Pre-boarding COVID testing -repeat test if first one is positive?

[Shellbelle28]

I think I've read members here on the NCL boards post that if one has a positive at the pre boarding COVID screening that a second one will be done to confirm before being denied boarding. 

I can't find any documentation of this as a policy on anything I've received from NCL or on their website. 

Has someone got something from NCL that indicates this is indeed the procedure? 

Edited August 25, 2021 by Shellbelle28

[nyc2pdx]

I've only seen that the number of people who have been denied boarding has been in the single digits for each voyage due to positive tests.  I hope they would do a second test to confirm.  

 

I think all of us share in the fear we would be the one or two who do test positive at the pier and watch our ship go without us.  You are certainly not alone!  But, I am comforted that on a ship of 2000-3000 passengers, only 3-4 are found to be positive at the pier.  

 

On my cruise, I am going to take some at home tests and test myself before heading to the pier, just so I feel better about it. 

 

But, in the end, if I did test positive, I would never want to ruin everyone else's vacation by being onboard and potentially infecting them.  I'd take my refund, and apparently, NCL will help arrange private transportation home (I'm sure in conjunction with travel insurance...make sure your policy covers transportation home!).  Sure, I'd be super upset, but we can't always have what we want 🙂

 

 

[BermudaBound2014]

5 hours ago, nyc2pdx said:

 I'd take my refund, and apparently, NCL will help arrange private transportation home (I'm sure in conjunction with travel insurance...make sure your policy covers transportation home!). 

 

This is a consideration for those who fly. You live in Portland so ground transportation from Seattle is possible. If I tested positive, I believe that would require a charter flight (like RCL offered with the girls who tested positive in Nassau) since I could not board any public airplane with a positive test. In the case of anyone who flies to a port an insurance policy would need to cover a charter flight home or pay for a hotel quarantine until a negative test could be obtained. Of course, the odds are in our favor of not testing negative, but it's still a risk people should be aware of. 

[Shellbelle28]

6 hours ago, nyc2pdx said:

I've only seen that the number of people who have been denied boarding has been in the single digits for each voyage due to positive tests.  I hope they would do a second test to confirm.  

 

I think all of us share in the fear we would be the one or two who do test positive at the pier and watch our ship go without us.  You are certainly not alone!  But, I am comforted that on a ship of 2000-3000 passengers, only 3-4 are found to be positive at the pier.  

 

On my cruise, I am going to take some at home tests and test myself before heading to the pier, just so I feel better about it. 

 

But, in the end, if I did test positive, I would never want to ruin everyone else's vacation by being onboard and potentially infecting them.  I'd take my refund, and apparently, NCL will help arrange private transportation home (I'm sure in conjunction with travel insurance...make sure your policy covers transportation home!).  Sure, I'd be super upset, but we can't always have what we want 🙂

It's my plan to do home tests prior to flying to our port of departure also. And isolate at home as much as possible two weeks before going. 

And we have insurance. 

 

But. I told someone else that if one tested positive, that NCL would retest, but then I couldn't find anything to back it up. I didn't want to give them conjecture as fact. 

[NikiPinkston]

We did a PCR test a few days before our cruise & then pretty much self-quarantined for a few days, just for our own peace of mind.  Pre-boarding testing went very smoothly.  The tech gave us the swabs so we could do our own tests - 5 swirls around each nostril.  Very easy.  Then you wait for the results.  In the waiting room, they have a big board where you watch for your number to pop up.  But, if you get a text message, like we did, it means you've definitely passed & you're getting your pink wristband to go check-in!  To answer your questions, when we got in line to get our results, we passed a room that had a sign designating that it was the "second testing" room, although we didn't see anyone in there at that point so, yes, they do test you again if you fail the first test.  We purchased the travel insurance as an extra layer of protection, but NCL does help you with travel arrangements if you test positive.  From NCL's Sail Safe policy:

https://www.ncl.com/sail-safe

If a guest is denied boarding due to a positive COVID-19 test at embarkation, the cruise line will coordinate and cover costs for travel arrangements, for that guest and those traveling with them if they are also denied boarding. The cruise line will not be able to assist with travel arrangements if a guest is denied boarding as a result of a violating the cruise line's health and safety protocols.

Edited August 25, 2021 by NikiPinkston
Adding

[BermudaBound2014]

19 minutes ago, NikiPinkston said:

https://www.ncl.com/sail-safe

If a guest is denied boarding due to a positive COVID-19 test at embarkation, the cruise line will coordinate and cover costs for travel arrangements, for that guest and those traveling with them if they are also denied boarding. The cruise line will not be able to assist with travel arrangements if a guest is denied boarding as a result of a violating the cruise line's health and safety protocols.

 

This is very good to know. In the case of the women who died from the Vista, Carnival did not cover any expenses (apparently Belize needed $5K in cash to just admit her to hospital). Royal has covered cost of travel arrangements when they flew the family from Nassau to Florida via private charter but I don't think they are doing that anymore as they are now requiring a specific travel insurance policy. It will be interesting to find out how NCL will handle the arrangements.

[Shellbelle28]

33 minutes ago, NikiPinkston said:

We did a PCR test a few days before our cruise & then pretty much self-quarantined for a few days, just for our own peace of mind.  Pre-boarding testing went very smoothly.  The tech gave us the swabs so we could do our own tests - 5 swirls around each nostril.  Very easy.  Then you wait for the results.  In the waiting room, they have a big board where you watch for your number to pop up.  But, if you get a text message, like we did, it means you've definitely passed & you're getting your pink wristband to go check-in!  To answer your questions, when we got in line to get our results, we passed a room that had a sign designating that it was the "second testing" room, although we didn't see anyone in there at that point so, yes, they do test you again if you fail the first test.  We purchased the travel insurance as an extra layer of protection, but NCL does help you with travel arrangements if you test positive.  From NCL's Sail Safe policy:

https://www.ncl.com/sail-safe

If a guest is denied boarding due to a positive COVID-19 test at embarkation, the cruise line will coordinate and cover costs for travel arrangements, for that guest and those traveling with them if they are also denied boarding. The cruise line will not be able to assist with travel arrangements if a guest is denied boarding as a result of a violating the cruise line's health and safety protocols.

@NikiPinkston Thank you so much for sharing your experience. It's reassuring to know that you get a second go at testing before being denied boarding!

[nyc2pdx]

5 hours ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

This is a consideration for those who fly. You live in Portland so ground transportation from Seattle is possible. If I tested positive, I believe that would require a charter flight (like RCL offered with the girls who tested positive in Nassau) since I could not board any public airplane with a positive test. In the case of anyone who flies to a port an insurance policy would need to cover a charter flight home or pay for a hotel quarantine until a negative test could be obtained. Of course, the odds are in our favor of not testing negative, but it's still a risk people should be aware of. 

That is if I was going out of Seattle 🙂  In November I'll be in Rome to board my cruise!

[tncruiser11]

Just received this in an email from NCL regarding Sept 4th sailing from Seattle.

Edited August 25, 2021 by tncruiser11

[tncruiser11]

Sail safe policy has also been updated to reflect the need for a pcr/antigen test within 72 hours to qualify for reimbursement of positive at pier.

[BirdTravels]

12 hours ago, NikiPinkston said:

https://www.ncl.com/sail-safe

If a guest is denied boarding due to a positive COVID-19 test at embarkation, the cruise line will coordinate and cover costs for travel arrangements, for that guest and those traveling with them if they are also denied boarding. The cruise line will not be able to assist with travel arrangements if a guest is denied boarding as a result of a violating the cruise line's health and safety protocols.

Note that the policy changed today and NCL will only help people with denied boarding if they took a COIVD test within 72 hours before arriving at the terminal. Otherwise, if you fail, you're on your own now. 

 

NCL realizes the cost of denied boarding,,, just like Royal did,,, and now are protecting themselves to minimize their liability.  

Edited August 26, 2021 by BirdTravels

[chefchick]

So I am fully vaccinated and live locally in Seattle and will be driven/picked up at the pier.  If, on the off chance I test positive I don’t see any problem getting myself home, but other than being of course upset about not being able to cruise (and testing positive for COVID of course) does this “new” policy also mean I would not be eligible for a refund of my cruise fare if I don’t also get an additional test prior to sail date?  One of the reasons I chose NCL to Alaska was their policy of testing “included” in my fare and done at the pier.

[BirdTravels]

6 hours ago, chefchick said:

So I am fully vaccinated and live locally in Seattle and will be driven/picked up at the pier.  If, on the off chance I test positive I don’t see any problem getting myself home, but other than being of course upset about not being able to cruise (and testing positive for COVID of course) does this “new” policy also mean I would not be eligible for a refund of my cruise fare if I don’t also get an additional test prior to sail date?  One of the reasons I chose NCL to Alaska was their policy of testing “included” in my fare and done at the pier.

Yes. Testing is included and done at the pier. Nothing has changed there. 

The vaccination does not prevent you from catching COVID. And fully vaccinated people are testing positive at check in. In our home town, 10% of the hospitalized COVID a patients are fully vaccinated. 

[BermudaBound2014]

18 hours ago, nyc2pdx said:

That is if I was going out of Seattle 🙂  In November I'll be in Rome to board my cruise!

 

Ohh...sorry for the assumption. But in that case you probably can answer my questions 🙂. If you test positive at the pier, who pays for your quarantine in Rome until you can fly home? Assuming you need to change flights, who would pay that change fee? If it's NCL can you point me to where they have committed to this? If you purchased an additional insurance rider to cover these costs can you please post the company? I was under the impression that because this is still a pandemic covid related changes aren't always covered by travel insurance.

[nyc2pdx]

1 hour ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

Ohh...sorry for the assumption. But in that case you probably can answer my questions 🙂. If you test positive at the pier, who pays for your quarantine in Rome until you can fly home? Assuming you need to change flights, who would pay that change fee? If it's NCL can you point me to where they have committed to this? If you purchased an additional insurance rider to cover these costs can you please post the company? I was under the impression that because this is still a pandemic covid related changes aren't always covered by travel insurance.

I can share what information I have based on my own research.  

 

As some have pointed out above, the Sail Safe program with NCL indicates that they will test at the pier and NCL will help arrange transportation home (I'm assuming with any insurance coverage).  But, these rules are ever-changing, and recently changed to also having proof of a negative test result within 72 hours of the cruise.  Gotta keep a close eye on the changing rules.  

 

If I tested positive in Rome before my cruise, I would have to cancel my cruise.  NCL has said I can cancel and get a FCC (I believe).  If that were to happen, I would need to work with my travel insurance provider and quarantine in Rome for 10 days until I had a negative test and could return back to the US.

 

If I tested positive at the pier, I would apparently get some assistance from NCL to help with the quarantine and return home.

 

I checked with my travel insurance and my policy with WorldTrips does cover Covid related expenses.  I bought up on the Medical Evacuation portion to cover up to $1 mil.  I never buy the cancelation insurance because I get this coverage through Amex (and I charge the entire trip to my Amex-which is a requirement of Amex).  For covid related insurance, see this: https://www.squaremouth.com/travel-insurance-benefits/virus-medical  

 

Again, this is all based on my own research, and I don't claim to have all the answers...

[littlelulu01]

I wonder if this applies to this week’s sailings. We depart on Saturday Alaska sailing and I did not get a notification from ncl on the change.  I see it has changed when I login and review safe sail. We tested, for our own peace of mind,  but husbands was just outside the 72 hour window. There’s no test times left so even if we wanted to, we don’t have that option to re test tomorrow. We have 3rd party insurance so pretty sure we’re covered. 

[ilovetotravel1977]

C

14 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Note that the policy changed today and NCL will only help people with denied boarding if they took a COIVD test within 72 hours before arriving at the terminal. Otherwise, if you fail, you're on your own now. 

Coming from Canada, we need to take a test within three days to enter the US anyways. So to be smart, we should make sure this three days also includes embarkation day to be eligible for this assistance should we test positive at the pier?

[BermudaBound2014]

7 hours ago, nyc2pdx said:

If I tested positive in Rome ........I would need to work with my travel insurance provider and quarantine in Rome for 10 days until I had a negative test and could return back to the US.

 

If I tested positive at the pier, I would apparently get some assistance from NCL to help with the quarantine and return home.

 

Thank you for taking the time to answer. I find the topic of travel insurance during Covid a bit daunting. I just looked at Worldtrips policy, I do think it is better than some of the others I have read, but it looks to me like Worldtrips is similiar to other policies and will only pay $50 per night to quarantine in Rome? Maybe your policy is different. It's better than nothing, but I think travelers need to be aware that it is likely Rome has specific hotels set up that are pre approved to house quarantined guests. In the case of Maui last year, the government approved only 17 hotels to serve quarantine and the cheapest of those was over $500 an night. Just something to inquire about when shopping policies.

 

Does the NCL policy specific what kind of assistance you would get from NCL? 

 

Again, thank you for the discussion. These are topics I think important to help travelers make informed decisions.

[Brian V]

5 hours ago, ilovetotravel1977 said:

C

Coming from Canada, we need to take a test within three days to enter the US anyways. So to be smart, we should make sure this three days also includes embarkation day to be eligible for this assistance should we test positive at the pier?

 

We are doing the same...testing Wednesday afternoon for our flights on Friday, should still be in the 72 hour window for Saturday embarkation as well. I can't imagine doing it any other way these days.

 

Of course we will still need to test at the pier...

[drcarp4]

I got this from the CVS Pharmacy website. It says they are partnered with NCL for COVID testing at the port. 

What happens if I test positive before boarding?

You will be asked to take a secondary PCR test. If the secondary PCR test is also positive, you will not be allowed to board. Cruise line officials will provide further instructions at the terminal.

[Shellbelle28]

16 minutes ago, drcarp4 said:

I got this from the CVS Pharmacy website. It says they are partnered with NCL for COVID testing at the port. 

What happens if I test positive before boarding?

You will be asked to take a secondary PCR test. If the secondary PCR test is also positive, you will not be allowed to board. Cruise line officials will provide further instructions at the terminal.

That's weird because the testing in Seattle has all been with Eurofins. 

[jaredsmom]

Testing for the Gem out of Miami is being done by CVS

[nyc2pdx]

15 hours ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

Thank you for taking the time to answer. I find the topic of travel insurance during Covid a bit daunting. I just looked at Worldtrips policy, I do think it is better than some of the others I have read, but it looks to me like Worldtrips is similiar to other policies and will only pay $50 per night to quarantine in Rome? Maybe your policy is different. It's better than nothing, but I think travelers need to be aware that it is likely Rome has specific hotels set up that are pre approved to house quarantined guests. In the case of Maui last year, the government approved only 17 hotels to serve quarantine and the cheapest of those was over $500 an night. Just something to inquire about when shopping policies.

 

Does the NCL policy specific what kind of assistance you would get from NCL? 

 

Again, thank you for the discussion. These are topics I think important to help travelers make informed decisions.

Mine is the same.  I believe you could get a better policy if you purchased it when you made your deposit.  But, alas, I did not do that.  The real expense of getting covid abroad would most definitely be the private air back to the US (if you are not hospitalized).  I don't know if NCL has a specific policy, but regardless, it seems to change so often it might not be worth more than the paper it is written on!

[nyc2pdx]

I am planning to fly to Rome on Nov 16th, arriving on the 17th.  There is a pharmacy across the piazza from my hotel that does an antigen test.  I'll do that the first day I am there.  

 

Of note, I picked up a few BinaxNow test kits and did a trial just to see.  Was pretty easy to do.  There are two tests in each box.  I will be bringing a bunch with me because, well, I'm neurotic.  

[sanger727]

On 8/25/2021 at 10:56 AM, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

This is very good to know. In the case of the women who died from the Vista, Carnival did not cover any expenses (apparently Belize needed $5K in cash to just admit her to hospital). Royal has covered cost of travel arrangements when they flew the family from Nassau to Florida via private charter but I don't think they are doing that anymore as they are now requiring a specific travel insurance policy. It will be interesting to find out how NCL will handle the arrangements.

 

I don't think that segment means that the woman in Belize's situation would be covered.

 

"If a guest is denied boarding due to a positive COVID-19 test at embarkation, the cruise line will coordinate and cover costs for travel arrangements, for that guest and those traveling with them if they are also denied boarding. The cruise line will not be able to assist with travel arrangements if a guest is denied boarding as a result of a violating the cruise line's health and safety protocols."

 

This sounds as though it only applies to getting you home if you deny boarding based on the covid test at embarkation. If you test negative, board, and develop covid mid trip; I don't know that they are offering to pay for that. It certainly isn't an offer to pay for any medical care if you get sick enough to need to be hospitalized or air evacuated mid trip.