Options for Covid test pre=cruise

[dleahy4444]

On 12/1/2021 at 4:34 PM, Turtles06 said:

Just letting folks know that we used Fast Test Now in Fort Lauderdale (it’s actually in Wilton Manors) and it was quite simple. Had an appt but they even took us early.  We received our rapid antigen test results by email in about 15 minutes as promised.  But you need a car to get there, and know that it’s behind the Cricket Wireless. 😊

Hi we will be driving down from NY and should be in ft lauderdale the day before our cruise. Is Fast Test Now a mobile site? Do you know if the test is covered by Medicare even though it’s for travel? Thanks

[Turtles06]

1 hour ago, dleahy4444 said:

Hi we will be driving down from NY and should be in ft lauderdale the day before our cruise. Is Fast Test Now a mobile site? Do you know if the test is covered by Medicare even though it’s for travel? Thanks

It’s not a mobile site. You can find their address on their web site:

 

https://fasttestnow.com

 

They don’t take insurance.  (We’ve had travel tests in other locations that do take insurance.  We have Medicare, and that’s been accepted.) 

[dleahy4444]

3 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

It’s not a mobile site. You can find their address on their web site:

 

https://fasttestnow.com

 

They don’t take insurance.  (We’ve had travel tests in other locations that do take insurance.  We have Medicare, and that’s been accepted.) 

Thanks. Good to know. 

[dleahy4444]

On 11/11/2021 at 2:35 PM, Fedic said:

We just did the drive-thru test at Walgreens.  The results "within 24 hours" actually turned out to take around 30 minutes.  The email you get has a .PDF with your results that can be downloaded and printed or there is a QR code to load the results on your phone.

Hi where did you do this? Fort Lauderdale, I hope? 

[dleahy4444]

On 11/21/2021 at 10:11 PM, Turtles06 said:

Because we have a cruise in December out of Fort Lauderdale, and our travel schedule will require us to be tested there rather than before leaving home for Florida, I began keeping a list of test sites in and around Fort Lauderdale as people posted them here on CC.   This is the list of places, in addition of course to CVS and Walgreens, and the FLL Airport (I've read here that only departing pax can be tested, but I've also read that arriving pax can be as well, so please check to be sure).   

 

Obviously, I have no personal experience with any of these, so this is not a recommendation, just a list compiled from mentions here on CC that I hope will be of help to others:

 

Fast Test Now https://fasttestnow.com/

 

Beepermd.com  866-550-2212  

 

Labdoctor.org   954-530-4447  

 

labmastersmd.com/   305-794-7948  

 

Center for Covid Control   centerforcovidcontrol.org  (847)810-7604.  

 

https://synergydx.com/   

 

 

bluemedconsultants.com   954-361-8239  

 

Air/Land/Sea Physicals and Consultations; at the airport (but not in a terminal), located at Sheltair FLL https://www.covidfll.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvLyf1pal8gIVmZOzCh3cWgN4EAAYAyAAEgILa_D_BwE

1100 Lee Wagener Boulevard, Suite 346, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315

 

 

Thank you for taking the time to create this list. I’m driving from NY and arriving Fort Lauderdale the day before our cruise. I’m debating  trying to get tested in Fort Lauderdale when we arrive but I think I might be cutting it too close. I’m thinking of ordering the at home test through Optum. Do you (or anyone) know if they deliver it to your door? Would they deliver to a PO Box? Thanks! 

[dleahy4444]

5 hours ago, GottaKnowWhen said:

I ordered a 3-pack of the Abbot home test kits from Optum Friday afternoon (4 December). I received the delivery this morning, 6 Dec. Very speedy!

The box includes an info card from Celebrity. Last line: "In the event of a positive test, please call Celebrity Cruises at such-and-such number so that we can make other arrangements for your vacation." Hopefully will not be needed, but nice to have that information close at hand.

 

Stan

Hi were they delivered to your door? Is it UPs, FedEx or USPS? I have difficulty with nail and package deliveries where I live. Thanks 

[GottaKnowWhen]

43 minutes ago, dleahy4444 said:

Hi were they delivered to your door? Is it UPs, FedEx or USPS? I have difficulty with nail and package deliveries where I live. Thanks 

We live at the end of a long driveway off of a narrow street, an obscure cul-de-sac. Well hidden. Very secure. Deliveries are usually just left on the porch unless they are absolutely required to prove delivery with a signature. So I don’t know who brought this and just

left it at the door but I think probably FedEx. UPS generally comes later in the day, and for sure it was not USPS because Charles almost always knocks on the door with a package so that we have a chance to chat.

[dleahy4444]

23 minutes ago, GottaKnowWhen said:

We live at the end of a long driveway off of a narrow street, an obscure cul-de-sac. Well hidden. Very secure. Deliveries are usually just left on the porch unless they are absolutely required to prove delivery with a signature. So I don’t know who brought this and just

left it at the door but I think probably FedEx. UPS generally comes later in the day, and for sure it was not USPS because Charles almost always knocks on the door with a package so that we have a chance to chat.

Thanks, good to know. Where we are the mail carrier doesn’t stop at our house so anything with our house number instead of the PO Box never gets delivered. 

[Turtles06]

3 hours ago, dleahy4444 said:

Thank you for taking the time to create this list. I’m driving from NY and arriving Fort Lauderdale the day before our cruise. I’m debating  trying to get tested in Fort Lauderdale when we arrive but I think I might be cutting it too close. I’m thinking of ordering the at home test through Optum. Do you (or anyone) know if they deliver it to your door? Would they deliver to a PO Box? Thanks! 

 
eMed.com (the other on line seller of the test kits, and the company that proctors them) uses Fed Ex to deliver the test kits. They don’t deliver to PO Boxes.  See their FAQs here:

 

https://www.emed.com/contact-us

[dleahy4444]

4 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

 
eMed.com (the other on line seller of the test kits, and the company that proctors them) uses Fed Ex to deliver the test kits. They don’t deliver to PO Boxes.  See their FAQs here:

 

https://www.emed.com/contact-us

Very helpful thanks

[phoenix_dream]

21 hours ago, msteries said:

Just got two Abbott Binax card tests from my county library for free - a wonderful perk if you live anywhere in Ohio, not just in Greene County?  Not sure but Ohio residents should check.  Was worried about November exp. date, but a call to My Abbott help reassured me that those lots do not expire til the first week in February.  Phew!

Please make sure these are the monitored/proctored tests and not the standard OTC. Those are not accepted. 

[kidz_rn]

I want to know the answer to a question no one has asked yet:

Is anyone aware of Celebrity rejecting fully paid and documented guest(s) from boarding the ship due to a discrepancy in their Covid test results? Such as: tests taken too early/late, or tests that were negative but failed to meet any other of their rules/restrictions? If yes, how irate was the guest?  🤬 What happens next?

[GottaKnowWhen]

In yesterday’s Washington Post, Dec 6, in the travel section “By The Way”, there is a good general article on testing requirements and options, particularly focused on international travel and entry/re-entry to the U.S. I think they have a PayWall, but believe anyone can access up to 5 articles per month.

By The Way

Edited December 8, 2021 by GottaKnowWhen

[GottaKnowWhen]

2 hours ago, kidz_rn said:

I want to know the answer to a question no one has asked yet:

Is anyone aware of Celebrity rejecting fully paid and documented guest(s) from boarding the ship due to a discrepancy in their Covid test results? Such as: tests taken too early/late, or tests that were negative but failed to meet any other of their rules/restrictions? If yes, how irate was the guest?  🤬 What happens next?

Their ship, their rules. So next, start thinking about which cruise to book with the FCC they provide.

[TeeRick]

11 hours ago, GottaKnowWhen said:

In yesterday’s Washington Post, Dec 6, in the travel section “By The Way”, there is a good general article on testing requirements and options, particularly focused on international travel and entry/re-entry to the U.S. I think they have a PayWall, but believe anyone can access up to 5 articles per month.

By The Way

Or access in incognito mode on your browser.

[kidz_rn]

10 hours ago, GottaKnowWhen said:

Their ship, their rules. So next, start thinking about which cruise to book with the FCC they provide.

That's a pretty glib response, GKW. 

 

Once again: You're at Port Everglades, your luggage is on the ship, you believe you have everything in order but you've been denied entry, now what?

[2theship]

On 12/6/2021 at 4:13 PM, msteries said:

Just got two Abbott Binax card tests from my county library for free - a wonderful perk if you live anywhere in Ohio, not just in Greene County?  Not sure but Ohio residents should check.  Was worried about November exp. date, but a call to My Abbott help reassured me that those lots do not expire til the first week in February.  Phew!

 

19 hours ago, phoenix_dream said:

Please make sure these are the monitored/proctored tests and not the standard OTC. Those are not accepted. 

We’re in Central Ohio and purchased the tests recommended by Celebrity but I’ve been concerned about possible issues with dried up reagent or other problems. Yesterday someone told me about the tests available at the library so I picked up a couple for backup. They are exactly the same tests as we received from Optum and even have later expiration dates. 

[Ipeeinthepools]

11 minutes ago, 2theship said:

 

We’re in Central Ohio and purchased the tests recommended by Celebrity but I’ve been concerned about possible issues with dried up reagent or other problems. Yesterday someone told me about the tests available at the library so I picked up a couple for backup. They are exactly the same tests as we received from Optum and even have later expiration dates. 

 

You will not be able to use the tests from the library as back-up for the proctored tests.  Each of the tests are scanned for identification prior to the proctored test. 

[RichYak]

1 hour ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

You will not be able to use the tests from the library as back-up for the proctored tests.  Each of the tests are scanned for identification prior to the proctored test. 

Why not? They're the same proctored product. I used a backup test that I had purchased as an extra just in case. This is no different.

[Ipeeinthepools]

7 minutes ago, RichYak said:

Why not? They're the same proctored product. I used a backup test that I had purchased as an extra just in case. This is no different.

 

Let me see if I understand you.  You had a test kit that you got for free or purchased much cheaper at Walmart or somewhere and used it for a proctored test to get on a ship?  If that's the case, why would anyone purchase the tests from Emed?

[PAGA]

20 minutes ago, RichYak said:

Why not? They're the same proctored product. I used a backup test that I had purchased as an extra just in case. This is no different.

The Abbott Binax tests look similar, but there are 2 versions...the only one accepted for proctoring (and therefore Celebrity) is the "AG Card" version. The "AG Card" versions are more expensive than the "antigen home tests"...so that would be impressive if your library is handing them out for free!

[Ipeeinthepools]

7 minutes ago, PAGA said:

The Abbott Binax tests look similar, but there are 2 versions...the only one accepted for proctoring (and therefore Celebrity) is the "AG Card" version. The "AG Card" versions are more expensive than the "antigen home tests"...so that would be impressive if your library is handing them out for free!

 

One of the first steps that during the proctored session was to scan the test card, I assume there was information during that scan that identified the test as an appropriate test.

[RichYak]

40 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

...You had a test kit that you got for free or purchased much cheaper at Walmart or somewhere...

I didn't make that claim. I bought an extra test from Optum and used it. @2theship has an extra Binax Rx test that they got from their Ohio library. Same thing.

Edited December 8, 2021 by RichYak

[RichYak]

27 minutes ago, PAGA said:

that would be impressive if your library is handing them out for free!

In Ohio, they are.

[Ipeeinthepools]

1 hour ago, RichYak said:

I didn't make that claim. I bought an extra test from Optum and used it. @2theship has an extra Binax Rx test that they got from their Ohio library. Same thing.

 

Any claim that a Binax test obtained from the library can be considered a "back up" to get on the ship is incorrect.