**** CARNIVAL COVID TESTING THREAD #2 **** JANUARY 6, 2002

[bar1068]

6 hours ago, BrianMD said:

I'm also in Maryland and did the same thing for a May cruise. I previously used CVS for previous cruises but this time I did rapid test with Minute Clinic inside of CVS and was told I could be charged since it was for travel. I guess it depends upon your insurance but I was never billed. Minute Clinic provided results before leaving whereas CVS took a couple of hours via email.

Interesting. When we did the rapid tests at CVS, we had the results before we got back home, which was like 5 minutes from CVS. In May we decided to not deal with any of the local places, and just went with the eMed proctored tests, which of course were very simple and also a quick turnaround. My health insurance reimburses for the tests, so in the end...quick and easy from home, and no cost. We have an Alaska cruise booked for later this month, have the eMeds ready to go....but I sure hope against hope they will end this testing. I saw something earlier today NCL has stopped precruise testing...C'mon Carnival!!

[kilkoyne]

Delete post

Edited July 6, 2022 by kilkoyne

[thisfamilycruises]

On 7/5/2022 at 4:40 PM, GottaLuvCruising said:

We cruise Saturday.  We booked OnPoint proctoring for $14.99 each using the "free" tests we got by mail.  This service allows one to use a cell phone or tablet whereas many require a laptop or PC.  

OnPoint Testing - Rapid Antigen and PCR Testing Specialists (onpoint-testing.com)

Would you mind letting us know once you get on the ship if you had any issues using this test?  Thank you!

[Linsuesue]

From John Heald: The link is for OnPoint Testing. 

Good Wednesday morning everyone and ………..hold on, sorry, my wife is refusing to bring me a mug of tea from the kitchen  to the living room where I am working. So please hold  while I send her a What Is App message to tell her how lazy she is. 
Right then, here I am having answered all the comments asked of me overnight and am here to do the same for the next 10 hours over on Comorvis Posts so please let me know how I can help you.

There is only one comment I want to cover on my opening post and it the one asked the most every single day and that is of course about Covid testing. In fact, this week already Jacinta and myself have answered almost 200 questions on this subject alone.  Here are just a few examples.

“ We cruise next week. I have just learned that the Quest labs in my town are notorious for not having results back in time for a cruise. I know many places are now charging $120+ for test, and we have a party of 5. 
Any advice? “

“ Why have you not told everyone about OnePoint and that it is something we can use. It should be made clear by you and on Carnival’s own website. This is all just too stupid for words. Get out of the testing and stop lining the pockets of big pharm.”

“ ------- are charging $149 for an antigen test here in Va Beach. Why is a covid test still needed when all the other airlines and cruise lines have said it is not. “

You know, when my late Father used to tell me off when I had been a naughty boy he would look at me and say “ I will not repeat myself, I will not repeat myself.” I always wanted to tell him he had just repeated himself but I never did. Anyway, I will repeat myself and say that testing is still required for Caribbean and Alaskan cruising by all the cruise lines as far as I know. And while keeping you safe is always going to be paramount it is also ( and here is the repeat bit) a requirement of the places the ships dock at…………Cozumel, Nassau, Aruba, Grand Turk, Cleveland, Juneau etc, etc. 

However, I do realise that the price of testing has risen a lot during the last few weeks and it’s the same here in the UK. So please let me clarify that you can use the free tests that were sent to you by the US Government and any home test that you may have. They need to be monitored online of course so please know you can use the link below for that and the cost is very affordable indeed.

So here is the link for you and I hope this helps.

Cheers and have a brilliant day and please of you can SHARE THIS with someone share is cruising soon, it might help them

[Janet&Carl]

Anyone able to advise - I have had covid and cant have my booster shot until after 12 weeks.  This takes me to within a two week period before my cruise.  do you test positive if you have just had a booster.  Worried about the antigen test showing a positive. 

[mjayp]

9 hours ago, Janet&Carl said:

Anyone able to advise - I have had covid and cant have my booster shot until after 12 weeks.  This takes me to within a two week period before my cruise.  do you test positive if you have just had a booster.  Worried about the antigen test showing a positive. 

The booster shot will not give you a false positive

[492030]

18 hours ago, thisfamilycruises said:

Would you mind letting us know once you get on the ship if you had any issues using this test?  Thank you!

I can confirm that my Mom and sister both used the onpoint testing with the free tests they received in the mail and were able to board just this morning no problem.  

[thisfamilycruises]

1 hour ago, 492030 said:

I can confirm that my Mom and sister both used the onpoint testing with the free tests they received in the mail and were able to board just this morning no problem.  

Thank you! It’s good to hear from someone who actually used it. 

[mrak]

We leave on an Alaskan cruise in Weds, which requires a rapid to be two days before the cruise because of Canada. We live on the East Coast and are using the BinaxNOW tests with Navica proctoring. If we take the tests at, say, 12:15am on Monday, will the test results show as Monday, or might they show as Sunday bc of time zones?

[Grandmaanne7]

1 hour ago, mrak said:

We leave on an Alaskan cruise in Weds, which requires a rapid to be two days before the cruise because of Canada. We live on the East Coast and are using the BinaxNOW tests with Navica proctoring. If we take the tests at, say, 12:15am on Monday, will the test results show as Monday, or might they show as Sunday bc of time zones?

Time will show up as exactly the time you took the test, i.e. 12:15 am Monday.  Your destination will have no impact on the time you took the test.

[CorrieCJ]

On 7/5/2022 at 5:40 PM, GottaLuvCruising said:

We cruise Saturday.  We booked OnPoint proctoring for $14.99 each using the "free" tests we got by mail.  This service allows one to use a cell phone or tablet whereas many require a laptop or PC.  

OnPoint Testing - Rapid Antigen and PCR Testing Specialists (onpoint-testing.com)

When I look at OnPoint's site, it says the rapid antigen tests are $69 and rapid PCR $129. 

Am I looking at the wrong thing?

EDITED TO ADD - whoops - never mind. Found it. 🙂

 

Edited July 10, 2022 by CorrieCJ

[febtober]

For what it's worth, I just called United Healthcare to check if tests are still covered, and if mattered if I'm being tested due to exposure/symptoms, or for travel, and they confirmed (with my plan at least) they're covered at 100% for any reason I can get all the tests I want "just for funzies" ha.

[492030]

👍

Edited July 11, 2022 by 492030

[shebring02lx]

Cruising this Saturday and I’m so thankful for this board and information found in this forum. Y’all just saved me a good chunk of money - Walgreens wanted $129.99 per test (there’s 6 of us!) I ordered from EMed - a 6 pack with overnight shipping was less than $200! Thank you!!!! 

[Skippy]

Just ordered my emed tests as well. Was going to try the bring your own tests but mine expire this month and I’ve got no more freebies available from the government. Cruise is next month. I’ve got a bunch of the I-health tests.

[trbarton]

Interesting information about using the Free Government Test kits for Cruising. 
 

look at this video. Interesting. 
 

https://youtu.be/v5wuKpgAAvI

 

Tom😀

[shof515]

ive been using azova as my telehealth service for the free test kits

[utwofan]

iHealth COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test: The FDA granted a three-month shelf-life extension for the iHealth COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test. This extension applies to all iHealth tests with expiration dates on or before 9-29-2022. Please refer to the iHealth website to check product lot numbers and confirm expiration dates.  Link for the new dates per prior expiration.  https://www.fda.gov/media/158007/download

[Johnny60]

We are Canadian and travelling to San Francisco for our Alaskan cruise.   We have online tests to do once we get to our hotel.    If by any chance these do not work for whatever reason, can we buy tests in Walgreens or somewhere, or can someone suggest a testing center we can go to?   We can test at SFO for $150 which I want to avoid as there are 4 of us.   Are Walgreens doing Covid testing still?   Thanks for any help guys.

[1kaper]

10 minutes ago, Johnny60 said:

We are Canadian and travelling to San Francisco for our Alaskan cruise.   We have online tests to do once we get to our hotel.    If by any chance these do not work for whatever reason, can we buy tests in Walgreens or somewhere, or can someone suggest a testing center we can go to?   We can test at SFO for $150 which I want to avoid as there are 4 of us.   Are Walgreens doing Covid testing still?   Thanks for any help guys.

When are you going?

I did a quick check and there are currently still appointments.  They only allow booking 3 days in advance.  When I did the mock booking it said there would be a fee of $128. 
It also asks for an American driver's license.  
It might be a better option to buy extra online tests in case of an issue.  But you also won't likely all have a problem with testing.  

[Bobbiegentry]

17 hours ago, trbarton said:

Interesting information about using the Free Government Test kits for Cruising. 
 

look at this video. Interesting. 
 

https://youtu.be/v5wuKpgAAvI

 

Tom😀

NOTHING in this world is free including these test kits. Surely you understand basic economics. 

[ninjacat123]

1 hour ago, Bobbiegentry said:

NOTHING in this world is free including these test kits. Surely you understand basic economics. 

When you watch the video, he infers quite a few times how "free" the tests are.  He said "our tax dollars hard at work" or something like that.

[Johnny60]

Thanks everyone 

[CorrieCJ]

Ok. I had originally planned to do my testing at Walgreens down the block from my hotel, two days before my 8/6 Miami cruise. I've now confirmed that Aetna will not cover testing for travel/recreation, so I'm probably going to do the OnPoint testing. Since there are 6 of us, OnPoint will cost $90 rather than the $800+ for Walgreens. I have lots of test kits on hand because my kids' schools were giving them out like candy...  

 

However, still want to ask if anyone has gotten reimbursement from Aetna (US) for travel-related testing in recent months. 

 

 

[theanoy]

I'm over 50 years old and have only received one booster shot.  Do I test 72 hours before cruise or 48 hours.  Thanks.