Covid test for B2B cruise

[pcur]

10 hours ago, travelhound said:

The testing requirements are a major PIA and should not be required for vaccinated passengers.

On a b2b, I want to be tested after spending X days dodging 2-4 year old kids who are not vaccinated.  Plus, it's free.

[travelhound]

16 hours ago, pcur said:

On a b2b, I want to be tested after spending X days dodging 2-4 year old kids who are not vaccinated.  Plus, it's free.

I have no problem with that, just don't force all vaccinated passengers to do the same.  Most public venues are adopting, show proof of vaccination or a negative test, but not both.

[cruisegirl1]

On 2/23/2022 at 1:30 PM, DrivesLikeMario said:

Someone on our B2B just got info that after the first cruise, we will not need to be tested for the next cruise on the same ship.  I don't know if I believe that info. though.

 

On 2/23/2022 at 1:37 PM, orville99 said:

That would be great if it is true. We have a B2B on Harmony in April, and not having to test would make turnaround day a lot more enjoyable.

We are on the second leg of a back to back.  It is our fifth set of back to back cruises since September.   We are ALWAYS tested on the last full day of the cruise, NOT on turnaround day.   (In the past few years, turnaround day has not been very enjoyable, but that’s a topic for another thread). 

 

I have no problem being tested in between back to back cruises. Most of the time our tests have been scheduled somewhere between 7 and 8 AM.   They have a pretty good system with several employees/medical workers to keep the process moving smoothly. 

 

M

 

 

[orville99]

24 minutes ago, cruisegirl1 said:

We are ALWAYS tested on the last full day of the cruise, NOT on turnaround day.  

So were we on all of our B2B's since the restart. I never said that we were tested on turnaround day either, just that not having to test whenever they scheduled the tests would make turnaround day more enjoyable, because it would insure that it was in fact a turnaround day, not a turn in your seapass card and figure out how to get home day..

Edited February 24, 2022 by orville99

[pcur]

3 hours ago, travelhound said:

I have no problem with that, just don't force all vaccinated passengers to do the same.  Most public venues are adopting, show proof of vaccination or a negative test, but not both.

Unfortunately, all passengers over 12 on a b2b cruise do have to be tested.

[travelhound]

1 hour ago, pcur said:

Unfortunately, all passengers over 12 on a b2b cruise do have to be tested.

That's ridiculous for fully vaccinated passengers.

[pcur]

1 hour ago, travelhound said:

That's ridiculous for fully vaccinated passengers.

I think it's because we are mixing with the little kids that aren't/can't be vaccinated, so we could pick it up and spread it.  RCCL takes it very seriously.

[cruisegirl1]

5 hours ago, orville99 said:

So were we on all of our B2B's since the restart. I never said that we were tested on turnaround day either, just that not having to test whenever they scheduled the tests would make turnaround day more enjoyable, because it would insure that it was in fact a turnaround day, not a turn in your seapass card and figure out how to get home day..

Ok thanks. 
m

[travelhound]

9 hours ago, pcur said:

I think it's because we are mixing with the little kids that aren't/can't be vaccinated, so we could pick it up and spread it.  RCCL takes it very seriously.

Yup, but most people already do that in a hotel and daily life.  I think the RCL needs to adopt what most major venues are doing:  Show proof of vaccination or a negative test, but not both.

[pcur]

4 hours ago, travelhound said:

Yup, but most people already do that in a hotel and daily life.  I think the RCL needs to adopt what most major venues are doing:  Show proof of vaccination or a negative test, but not both.

Except daily life doesn't keep you in the same location with the potential exposure to the same people.  

 

To me, it's not the fact that I'm vaccinated and boosted, so I'll be OK.  It's the fact that I am repeatedly exposed to children who are unvaccinated, and I can pass the virus to someone who is at high risk and is susceptible. Like another young child, or an adult who is unvaccinated for medical reasons.  To me it's not all about protecting me, it's also about protecting others.  So, I welcome being tested to make sure I'm safe to be around AND I'm not sick.

[travelhound]

On 2/25/2022 at 9:36 AM, pcur said:

Except daily life doesn't keep you in the same location with the potential exposure to the same people.  

 

To me, it's not the fact that I'm vaccinated and boosted, so I'll be OK.  It's the fact that I am repeatedly exposed to children who are unvaccinated, and I can pass the virus to someone who is at high risk and is susceptible. Like another young child, or an adult who is unvaccinated for medical reasons.  To me it's not all about protecting me, it's also about protecting others.  So, I welcome being tested to make sure I'm safe to be around AND I'm not sick.

I have no problem with other people wearing masks or testing themselves.  At this point it just seems ridiculous to continue to require these ridiculous protocols for fully vaccinated passengers.

[ellenh]

On 2/23/2022 at 6:50 PM, ridge4 said:

Are these tests PCR or just antigen tests?  We doing a side-to-side, disembarking Anthem in Southampton on the 13th, then flying to Italy.  We board Brilliance in Ravenna on the 15th.  My concern is that if it’s an antigen test,  I only have 24 hours from last cruise day on the 12th before entering Italy successfully on the 13th. Does anyone know if you can book an appointment late on the last cruise day?

We are doing a similar shift: Disembarking Anthem in Southampton on the 13th and boarding Constellation in Ravenna on the 16th.  Without any real guidance as to what tests we will need to fly to Italy or to board Constellation I'm just hoping that whatever protocols are in place by then won't be too onerous.  

[cdwise]

We too are disembarking Anthem on the 13th of May in Southampton.  Then we reboarding Anthem on the 15th for her Noway Fjord cruise.   Since RC has opted into the CDC "Highly Vaccinated" program the CDC says it is now optional for back to back cruises to be retested between cruises.   Sine Anthem will be sailing our of Southampton and not having any US ports of call I'm nor sure that CDC rules even apply. The cruise departs and returns to Southampton so UK rules may be applicable. At this point I'm not willing to predict what the testing requirements. Currently the UK does not require any testing if vac instead and just one post arrival testing for unvaccinated. 

 

Personally I'm not a big fan of testing  people with no symptoms. I do believe if you are concerned about being on a ship with unvaccinated kids you have the option of taking self tests on board with you and testing as frequently as you want. We shall see if the current requirement for testing is still in effect by May. The transportation testing and masking requirements are set go expire March 18 and the CDC had already said indoor masking is not needed in low risk parts of the US and despite what the CDC thinks of cruising the numbers show that cruising is lower risk than almost any loans venue. 

 

We return to the US on the Queen Mary 2 May 29 so is be thrilled if the masking and pre arrival in the US testing is gone by then just like it is in the UK,  Norway and Sweden. 

[pcur]

4 hours ago, travelhound said:

I have no problem with other people wearing masks or testing themselves.  At this point it just seems ridiculous to continue to require these ridiculous protocols for fully vaccinated passengers.

A month (or two???) ago, RCCL took several ships out of service to use as quarantine ships.  Rather than send crew home, they had them stay on these ships to contain an omicron outbreak.  All the crew were vaccinated.

 

This is what the testing is for:  to stop the spread.  A fully vaccinated person can be walking around with COVID, be asymptomatic, and definitely start spreading it.

 

The protocols, including testing, masking, social distancing are to stop the spread of the virus.  It's not like the virus will ping-pong off a vaccinated person:  they will have it and spread it to others, just like an unvaccinated person.  The vaccine keeps us from getting extremely sick, or dying.  But, it doesn't keep us from spreading the virus. 

[travelhound]

12 hours ago, pcur said:

A month (or two???) ago, RCCL took several ships out of service to use as quarantine ships.  Rather than send crew home, they had them stay on these ships to contain an omicron outbreak.  All the crew were vaccinated.

 

This is what the testing is for:  to stop the spread.  A fully vaccinated person can be walking around with COVID, be asymptomatic, and definitely start spreading it.

 

The protocols, including testing, masking, social distancing are to stop the spread of the virus.  It's not like the virus will ping-pong off a vaccinated person:  they will have it and spread it to others, just like an unvaccinated person.  The vaccine keeps us from getting extremely sick, or dying.  But, it doesn't keep us from spreading the virus. 

Omicron is receding now and most protocols are being lifted throughout the US.  It's about time that RCL follows the science 

[RVAcruiser]

On 2/23/2022 at 12:58 PM, D4 said:

Do the recent changes worry you about your B2B?

 

You weren't asking me, but yup, the new no-masking policy terrifies us.  We're doing a B2B on Navigator on April and plan to mask during the first cruise whenever we're around other people (unless eating or drinking) to minimize possibility of catching something during the first cruise.  

[D4]

Is the B2B test an antigen test?  How quickly do you find out the test results?

 

I’d want to know ASAP so I could either relax or start packing.

[brillohead]

6 hours ago, D4 said:

Is the B2B test an antigen test?  How quickly do you find out the test results?

 

I’d want to know ASAP so I could either relax or start packing.

I usually got the email within four hours.

[SheSailsFL]

On 3/1/2022 at 4:53 PM, RVAcruiser said:

You weren't asking me, but yup, the new no-masking policy terrifies us.  We're doing a B2B on Navigator on April and plan to mask during the first cruise whenever we're around other people (unless eating or drinking) to minimize possibility of catching something during the first cruise.  

Agree. I feel like I need to be more careful knowing the test is coming the day before turnaround day.  Planning on spending as much time outside on open decks as possible.