Covid testing at Port

[kc.cruiser]

Has anyone done the covid pretesting at the port that RCL has on their website for $105?  Making sure that is the total charge.  I know you have to make an appointment  close to your boarding time.

[travelhound]

51 minutes ago, kc.cruiser said:

Has anyone done the covid pretesting at the port that RCL has on their website for $105?  Making sure that is the total charge.  I know you have to make an appointment  close to your boarding time.

Good question, I am also struggling with how to test prior to our cruise, since we will be in Florida 3 days prior to our cruise.

[GEORGIEGIRL]

Is that for embarkation or after the cruise. If so, which port specifically?

 

 

[Coralc]

4 minutes ago, GEORGIEGIRL said:

Is that for embarkation or after the cruise. If so, which port specifically?

 

 

It is for embarkation testing if you can't find a test anywhere else. But with the upcoming changes and lack of onboard testing for international travelers, they may be extending it to disembarkation too. I know @taznremmy made an appointment for embarkation testing at San Pedro to board Navigator.  

[fliprcruiser]

Order tests from Royal, take eith you to your port hotel, do test 48 hours before boarding?

[fabric_fabric]

We tested at the Fort Lauderdale port before our December cruise on Allure. It is located at the end of the building near where you drive in. There were NO signs! Don’t do like us…..we queued in line for 45 minutes at the direction of RCCL reps only to learn that testing is not done as you enter embarkation process. Once we were taken to the testing area it only took 20-25 minutes to test and get results. We then needed to get in an even longer embarkation queue. The process jams hundreds of people in tight winding lines.  In total it took us two hours to get on the ship.

[Fisical1]

Our friends didn't test before boarding.    How they didn't know to test prior to boarding  is a question??  They tested at the port with the fee, I'm pretty sure it was around what you stated,  without appt and were welcomed on board.   This was in Los Angeles.

[Biker19]

13 hours ago, kc.cruiser said:

Making sure that is the total charge.

This depends on which test you need and the port. For embarkation, antigen is good enough and price varies by port (the RCI site has links to providers by port which lists prices). After disembarkation is where the $105 was mentioned (antigen, PCR is more) but I have yet to see reports of that being the entire cost by port.

Edited December 31, 2021 by Biker19

[GEORGIEGIRL]

On 12/30/2021 at 11:44 PM, fabric_fabric said:

We tested at the Fort Lauderdale port before our December cruise on Allure. It is located at the end of the building near where you drive in. There were NO signs! Don’t do like us…..we queued in line for 45 minutes at the direction of RCCL reps only to learn that testing is not done as you enter embarkation process. Once we were taken to the testing area it only took 20-25 minutes to test and get results. We then needed to get in an even longer embarkation queue. The process jams hundreds of people in tight winding lines.  In total it took us two hours to get on the ship.

Where did you sign up for it. On-line or just showed up at the port?

[fabric_fabric]

23 minutes ago, GEORGIEGIRL said:

Where did you sign up for it. On-line or just showed up at the port?

On-line several days before embarking. I believe it was given as an option in an email from RCCL or on their website, but I cannot be sure.

[AndrewTH]

I go online to schedule this test for tomorrow and enter payment info. I tested yesterday at CVS but haven't got results yet. I want to book this as a backup but is it refunded if I don't need it or cancel it?

[micruiser2002]

7 minutes ago, AndrewTH said:

I go online to schedule this test for tomorrow and enter payment info. I tested yesterday at CVS but haven't got results yet. I want to book this as a backup but is it refunded if I don't need it or cancel it?

Did you contact CVS about your results?  If you had a rapid antigen it would be back within a few hours at the most.  I had an issue with walgreens back in December because their automated email system wasn't working.

[AndrewTH]

We did the PCR which has a 1 to 2 day (possibly 3 😓) delay. 

[AndrewTH]

My wife has had this test before and usually got results within 30 hours, but that mark was just now.

[AndrewTH]

I tinkered with the website. I went ahead and paid. It shows an option to cancel it.

[Ashland]

21 minutes ago, AndrewTH said:

I go online to schedule this test for tomorrow and enter payment info. I tested yesterday at CVS but haven't got results yet. I want to book this as a backup but is it refunded if I don't need it or cancel it?

That doesn't sound right. We tested at our CVS and had the email results in less than 1/2 hour.

We tested on a Saturday Jan 15th for our Monday Navigator Jan 17th itinerary. 

[brody1104]

Going on Allure 2/19 and when I tried to order the test from RCI they were out of stock so I booked online to do it at the port.  There are several links on the website to schedule it.  I was curious as well about where it was located and whether to let the porters have my luggage in case I did test positive.  Lol

[pcur]

You can test anywhere with a smartphone with a browser, and BinaxNOW test kit you can order from:

optum.com

emed.com

or, the link on RCCL's web site

 

The proctors are available 24/7 to "administer" the test.  You go into the Navica app on your phone, state you want to test, open the web site on your phone's browser, and follow their instructions.  You have to be able to place the phone in a stable position for about 20 minutes, so a charger stand works well, or leaning it up against a solid object.

 

After your test is done you have the results in the Navica app on your phone, and also emailed to you.

 

Depending on how many test kits you order, it costs $33-$36.  No appointment is required, just open up the Navica app and tell it you're ready to test.

 

[pcur]

19 minutes ago, brody1104 said:

Going on Allure 2/19 and when I tried to order the test from RCI they were out of stock so I booked online to do it at the port.  There are several links on the website to schedule it.  I was curious as well about where it was located and whether to let the porters have my luggage in case I did test positive.  Lol

Try optum or emed to order. Also, you can order from the Navica app, and it may have access to inventory.

 

Since the tests now in inventory expire in November 2022, I ordered all I would need for my planned travel until Thanksgiving.

[iuki]

We ordered the free home tests (4 per address) that the postal service is sending out at the end of the month.  Can they be used for our cruise at the end of May?  

[elleluv]

40 minutes ago, Ashland said:

That doesn't sound right. We tested at our CVS and had the email results in less than 1/2 hour.

We tested on a Saturday Jan 15th for our Monday Navigator Jan 17th itinerary. 

It varies....     here where we live CVS (or Walgreens) don't offer the Rapid Test at no charge.    It generally takes the 30 hours that the other poster mentioned to get the results of the free test back.      

 

To the OP - We've gone to the Proctored Home Tests here....    With the shortage of tests available and delays in getting results it really seems to make the most sense to me.   I've had 3 tests that I've had schedule at CVS and Walgreens cancelled due to lack of tests.   Then last week my 2 day PCR test took 5 days to come back.    

 

If you are going to test at the port, I strongly recommend you make an appointment...    you certainly can't count on them to have enough tests and staff available to manage walk in appointments.

 

[elleluv]

2 minutes ago, iuki said:

We ordered the free home tests (4 per address) that the postal service is sending out at the end of the month.  Can they be used for our cruise at the end of May?  

 

No...   those won't work - the only home tests that are acceptable are the Binax Now AG PROCTORED test (not to be confused with the Binax Now OTC tests which aren't proctored)

[Coralc]

3 minutes ago, iuki said:

We ordered the free home tests (4 per address) that the postal service is sending out at the end of the month.  Can they be used for our cruise at the end of May?  

Nope sorry. Not proctored. 

[iuki]

Just now, elleluv said:

 

No...   those won't work - the only home tests that are acceptable are the Binax Now AG PROCTORED test (not to be confused with the Binax Now OTC tests which aren't proctored)

So, when we schedule an appointment with CVS, we need to tell them we need a Binax Now AG PROCTORED test for a cruise.  Correct?
 

Thank you.

[Lorey2007]

How long is it taking to get the tests from Emed once ordered?  Do they let you know what day they will be delivered?  It is very cold here I would hate to have them sitting on my porch in 9 degree temperatures.