid-result testing at this time

Edited August 4, 2021 by TooManyWakeUpsTilWeSail

[gnocchi_mommy]

2 minutes ago, freewilly said:

Ok.. so we leave cruise on Monday… is CARNIVAL requesting slow PCR or rapid test. 

If vaccinated, either. If unvaccinated- PCR

[picantel]

Unbelievable. I cancelled my RCL cruise because they required testing for vaccinated passengers and booked mardi gras yesterday for august 14th. I even called carnival yesterday and was assured there would be no testing and my non refundable payment would be given back if they did. I am about to call and cancel but I guarantee they will try and screw me.

[Brew12]

5 minutes ago, shof515 said:

this might open up a can of worms as it is off topic but considering the wonderful health care system we have, what if the insurance deny the insurance claim? Insurance providers loves to deny pretty much every claim and you usually have to fight and appeal for them to pay anything. dealing with insurance sucks.

My understanding is the government pays for any testing that isn't covered by insurance.

 

[shipstud]

1 minute ago, mommysoncruiser said:

I'm just happy people are cancelling or rescheduling. Should make for a more personalized cruise experience. Thanks carnival for doing what is necessary to keep the people safe!

This too!

[Don Kehote]

"No, no, I said, 'We're Back*" - Christine Duffy, probably.

[Albums in the Attic]

For what it's worth, no, I do not think Carnival can "more responsible for the pandemic than they are for the weather."  But they are responsible for their own policies.  Again... I do not blame Carnival for the circumstances in ANY way.  They are stuck between a rock and a hard place.  They have every right to change their policies.  But if they materially change their product they've sold to me... key work, materially... then they should be accommodating. 

 

The good news... I just hung up with a very understanding representative and they are processing a full refund without penalties "as a one time exception".  Our cruise was 11 days away.  We are extremely disappointed.  I disagree with Carnival's policy decisions but again, they have to play ball with our dear leaders in the government.  But I truly applaud Carnival as I feel that they've done right by me.  Another reason that when this hysteria dies down, I'll remain loyal to Carnival.

[Buckeyefrank100]

1 minute ago, Albums in the Attic said:

For what it's worth, no, I do not think Carnival can "more responsible for the pandemic than they are for the weather."  But they are responsible for their own policies.  Again... I do not blame Carnival for the circumstances in ANY way.  They are stuck between a rock and a hard place.  They have every right to change their policies.  But if they materially change their product they've sold to me... key work, materially... then they should be accommodating. 

 

The good news... I just hung up with a very understanding representative and they are processing a full refund without penalties "as a one time exception".  Our cruise was 11 days away.  We are extremely disappointed.  I disagree with Carnival's policy decisions but again, they have to play ball with our dear leaders in the government.  But I truly applaud Carnival as I feel that they've done right by me.  Another reason that when this hysteria dies down, I'll remain loyal to Carnival.

Good.  I'm trying to get ahold of my pvp to do the same thing.  Thanks for the info.

[ScottsSweetie]

5 minutes ago, freewilly said:

Ok.. so we leave cruise on Monday… is CARNIVAL requesting slow PCR or rapid test. 

Are you leaving next Monday? Policy does not go into effect until August 14.

[IloveCatsandCruises]

1 hour ago, MT_Sea_Cruisers said:

I am so sad right now!  Looks like we will have to cancel our B2B . . . AND speaking of B2B's, I wonder how this affects those on B2B's?

 

Anyway - Just looked up on how fast test results are currently being provided in my local area:

"When will I receive my test results?

Return of test results varies greatly by the company/provider performing the COVID-19 test and the laboratory used to analyze and confirm the results. On average, you can expect your test results within 4-7 business days"

We were talking to someone (3rd week of back-to-back) on the Vista. She had to be tested on the last day of each cruise along with the non vaccinated folks 

[BlerkOne]

1 minute ago, LHARTWICK said:

We booked this cruise in June.  Delta wasn't even a blip on the radar.  Had it been, I sure wouldn't have booked it.  I don't even watch the news and know all about the surge.

Well, Delta was known in Dec of 2020 and is what ravaged India and spread to UK and others. It was inevitable. It was certainly in the US before June and by early July was dominant.

 

The Gamma variant is in the US now and time will tell if it is worse. There are others.

 

 

[LHARTWICK]

12 minutes ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

Not quite.  "ALL passengers, regardless of age, are required to wear a mask in all indoor areas on the ship except for your personal cabin." would not be accurate for all scenarios (e.g., eating, drinking).

Tomato......Tomahto...... passengers will have to masks while indoors basically 99.9% of the time.  And now vaccinated guests are no longer any different than unvaccinated guests. 

[abby1257]

yup....probably

 

[kdr69]

6 minutes ago, Albums in the Attic said:

For what it's worth, no, I do not think Carnival can "more responsible for the pandemic than they are for the weather."  But they are responsible for their own policies.  Again... I do not blame Carnival for the circumstances in ANY way.  They are stuck between a rock and a hard place.  They have every right to change their policies.  But if they materially change their product they've sold to me... key work, materially... then they should be accommodating. 

 

The good news... I just hung up with a very understanding representative and they are processing a full refund without penalties "as a one time exception".  Our cruise was 11 days away.  We are extremely disappointed.  I disagree with Carnival's policy decisions but again, they have to play ball with our dear leaders in the government.  But I truly applaud Carnival as I feel that they've done right by me.  Another reason that when this hysteria dies down, I'll remain loyal to Carnival.

Glad they done you right👍

[Anung Un Rama]

So thankful we have a nice aft balcony since that's where we'll be spending most of this cruise.  Only 2 floors down to Alchemy and get my drink to go.

[AtSeaWithChris]

1 hour ago, WhaleTailFlCruiser said:

So do you need a PCR test or the rapid test? Because the turnaround time on those is different.

a rapid antigen test will suffice 

[BlerkOne]

1 minute ago, LHARTWICK said:

Tomato......Tomahto...... passengers will have to masks while indoors basically 99.9% of the time.  And now vaccinated guests are no longer any different than unvaccinated guests. 

Except on shore excursions. and having to be tested at embarkation and before debarkation. Oh, and they have to win the lottery and get an exemption to be on the cruise in the first place.