Updated Vaccation Policy

[kalos]

1 hour ago, Megabear2 said:

I don't think the problem is doing the test it's the logistics for those travelling long distance and also over Bank Holidays or without smartphones. 

 

 

 

I have gave this some thought and as we would be one of those travellers who go to Southampton 

the day before ,I have worked out for us what could work  (Not much use with bank holidays )

We have found a company local to us that would do a test and certificate within 2 hours for £29.

Providing P&O accept "The Day before " ( as 24 hr) Then I would book us in for a morning test and then head off for Southampton . This would take away the worry of will we pass the test at the port ,no nervy wait to see if you qualify to board -Your good to go .

 

The company have other test centres so will leave link below .

 

https://officialrapidtests.com/pages/sheffield-test-centre

 

[Megabear2]

8 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

I don't even understand the difference.  Is supervised the one where you do the test and send it off as a picture?

No, supervised can be on internet. They call you and watch you do the test on a video link, you then show the result to your camera.

 

Other supervised ones are in person at a site.

 

Unsupervised are like NHS ones and you upload a photo of your result. 

 

Not sure about P&O but Celebrity and Princess require supervised which does fit with the EU regulations 

[jeanlyon]

4 minutes ago, kalos said:

 

I have gave this some thought and as we would be one of those travellers who go to Southampton 

the day before ,I have worked out for us what could work  (Not much use with bank holidays )

We have found a company local to us that would do a test and certificate within 2 hours for £29.

Providing P&O accept "The Day before " ( as 24 hr) Then I would book us in for a morning test and then head off for Southampton . This would take away the worry of will we pass the test at the port ,no nervy wait to see if you qualify to board -Your good to go .

 

The company have other test centres so will leave link below .

 

https://officialrapidtests.com/pages/sheffield-test-centre

 

So this certificate needs to have a time and date stamp?  What do you think P&O will do if someone arrives at the terminal with a Neg cert but it's timed at beford 24 hours?  Send them home?

[MX-Drew]

3 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

So this certificate needs to have a time and date stamp?  What do you think P&O will do if someone arrives at the terminal with a Neg cert but it's timed at beford 24 hours?  Send them home?

I read it as within 24 hours, so if you have your test 12 hours before, no problem so long as it's negative.

 

What if it is a fly cruise? You don't get a boarding time.

[MX-Drew]

19 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

If you follow the P&O website it points you to the prenetics website and the type of test needed, which I think they call it a fit to fly test, check it out and it should answer your questions.

The link takes you to the home page not a specific test. I have seen fit to fly test as both supervised and unsupervised.

[Megabear2]

12 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

So this certificate needs to have a time and date stamp?  What do you think P&O will do if someone arrives at the terminal with a Neg cert but it's timed at beford 24 hours?  Send them home?

Your guess is as good as anyones! I can however confirm Celebrity Silhouette left FLL on her transatlantic without 50 odd passengers who didn't have the correct tests and paperwork.  I have a friend onboard and their sailing was delayed while hurrid tests were done shore side.

[kalos]

3 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

So this certificate needs to have a time and date stamp?  What do you think P&O will do if someone arrives at the terminal with a Neg cert but it's timed at beford 24 hours?  Send them home?

That's why I said if they mean the day before and not 24 hours to the minute . Then it could 

be workable . Setting off from Yorkshire or even further north would be a good feeling knowing 

you are fit to board ,rather than worry all the way down hoping you pass the test .

I think it was a post by Wowzz that he said surely they are not going to turn guests away as 

their certificate reads 14.00 and you turn up at the desk 14.29 

[jeanlyon]

1 minute ago, Megabear2 said:

Your guess is as good as anyones! I can however confirm Celebrity Silhouette left FLL on her transatlantic without 50 odd passengers who didn't have the correct tests and paperwork.  I have a friend onboard and their sailing was delayed while hurrid tests were done shore side.

Blinkin' eck.  It's all getting too much hassle.

[Megabear2]

5 minutes ago, MX-Drew said:

The link takes you to the home page not a specific test. I have seen fit to fly test as both supervised and unsupervised.

I've looked at all four companies they list. Expresstest are one of them. If you want an antigen test with them to do at home they dont offer a video one. Perhaps that is an indication.

[wowzz]

1 minute ago, kalos said:

I think it was a post by Wowzz that he said surely they are not going to turn guests away as 

their certificate reads 14.00 and you turn up at the desk 14.29

That would be me ! And what happens if the clock "ticks over" while waiting in a queue ? OK to board when you join the queue, but not OK when you reach the desk. !

Sheer nincompoopery - the other  cruise lines have clarified the matter,  why can't P&O  ?

[Splice the mainbrace]

I hope that p&o (and other cruise lines) keep 'backstop' testing available at the terminal. In case for example of a test being booked either in local area before travel or in Southampton and it can't take place because of test centre operational problems. It would probably be too late to book an alternative.

[Annabel50]

5 minutes ago, wowzz said:

That would be me ! And what happens if the clock "ticks over" while waiting in a queue ? OK to board when you join the queue, but not OK when you reach the desk. !

Sheer nincompoopery - the other  cruise lines have clarified the matter,  why can't P&O  ?

Its an interesting point our boarding time changed overnight last year on our etickets 

[loveheart]

No one can book an on site test until they know what their boarding time is and we won't know that until about 3 weeks before we cruise.

[Stokie33]

I went for the randox one at £12 ea and we travel May 2nd. I put our travel date in with one company and it said the 30th April was the only date available. They supposedly guarantee a response in 3 hours so will let you all know how we get on, fingers crossed.

 

Ive read somewhere it depends on the country you are going to as to whether it’s a supervised test or not  but the randox one is off the email and it says it’s for travel and I really don’t want to be spending a lot of money to do the same test we already have.

 

 

Edited April 13, 2022 by Stokie33

[jeanlyon]

and then if you remember, one cruise, everyone was told to turn up 5 hours late as the ship wasn't ready.  That'll cause some consternation!!

[Megabear2]

8 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

and then if you remember, one cruise, everyone was told to turn up 5 hours late as the ship wasn't ready.  That'll cause some consternation!!

That's why I think it is surely the day before rather than timed.  We had all this with the 72 hour PCR for the Barbados fly cruises and eventually they just posted if it was a Friday flight test anytime Tuesday.

[jeanlyon]

OK, I just read the P&O website for what you need and it makes no mention of 24 hours.

 

All guests aged five years and over will need to organise and pay for a private lateral flow/antigen test, to be taken one day prior to embarkation of the ship

[MX-Drew]

52 minutes ago, loveheart said:

No one can book an on site test until they know what their boarding time is and we won't know that until about 3 weeks before we cruise.

And I won’t know until I board. We have never been told a boarding time on a fly cruise.

[molecrochip]

The previous wording was awful and many agreed. I'm pleased to say that the page has been updated within the last hour to provide clarity.

 

 

From 29 April 2022 onwards:

All guests aged five years and over will need to organise and pay for a private lateral flow/antigen test, to be taken one day prior to embarkation of the ship (NHS tests will not be accepted). Guests will need to present their valid negative antigen test certificate, often referred to as a ‘fit to fly’ certificate, at the ship's terminal.

In addition to the above antigen test, all unvaccinated guests aged five to 11 years will also be required to take a complimentary lateral flow/antigen test once they arrive at the terminal, administered by our service provider, Prenetics.

 

Organising your pre-cruise lateral flow/antigen test:

As mentioned above, guests aged five years and over will need to organise and pay for a private lateral flow/antigen test. You can order your lateral flow/antigen test kit online through any government approved testing provider in advance. You will need to take the test at home one day prior to embarkation of the ship. This test doesn’t need to be medically observed. Guests will need to submit their negative result online to their chosen testing provider and will then be sent a ‘fit to fly’ certificate within a couple of hours. Please note, NHS tests will not be accepted. To help, we’ve listed a few suppliers below (subject to availability).

Prenetics: www.projectscreen.co.uk
Collinsons: www.collinsongroup.com/en/covid-19-testing
Randox: covid.randox.com
Express Test: www.expresstest.co.uk/book-a-test/

 

Alternatively, guests can book an in-person test if they so wish, taken one day prior to travel.

 

Guests will need to present their negative fit to fly/travel certificate at the ship’s terminal. Guests that are unable to provide proof of vaccination status and a valid negative antigen test certificate (and PCR if applicable) will unfortunately be denied boarding.

[niltava42]

Website updated again. This wasn't there last time I checked.

 

On this page https://www.pocruises.com/cruise-with-confidence/preparing-to-sail#vaccine-and-testing-requirements there is now a section entitled "Accepted pre-cruise antigen tests" which includes the phrase "This test doesn’t need to be medically observed."

 

Clarity is getting a bit better...

[molecrochip]

To confirm:

- Day before

- Unsupervised but you need to submit result to get certificate.

- Certificate must be provided at embarkation.

[Megabear2]

2 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

To confirm:

- Day before

- Unsupervised but you need to submit result to get certificate.

- Certificate must be provided at embarkation.

Thank you, much better wording.

[molecrochip]

I'm just checking but Malta should also have been clarified along with the vaccine requirements.

 

I'm still working on an answer to the 12-15 year old booster issue.

[SarahHben]

9 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

The previous wording was awful and many agreed. I'm pleased to say that the page has been updated within the last hour to provide clarity.

 

 

From 29 April 2022 onwards:

All guests aged five years and over will need to organise and pay for a private lateral flow/antigen test, to be taken one day prior to embarkation of the ship (NHS tests will not be accepted). Guests will need to present their valid negative antigen test certificate, often referred to as a ‘fit to fly’ certificate, at the ship's terminal.

In addition to the above antigen test, all unvaccinated guests aged five to 11 years will also be required to take a complimentary lateral flow/antigen test once they arrive at the terminal, administered by our service provider, Prenetics.

 

Organising your pre-cruise lateral flow/antigen test:

As mentioned above, guests aged five years and over will need to organise and pay for a private lateral flow/antigen test. You can order your lateral flow/antigen test kit online through any government approved testing provider in advance. You will need to take the test at home one day prior to embarkation of the ship. This test doesn’t need to be medically observed. Guests will need to submit their negative result online to their chosen testing provider and will then be sent a ‘fit to fly’ certificate within a couple of hours. Please note, NHS tests will not be accepted. To help, we’ve listed a few suppliers below (subject to availability).

Prenetics: www.projectscreen.co.uk
Collinsons: www.collinsongroup.com/en/covid-19-testing
Randox: covid.randox.com
Express Test: www.expresstest.co.uk/book-a-test/

 

Alternatively, guests can book an in-person test if they so wish, taken one day prior to travel.

 

Guests will need to present their negative fit to fly/travel certificate at the ship’s terminal. Guests that are unable to provide proof of vaccination status and a valid negative antigen test certificate (and PCR if applicable) will unfortunately be denied boarding.

Thank you, that’s really helpful 😊

[jaydee6969]

25 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

The previous wording was awful and many agreed. I'm pleased to say that the page has been updated within the last hour to provide clarity.

 

 

From 29 April 2022 onwards:

All guests aged five years and over will need to organise and pay for a private lateral flow/antigen test, to be taken one day prior to embarkation of the ship (NHS tests will not be accepted). Guests will need to present their valid negative antigen test certificate, often referred to as a ‘fit to fly’ certificate, at the ship's terminal.

In addition to the above antigen test, all unvaccinated guests aged five to 11 years will also be required to take a complimentary lateral flow/antigen test once they arrive at the terminal, administered by our service provider, Prenetics.

 

Organising your pre-cruise lateral flow/antigen test:

As mentioned above, guests aged five years and over will need to organise and pay for a private lateral flow/antigen test. You can order your lateral flow/antigen test kit online through any government approved testing provider in advance. You will need to take the test at home one day prior to embarkation of the ship. This test doesn’t need to be medically observed. Guests will need to submit their negative result online to their chosen testing provider and will then be sent a ‘fit to fly’ certificate within a couple of hours. Please note, NHS tests will not be accepted. To help, we’ve listed a few suppliers below (subject to availability).

Prenetics: www.projectscreen.co.uk
Collinsons: www.collinsongroup.com/en/covid-19-testing
Randox: covid.randox.com
Express Test: www.expresstest.co.uk/book-a-test/

 

Alternatively, guests can book an in-person test if they so wish, taken one day prior to travel.

 

Guests will need to present their negative fit to fly/travel certificate at the ship’s terminal. Guests that are unable to provide proof of vaccination status and a valid negative antigen test certificate (and PCR if applicable) will unfortunately be denied boarding.

 

 

Many thanks @molecrochip, the clarity that was needed.  Hopefully this will speed up the embarkation process, and ships leave as scheduled.