Covid testing Recommendations

[lv2cruisgrl]

We sail Oct 16 out of Florida. Which way of testing have most of you done? Ordered the kits online and do testing at home. Or did you go to a Walgreens or CVS? We can't decide which we should do.

Thanks for any tips or advice.

Edited September 28, 2021 by lovrccl

[DCPIV]

For our cruise a couple of months ago, we scheduled same-day PCR tests.  That was more expensive ($89/person), but it was nice to have that all done.  At the time, the lines were not accepting tests conducted at home.

 

For the upcoming sailing, we're going with the at-home kits.  We've seen a number of CC folks give them good remarks.

[canderson]

Be careful going to a retail outlet.  They don't always have the test type available that can guarantee quick results, and some have had a tendency to cancel appointments due to lack of supplies or staff.  Those stories can be found here at cc.

 

Honestly, I'd only consider that approach with the online proctored test kit as a nearly guaranteed backup.

[lv2cruisgrl]

2 minutes ago, canderson said:

Be careful going to a retail outlet.  They don't always have the test type available that can guarantee quick results, and some have had a tendency to cancel appointments due to lack of supplies or staff.  Those stories can be found here at cc.

 

Honestly, I'd only consider that approach with the online proctored test kit as a nearly guaranteed backup.

I guess I should have said should we order the kits online and do it that way or get the testing done at a drugstore.

[Robkat]

We spent time fretting over this matter ... who to go to?  should we test at home?

We originally finally found a CVS doing a rapid antigen test , but the location was about an hour's drive from us ... heading towards the cruise terminal in Fort Lauderdale.  (We live about two hour's drive north of FLL, and it seemed ridiculous to drive halfway to the port, get the test, drive back home, pack, and leave the next day for FLL.). So we rebooked at the same place but made the appointment on the Friday (for a Saturday sailing), but worried about the test being positive, with us and a trunkful of luggage having to turn around and come home.

When we heard that Celebrity accepts the Walgreens rapid test, we found one just a few miles away, booked our test for Thursday, got our negative results within an hour, and we're on our way to FLL the next day ... with our luggage on the knowledge that we could board!!!  Easy peasy... and that's how we'll be doing it for our Equinox cruise in November. 👍👍

[DCPIV]

4 minutes ago, lovrccl said:

I guess I should have said should we order the kits online and do it that way or get the testing done at a drugstore.

 

Frankly, if they are going to let me do it at home, then I'm going to do it at home.  I don't much care if I have to buy the tests.  I have them in hand.

[Cruise Gopher]

3 hours ago, Robkat said:

When we heard that Celebrity accepts the Walgreens rapid test, we found one just a few miles away, booked our test for Thursday, got our negative results within an hour, and we're on our way to FLL the next day ... with our luggage on the knowledge that we could board!!!  Easy peasy... and that's how we'll be doing it for our Equinox cruise in November. 👍👍

Which specific Walgreens rapid test does Celebrity accept? 

[neverlaysup]

4 hours ago, DCPIV said:

For our cruise a couple of months ago, we scheduled same-day PCR tests.  That was more expensive ($89/person), but it was nice to have that all done.  At the time, the lines were not accepting tests conducted at home.

 

For the upcoming sailing, we're going with the at-home kits.  We've seen a number of CC folks give them good remarks.

Same day PCR tests will run you $189 here in California, lucky you!