Updated FAQ - Covid Test Required eff 8/15

[dreaminofcruisin]

This is really going to complicate things for people. It would seem like the cruise lines should be providing the tests at the ports maybe starting a day or 2 before embarkation?

If this becomes too complicated, I am afraid there will be a lot of cancellations that the cruise lines really can't afford.....

[TinaLee]

1 minute ago, USCcruisecrazy said:

But if everyone tests before boarding and are negative, there are no asymptomatic people on board.  It makes no sense! 

Even if you test negative 72 hours before you board, you could still pick it up in the meantime and be asymptomatic. There are no guarantees. I actually understand the masking more than the testing. If they want testing they should do it at boarding and on their dime. 72 hours in advance makes no sense to me - since I'll be flying in and much more likely to be exposed in the airport or on the plane. But we'll jump through the hoops and spend the week on our balcony if that's what it takes. I guarantee if we have to be masked we'll be spending a LOT less time out and about on the ship. 

[antsp]

Princess in the uk are carrying out the Covid tests at the terminal free of charge for all passengers 

[suekel]

29 minutes ago, 007colocruz said:

72 hours before arrival

this part confuses me.  So if we Cruise on Tuesday, can we get the test on Saturday or does it need to be Sunday?  Makes it hard with a weekend in there to get results.  

[007colocruz]

1 minute ago, suekel said:

this part confuses me.  So if we Cruise on Tuesday, can we get the test on Saturday or does it need to be Sunday?  Makes it hard with a weekend in there to get results.  

My understanding is within 72 hours before you board. 

[CeCe_]

17 minutes ago, dreaminofcruisin said:

This is really going to complicate things for people. It would seem like the cruise lines should be providing the tests at the ports maybe starting a day or 2 before embarkation?

If this becomes too complicated, I am afraid there will be a lot of cancellations that the cruise lines really can't afford.....

 

Unless Princess offers no-penalty to cancel after final payment has been made, there is a cancellation penalty if we cancel ourselves, $4000 in our case.  Much less than our cabin, but still a lot of money.  So far Princess has not waived any cancellation fee.

[tutuwahineLV]

3 hours ago, azbirdmom said:

Very interesting.  The full details are here:  https://www.princess.com/plan/cruise-with-confidence/cruise-health/frequently-asked-questions/ .  I'm wondering if it has been prompted by issues on the ship or the escalating prevalence of the variants?  Or maybe just in line with others such as Royal are now doing.  In any event it's an interesting - and sad - development.

 

2 hours ago, ebeluga said:

At least Princess gave advanced notice.  Over on the Celebrity board, people were scrambling to get tested for their immediate sailings...

according to the call I got from Princess regarding these updates.....we can thank the ever popular CDC Recommendations.   they're just following CDC guidelines, which we all know changes regularly. 

 

[Jadn13]

Another good resource for testing.

https://curative.com
 

I have had to test often for work and used this resource a lot and it was free

Edited August 4, 2021 by Jadn13

[azbirdmom]

3 minutes ago, tutuwahineLV said:

 

according to the call I got from Princess regarding these updates.....we can thank the ever popular CDC Recommendations.   they're just following CDC guidelines, which we all know changes regularly. 

 

 

I think it's more appropriate to "thank" the virus for continually changing into something that is more easily spread.  It's just something we unfortunately need to live with until we can get beyond the evil Covid.

[MamaFej]

8 minutes ago, Jadn13 said:

Another good resource for testing.

https://curative.com
 

I have had to test often for work and used this resource a lot. 

Thanks. I'll add that to my list of possibilities. 

We are cruising with Celebrity, then two days in a Seattle hotel before boarding Princess. I know I can test at home for the first cruise. I've spent time today looking at options for testing in Seattle before the second cruise. I'm a bit nervous about the timeline. My tests at home have come back in 16-20 hours, I just hope we can get our results in time for the second cruise. 

It would be great if Celebrity tested us before disembarkation, and Princess would accept those results, but I'm certainly not going to count on that. 

[Jadn13]

1 minute ago, MamaFej said:

Thanks. I'll add that to my list of possibilities. 

We are cruising with Celebrity, then two days in a Seattle hotel before boarding Princess. I know I can test at home for the first cruise. I've spent time today looking at options for testing in Seattle before the second cruise. I'm a bit nervous about the timeline. My tests at home have come back in 16-20 hours, I just hope we can get our results in time for the second cruise. 

It would be great if Celebrity tested us before disembarkation, and Princess would accept those results, but I'm certainly not going to count on that. 

If Princess is accepting rapid antigen tests that’s a game changer. 
Instant results.

If that changes at some point than I would get 2 PCR tests from different locations  just to be safe. 

[USCcruisecrazy]

37 minutes ago, TinaLee said:

Even if you test negative 72 hours before you board, you could still pick it up in the meantime and be asymptomatic. There are no guarantees. I actually understand the masking more than the testing. If they want testing they should do it at boarding and on their dime. 72 hours in advance makes no sense to me - since I'll be flying in and much more likely to be exposed in the airport or on the plane. But we'll jump through the hoops and spend the week on our balcony if that's what it takes. I guarantee if we have to be masked we'll be spending a LOT less time out and about on the ship. 

I agree 100%...no sense in doing both.  Do the quick test before boarding and if you're negative, GTG!  Then if you go on excursions off the boat, test again...negative...GTG!  That way no masks on board for any reason.  

[Roberto256]

3 hours ago, azbirdmom said:

This is new too:

 

 

That's sensible. 

 

The previous 'unvaccinated people will have to wear masks' was silly.

How would princess know who should and who should not be wearing masks?

 

[dreaminofcruisin]

I wonder if the at-home type tests will be acceptable?
 

This is what the FAQ says:

ALL fully vaccinated guests to produce a negative, medically-observed viral COVID-19 test (PCR or antigen) taken within 3 days of their embarkation on all Princess sailings.

 

What does medically observed mean?

[jwattle]

 Our Solution: 

[Esjung1]

I'm reading the updated FAQ's and I'm wondering if they are testing at the pier for cruises that leave 8/8/21.

 

[Jadn13]

Just now, dreaminofcruisin said:

I wonder if the at-home type tests will be acceptable?
 

This is what the FAQ says:

ALL fully vaccinated guests to produce a negative, medically-observed viral COVID-19 test (PCR or antigen) taken within 3 days of their embarkation on all Princess sailings.

 

What does medically observed mean?

Some of the at home tests you have to Zoom with a nurse. That’s how JetBlue run their at home testing. 

[beaglesandducks]

Did anyone receive email from Princess about this requirement?   Seems it could be deal breaker for some 

[hpeabody]

I do not see this good at all for Princess who is attempting to make a comeback.

 

11 days to final payment for me.  Looks like I will be one of those cancellations.  I am fine with a mask when directed, social distancing etc and I am fully vaccinated. But! I am unwilling to play these games.  Maybe I should try for 2023 cruise

and cancel what I have booked before then. 

 

And we can also thank those many unvaccinated people, by choice who are ruining trying to get back to life for the rest of us.

[azbirdmom]

6 minutes ago, Esjung1 said:

I'm reading the updated FAQ's and I'm wondering if they are testing at the pier for cruises that leave 8/8/21.

 

 

Good question.  I don't know if this relates to the up to 5% of the passengers who may be allowed to sail without being vaccinated due to religious or medical reasons.  Those folks will be tested at embarkation.  I would think if there was embarkation testing applicable to all they would say that, but then it looks like they are still tinkering with the FAQs as the "UPDATED" notations weren't there a couple of hours ago.

[pris993]

I have till Nov 2 to make final payment for Jan 2022.  Hope these new rules go away by then, will re think whether we want to go or not -- we are vaccinated.  

[Italy52]

1 minute ago, beaglesandducks said:

Did anyone receive email from Princess about this requirement?   Seems it could be deal breaker for some 

Nope

[azbirdmom]

1 minute ago, beaglesandducks said:

Did anyone receive email from Princess about this requirement?   Seems it could be deal breaker for some 

 

Not yet.  We did get an email with a subject of "Super important boarding info" from Princess for our Sunday cruise but it was just the usual "make sure you're checked in on the app" with links to all of the other policies.  Nothing was explicitly mentioned about it and I do hope they get something out soon.

[wowzz]

Why all the moans and groans ? All us Brits are quite happy  to undergo a test at the terminal. 

Adds to the safety  of the cruise - surely it is a good idea to not let anyone on board that tests positive for CV19 ?

[drmel]

I really don't want to wear a mask all week in Alaska.  We just cancelled everything.😢