If I already have a binax NOW test kit, can I use that with an emed appointment?

[rockmom]

15 minutes ago, OnTheJourney said:

Thanks for clarification. So RCL has simply found a way to make as much money on it as possible! Granted that by using their tests they also exert control over the entire process, i.e. quality of the test, expiration, etc. Otherwise there'd be no reason (at least I don't see one) that any qualifying home test kit couldn't also be proctored. 

Actually, Royal doesn't get any money from it.  They just put a link on their site so that people are pointed to the correct test--because as you now can see, it's pretty dang confusing and the boxes are quite similar.  They are not Royal's tests.  

Edited February 7, 2022 by rockmom

[OnTheJourney]

3 minutes ago, MommaBear55 said:

Yes, you pay for their time and knowledge. 

I know, but the whole thing is just crazy. Will the good old days ever come back???  Can't teach an old dog new tricks I suppose.  

Edited February 7, 2022 by OnTheJourney

[OnTheJourney]

6 minutes ago, rockmom said:

Actually, Royal doesn't get any money from it.

Interesting....Well, time to stop on this for tonight. Glad I checked on it. Will probably schedule a local test and also get the kits, though all this really goes against me in some ways. Tempted to book a cabin in the woods, take along a couple books, get take-out, do some simple sightseeing, and basically just relax involving minimal masking and NO testing of any kind. Been doing that thus far since the pandemic - have traveled - by car, but no flights, no cruises (no tests). IF we go next month and again in May, it'll be a heck of a paradigm shift, having not even eaten in a restaurant for the past half-year or so. LOTS of mixed feelings. 

Edited February 7, 2022 by OnTheJourney

[rockmom]

5 minutes ago, OnTheJourney said:

Interesting....

Well, I suppose they could, but it seemed they put that up there when there was so much confusion as to which tests were the right tests.  So I think it was more of a way to stop so many questions for cruisers.  

[OnTheJourney]

1 minute ago, rockmom said:

So I think it was more of a way to stop so many questions for cruisers.  

can't blame 'em...I'm sure you're right.  Just saw you had SEVEN cruises canceled due to covid!!  

Edited February 7, 2022 by OnTheJourney

[rockmom]

1 minute ago, OnTheJourney said:

can't blame 'em...I'm sure you're right.  Just saw you had SEVEN cruises canceled due to covid!!  

Yup. 😕  

[velmasue]

2 hours ago, rockmom said:

 

You need the top one.  The bottom won't doesn't qualify.  

We have a cruise planned in March which will be the first cruise we will go on since Covid.  I have several Binax Now with the AG card like the top picture that I picked up from the local library.  The tests are proctored.  I thought we were going to have to buy some other form of tests but it seems like the ones I have should work fine.  Thanks for posting this picture and information

[Merion_Mom]

18 minutes ago, velmasue said:

We have a cruise planned in March which will be the first cruise we will go on since Covid.  I have several Binax Now with the AG card like the top picture that I picked up from the local library.  The tests are proctored.  I thought we were going to have to buy some other form of tests but it seems like the ones I have should work fine.  Thanks for posting this picture and information

 

 

Check your expiration dates.  Apparently, there have been some issues with that at some of the libraries.

[forgotmyCCname]

4 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

Thanks for clarification. So RCL has simply found a way to make as much money on it as possible! Granted that by using their tests they also exert control over the entire process, i.e. quality of the test, expiration, etc. Otherwise there'd be no reason (at least I don't see one) that any qualifying home test kit couldn't also be proctored. 

No, because you can buy them from eMed which has nothing to do with Royal. It's actually a convenience that they link to the sales site which is Optum, not EMed. NAVICA is a whole different entity of Abbott. 
and any home test can be adulterated and altered. 

Royal isn't making money when I buy mine.

and I was using them before Royal even had a link.

[Coralc]

5 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

I'm suspecting the answer is no, and yet what I have here are essentially the same as what I'd order through RCL. Just curious since I don't see anything about it on the RCL info. Obviously a home test cannot be expired. I notice that when you initiate the online visit it asks for you to sign in to an NAVICA account - so does that info come with the test? Perhaps that's the hook that requires purchasing their tests rather than using your own (?)  

Really? You've been reading along here all this time and contributing to all of these testing posts about your reservations with pre-cruise testing. And you are actually asking a question like that? I guess it is helpful for others, but almost falsely naive on your part. 

Edited February 7, 2022 by Coralc

[lovesthebeach2]

10 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

Thanks for clarification. So RCL has simply found a way to make as much money on it as possible! Granted that by using their tests they also exert control over the entire process, i.e. quality of the test, expiration, etc. Otherwise there'd be no reason (at least I don't see one) that any qualifying home test kit couldn't also be proctored. 

We purchased our tests from Emed, and I don’t think they sell tests just for Royal.

[SRF]

10 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

Thanks for clarification. So RCL has simply found a way to make as much money on it as possible! Granted that by using their tests they also exert control over the entire process, i.e. quality of the test, expiration, etc. Otherwise there'd be no reason (at least I don't see one) that any qualifying home test kit couldn't also be proctored. 

 

RCI is making nothing off the tests.  You order them from eMed or Optum (the RCI link takes you to the Optum site.

 

 

[fliprcruiser]

11 hours ago, MommaBear55 said:

 Yes, you pay for their time and knowledge. 

Biggest difference to me is the signed, certified NEGATIVE result from a certified lab. In email, PDF or printed form.

[MommaBear55]

11 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

I know, but the whole thing is just crazy. Will the good old days ever come back???  Can't teach an old dog new tricks I suppose.  

Which part is crazy? I agree it's hard to learn new things as we age, but I'm willing to jump through the hoops to cruise again. Before home  tests we had to drive 1 hour 30 to get to an approved site. Now at least we have one in town. 

And as far as the "good old days", I remember polio outbreaks, so don't want to go that far back. I'm the healthiest I've been in 15 years, so I will continue wearing masks. I am really tired of social isolation though. 

[OnTheJourney]

4 hours ago, MommaBear55 said:

Which part is crazy?

Covid in general. None of us have lived through a global pandemic before. 

 

4 hours ago, MommaBear55 said:

but I'm willing to jump through the hoops to cruise again

Well, very little choice in the matter. It's either follow the protocol or not cruise. 

 

4 hours ago, MommaBear55 said:

And as far as the "good old days", I remember polio outbreaks, so don't want to go that far back.

Basically was just referring to pre-covid cruising days. Seems like ages ago already. It all depends on how badly one wants to cruise again under the current circumstances. I certainly (at least have) greatly enjoyed cruising over the past 10 years, but it's not at the very top of my list of vacation options. As an example, our upcoming cruise out of Baltimore was supposed to be prefaced by 3 nights pre-cruise at Staybridge Suites (Inner Harbor, which is one of my favorite places to visit). I still have those booked. Now, with having to do this covid test 2 days before, we're not comfortable with either trying to get or do a proctored test while there. So that means staying home till embarkation day and cancelling the hotel stay. 

 

Plus, would hate to spend the time strolling around the harbor and possibly wind up positive and not be able to cruise, so that essentially shoots the pre-cruise days. Adding days after doesn't work well for us. I'm totally bummed about losing the extra days, since quite frankly I enjoy the days DW and I spend alone in Baltimore as much or even more than the actual cruise! Same for any land tour, etc. where we add a pre or post extension. So all that puts a huge damper on the idea of going. I'm just really tired of trying to accommodate myself to a revised trip that isn't fully what I had hoped for. That said, of course no cruise offers any guarantee that the itinerary might not change. I've experienced that in probably one of the most unfortunate circumstances possible back in March of '19. Preaching to the choir a bit since surely we've all put up with concessions, canceled / rebooked trips, etc. 

 

Without some extra time, the upcoming cruise itself is only 8 days. I hardly ever schedule cruises that short unless B2B - to me it's hardly worth it. Only reason I booked it was to tie in extra days at the Harbor. So mulling all this over and still might push it off. I have little enthusiasm for it thus far - most unusual this close to a cruise. 

Edited February 7, 2022 by OnTheJourney

[chaswelf]

The simplest way to know if the test quality's is to look in the lower left hand corner.  If it says RX then its OK to use, it it says OTC or nothing at all it is NOT ok to use.

 

Edited February 7, 2022 by chaswelf

[OnTheJourney]

2 minutes ago, chaswelf said:

t says OTC or nothing at all it is NOT ok to use.

Yeah, I got it. Thanks. If we don't cancel, we'll probably purchase some tests but also schedule an appt. locally. Really don't want to do either. 

[BazingAu]

5 hours ago, SRF said:

 

RCI is making nothing off the tests.  You order them from eMed or Optum (the RCI link takes you to the Optum site.

 

 

Why do you think that RC makes nothing off the tests? The RC website literally says it's RC's storefront, powered by Optum. It looks like either RC is making profits and paying a fee for Optum to operate the ordering or Optum is splitting profits with RC. Either way, RC chose to use Optum (not emed), and they even call it RC's store. If they were just providing a site for convenience, wouldn't they have linked both?

[not-enough-cruising]

21 minutes ago, BazingAu said:

Why do you think that RC makes nothing off the tests? The RC website literally says it's RC's storefront, powered by Optum. It looks like either RC is making profits and paying a fee for Optum to operate the ordering or Optum is splitting profits with RC. Either way, RC chose to use Optum (not emed), and they even call it RC's store. If they were just providing a site for convenience, wouldn't they have linked both?

The price is the same regardless of ordering through the RC link or going directly to the page. Other cruise lines also link to the Optum site. RCL is making nothing off this, nor do they have any knowledge if you made a purchase or not. 
 

Why not E-Med? My guess would be because E-Med offers only the 6 pack, and  Optum’s variable choices would appeal to a broader audience. 

Edited February 7, 2022 by not-enough-cruising

[BazingAu]

28 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

The price is the same regardless of ordering through the RC link or going directly to the page. Other cruise lines also link to the Optum site. RCL is making nothing off this, nor do they have any knowledge if you made a purchase or not. 
 

Why not E-Med? My guess would be because E-Med offers only the 6 pack, and  Optum’s variable choices would appeal to a broader audience. 

No, it's a business partnership. It's not a handy dandy link they're sending you out of the goodness of their hearts. I'm glad they're able to make some money on it, but I would have preferred NCL's method of partnering with CVS because then it would be free.

 

It's clearer on the Celebrity side, but again, they literally are saying this is a business partnership. "For your convenience we have partnered with Optum, an authorized medical provider, to offer home-test kits for fully vaccinated guests."

https://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/ITK/AX_CS_EG_EQ_ML_RF_SI_SM_Precruise_Testing_Required_Extended_Thru_Nov_30_Guest_Ltr_10-19-21.pdf

 

And they literally call it their own storefront. "Visit Royal Caribbean’s online storefront, powered by Optum, to order your kit."

https://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/Deployment/2021_2022/RTS_FAQs.pdf

[Sunshine3601]

17 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

Thanks for clarification. So RCL has simply found a way to make as much money on it as possible! Granted that by using their tests they also exert control over the entire process, i.e. quality of the test, expiration, etc. Otherwise there'd be no reason (at least I don't see one) that any qualifying home test kit couldn't also be proctored. 

Royal is Not selling or profiting from the test kits.     Their website simply refers you to where you can order the proper test kits thru Optum or Emed websites.    I believe most cruise lines sailing out of the US are recommending the same kits to board their ships. 

 

The difference in cost for the AG vs non AG test kit is the fee that emed/navica charges for their proctor which is exactly why you cannot go buy a basic binax now kit and think you can call for a proctor to do for free.     

[Sunshine3601]

1 hour ago, OnTheJourney said:

Yeah, I got it. Thanks. If we don't cancel, we'll probably purchase some tests but also schedule an appt. locally. Really don't want to do either. 

Testing nowadays is much easier to find / schedule appointments than it was during the holidays. 

If you don't want to pay $35 +/- for a home test kit then you have other options. 

If you have a Walgreens or CVS near you then you should have no problem booking a free test for either  rapid antigen test, Walgreens ID now test or a standard PCR (if you want to wait longer for results).     

[OnTheJourney]

27 minutes ago, BazingAu said:

t's clearer on the Celebrity side

Just so any kit bought through RCL is also usable for a Celebrity cruise (?)

[OnTheJourney]

Just now, Sunshine3601 said:

If you don't want to pay $35 +/- for a home test kit then you have other options. 

If you have a Walgreens or CVS near you then you should have no problem booking a free test for either  rapid antigen test, Walgreens ID now test or a standard PCR (if you want to wait longer for results).     

Thanks...planning on making an appt. either at a local CVS or else we have an urgent care center (even closer) that does them. My in-laws did the Walgreen ID now. I don't care as long as I have the proper documentation to get on the boat. 

[Sunshine3601]

6 minutes ago, OnTheJourney said:

Just so any kit bought through RCL is also usable for a Celebrity cruise (?)

Again, you are Not buying the kits through Royal.    You would be purchasing the test kits thru Optum or Emed depending on how many you need.       Celebrity, Carnival, etc. all accept these proctored tests.   

We will be sailing on Enchantment in May for Bermuda/Bahama sailing (hoping we get to Bermuda - they have some covid testing protocols that are a bit of hassle for the cruise lines).      We love doing a pre or post stay in Baltimore.    We usually stay at Pier 5 Hotel, great location with everything in easy walking distance.     And they have a McCormick & Schmicks and Ruth Chris Steakhouse attached to the hotel.    But we also love going to lexington market for O'faidley's crab cakes and have several crab houses we enjoy for steamed blue claw crabs.      

 

I have not booked a hotel but will probably do one that offers park n stay cruise package.     I feel like we have stayed at almost every hotel in Baltimore the last 25 years as we used to travel here frequently for work meetings and conventions.   I am trying to remember what was there before it became Staybridge Suites a couple years ago.    Was it a school or a dorm?