New Covid test Requirement to Board

[1947wwjd]

Now Celebrity and Royal are requiring a Positive Covid test that needs to be performed 3 days before boarding.  We are vaccinated and are booked on the Celebrity Reflection for November 20-27.   We would like to hop on the Allure on the 27th but it seems this will not be possible because of the 3 day Covid requirement.  Seems like our only option is to do a B2B on the Reflection.  Any suggestions?  

[mauraoel]

This isn't new its been this way for a few weeks,  Celebrity is requiring it too.  You can get a rapid antigen test at Walgreens or CVS and have the results in 15 minutes to an hour.  If you want to cruise do it.

 

PS Welcome to Cruise Critic

Edited August 20, 2021 by mauraoel

[MommaBear55]

5 minutes ago, 1947wwjd said:

Now Celebrity and Royal are requiring a Positive Covid test that needs to be performed 3 days before boarding.  We are vaccinated and are booked on the Celebrity Reflection for November 20-27.   We would like to hop on the Allure on the 27th but it seems this will not be possible because of the 3 day Covid requirement.  Seems like our only option is to do a B2B on the Reflection.  Any suggestions?  

Actually,you need a negative test. Positive would mean you have Covid

[CVS33]

How will this on a B2B?

[njkruzer]

5 minutes ago, CVS33 said:

How will this on a B2B?

Rumor has it they will do the test for you on the first cruise.   That's what we are planning on for our January b2b on the Jewel. Too early to worry about it.  Much can change between now and then.

[1947wwjd]

13 minutes ago, MommaBear55 said:

Actually,you need a negative test. Positive would mean you have Covid

Thanks for catching that flub.  

[footzz]

29 minutes ago, 1947wwjd said:

Now Celebrity and Royal are requiring a Positive Covid test that needs to be performed 3 days before boarding.  We are vaccinated and are booked on the Celebrity Reflection for November 20-27.   We would like to hop on the Allure on the 27th but it seems this will not be possible because of the 3 day Covid requirement.  Seems like our only option is to do a B2B on the Reflection.  Any suggestions?  

Unless you can get a test between the cruises on different ships, you could be setting yourself up for disappointment. Here's information provided by RCI regarding B2B cruises:

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/can-i-book-back-to-back-cruises-at-this-time

Edited August 20, 2021 by footzz

[Tee & Chilli]

16 minutes ago, njkruzer said:

Rumor has it they will do the test for you on the first cruise.   That's what we are planning on for our January b2b on the Jewel. Too early to worry about it.  Much can change between now and then.

Can you provide where this is posted? Thank you 

[njkruzer]

1 minute ago, Tee & Chilli said:

Can you provide where this is posted? Thank you 

See above! Knew someone would find the link.

[footzz]

2 minutes ago, Tee & Chilli said:

Can you provide where this is posted? Thank you 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/can-i-book-back-to-back-cruises-at-this-time

3 minutes ago, Tee & Chilli said:

Can you provide where this is posted? Thank you 

 

[LeeW]

Same ship is easy - they will do it onboard last day.  Switching ships they might not, although they certainly have the capability.  They are doing tests for people flying to countries that require it.

[Retired LEO]

2 hours ago, LeeW said:

Same ship is easy - they will do it onboard last day.  Switching ships they might not, although they certainly have the capability.  They are doing tests for people flying to countries that require it.

They will do it for switching ships.

[Retired LEO]

7 hours ago, njkruzer said:

Rumor has it they will do the test for you on the first cruise.   That's what we are planning on for our January b2b on the Jewel. Too early to worry about it.  Much can change between now and then.

That is correct. They will test you on the first cruise. 

[1947wwjd]

13 minutes ago, Retired LEO said:

They will do it for switching ships.

Does this also work when going from a Celebrity ship to a RCCL ship?

[BirdTravels]

7 hours ago, 1947wwjd said:

Now Celebrity and Royal are requiring a Positive Covid test that needs to be performed 3 days before boarding.  We are vaccinated and are booked on the Celebrity Reflection for November 20-27.   We would like to hop on the Allure on the 27th but it seems this will not be possible because of the 3 day Covid requirement.  Seems like our only option is to do a B2B on the Reflection.  Any suggestions?  

If your onward travels after disembarkation require a COVID test (which technically this does), you can request a test on your first cruise. Royal will accept either an antigen or PCR test, so that makes it easier. All of this should be confirmed with Celebrity before you go forward with your plans. 

[gadaboutgal]

As Royal is always looking for ways to make an additional dollar, maybe they need to sell testing on the last full day to those who are not back to back or foreign travelers who will get it free.

We are scrambling to find Rapid Tests in south Florida for January and February 2022.   We have continuous back to backs but all on different lines.  I imagine the Saturday time slots for testing will be very difficult to find.

Fingers crossed.

[LadyShiva]

1 hour ago, gadaboutgal said:

As Royal is always looking for ways to make an additional dollar, maybe they need to sell testing on the last full day to those who are not back to back or foreign travelers who will get it free.

We are scrambling to find Rapid Tests in south Florida for January and February 2022.   We have continuous back to backs but all on different lines.  I imagine the Saturday time slots for testing will be very difficult to find.

Fingers crossed.

Link for you that might help: https://floridahealthcovid19.gov/testing-sites/

 

You can also use Google Maps to find "Covid rapid testing near [location]"

[njkruzer]

1 hour ago, gadaboutgal said:

As Royal is always looking for ways to make an additional dollar, maybe they need to sell testing on the last full day to those who are not back to back or foreign travelers who will get it free.

We are scrambling to find Rapid Tests in south Florida for January and February 2022.   We have continuous back to backs but all on different lines.  I imagine the Saturday time slots for testing will be very difficult to find.

Fingers crossed.

While I understand your concerns so much can change between now and then.   I will start looking about a month before our December 30th cruise.   Worried about getting our pcr test for our October flight to London only to have our cruises cancelled and no need for tests since no longer going to London.  Things are changing daily.

[Floater4life]

We are cruising 9/12 and need testing and starting to worry. Just went to rite aid and they will only do PCR and results time is 3-7 days. They are getting busy. CVS said PCR within 3 but cant make an appt yet and things are getting busy so that might change. Will not do rapid test unless you have symptoms. The search is on for testing that will have results within 3 days or we can do rapid test.  Vacation is to be fun not this crap. Royal needs to know this is getting hard and what happens if results are not ready by time you arrive at the dock.

[Retired LEO]

41 minutes ago, Floater4life said:

We are cruising 9/12 and need testing and starting to worry. Just went to rite aid and they will only do PCR and results time is 3-7 days. They are getting busy. CVS said PCR within 3 but cant make an appt yet and things are getting busy so that might change. Will not do rapid test unless you have symptoms. The search is on for testing that will have results within 3 days or we can do rapid test.  Vacation is to be fun not this crap. Royal needs to know this is getting hard and what happens if results are not ready by time you arrive at the dock.

If the results aren't back in time you will be denied boarding

[Floater4life]

1 hour ago, Retired LEO said:

If the results aren't back in time you will be denied boarding

Thanks now I feel better.....NOT.  All places I went to said if you were leaving now might be ok but getting worse.  Labs getting busy causing NO guarantees.  Sounds like I need someone that will give a rapid test, without, symptoms. Total clown car.

[GTO-Girl]

2 minutes ago, Floater4life said:

Thanks now I feel better.....NOT.  All places I went to said if you were leaving now might be ok but getting worse.  Labs getting busy causing NO guarantees.  Sounds like I need someone that will give a rapid test, without, symptoms. Total clown car.

Is there an Urgent Care in your area?  We got our done there when we did the two day test cruise on Mariner a couple of weeks ago

[AshleyDillo]

4 minutes ago, Floater4life said:

Thanks now I feel better.....NOT.  All places I went to said if you were leaving now might be ok but getting worse.  Labs getting busy causing NO guarantees.  Sounds like I need someone that will give a rapid test, without, symptoms. Total clown car.

Our CVS schedules the antigen online the day of, no symptoms required. They don't let you schedule in advance but you can schedule the PCR up to 2 weeks in advance.

[GTO-Girl]

1 minute ago, AshleyDillo said:

Our CVS schedules the antigen online the day of, no symptoms required. They don't let you schedule in advance but you can schedule the PCR up to 2 weeks in advance.

Its crazy how each area of the country is different.  Where we live you can schedule with CVS for either the rapid or PCR test two weeks in advance.

 

Although I have heard of some appt getting canceled last minute because they are running out of the test kits….😩😩

[AshleyDillo]

3 minutes ago, GTO-Girl said:

Its crazy how each area of the country is different.  Where we live you can schedule with CVS for either the rapid or PCR test two weeks in advance.

 

Although I have heard of some appt getting canceled last minute because they are running out of the test kits….😩😩

Yeah that's my worry. I've booked a PCR at CVS. Walgreens will open up their PCR 3 days prior, I will book one there so I can swap CVS to an antigen day of when they open appointments for it. There's also one CVS an hour away scheduling antigen in advance so I grabbed that too just in case.  It's a shame Abbott closed up production of these tests prematurely, since there's a shortage now.

Edited August 21, 2021 by AshleyDillo