Revised Carnival testing policy?

[wgeddings]

Just got the below email.  I will be on the Liberty Feb 18.  I thought testing at the port was $100 but this seems to say it is now $10.  Or do you read it as a non-refundable $10 charge for the reservation and the actual test is still $100?
 

 

TESTING RESOURCES FOR VACCINATED GUESTS CARNIVAL RADIANCE, CARNIVAL CONQUEST & CARNIVAL LIBERTY FEBRUARY 4 THROUGH APRIL 30, 2022

Dear Carnival Guest, We are looking forward to welcoming you on your upcoming Carnival cruise.  Current CDC protocols require vaccinated guests to receive a pre-cruise COVID-19 test (PCR or antigen) within two days of sailing. To provide guests with a convenient and affordable opportunity to get their test, we are expanding our in-terminal antigen testing capabilities for the ships referenced above. This will allow all vaccinated guests to receive their required pre-cruise test as part of the embarkation process.   Guests must register in advance. A non-refundable US$10, per person, charge will be assessed to the guest’s Sail & Sign account.   To register, please use the link designated below for your departure port.   Embarkation Port Reservation Link Carnival Radiance – Long Beach  REGISTER HERE Carnival Conquest – Miami & Carnival Liberty – Port Canaveral REGISTER HERE      Please visit our Have. Fun. Be Safe. page on Carnival.com for a list of protocols for your sailing. This program is being offered on a trial basis and if successful, will be expanded for future sailings. Thank you and see you soon! Sincerely,

Colleen Oliverio VP, Guest Services Contact Centers

[TNcruising02]

I read that they were looking into offering the $10 option.  That's great that it's available for those cruises!

[dheat789]

Yes they changed it to $10 about 3 weeks ago.

[BlerkOne]

Just now, dheat789 said:

Yes they changed it to $10 about 3 weeks ago.

For most cruises it is still $100. The $10 is for 3 and 4 days cruises and it is starting only with the specific ships mentioned.

[thepla]

1 hour ago, wgeddings said:

Just got the below email.  I will be on the Liberty Feb 18.  I thought testing at the port was $100 but this seems to say it is now $10.  Or do you read it as a non-refundable $10 charge for the reservation and the actual test is still $100?
 

 

TESTING RESOURCES FOR VACCINATED GUESTS CARNIVAL RADIANCE, CARNIVAL CONQUEST & CARNIVAL LIBERTY FEBRUARY 4 THROUGH APRIL 30, 2022

Dear Carnival Guest, We are looking forward to welcoming you on your upcoming Carnival cruise.  Current CDC protocols require vaccinated guests to receive a pre-cruise COVID-19 test (PCR or antigen) within two days of sailing. To provide guests with a convenient and affordable opportunity to get their test, we are expanding our in-terminal antigen testing capabilities for the ships referenced above. This will allow all vaccinated guests to receive their required pre-cruise test as part of the embarkation process.   Guests must register in advance. A non-refundable US$10, per person, charge will be assessed to the guest’s Sail & Sign account.   To register, please use the link designated below for your departure port.   Embarkation Port Reservation Link Carnival Radiance – Long Beach  REGISTER HERE Carnival Conquest – Miami & Carnival Liberty – Port Canaveral REGISTER HERE      Please visit our Have. Fun. Be Safe. page on Carnival.com for a list of protocols for your sailing. This program is being offered on a trial basis and if successful, will be expanded for future sailings. Thank you and see you soon! Sincerely,

Colleen Oliverio VP, Guest Services Contact Centers

I clicked on link for radiance. We cruise Feb 18. I do have barcodes but not sure how they know cruise date or who we are..

 

Anyone follow link?

[Lee Cruiser]

That's interesting.  I'm wondering if they are trying to get people to wait until cruise day to test instead of two days before as now?  Not sure how they can offer it for that price unless they may be subsidizing it some.

[LHARTWICK]

14 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

For most cruises it is still $100. The $10 is for 3 and 4 days cruises and it is starting only with the specific ships mentioned.

So are these $10/pp testing 3-4 day cruises a trial run that CCL is doing so to speak?  Seeing how well it goes before they open it up for 7 day cruises - or others?  That's my take on it.  Never mind the masks - we are SO ready for the testing to end!  Just saying...... 

[Lee Cruiser]

34 minutes ago, LHARTWICK said:

 we are SO ready for the testing to end!  Just saying...... 

I am not expecting it anytime soon.  The testing is the main aspect that probably is keeping the cases on ships low.  Vaccines obviously aren't preventing the spread.  They may keep people from having more severe cases.  I know over a dozen fully vaccinated people who had also received a booster within the last two to three months, yet they still got the virus in late Dec and Jan.  The N95 and KN95 masks certainly help prevent the spread, but probably not the others.

 

The main way to keep cases low on the ships is to make sure (as much as possible) that the people getting on the ships don't have covid, so I expect this will be around for a while.

[TNcruising02]

26 minutes ago, Lee Cruiser said:

I am not expecting it anytime soon.  The testing is the main aspect that probably is keeping the cases on ships low.  Vaccines obviously aren't preventing the spread.  They may keep people from having more severe cases.  I know over a dozen fully vaccinated people who had also received a booster within the last two to three months, yet they still got the virus in late Dec and Jan.  The N95 and KN95 masks certainly help prevent the spread, but probably not the others.

 

The main way to keep cases low on the ships is to make sure (as much as possible) that the people getting on the ships don't have covid, so I expect this will be around for a while.

I agree.  As much of a pain as it is, testing is the best thing the cruise lines can do to help keep the virus off of the ships.  That makes so much more sense than requiring vaccinations since vaccinated people are getting and spreading the virus too.   Testing right before boarding is even better.  Hopefully, the mask requirements will go away soon.  I don't care how long the testing requirement stays because at least that makes sense. Wearing a mask that doesn't prevent spread is such an insult to common sense.

[Iluvmykindle]

Can you still test the day before at your neighborhood CVS for free or do they only accept testing at the pier for a fee?

 

 

[wgeddings]

However, the merits of masks (or lack of merit) have nothing to do with this topic and that debate rages on many other threads.  None of us, as far as I know, have any authority relative to our state or country nor to the Cruise Line about mask mandates.  So why waste more time debating it here where it makes no difference and is not related to the main topic.   If you really want to debate politics, masks and such, start a thread for that or join one of the other ones.  No need to hijack this thread.  

 

Now, back to my original question, a $10 option at the pier is a great thing on its face.  I beats the cost of the monitored testing kits or the rapid tests at Doc In A Boxes I think.  What worries me is that there will likely be a huge line for the testing when people realize it.  When we cruised after Christmas, there was a huge line for the test at the pier option and the unvaccinated and I would not want to be in that line.  Since I am going next week, maybe it will not have gotten the word out enough and so many people may not opt to use the $10 test but I am not sure if I want to risk such a long line.  

 

My other concern is that if my DW and I are showing no symptoms and get tested at the pier, and one of us tests positive (as I have known people who got COVID but displayed no symptoms or it was a false positive), what would we do?  Neither of us about want to go on the cruise with the other (probably).  Meanwhile, we have spent time and money getting to the pier.  Although we have travel insurance that would eventually (hopefully) reimburse us, that doesn't replace the disappointment.  For that reason, I tend to lean more to getting tested 2 days before so that we know before we leave home.  If we think it might be a false positive, we can get another test somewhere else.  If we still test positive, we can make begin making arrangements and avoid the travel to the port.  

 

I like the $10 test, as that now seems the correct interpretation, but I think I will stick with knowing before I leave home.  

[bamaone]

14 hours ago, Lee Cruiser said:

 Not sure how they can offer it for that price unless they may be subsidizing it some.

The test prices are dropping. You can get a pack of 5 for $40 at Costco.com

[LHARTWICK]

Oh believe me - I have no doubt that testing is here for a while, and I understand the reasons behind it.  But a girl can dream can't she????  😁

[Lee Cruiser]

17 minutes ago, wgeddings said:

I like the $10 test, as that now seems the correct interpretation, but I think I will stick with knowing before I leave home.  

That's what I'm planning on doing.  For our cruise in April we fly to Orlando the day before.  No way I want to wait until I've gone through that to risk testing positive at the port.  Our closest port is still over five hours drive.  I would rather pay the extra for the test to know before we travel to the port.

[Lee Cruiser]

16 minutes ago, bamaone said:

The test prices are dropping. You can get a pack of 5 for $40 at Costco.com

Yes, but these aren't the proctored ones.  Plus, they have to pay staff to conduct these tests at the port.  They may be opting to use non-medical staff to conduct them, which would probably be less expensive.

[thepla]

I signed up as a backup. I will not leave home without at lease a negative from at home (I did get Costco ones) to try and ensure we will not fail at port.

 

I plan on doing one here from Walgreens or someplace like that but as a minor insurace in case Walgreens is not available I will do $10 option.

[AandBmom]

2 hours ago, wgeddings said:

However, the merits of masks (or lack of merit) have nothing to do with this topic and that debate rages on many other threads.  None of us, as far as I know, have any authority relative to our state or country nor to the Cruise Line about mask mandates.  So why waste more time debating it here where it makes no difference and is not related to the main topic.   If you really want to debate politics, masks and such, start a thread for that or join one of the other ones.  No need to hijack this thread.  

 

Now, back to my original question, a $10 option at the pier is a great thing on its face.  I beats the cost of the monitored testing kits or the rapid tests at Doc In A Boxes I think.  What worries me is that there will likely be a huge line for the testing when people realize it.  When we cruised after Christmas, there was a huge line for the test at the pier option and the unvaccinated and I would not want to be in that line.  Since I am going next week, maybe it will not have gotten the word out enough and so many people may not opt to use the $10 test but I am not sure if I want to risk such a long line.  

 

My other concern is that if my DW and I are showing no symptoms and get tested at the pier, and one of us tests positive (as I have known people who got COVID but displayed no symptoms or it was a false positive), what would we do?  Neither of us about want to go on the cruise with the other (probably).  Meanwhile, we have spent time and money getting to the pier.  Although we have travel insurance that would eventually (hopefully) reimburse us, that doesn't replace the disappointment.  For that reason, I tend to lean more to getting tested 2 days before so that we know before we leave home.  If we think it might be a false positive, we can get another test somewhere else.  If we still test positive, we can make begin making arrangements and avoid the travel to the port.  

 

I like the $10 test, as that now seems the correct interpretation, but I think I will stick with knowing before I leave home.  

That's what I'm thinking too. I'd rather know the results before I get too far from home. 

[AandBmom]

1 hour ago, bamaone said:

The test prices are dropping. You can get a pack of 5 for $40 at Costco.com

We get them free here from our children's schools. But the website says you have to take it with a witness from public health or something.   Not sure how to get that arranged in my area. 

[BlerkOne]

3 hours ago, Iluvmykindle said:

Can you still test the day before at your neighborhood CVS for free or do they only accept testing at the pier for a fee?

 

 

All you need is a negative, approved test.

 

There is nothing free. Insurance or the government (and so tax payers) pays for the "free" tests.

[BlerkOne]

4 hours ago, LHARTWICK said:

So are these $10/pp testing 3-4 day cruises a trial run that CCL is doing so to speak?  Seeing how well it goes before they open it up for 7 day cruises - or others?  That's my take on it.  Never mind the masks - we are SO ready for the testing to end!  Just saying...... 

Carnival has said all along that testing at the pier should not be a first choice, but given the difficulty some have finding a test, made it an option.

 

The price may come down eventually for the longer cruises, but to pay $100 for a test for a 3 day cruise, where the cruise may not cost much more, is a larger burden to spread over only 3 days. I suspect Carnival may be trying to get more people to book the shorter cruises and weaning away from low profit gambling cruises.

 

 

[kilkoyne]

5 hours ago, thepla said:

I signed up as a backup. I will not leave home without at lease a negative from at home (I did get Costco ones) to try and ensure we will not fail at port.

 

I plan on doing one here from Walgreens or someplace like that but as a minor insurace in case Walgreens is not available I will do $10 option.

  

I signed up for one too but I'll try to get tested before I fly down. For $10.00 it's one less thing to worry about. 🙂

[barefoot cruiser]

I will add, don't make that your only plan in your thoughts.  I wanted to use the Port Canaveral  option as my second option in case CVS canceled....and when I tried to book "no availability for that day".  Hoping my CVS appointment comes through, but will book Walgreens also as option 2

 

[Elaine5715]

On 2/10/2022 at 12:28 PM, Lee Cruiser said:

That's what I'm planning on doing.  For our cruise in April we fly to Orlando the day before.  No way I want to wait until I've gone through that to risk testing positive at the port.  Our closest port is still over five hours drive.  I would rather pay the extra for the test to know before we travel to the port.

Get tested at the MCO airport

[LHARTWICK]

On 2/10/2022 at 9:47 AM, Lee Cruiser said:

I am not expecting it anytime soon.  The testing is the main aspect that probably is keeping the cases on ships low.  Vaccines obviously aren't preventing the spread.  They may keep people from having more severe cases.  I know over a dozen fully vaccinated people who had also received a booster within the last two to three months, yet they still got the virus in late Dec and Jan.  The N95 and KN95 masks certainly help prevent the spread, but probably not the others.

 

The main way to keep cases low on the ships is to make sure (as much as possible) that the people getting on the ships don't have covid, so I expect this will be around for a while.

I understand WHY they are requiring tests - I was just venting. 🙄

No way to find out I guess, but it would be interesting to know how many passengers have to cancel after testing positive just before sailing. 

[mz-s]

8 minutes ago, LHARTWICK said:

I understand WHY they are requiring tests - I was just venting. 🙄

No way to find out I guess, but it would be interesting to know how many passengers have to cancel after testing positive just before sailing. 

 

If during the height of Omicron, a decent number I'm sure.