Laurie997 Posted December 27, 2021 #1 Share Posted December 27, 2021 Hey all!!! I was just thinking I know Royal requires pre Covid tests 2 days prior and “weekly” testing for staff. Couldn’t they offer a same day rapid test to all? Just a question I’m not that up on Covid testing I have had both shots and have had my booster. I feel horrible the cruise lines just started up not to long ago and we sail on HOTS 1-23 and just got back 12-12. Absolutely love love love cruising 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare livingonthebeach Posted December 27, 2021 #2 Share Posted December 27, 2021 8 minutes ago, Laurie997 said: Hey all!!! I was just thinking I know Royal requires pre Covid tests 2 days prior and “weekly” testing for staff. Couldn’t they offer a same day rapid test to all? Just a question I’m not that up on Covid testing I have had both shots and have had my booster. I feel horrible the cruise lines just started up not to long ago and we sail on HOTS 1-23 and just got back 12-12. Absolutely love love love cruising If they tesedt everyone onboard or at the pier (which they can), the positive numbers would be sky high. Then you can say goodbye to any port stops. If the ships can not dock anywhere then cruising halts. Two days prior testing is not good enough to detect the new variant which is highly contagious and can be transmitted in a matter of a few days. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevonfromAcme Posted December 27, 2021 #3 Share Posted December 27, 2021 3 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said: If they tesedt everyone onboard or at the pier (which they can), the positive numbers would be sky high. Then you can say goodbye to any port stops. If the ships can not dock anywhere then cruising halts. Two days prior testing is not good enough to detect the new variant which is highly contagious and can be transmitted in a matter of a few days. Not to mention that test kits are in short supply. I don’t know that RCI would even have the ability to get that number of kits to the ports on such short notice. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgoff60 Posted December 27, 2021 #4 Share Posted December 27, 2021 (edited) ...and the cost is not cheap...(And logistics are even more problematic...) If you are talking about an Oasis class ship with a full capacity of 5500 and you are sailing at 65% full that is about 3,600 people. Add in the 2,200 crew on board and you have about 5,800 people to test. At an average wholesale cost of $20 (Somebody has to pay...) that is an expense of about $115,000 for ONE ROUND of testing...! I think that is why RCI is pushing the onus upstream to the cruising public. "You test you and we will test crew" Edited December 27, 2021 by bgoff60 clarity 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoepipes Posted December 27, 2021 #5 Share Posted December 27, 2021 I understand that Norwegian does that and you're not hearing the horror stories about those cruises. . . 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare livingonthebeach Posted December 27, 2021 #6 Share Posted December 27, 2021 1 minute ago, zoepipes said: I understand that Norwegian does that and you're not hearing the horror stories about those cruises. . . Correct NCL only takes fully vaccinated passengers and does the test at the pier. There have been no horror stories on ships like on RCI and Carnival. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevonfromAcme Posted December 27, 2021 #7 Share Posted December 27, 2021 2 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said: Correct NCL only takes fully vaccinated passengers and does the test at the pier. There have been no horror stories on ships like on RCI and Carnival. NCL is discontinuing tests at the pier after January 31, and will be requiring guests to take their own, just like the rest of the cruise lines. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevonfromAcme Posted December 27, 2021 #8 Share Posted December 27, 2021 12 minutes ago, bgoff60 said: ...and the cost is not cheap...(And logistics are even more problematic...) If you are talking about an Oasis class ship with a full capacity of 5500 and you are sailing at 65% full that is about 3,600 people. Add in the 2,200 crew on board and you have about 5,800 people to test. At an average wholesale cost of $20 (Somebody has to pay...) that is an expense of about $115,000 for ONE ROUND of testing...! I think that is why RCI is pushing the onus upstream to the cruising public. "You test you and we will test crew" Wholesale cost of the Covid tests are a fraction of that-- they're closer to $2 than $20. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie997 Posted December 27, 2021 Author #9 Share Posted December 27, 2021 It was just a thought. This is just so disheartening truly it is. I would pay the $99 fee just to be safe PRIOR to boarding if that was even possible. Lord help us all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oxo Posted December 27, 2021 #10 Share Posted December 27, 2021 14 minutes ago, zoepipes said: I understand that Norwegian does that and you're not hearing the horror stories about those cruises. . . We were on the NCL JOY Nov 20 - Dec 4. 2021. We were tested at the pier before we boarded. There were only about 1,600 passengers. No mask, no social distancing. Now is a different time and C19 variance. I am reading RCI, NCL, MSC, Celebrity and Princess CC. Yes, each cruise line is reporting cases. So far, we have heard of 50 to 75 cases on a ship. Where are all these horror stories? Stay Safe! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare livingonthebeach Posted December 27, 2021 #11 Share Posted December 27, 2021 12 minutes ago, Oxo said: We were on the NCL JOY Nov 20 - Dec 4. 2021. We were tested at the pier before we boarded. There were only about 1,600 passengers. No mask, no social distancing. Now is a different time and C19 variance. I am reading RCI, NCL, MSC, Celebrity and Princess CC. Yes, each cruise line is reporting cases. So far, we have heard of 50 to 75 cases on a ship. Where are all these horror stories? Stay Safe! Most of the cases are coming from RCI ships. The ships requiring fully vaccinated passengers and testing at pier don't have as many cases. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firefly333 Posted December 27, 2021 #12 Share Posted December 27, 2021 1 hour ago, Laurie997 said: Hey all!!! I was just thinking I know Royal requires pre Covid tests 2 days prior and “weekly” testing for staff. Couldn’t they offer a same day rapid test to all? Just a question I’m not that up on Covid testing I have had both shots and have had my booster. I feel horrible the cruise lines just started up not to long ago and we sail on HOTS 1-23 and just got back 12-12. Absolutely love love love cruising So lots fewer could board? Or you want to pay more for your cruise? Or have the cruiseline pay when they are hurting for money? While covid test kits are scarce and hard to buy the cruiselines should buy up the scarce supply? Where are you getting the extra crew from who are busy fogging cabins and such and already people complaining not enough service, you want to pull them from other jobs? Let's complicate boarding even more. Please no. Just no. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oxo Posted December 27, 2021 #13 Share Posted December 27, 2021 9 minutes ago, firefly333 said: So lots fewer could board? Or you want to pay more for your cruise? Or have the cruiseline pay when they are hurting for money? While covid test kits are scarce and hard to buy the cruiselines should buy up the scarce supply? Where are you getting the extra crew from who are busy fogging cabins and such and already people complaining not enough service, you want to pull them from other jobs? Let's complicate boarding even more. Please no. Just no. You have a very valid point. What is the answer? What can be done? There is no single answer. This is beyond control. JMHO! STAY SAFE and Happy New Year! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgoff60 Posted December 27, 2021 #14 Share Posted December 27, 2021 40 minutes ago, DevonfromAcme said: Wholesale cost of the Covid tests are a fraction of that-- they're closer to $2 than $20. Source?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevonfromAcme Posted December 27, 2021 #15 Share Posted December 27, 2021 2 minutes ago, bgoff60 said: Source?? A close family member who works for a company that makes a test. They are all very aware of where their price points are, and their competition's. For obvious reasons, I'm not going to get more specific than that on a public board. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuCruise Posted December 27, 2021 #16 Share Posted December 27, 2021 (edited) Would be ideal, but not sure possible, to test everyone at the port before you can board. Testing 2 days prior worked with delta, but the new variant is too transmissible. So likely people test negative, then travel to get to the port, and 2 days later they have it and board the ship. PCR test even more ideal but not possible with timing and cost. Edited December 27, 2021 by LuCruise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firefly333 Posted December 27, 2021 #17 Share Posted December 27, 2021 1 hour ago, zoepipes said: I understand that Norwegian does that and you're not hearing the horror stories about those cruises. . . Maybe you missed the fiasco in new orleans? The next pax didnt board until late that night with no food or drink offered those who sat for 10 hours in the terminal. Ncl handledmit rather awful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine3601 Posted December 27, 2021 #18 Share Posted December 27, 2021 1 hour ago, zoepipes said: I understand that Norwegian does that and you're not hearing the horror stories about those cruises. . . Plus NCL does not disclose to passengers when there are positive crew and passengers onboard like RCL does. Carnival doesn't either. Carnival will simply say a small number of people but won't say an actual number. If you view the CDC color coding system NCL has plenty of ships sailing in code yellow just like all the others. Maybe Royal would be better if they weren't upfront/transparent in telling passengers but I personally wouldn't want that. I prefer to know than hide like NCL, Carnival and others do. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine3601 Posted December 27, 2021 #19 Share Posted December 27, 2021 1 hour ago, bgoff60 said: Source?? I had a test performed at Walgreens the other day and noticed my prescription form /receipt they gave me showed $2.56 for test kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JT1962 Posted December 27, 2021 #20 Share Posted December 27, 2021 Having access to enough tests may soon be an issue even if testing 2 days before cruising. I agree that testing at the pier would result in more positive cases and many being denied boarding. There have to be a certain number of passengers sailing for the cruise to at least break even on the sailing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker19 Posted December 27, 2021 #21 Share Posted December 27, 2021 (edited) 9 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said: Plus NCL does not disclose to passengers when there are positive crew and passengers onboard like RCL does. To be fair, you only hear about positive cases when someone goes digging or the issue is bad enough they get turned away from a port. Every RCI ship sailing from the US (except Enchantment and Serenade) has at least .1% cases on board (if you believe the CDC numbers) but you don't hear about the rest of the ships. Edited December 27, 2021 by Biker19 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoyalC Posted December 27, 2021 #22 Share Posted December 27, 2021 1 hour ago, Laurie997 said: It was just a thought. This is just so disheartening truly it is. I would pay the $99 fee just to be safe PRIOR to boarding if that was even possible. Lord help us all! Not possible: day 1- exposure day 3 on average- symptoms day 5 on average- antigen test will start to show positive you may be contagious before you show symptoms even My girlfriend just got her pcr test back from the symptoms right after the Odyssey cruise and it was positive so that is two not counted. The 1% on these ships is nowhere close to accurate to who gets covid on a sailing. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oxo Posted December 27, 2021 #23 Share Posted December 27, 2021 15 minutes ago, firefly333 said: Maybe you missed the fiasco in new orleans? The next pax didnt board until late that night with no food or drink offered those who sat for 10 hours in the terminal. Ncl handledmit rather awful. No, I did not read that. That is why I asked. I will have to search for that one. Thanks. Stay Safe and Happy New Year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nocl Posted December 27, 2021 #24 Share Posted December 27, 2021 1 hour ago, bgoff60 said: Source?? A google search of antigen tests whole sale prices yields a number of results as low as $3.95 per test, with a number of businesses not posting pricing, but instead providing price by quotes only. Usually a business can contract at a lower price than open market wholesale price. I would not be surprised if a company like a cruise line could buy tests in the 2-3 dollar per test range. Certainly much closer to $2 than $20. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie997 Posted December 27, 2021 Author #25 Share Posted December 27, 2021 17 minutes ago, RoyalC said: Not possible: day 1- exposure day 3 on average- symptoms day 5 on average- antigen test will start to show positive you may be contagious before you show symptoms even My girlfriend just got her pcr test back from the symptoms right after the Odyssey cruise and it was positive so that is two not counted. The 1% on these ships is nowhere close to accurate to who gets covid on a sailing. Praying for your friend hope she is ok Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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