Our cruise leaves on a Tuesday, not enough time to get a PCR test and there are no Rapid antigen tests available in out area!

[time4sun]

Our cruise leaves in 11 days and there are no rapid antigen tests available unless we drive 3 1/2 hours each way.....and PCR test results can't get back to us prior to a Tuesday cruise.....any ideas???  There are no CVS pharmacies in Central Oregon, only 1 Walgreens that offers the antigen test, and due to the Delta variant, they are out of stock!  Oy!

[FiremedicMike151]

PCR tests only take a day or two to get back..

 

[BlerkOne]

What would a local doctor do if he suspected someone had covid? Or county health department?

[FiremedicMike151]

1 minute ago, BlerkOne said:

What would a local doctor do if he suspected someone had covid? Or county health department?

That is a different scenario than a screening for a vacation..

 

[firefly333]

The test takes a hour. Can you schedule it the day before at the port?

 

Agree the having to get tested dds stress.

[Barba21885]

I am getting a test on Tuesday for a sale date of Thursday next week.  I know I don't have to have one since we are sailing before the 14th but I am also sailing again the end of September so I want to "test " the test..... plus you never know if they decide to change things up again. 

 Does anyone know if the results come over your smart phone and if that is all we need to present?  Will they accept the rapid test?  Have tried calling Carnival but....well you know how that is going right now.

[asalligo]

3 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

The test takes a hour. Can you schedule it the day before at the port?

 

Agree the having to get tested dds stress.

Not sure where they are cruising from, but here in Orlando it is very hard to get in anywhere to get tested right now and most places are not taking reservations more than a few days out. 

[BlerkOne]

8 minutes ago, FiremedicMike151 said:

That is a different scenario than a screening for a vacation..

 

A test is a test. If you have to pay out of pocket, I might prefer doing that to spending a day on the road.

[FiremedicMike151]

1 minute ago, BlerkOne said:

A test is a test. If you have to pay out of pocket, I might prefer doing that to spending a day on the road.

There are different rules of engagement for a doctor or a county health department to test a person suspected of having covid than there is for a screening test for a vacation.

 

Payment has nothing to do with it.

 

[asalligo]

Just now, FiremedicMike151 said:

There are different rules of engagement for a doctor or a county health department to test a person suspected of having covid than there is for a screening test for a vacation.

 

Payment has nothing to do with it.

 

Exactly, they just will not do it without visible symptoms. 

 

[sanger727]

18 minutes ago, time4sun said:

Our cruise leaves in 11 days and there are no rapid antigen tests available unless we drive 3 1/2 hours each way.....and PCR test results can't get back to us prior to a Tuesday cruise.....any ideas???  There are no CVS pharmacies in Central Oregon, only 1 Walgreens that offers the antigen test, and due to the Delta variant, they are out of stock!  Oy!

 

Where are you cruising out of and are you flying in a day early? Many airports have testing locations now for travelers. 

[Shayhooper]

3 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

A test is a test. If you have to pay out of pocket, I might prefer doing that to spending a day on the road.

Yes and no.  Here locally, you can get a ID Now test that is neither a PCR or an antigen fairly easily but to get a Bimax antigen rapid test you have to either be showing symptoms or have an exposure.  

 

Have you tried Quest?  

[SUSIEK]

3 minutes ago, sanger727 said:

 

Where are you cruising out of and are you flying in a day early? Many airports have testing locations now for travelers. 

 Yes....or,  if you are leaving from South FL there are many CVS pharmacies or Walgreens.  CVS does rapid testing.  I would suggest you reserve a time now as it's getting a little crazy here with people getting tested.  You get the results back in about an hour via text or email. 

[ProgRockCruiser]

16 minutes ago, asalligo said:

Not sure where they are cruising from, but here in Orlando it is very hard to get in anywhere to get tested right now and most places are not taking reservations more than a few days out. 

I checked yesterday, and my local CVSs all had bookings open out a couple of weeks.  I'm in the Orlando area.

[BlerkOne]

16 minutes ago, FiremedicMike151 said:

There are different rules of engagement for a doctor or a county health department to test a person suspected of having covid than there is for a screening test for a vacation.

 

Payment has nothing to do with it.

 

People are fraudulently claiming they are vaccinated, and someone can't fake a covid symptom of two? But I wouldn't suggest that. Perhaps a local doctor or health department might know of resources other than CVS or Walgreens or have other suggestions. 

[time4sun]

Thanks for all the replies!  Love CC!  We are sailing out of Seattle, and are flying the morning of the cruise since it's an easy direct flight from Bend Oregon.  Seems risky to try to get a test once in Seattle.  I have a note in to my doctor office to see if there's anything they can do.  The problem is the "tuesday" cruise.  The labs aren't open on Sunday that they send the PCR test to, they say the test wouldn't go out until Monday.  Thanks again!

[chefchick]

29 minutes ago, time4sun said:

Thanks for all the replies!  Love CC!  We are sailing out of Seattle, and are flying the morning of the cruise since it's an easy direct flight from Bend Oregon.  Seems risky to try to get a test once in Seattle.  I have a note in to my doctor office to see if there's anything they can do.  The problem is the "tuesday" cruise.  The labs aren't open on Sunday that they send the PCR test to, they say the test wouldn't go out until Monday.  Thanks again!

I live in seattle and am sailing on the Miracle Tuesday, 8/17.  The only “free” test I could  get an appointment for was a PCR test at CVS on the Saturday before (no rapid antigen available from either CVS or Walgreens).  Just this morning I called CVS and the minute clinic (their local testing site) and confirmed that “generally” tests results for the PCR are sent within the 1-2 day timeframe, but most clinics do not send out tests on Sunday…meaning as long as my test is picked up on Saturday (which is the norm) I shouldn’t have a problem 🤞. If they don’t, then it won’t go to testing till Monday and then????

[nwcruiselover]

I’m finding that in our town, neither the pharmacies nor the hospital is currently testing people with no symptoms.  I’ll have to look farther afield to find a place, and hoping for a Saturday rapid test.  It sounds so easy, but it’s not as straightforward for some people as it is for others.  Tuesday seems like the “worst” day to sail when testing is required within the 3 days prior.

[BroadwayGirl]

6 hours ago, time4sun said:

Thanks for all the replies!  Love CC!  We are sailing out of Seattle, and are flying the morning of the cruise since it's an easy direct flight from Bend Oregon.  Seems risky to try to get a test once in Seattle.  I have a note in to my doctor office to see if there's anything they can do.  The problem is the "tuesday" cruise.  The labs aren't open on Sunday that they send the PCR test to, they say the test wouldn't go out until Monday.  Thanks again!

Is there a testing site at the airport you’re flying from? I know a lot of airports have pop up testing for travel these days

[14nascarfan]

We leave on the 14th and yes was hard to find to get the test but we did and it cost us $300.00.  

[TNcruising02]

Carnival should really allow 5 days instead of 3.  Three days is pushing it for people because they also have to factor in their travel time to the cruise port.  It's not like they only have to time it for a plane trip. 

[dbrucern]

19 hours ago, time4sun said:

Thanks for all the replies!  Love CC!  We are sailing out of Seattle, and are flying the morning of the cruise since it's an easy direct flight from Bend Oregon.  Seems risky to try to get a test once in Seattle.  I have a note in to my doctor office to see if there's anything they can do.  The problem is the "tuesday" cruise.  The labs aren't open on Sunday that they send the PCR test to, they say the test wouldn't go out until Monday.  Thanks again!

The airport in Seattle offers the test, it is located in the baggage area.  It is by no means cheap but they will hand you the results in 30-60mins.  We had booked an appointment for our Seattle cruise but then it was clarified that we did not need one as it goes into effect on Aug 14th and we will be on the ship as of August 10th.

[ProgRockCruiser]

21 minutes ago, TNcruising02 said:

Carnival should really allow 5 days instead of 3.  Three days is pushing it for people because they also have to factor in their travel time to the cruise port.  It's not like they only have to time it for a plane trip. 

Carnival didn't just invent the 3-day window, it is the standard used by the CDC and pretty well every international travel requirement.  If Carnival had gone with 5 days, there could have been quite a backlash for using a very non-standard timeframe.

 

Most countries that require a PCR test will require you to have had a PCR test within 72 hrs (not "3 days") of arrival at the destination airport.  Flight time from a typical US international origin (e.g. IAD) to most overseas places is a minimum 10 hour process.  The total timeframe of having to fly from a local airport (say Kalamazoo) to IAD and then onward to destination airport (say 14 hrs total) means you have to have had the test taken within 58 hrs of checking in at Kalamazoo.  That is not that much different from someone flying in from Kalamazoo to Miami or Orlando and getting on a cruise the next morning - if your flight from Kalamazoo leaves on Friday for a Saturday cruise, you get tested on Wednesday, and you don't need to present the results until when you board, at say 12 noon.  So if you get tested at 4pm on Wednesday, you have 68 hrs from test time to boarding time to get your results.

 

It is a lousy situation for people who cannot readily get a rapid antigen test in their area, but if a corporation like Carnival is going to implement a protocol, it is best to be consistent with the rest of the related travel industries.

[TNcruising02]

Just now, ProgRockCruiser said:

Carnival didn't just invent the 3-day window, it is the standard used by the CDC and pretty well every international travel requirement.  If Carnival had gone with 5 days, there could have been quite a backlash for using a very non-standard timeframe.

 

Most countries that require a PCR test will require you to have had a PCR test within 72 hrs (not "3 days") of arrival at the destination airport.  Flight time from a typical US international origin (e.g. IAD) to most overseas places is a minimum 10 hour process.  The total timeframe of having to fly from a local airport (say Kalamazoo) to IAD and then onward to destination airport (say 14 hrs total) means you have to have had the test taken within 58 hrs of checking in at Kalamazoo.  That is not that much different from someone flying in from Kalamazoo to Miami or Orlando and getting on a cruise the next morning - if your flight from Kalamazoo leaves on Friday for a Saturday cruise, you get tested on Wednesday, and you don't need to present the results until when you board, at say 12 noon.  So if you get tested at 4pm on Wednesday, you have 68 hrs from test time to boarding time to get your results.

 

It is a lousy situation for people who cannot readily get a rapid antigen test in their area, but if a corporation like Carnival is going to implement a protocol, it is best to be consistent with the rest of the related travel industries.

 

The other travel industries have people who travel directly to them, such as an airline flight.  People who cruise have additional travel time. Carnival could have easily allowed 5 days since the CDC is not requiring testing at all for vaccinated passengers to board a cruise.  So, they could have done that and made it easier for people to get the testing done while also taking into account the additional travel it takes for cruises.  

When someone flies, they don't usually travel to the airport and then stay a day or two.  However, with cruising, most people fly in at least a day before the cruise.  So, cruises are different than simply taking a test before boarding a plane.  Anyway, this is my opinion.

[ProgRockCruiser]

1 minute ago, TNcruising02 said:

When someone flies, they don't usually travel to the airport and then stay a day or two.  However, with cruising, most people fly in at least a day before the cruise.  So, cruises are different than simply taking a test before boarding a plane.  

If you fly in the day before, as I stated in my example, the overall timeline for getting a test result is roughly the same as flying internationally.  With Carnival saying "three days", they are already giving you about 12 hours more than the folks flying international.

 

If you want to fly in two or three days ahead of the cruise, then that gives you ample opportunity to book a test at the Port area and get results prior to boarding.

 

And this is no different from what RCI is requiring for their cruises 5 days or longer, so Carnival is just matching the rest of the industry:

 

PRE-CRUISE TEST FOR ALL GUESTS ON SAILINGS 5 NIGHTS OR LONGER

• All guests age 2 and older — regardless of vaccination status — will need to take a COVID-19 test (PCR or antigen) with an accredited test provider, such as a drugstore chain or diagnostic lab, no more than 3 days before arriving at the terminal for embarkation. Guests will need to show their negative test result upon arriving at the terminal. The results can be printed out, or can be presented on your phone, such as the email result from your test provider. Costs associated with this test are the guests' responsibility.

 

4 minutes ago, TNcruising02 said:

since the CDC is not requiring testing at all for vaccinated passengers to board a cruise

Not yet - but the implication is that the CDC is looking very hard at the cruise industry, and expects them to implement something on their own that is in line with what they will otherwise "mandate".