**** CARNIVAL COVID TESTING THREAD #1 **** PLEASE READ!!!!!

[RGEDad]

3 hours ago, cellfree said:

I probably should know this after all my reading - where do I get the Proctored Kits?

There are two web sites

the eMed sells 6-pack sets, the Optum sells 2 & 3 pack sets

 

Both now showing Feb 1 2022 (Minimum Expiration Date)

 

https://www.emed.com/products/covid-at-home-testkit-six-pack?hsLang=en

 

https://store.optum.com/shop/products/abbott-binaxNOW-COVID-19-ag-at-home-test-kit-2-pack/

[RGEDad]

I should also point out that Carnival CC has a sticky thread on COVID Testing at the top of the Carnival Topics. You will find Many questions and responses there

 

[cruiseracer]

17 hours ago, CookieShip said:

They recommend having 2 kits per person, just in case there are issues. After hearing all the issues on no fluid, I would say least get the 3 pack to have a spare. Each kit is individual and not tied to any one person.

This. We purchased 4. One had issues and was invalid. Buy at least 4 packs for 2 people...

 

[pks3]

Hello,  Sorry if this question has already been asked - I did scroll through the thread looking for it and didn't see it.  

 

My question is - I am able to get the Abbott BinaxNow tests from my work - Does Carnival require that we buy them from Optum? Is there any specific validation that's required apart from whats included in that box?

 

I have not used the BinaxNow tests so far, for my trip with RC, I just got it done by a local lab, but for my next Carnival cruise I will be away from home and my in-laws are flying in from abroad, so they do not have the pharmacy option.  Since I have these for free, I would like to just use them for all of us, but how do I confirm that these will be accepted by Carnival?  

 

I'm a newbie to the board as well as to cruises - just took a 7 night trip with RC - that was my first cruise, and my wife and daughter loved it.  Thanks to all on this forum for what seems to be a great active community and so much useful info.

[DramaQueen22]

Definitely buy extra kits!  If you have an issue that causes an invalid for any reason, you'll be so glad you have them!

[RGEDad]

13 hours ago, pks3 said:

My question is - I am able to get the Abbott BinaxNow tests from my work - Does Carnival require that we buy them from Optum? Is there any specific validation that's required apart from whats included in that box?

 

I have not used the BinaxNow tests so far, for my trip with RC, I just got it done by a local lab, but for my next Carnival cruise I will be away from home and my in-laws are flying in from abroad, so they do not have the pharmacy option.  Since I have these for free, I would like to just use them for all of us, but how do I confirm that these will be accepted by Carnival?  

 

The ones you get from your work are "Probably" not the correct one - they are probably not the Proctored units that provide an medically observed test. 

The Correct units are the "Home Test" NOT the "Self Tests". 

The Home Tests with have a sleeve with big letters that state 

Do Not Open Test Until Instructed" and NAVICA App required (Free). 

The Home Tests require you to download the NAVICA app and set-up an NAVICA account. You  access the proctored test via the NAVICA app (or laptop/Desktop) and the proctor checks the test box (including the expiration date), and takes you step by step through the test process - takes about 15 minutes, then you wait 15 minutes, they come back on-line and read the test strip and emails you the cruise line acceptable test results, and uploads to your NAVICA App -  either of which are usable to the cruise companies. Follow their instructions - exactly - if not clear - ask. There are numerous YouTube videos on this test process.

The advantage is, you can do the Proctored Home test from anyplace (We did one while on the boat on our Alaskan cruise), and it is available 24/7/365. I have mine as back-up to the CVS tests - I have read as stories about issues with commercial places cancelling as I have heard about Abbott testing issue - which is to say not many, but it does happen. I am not putting my cruise in jeopardy because I could not get a valid test.

 

The Self test, is the exact same test, just without the medical observed proctoring. Useful for quickly finding out if you, or your loved ones, have the COVID crud.

 

Optum is a retailer that sells 2 Pack and 3 Pack sets, eMed sells 6-Pack sets.

Same Product, Same test process Proctor. Both retailers now selling packs witch expire no earlier than Feb 1, 2022. New products are being manufactured which should have a much longer (later) expiration date.

Hope that answers your questions

Edited November 25, 2021 by RGEDad

[Loopdan]

Maybe a stupid question, but why are so many people buying these at home test kits (and often buying multiples per person due to quality control issues) when rapid tests are available at many pharmacies and cost nothing with your insurance?

 

Is this a regional thing where some pharmacies don't have these available or it's difficult to get an appointment?

[cellfree]

2 hours ago, Loopdan said:

Maybe a stupid question, but why are so many people buying these at home test kits (and often buying multiples per person due to quality control issues) when rapid tests are available at many pharmacies and cost nothing with your insurance?

 

Is this a regional thing where some pharmacies don't have these available or it's difficult to get an appointment?

I wonder this as well. Tomorrow/Friday morning we go to CVS for our 1010 and 1020 appointments, live on Gulf Coast of Florida, cruising Sunday out of Tampa on Pride. 

[kelikea]

4 hours ago, Loopdan said:

Maybe a stupid question, but why are so many people buying these at home test kits (and often buying multiples per person due to quality control issues) when rapid tests are available at many pharmacies and cost nothing with your insurance?

 

Is this a regional thing where some pharmacies don't have these available or it's difficult to get an appointment?

I'm also wondering this. We went on a cruise last month and almost 2 weeks in advance made appointments for rapid result antigen tests through CVS. Results came back within 2 hours. Maybe people don't have access to pharmacies that are doing rapid tests? 

[cellfree]

11 hours ago, kelikea said:

I'm also wondering this. We went on a cruise last month and almost 2 weeks in advance made appointments for rapid result antigen tests through CVS. Results came back within 2 hours. Maybe people don't have access to pharmacies that are doing rapid tests? 

Testing done at CVS - trust our results are as timely as yours were. 

[pks3]

16 hours ago, Loopdan said:

Maybe a stupid question, but why are so many people buying these at home test kits (and often buying multiples per person due to quality control issues) when rapid tests are available at many pharmacies and cost nothing with your insurance?

 

Is this a regional thing where some pharmacies don't have these available or it's difficult to get an appointment?

 

We have family visiting from abroad as part of our  travel group for the cruise, and they will not have US insurance coverage.  I'm not sure what pharmacies in California charge for folks who do not have insurance coverage, for the tests - whether rapid antigen or the PCR ones.  So I was thinking these at-home tests might be a good cost-effective way to fulfill the testing requirements.  Everybody is fully vaccinated and I even arranged for my in-laws to to get the Pfizer booster now that they are here in the US.  

[Wennfred]

21 hours ago, Loopdan said:

Maybe a stupid question, but why are so many people buying these at home test kits (and often buying multiples per person due to quality control issues) when rapid tests are available at many pharmacies and cost nothing with your insurance?

 

Is this a regional thing where some pharmacies don't have these available or it's difficult to get an appointment?

No questions are stupid, there’s reasons why everyone selects their method that works  for them.

 

When you’re spending thousands on a vacation which includes Travel, airfare for most & hotels, the last thing I need is to risk my testing due to some free testing site. You do what’s comfortable for you but I’m not going to risk it. This is what we have to put up with in order to travel and follow all rules when we get there.

 

Fred

Edited November 26, 2021 by Wennfred

[elainmir]

Am wondering what you used to take the BINAX NOW proctored tests...I thought maybe my smartphone but someone said if your screen times out then your test isn't valid. How did you do yours? Thanks in advance! 

[loohoo1]

7 minutes ago, elainmir said:

Am wondering what you used to take the BINAX NOW proctored tests...I thought maybe my smartphone but someone said if your screen times out then your test isn't valid. How did you do yours? Thanks in advance! 

I downloaded the Navica app on my smartphone and set up my account. Then I logged on to eMed.com (with my same login/password) on my laptop. With the adjustable screen of my laptop, it was easy to tilt the camera to show the test card for the 15 minutes while waiting for the results. However, the eMed home page shows a person testing using their phone. I don't have a good phone "holder" to be able to test myself and adjust the camera when prompted.

[cruisinpips]

My wife and I both used our phones, no issue with anything timing out, the entire process was very easy and we had no problems. Good luck. I know we were both nervous for the outcomes prior to our cruise, but really no need to be. 

Edited November 26, 2021 by cruisinpips

[CookieShip]

Used my phone, no issues with time out. Only con is that it would switch from front to rear camera at times.

[canes20]

3 hours ago, elainmir said:

Am wondering what you used to take the BINAX NOW proctored tests...I thought maybe my smartphone but someone said if your screen times out then your test isn't valid. How did you do yours? Thanks in advance! 

 

How long are the BINAX NOW tests good for. What is the expiration date if ordered them now? Thanks

[elainmir]

When I purchased mine it told me they were good until February 2022. It does tell you. I ordered from the Optum Store

[cellfree]

On 11/13/2021 at 9:44 AM, Ilovesailaway said:

To be honest if I had to do it over I would have just used Walgreens. Like many I was a little concerned about getting my test results in a timely manner. After reading all the positive comments about testing at home I went ahead and pulled the trigger on the 6 pack from emed. $165 with shipping.

Well the other 3 people in my group decided to use Walgreens as their plan A and the home test as a plan B. They all got their results back from the Rapid Diagnostic Test (ID Now) in under an hour. That was from 2 different Walgreens in my area. Their appointments were available 5 days in advance and the time slots were wide open.

If you need to test while traveling and the online test is your only option then emed it is. Otherwise look at other options and save your money.

Good luck and safe travels 

You referred to the Rapid Diagnostic Test IDNow that Walgreens offered. Is that acceptable for Carnival? I cannot find that exact wording on the web site. 

[Coolhand]

We are looking at doing the Walgreens ID Now test. Does Carnival accept this test?

[cellfree]

8 minutes ago, Coolhand said:

We are looking at doing the Walgreens ID Now test. Does Carnival accept this test?

I have the same question. On Carnivals website it does not specifically use those terms. 

[cellfree]

On 11/17/2021 at 8:29 PM, Frank12 said:

Our Walgreens locally only offer the top 2 (see pic) Is the Rapid Diagnostic (ID NOW) the one you have been using?

Thanks

So the ID NOW that Walgreens offers is acceptable? I do not see those exact words on the Carnival website. 

Edited November 27, 2021 by cellfree

[Wennfred]

6 hours ago, elainmir said:

Am wondering what you used to take the BINAX NOW proctored tests...I thought maybe my smartphone but someone said if your screen times out then your test isn't valid. How did you do yours? Thanks in advance! 

Hi, I used my Laptop, don’t buy an HP laptop before checking the Webcam, they have the worst cameras, anyways my Laptop did work well, others use an iPhone or iPad, no issues with it timing out. If you use the iPhone make sure to keep the phone vertical so you can see the 15 minute timer.

 

Fred

[Wennfred]

3 hours ago, canes20 said:

 

How long are the BINAX NOW tests good for. What is the expiration date if ordered them now? Thanks

On their website it says currently their test expires Feb 2022, I just purchased 2 more boxes at the $69.00 rate, free shipping.

 

My last kit expires a few days before my Cruise date in December, will use that one first.

 

Fred

[Wennfred]

6 hours ago, loohoo1 said:

I downloaded the Navica app on my smartphone and set up my account. Then I logged on to eMed.com (with my same login/password) on my laptop. With the adjustable screen of my laptop, it was easy to tilt the camera to show the test card for the 15 minutes while waiting for the results. However, the eMed home page shows a person testing using their phone. I don't have a good phone "holder" to be able to test myself and adjust the camera when prompted.

Thats how I did mine as well, I placed my laptop right on my Lap a little further away.and then moved the screen down so they can see the card. 
 

Fred