UK Sailing testing requirements

[insidecabin]

12 minutes ago, Billish said:

Boots and Lloyds both at just under £30 for a LFT.

Personally, I'd rather have it done with them, rather than at the terminal. Less overall hassle, and no travelling all the way to Southampton only to test positive and have to return home !

Needs to be a supervised test do boots/Lloyds do them?

[Billish]

2 minutes ago, Lady Arwen said:

We’re coming from Canada and for us it’s us easier to get the test before we board.  We don’t want to be trying to locate a testing spot in Southampton.  Either way, if we test positive, we’re on to plan B, which is to stay in The UK for the duration.

Yes, sorry, should have spotted where you live !

Glad you have a Plan B - hopefully you won't need it !

[insidecabin]

1 hour ago, CCFC said:

What do they mean by fully vaccinated, is 2 jabs enough?

Depending where you are going 2 jabs may not be enough.

A lot of Europe have a 270 day limit since last jab need to get those boosters to avoid that

[mina]

1 minute ago, Lady Arwen said:

Thank you so much, that’s very helpful!  We’re staying at Moxy Hotel for two nights prior and it’s just minutes from the mall.  Will look into this for sure!

It is even open on sundays from 11 am onwards.  Our cruise leaves on a Tuesday, but we arrive four days ahead and are staying at the premier inn, so plan to test on the Sunday so we have a day to deal with things if the test is not good.  

[Billish]

1 minute ago, insidecabin said:

Needs to be a supervised test do boots/Lloyds do them?

Yes they do, but not in every branch. 

We've already booked ours for the end of May with Lloyds. 

[Billish]

Just now, insidecabin said:

Depending where you are going 2 jabs may not be enough.

A lot of Europe have a 270 day limit since last jab need to get those boosters to avoid that

Correct. 

[Lady Arwen]

Just now, Billish said:

Yes, sorry, should have spotted where you live !

Glad you have a Plan B - hopefully you won't need it !

Hopefully, we won’t.  A very kind member just posted that testing is available in Southampton, at the mall close to our hotel.  We could do the test the day before, so that is now plan A. lol. Will book our appointment.  

[Lady Arwen]

3 minutes ago, mina said:

It is even open on sundays from 11 am onwards.  Our cruise leaves on a Tuesday, but we arrive four days ahead and are staying at the premier inn, so plan to test on the Sunday so we have a day to deal with things if the test is not good.  

Thank you again for your help!  Very much appreciated!

[Bgwest]

Anyone hear anything about how B2Bs are being handled? 

 

We leave on a TA from PE on 4.16 to Southampton then reboard and continue on 5.1 for the second half ot the B2B.

[Aulanis]

I still think the test is pointless?  other than you HAVE to do it to get on the cruise 🙂

  Take the test 2 days   before?   Negative 🙂

   1 Day before, travel   & hotel stay with the possibility of mingling with 10s ?100s ?of people  who are superspreaders.    Sail day   no symptoms  all aboard :) 

Day 3/4 of the cruise - dont feel well  -  oh dear   Covid 😞

According to informed reports,   2 days before symptoms is when you are most likely to spread it

so  how has the test helped me? or  everyone else on the ship?

 

[waiting2retire]

8 minutes ago, Bgwest said:

Anyone hear anything about how B2Bs are being handled? 

 

We leave on a TA from PE on 4.16 to Southampton then reboard and continue on 5.1 for the second half ot the B2B.

We are in a similar situation and hoping the cruise lines treat B2B the same way as in the US, i.e. free test onboard the day before arrival in Europe. 
 

[Daniel A]

4 minutes ago, Aulanis said:

I still think the test is pointless?  other than you HAVE to do it to get on the cruise 🙂

  Take the test 2 days   before?   Negative 🙂

   1 Day before, travel   & hotel stay with the possibility of mingling with 10s ?100s ?of people  who are superspreaders.    Sail day   no symptoms  all aboard :) 

Day 3/4 of the cruise - dont feel well  -  oh dear   Covid 😞

According to informed reports,   2 days before symptoms is when you are most likely to spread it

so  how has the test helped me? or  everyone else on the ship?

It at least weeds out those who are definitely positive on embarkation day.  It may not catch all who are positive but finding some is better than finding none.

[Lady Arwen]

26 minutes ago, mina said:

It is even open on sundays from 11 am onwards.  Our cruise leaves on a Tuesday, but we arrive four days ahead and are staying at the premier inn, so plan to test on the Sunday so we have a day to deal with things if the test is not good.  

Just checked and the price at the clinic is £65 and the price at Boots is £30! both at the same mall and you can book appointments online.  Think we’ll book an appointment with Boots, since it’s half the price.  We’ll test the day before our cruise. 

[majortom10]

50 minutes ago, Lady Arwen said:

Thank you so much, that’s very helpful!  We’re staying at Moxy Hotel for two nights prior and it’s just minutes from the mall.  Will look into this for sure!

Looking at their website even if you have the  PCR test day before  and doesnt guarantee you will receive test result by the time you might have to check in is £49-£69. If you want same day result it is £79-£99 so dont think it is worth considering as far dearer than Princess. LFT test with result in 4 hrs is £39 so again not worth the mither when for not much dearer have it done at port by Princess.

[Billish]

4 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

Looking at their website even if you have the  PCR test day before  and doesnt guarantee you will receive test result by the time you might have to check in is £49-£69. If you want same day result it is £79-£99 so dont think it is worth considering as far dearer than Princess. LFT test with result in 4 hrs is £39 so again not worth the mither when for not much dearer have it done at port by Princess.

Boots quote £30 for LFT - result in less than an hour.

[mina]

4 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

Looking at their website even if you have the  PCR test day before  and doesnt guarantee you will receive test result by the time you might have to check in is £49-£69. If you want same day result it is £79-£99 so dont think it is worth considering as far dearer than Princess. LFT test with result in 4 hrs is £39 so again not worth the mither when for not much dearer have it done at port by Princess.

Thanks for the insight, was  not sure about the cost for testing at the pier.  For us, just want to get it done so don’t have to wait around on embarkation day, so we will probably do the rapid test for 39 on Sunday.   

[majortom10]

4 minutes ago, Billish said:

Boots quote £30 for LFT - result in less than an hour.

Yes I have seen that but do not think it is worth all the unnecessary trouble just to save £10 when you can go straight to the port and get it done there. Finding somewhere to park, paying for parking and then going to Boots just dont think it is worth the trouble especially for UK cruisers who are not staying in hotel pre cruise and just driving straight to port.

 

[Billish]

1 minute ago, majortom10 said:

Yes I have seen that but do not think it is worth all the unnecessary trouble just to save £10 when you can go straight to the port and get it done there. Finding somewhere to park, paying for parking and then going to Boots just dont think it is worth the trouble especially for UK cruisers who are not staying in hotel pre cruise and just driving straight to port.

 

But it saves all the hassle at the port! And you could get tested near home a couple of days before leaving for Southampton. 

Edited March 19, 2022 by Billish

[majortom10]

7 minutes ago, mina said:

Thanks for the insight, was  not sure about the cost for testing at the pier.  For us, just want to get it done so don’t have to wait around on embarkation day, so we will probably do the rapid test for 39 on Sunday.   

We have been tested 3 times at the terminal in Southampton in the last few months at Southampton twice on Cunard and once with Princess when free and was very efficiently done with no excessive waiting for result. Personally just dont think it is worth all the trouble just to save about £10 per test. 

[Gettingwarmer]

2 minutes ago, Billish said:

But it saves all the hassle at the port! And you could get tested near home a couple of days before leaving for Southampton. 

Yes and if not a Boots near you try Lloyds Pharmacy. 

[majortom10]

2 minutes ago, Billish said:

But it saves all the hassle at the port! And you could get tested near home a couple of days before leaving for Southampton. 

Done it 3 times in recent months at the port and there is no real hassle.

[Billish]

3 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

Done it 3 times in recent months at the port and there is no real hassle.

What will it be like when drive through testing stops though ?

[Denmal]

As stated we are com I need from the US.  We leave on 5/31 arrive in UK Heathrow on 6/1.  Then have a car service to t

Southampton and overnight at the Moxy.  So I am still thinking Emed monitored is the best..we can take the test morning of 5/31 and no for sure before we board a plane.  Going to bring test with us foe return to US as we are staying in the UK for another week after..  I looked at the link on the site to order tests BUT that company only ships to the UK.

[majortom10]

8 minutes ago, Billish said:

What will it be like when drive through testing stops though ?

not everyone arriving in Southampton in a car did not use drive through it was only available for those parking with CPS. Anyone else using other companies to park had to be tested at the terminal as a foot passenger not the drive through test area.

[insidecabin]

Increased capacity on the ships is a potential issue with test capacity.

 

For those driving down the parking in the mall multi story is a lot cheaper(£5pd) than the port and there is parking at the Accor hotels (ibis) for £50.

Later cruises will have some history to go from its the first couple that are flying blind.