NCL Epic European cruise Covid Testing

[HughM]

My family and I are traveling from the United States to Barcelona for a Barcelona to Barcelona cruise in May 2022. Can anyone tell me how the Covid testing works? Do we need to find our own testing in Barcelona( we arrive on Thursday and depart on Sunday) or does NCL test us on the pier? Does NCL charge for this testing? If so how much?

We also need a test to fly back to the United States when we disembark. How does NCL handle this? Any help is greatly appreciated as this is causing a lot of stress.

[TakeMeAway20]

I also need to know this exact information as my cruise is in June.  So following . . . hopefully someone will have insight into how this all works oversees.  

[bdl729]

Hello as I was checking in for our April 13 cruise out of Trieste, the health and safety tab said in addition to being fully vaccinated we had to agree to take an antigen test at the embarkation port which would be fully paid by the cruise line. I had to also click a link to register with their testing partner Eurofins. I believe NCL will do an antigen test to fly back to the US at no cost. If for some reason, you need a PCR test then you are on your own. 

[HughM]

I just had a chat with NCL. They said we need a Covid Test 3 days prior to sailing from Barcelona. We can get it ourselves or they will test us on the pier. They said if NCL test us on the pier there is a fee but, the don’t know the cost. It seems strange that they don’t know the fee in Barcelona, I have found testing in Barcelona for 38 euros, by using the link on the NCL site under the sail safe info. We will need to do this since we are spending time in Barcelona prior to the cruise. As far as the test required to board the plane to return home to the US, on cruises in Europe, NCL does this and pays for it. However, the test must be performed within 24 hours of flying, so if you are staying in Barcelona after your cruise you need to find your own test. Hope this helps.

[Cobra1365]

20 hours ago, HughM said:

I just had a chat with NCL. They said we need a Covid Test 3 days prior to sailing from Barcelona. We can get it ourselves or they will test us on the pier. They said if NCL test us on the pier there is a fee but, the don’t know the cost. It seems strange that they don’t know the fee in Barcelona, I have found testing in Barcelona for 38 euros, by using the link on the NCL site under the sail safe info. We will need to do this since we are spending time in Barcelona prior to the cruise. As far as the test required to board the plane to return home to the US, on cruises in Europe, NCL does this and pays for it. However, the test must be performed within 24 hours of flying, so if you are staying in Barcelona after your cruise you need to find your own test. Hope this helps.

We’re sailing this cruise in May as well.  We’ll be testing on the outbound leg from the U.S. as we’re just flying in a day before the cruise.  So, the 3day window will still be in effect.

My bigger concern is testing positive before return.  NCL says they’ll “assist”.  Does anyone know what that entails other than “oh look there’s a hotel!” ?

[TheGinBoy]

I'm sailing in three weeks time and this is what I've been told by NCL.

 

• If you're sailing Sunday you should test no earlier than Thursday PM.
• PCR or rapid lateral flow are both OK - but they have to be observed/supervised tests that give you a certificate. Ones you do yourself on your own are not good enough.
• Rapid lateral flow testing is available at the pier but it's $99 per person.

[Hagfors]

I have gone through the mandatory registration with their on site testing partner and I can't find any confirmation on the cost. We are pretty much finished with Covid where I live, and the local testing capacity is greatly reduced. Just getting a simple antigen test is both expensive and time consuming. If I can get a test on the pier for $99 or less it's going to be much easier for me than getting this locally.

What really confuses me is that the online check in process specifically mentions the option for embarkation testing on  the pier, but the travel information on their website, https://www.ncl.com/fr/en/travel-requirements-by-country#europe , specifically says the opposite, "Testing at the terminal will not be facilitated.". Which one is it? 

[lovetoholiday]

We also signed up for pier testing but were told by an agent that it was no longer available, so have booked tests at Barcelona airport for 35 euros.  So many mixed messages.

[Iceman120]

I agree things have not been particularly clear on the testing. I was going to book a fit to fly lateral flow test which is carried out by lloyds pharmacy (cost £30) if its negative you are given a certificate so you have a hard copy. Ive been in touch with NCL official travel agents (who we booked with) and hes told us that would be fine so fingers crossed it is. 

 

[krittykat]

This is causing a lot of confusion for us too.  We are flying to London from the States in October. Cruising out of Southampton and around Spain.
Flying out on Thurs and sailing on Sunday.   Getting tested at the pier would be good but worried about playing "russian roulette" and finding one of us positive.  If we test on Thurs prior to flying - would that be ok?
We are also planning to extend the end of the cruise by 1 day in Rome (through NCL)  Will they provide the testing if we booked our extension through them?  Or are we on our own trying to find something near the airport?

 

[Cobra1365]

21 hours ago, krittykat said:

This is causing a lot of confusion for us too.  We are flying to London from the States in October. Cruising out of Southampton and around Spain.
Flying out on Thurs and sailing on Sunday.   Getting tested at the pier would be good but worried about playing "russian roulette" and finding one of us positive.  If we test on Thurs prior to flying - would that be ok?
We are also planning to extend the end of the cruise by 1 day in Rome (through NCL)  Will they provide the testing if we booked our extension through them?  Or are we on our own trying to find something near the airport?

 

We just returned from a Med cruise.  We tested on Thursday and sailed on Sunday out of Barcelona.  We didn’t want to risk flying all that way and not being able to sail.

 

For the return, you have to test within 24 hours of your return.  So, if you’re spending an extra day, I’m thinking you’ll be on your own to find a testing site.

[FlatFooted Freda]

Agree w/ Cobra. We didn't see any testing at the pier. We purchased a proctored home test. E-med ( from Abbot) has been the easiest we've tried. They come only in a pack of 6 , so you can use them for pre-flight home  test as well. 

[krittykat]

On 5/26/2022 at 5:22 AM, Cobra1365 said:

We just returned from a Med cruise.  We tested on Thursday and sailed on Sunday out of Barcelona.  We didn’t want to risk flying all that way and not being able to sail.

 

For the return, you have to test within 24 hours of your return.  So, if you’re spending an extra day, I’m thinking you’ll be on your own to find a testing site.

Thanks.   Since we are sailing out on Sat and we are flying on Thurs - I think we can safely test on Wed afternoon.  The logistics will be interesting on return.  Since we will be booking the post cruise extension through NCL, I am hoping there will be a little help with the testing on that end.

[krittykat]

On 5/26/2022 at 8:14 AM, FlatFooted Freda said:

Agree w/ Cobra. We didn't see any testing at the pier. We purchased a proctored home test. E-med ( from Abbot) has been the easiest we've tried. They come only in a pack of 6 , so you can use them for pre-flight home  test as well. 

My concern about the proctored testing is doing it when we are in Italy, since most of the companies that proctor the test are US based.  Timing is not easy and they must be scheduled before hand, which may be difficult to do when one is cruising. 

[uprivermama]

The eMed proctored tests do not need to be scheduled ahead of time. Just have the app all set up ahead of time and connect when you're ready to test.

[GoldingS666]

We sail on 28th August From Barcelona but flying in from UK early on the Friday.

 

All fully jabbed and 3 out of 4 of us are boosted to.

 

Hopefully all this stupidity will be over by then as in addition you can not enter Spain if you last jab was more than 270 days old. Our boosters are 270 days old 3 days after we come back luckily but there are no further jabs available and in the UK people will be reluctant to take any more after the 3rd.

 

If this expensive pre-boarding rule continues will probably test in Barcelona.

 

Any guidance on best source would be appreciated from those that have actually ha to do this.

 

Thanks all

[joekawasaki]

1 hour ago, GoldingS666 said:

We sail on 28th August From Barcelona but flying in from UK early on the Friday.

 

All fully jabbed and 3 out of 4 of us are boosted to.

 

Hopefully all this stupidity will be over by then as in addition you can not enter Spain if you last jab was more than 270 days old. Our boosters are 270 days old 3 days after we come back luckily but there are no further jabs available and in the UK people will be reluctant to take any more after the 3rd.

 

If this expensive pre-boarding rule continues will probably test in Barcelona.

 

Any guidance on best source would be appreciated from those that have actually ha to do this.

 

Thanks all

Actually there is no expiration on boosters. The 270 days only applies to the original 2 shots. 

[GoldingS666]

That's a good start

 

Thanks.

[Matahari47]

The NCL information is vague. We have purchased our own tests and are doing video supervised test on Friday as we fly to Barcelona on Saturday and pick up Epic on Sunday. 
 

I have tried to find out if we need to complete a passenger locator form…..again information is pitifully poor. 
 

So if anyone has the definitive answer I’d be really grateful! 
 

thank you 

[OurFunHols]

For Spain, you only need to fill out Passenger Locator Form if you don't have EU Digital Vaccination Certificate (UK vax is equivalent). Info here https://www.spth.gob.es/

[GoldingS666]

So the website states that, if vaccinated, you need a supervised Antigen test per the below:

 

• "Within 3 days prior to embarkation date for cruises departing from a non-U.S. port"

 

When does the clock start. Celebrity are clear on this so basically you can test on Thursday, Fly on Friday and Sail on Sunday as the sail day does not count as a day.

 

NCL - Silent 😞

 

So do we test at base and decide we are OK to travel or fly to Barcelona and  hope we are not trapped there as we didnt know we were unwell until tested domestically.

 

Any recommendations for trustworthy (and accepted) locations in Barcelona for Antigen.

Speaking to NCL some people are told their supplier is not accepted so then pay upwards of USD 65 a head to re-test at the dock.

 

 

[Cruiseandgamble]

NCL has the schedule of when to test before your cruise based on embarkation port (U.S. vs. non-U.S.) and embarkation day.  It's posted at https://www.ncl.com/sail-safe.

 

To understand the earliest you should test prior to your cruise vacation, see below:

[lovetoholiday]

4 hours ago, GoldingS666 said:

So the website states that, if vaccinated, you need a supervised Antigen test per the below:

 

• "Within 3 days prior to embarkation date for cruises departing from a non-U.S. port"

 

When does the clock start. Celebrity are clear on this so basically you can test on Thursday, Fly on Friday and Sail on Sunday as the sail day does not count as a day.

 

NCL - Silent 😞

 

So do we test at base and decide we are OK to travel or fly to Barcelona and  hope we are not trapped there as we didnt know we were unwell until tested domestically.

 

Any recommendations for trustworthy (and accepted) locations in Barcelona for Antigen.

Speaking to NCL some people are told their supplier is not accepted so then pay upwards of USD 65 a head to re-test at the dock.

 

 

We tested at Barcelona airport. Book online before you go it's called the Fly Covid Test Center the cost was 30 Euro. Results back within 10-15 minutes.  https://flycovidtestcenter.com It's at Terminal 1 and we were recommended to use it by someone from NCL. 

 

 

[joekawasaki]

4 hours ago, lovetoholiday said:

We tested at Barcelona airport. Book online before you go it's called the Fly Covid Test Center the cost was 30 Euro. Results back within 10-15 minutes.  https://flycovidtestcenter.com It's at Terminal 1 and we were recommended to use it by someone from NCL. 

 

 

Just be aware that if you cancel they refuse to refund your money. We booked tests to fly home and cancelled when the US dropped the requirement.  They refused to refund our money so have disputed the charge with credit card company. 

[GoldingS666]

11 hours ago, lovetoholiday said:

We tested at Barcelona airport. Book online before you go it's called the Fly Covid Test Center the cost was 30 Euro. Results back within 10-15 minutes.  https://flycovidtestcenter.com It's at Terminal 1 and we were recommended to use it by someone from NCL. 

 

 

Perfect

 

Thanks for this.

 

Just one question. What if your incoming flight is delayed etc.

I see its an appointment basis so outgoing works well. Not sure about incoming.

Edited June 14, 2022 by GoldingS666
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