Booking a cruise-Covid testing?

[scorpioncrawl]

Getting ready to book a cruise, our 1st since pandemic hit. We are fully vaccinated and just recently had the booster shots. So does NCL test ALL guests

prior to boarding? Do we need to get tested before our cruise? Not sure what we need to do....

[BirdTravels]

Once booked, you need to read, re-read and re-read again all email communications from NCL for the protocols on your specific cruise. They ate

ck stantly evolving and are highly dependent on your itinerary and the requirements of the countries you are visiting. 
 

Currently, NCL is testing 100% of the passengers at check-in. Currently, if you want NCL assistance should you fail your check-in test, you need to test nlt 3 days prior to arriving to check-in.
 

Yes, fully vaccinated passengers have tested positive at check-in. Yes, people who have tested negative at home have tested positive at check-in. And yes, passengers have been left behind on the dock for failing to follow the cruise-specific requirements sent in email for your cruise. 

[hallux]

This should cover everything.  A note - if you DON'T get tested before traveling to embarkation and end up testing positive at the pier don't expect any compensation.

 

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

 

On, there's also this recent thread - 

 

Edited October 31, 2021 by hallux

[scorpioncrawl]

Thanks for the replies....So if we get tested in the time frame required prior to cruise, we still will be tested at boarding?

[MeHeartCruising]

10 minutes ago, scorpioncrawl said:

Thanks for the replies....So if we get tested in the time frame required prior to cruise, we still will be tested at boarding?

Yes. 

[DAVLIB007]

38 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

Once booked, you need to read, re-read and re-read again all email communications from NCL for the protocols on your specific cruise. They ate

ck stantly evolving and are highly dependent on your itinerary and the requirements of the countries you are visiting. 
 

Currently, NCL is testing 100% of the passengers at check-in. Currently, if you want NCL assistance should you fail your check-in test, you need to test nlt 3 days prior to arriving to check-in.
 

Yes, fully vaccinated passengers have tested positive at check-in. Yes, people who have tested negative at home have tested positive at check-in. And yes, passengers have been left behind on the dock for failing to follow the cruise-specific requirements sent in email for your cruise. 

you can get tested 96 hours before cruise NCL changed their requirements 

[phillygwm]

1 hour ago, scorpioncrawl said:

Getting ready to book a cruise, our 1st since pandemic hit. We are fully vaccinated and just recently had the booster shots. So does NCL test ALL guests

prior to boarding? Do we need to get tested before our cruise? Not sure what we need to do....

Regardless of anything else, you WILL be tested at the port prior to boarding.

 

In addition, it is "strongly recommended" that you get a PCR (or at least antigen) test within 96 hours of boarding.  NCL seems to vacillate on whether they will provide financial assistance with accommodations IF you do.  Currently, it seems they will.  That said, while it isn't mandatory, unless it's a short drive to the port for you it just makes sense that you get that pretest.

 

Either way, I'm going to be tested.  If I AM positive, I don't want to fly out to the port only to be quarantined, whether at their expense or mine.

 

Edited October 31, 2021 by phillygwm

[Turtles06]

3 hours ago, scorpioncrawl said:

Thanks for the replies....So if we get tested in the time frame required prior to cruise, we still will be tested at boarding?

 

3 hours ago, MeHeartCruising said:

Yes. 

 

Yes indeed, @scorpioncrawl -- please read the pertinent pages of NCL's web site, and keep up with it in the future, as things change rapidly.  And, as advised above, pay close attention to all emails sent to you by NCL on these subjects. 

 

https://www.ncl.com/sail-safe?intcmp=pdt_sl_SAILSAFEVAC#sail-safe-faq

[BarnCat1]

If we do an antigen test at home 96 hours prior to sailing what proof of a negative test result would we show? Is the photo on our phone with the date stamp good enough? We plan to do one at home and one at the pre cruise hotel as well.  We are all vaccinated with boosters as well.

[hallux]

@BarnCat1 the information is part of the FAQ here - https://www.ncl.com/sail-safe?intcmp=pdt_sl_SAILSAFEVAC

 

To be 100% sure, you should probably do one of the 'proctored' tests, which I believe results in an email certifying the results with all the information the cruise line wants.

[Shellbelle28]

1 hour ago, BarnCat1 said:

If we do an antigen test at home 96 hours prior to sailing what proof of a negative test result would we show? Is the photo on our phone with the date stamp good enough? We plan to do one at home and one at the pre cruise hotel as well.  We are all vaccinated with boosters as well.

You need to do a test that is administered or proctored that generates a documented result with birth date of the person tested and date of test, not just an OTC home test. 

[BirdTravels]

2 hours ago, BarnCat1 said:

If we do an antigen test at home 96 hours prior to sailing what proof of a negative test result would we show? Is the photo on our phone with the date stamp good enough? We plan to do one at home and one at the pre cruise hotel as well.  We are all vaccinated with boosters as well.

You need a report from the testing company

 

NOTE: Read, re-read, and re-read again the cruise-specific information sent from NCL. Some cruises do not accept antigen tests. Some cruises require you to pre-register with foreign government. People have been left behind because they did not follow the health protocols for their specific cruise. Sailing “the lady on Cruise Critic said I could do a home antigen test” won’t get you on the ship.