Private covid testing

[Slc334]

Can anyone shed some light on the private covid testing rules cunard have just introduced. 
I sail on a Sunday, so can I test anytime the day before or is it 24hrs prior to my embarkation time? The information is quite ambiguous. 
I’m worried as we sail on a Sunday and the hours some testing companies work at weekends is reduced. 
Really don’t want to get this wrong! Bring back terminal testing!!! 
 

Has anyone had en experience of private testing to go away? 
thanks in advance 

 

[Host Hattie]

Where are you sailing from ?

[Windsurfboy]

We have done a video private testing twice. You get LFT in advance.  Book a time slot at home, they watch you do test on video (phone , tablet or PC), you send them a picture 15 mins later. In 30 mins they email you a certificate. 

 

Don't know if allowed to say company name.

[Host Hattie]

You can say any company name as long as it's not a travel agent or your own company !

[Jack E Dawson]

44 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

Where are you sailing from ?

Host Hattie,

We will be sailing from Southampton on May 8th but will be flying over and spending a few days in London before sailing.  We plan on traveling from London to Southampton on Saturday the 7th. I've gone online to the The Regenerative Clinic (located in SH) web site and the cost for a LFT is 39 Pounds per person. We can either get our test in London on Saturday morning or in Southampton on Saturday afternoon. Do you have any suggestions. 78 Pounds seems pretty costly.

Thanks

Jack

[Host Hattie]

No suggestions from me, I don't have any sailings booked this year so I haven't needed to investigate private testing.

[gumshoe958]

There are many providers in the UK.

 

Qured offer proctored (video monitored) DIY home lateral flow tests for £33.

 

DocHQ offer the same for £19.25.

 

Or if you prefer someone to do it for you, Lloyds Pharmacy appointments are £30.

 

There are lots, lots more. All very simple.

[Bell Boy]

I am sailing on 'a  Sunday' ( in June) ...I live in the UK and have arranged to have a test at my Lloyds Pharmacy on' the Saturday'    (look for one by phone.... in your area) I have been assured my result will be in 15 mins ....and will include a certificate    either way ,   

[Lanky Lad]

I have just had an email about this for my May trip on QM2. I am travelling down the day before I sail so not sure how or where I will do the test. I would imagine it could get tricky trying to book a test in Southampon when there are a few ships in.

[cook68]

I have no idea what Cunard are accepting as a private test but this is the list of official government approved centres in the UK. I booked mine for £29.
If anyone wants to find an in person testing centre if you down load rather than read online the GOV. UK link you can then change the PDF into "sort" then  change to read name or area. This makes it a lot easier to search the list, there are well over 1000 
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1068746/covid-private-testing-providers-general-testing-13-4-22.csv/preview?fbclid=IwAR0LHSkc6dzJAGn9xeg3kWsrg1TUHUxQ2mFXmFqRV25-q70_XBfzgGgKahk

[lissie]

OK I have similar questions - but we are sailing out of San Francisco in July. We fly in about 7 days prior from Hawaii so our entrance to US test won't work. 

 

Cant do anything that requires a test to be mailed to us as we'll just be at a hotel. Do places like CVS and Walgreens do them - the official link Cunard provides has zero site for the whole bay area LOL 

 

We will have similar issues in Barcelona in October - but I'm not even bothering with that at this stage LOL 

Edited April 13, 2022 by lissie

[Lakesregion]

4 hours ago, Jack E Dawson said:

Host Hattie,

We will be sailing from Southampton on May 8th but will be flying over and spending a few days in London before sailing.  We plan on traveling from London to Southampton on Saturday the 7th. I've gone online to the The Regenerative Clinic (located in SH) web site and the cost for a LFT is 39 Pounds per person. We can either get our test in London on Saturday morning or in Southampton on Saturday afternoon. Do you have any suggestions. 78 Pounds seems pretty costly.

Thanks

Jack

You should try $450 per test on a Sunday in NewYork City. 29 pounds seems a bargain.

[Lakesregion]

2 hours ago, lissie said:

OK I have similar questions - but we are sailing out of San Francisco in July. We fly in about 7 days prior from Hawaii so our entrance to US test won't work. 

 

Cant do anything that requires a test to be mailed to us as we'll just be at a hotel. Do places like CVS and Walgreens do them - the official link Cunard provides has zero site for the whole bay area LOL 

 

We will have similar issues in Barcelona in October - but I'm not even bothering with that at this stage LOL 

Here on the east coast of the US those two mega drug outlets vary on walk-ins VS must have an appointment. It depends if they are busy or not. Sort of a crap shoot. I would reach out to them and make an appointment. Cunard is very vague in their new email blast as o when the tests need to be done etc. 

[naturelovergirl]

@lissie

Yes, Walgreens and CVS do rapid Covid tests via appointment here in the US

[lissie]

5 hours ago, Lakesregion said:

Here on the east coast of the US those two mega drug outlets vary on walk-ins VS must have an appointment. It depends if they are busy or not. Sort of a crap shoot. I would reach out to them and make an appointment. Cunard is very vague in their new email blast as o when the tests need to be done etc. 

The aren't vague at all - 2 days prior and it needs to be a medically supervised antigen test. 

 

We are in SF for 4 days prior so hopefully can call and make an appointment - I can see Walgreens within a block of our hotel on Colombus Ave 

[lissie]

53 minutes ago, naturelovergirl said:

@lissie

Yes, Walgreens and CVS do rapid Covid tests via appointment here in the US

Awesome - I will probably get a couple of bookings so I have a backup in case one cancels last minute. 

[Mareblu]

9 hours ago, lissie said:

OK I have similar questions - but we are sailing out of San Francisco in July. We fly in about 7 days prior from Hawaii so our entrance to US test won't work. 

 

Cant do anything that requires a test to be mailed to us as we'll just be at a hotel. Do places like CVS and Walgreens do them - the official link Cunard provides has zero site for the whole bay area LOL 

 

We will have similar issues in Barcelona in October - but I'm not even bothering with that at this stage LOL 

Hi Lissie,

We will have a similar issue, as we fly into Barcelona only the day before QE departs.  I should think it wiser to find something at Heathrow, as we will be staying in an airport hotel after flying in from home.  Looking forward to meeting you aboard.

Linda

[Mareblu]

Sorry, meant to add that October is a long way off yet.  Maybe all testing requirements will be dropped by then.

Linda

[frankp01]

3 hours ago, naturelovergirl said:

Yes, Walgreens and CVS do rapid Covid tests via appointment here in the US

Just be aware that (based on my experience) it's a limited number of CVS stores that do rapid NAAT testing. We had a hard time finding one with appointments available in December, about a week out. And those that did were all suburban stores, none downtown. For our July trip I'll be jumping on the CVS website the day reservations open for the day we need our tests. As I recall, the reservation window opens about 2 weeks out.

 

I wish there was a reasonably priced testing facility near the Brooklyn terminal like the Regenerative Clinic in Southampton, so we could get a test the day we sail.

Edited April 14, 2022 by frankp01
Typo

[frankp01]

One additional option is to buy the "supervised" home tests, where the testing process is monitored via a video call. You could have those mailed to, and held at, your hotel. I believe eMed is the outfit, and the tests are about $150 for 6. As far as I can tell that's the minimum quantity available. I've seen suggestions to have a backup, in case something goes wrong. So, for two travellers you might want to have 3 or 4 on hand, anyway.

[gumshoe958]

3 hours ago, lissie said:

Awesome - I will probably get a couple of bookings so I have a backup in case one cancels last minute. 

Check that they’ll accept non-Americans. Many US testing facilities demand to see proof of a US address or health insurance which Brits (and others) won’t have. 

[frankp01]

37 minutes ago, gumshoe958 said:

Many US testing facilities demand to see proof of a US address or health insurance which Brits (and others) won’t have. 

That thought had occurred to me. A traveller in our group had to get tested in NY for return to the UK. I think he went to one of the many on the street testing sites. I'm going to ask him what that cost him. 

 

In SF @Lissie might be in luck. CVS has a testing pre-screening questionnaire which I did, for a dummy booking. I said I did not have insurance and still got this result (and it's right downtown)

 

1285a Sutter ST, San Francisco, CA 94109

This is a Community Site, funded by the U.S. Department of Human & Health Services. Insurance is not needed.

 

Edited April 14, 2022 by frankp01

[frankp01]

I was so stressed about getting our testing in Southampton that I sympathize with your quest in San Francisco. Here's a thread from the West Coast board on testing for non-citizens. There might be some good info here...

 

[lissie]

2 hours ago, frankp01 said:

That thought had occurred to me. A traveller in our group had to get tested in NY for return to the UK. I think he went to one of the many on the street testing sites. I'm going to ask him what that cost him. 

 

In SF @Lissie might be in luck. CVS has a testing pre-screening questionnaire which I did, for a dummy booking. I said I did not have insurance and still got this result (and it's right downtown)

 

1285a Sutter ST, San Francisco, CA 94109

This is a Community Site, funded by the U.S. Department of Human & Health Services. Insurance is not needed.

 

I've found that one too.  It will accept my NZ address but not a non-usa phone number - I can probably work around that and use a friend's number. 

 

I'm kinda amazed that there is only  one CVS outlet in the whole of SF doing rapid antigen  tests - I think every pharmacy here does them at varying prices ranging from under $10 and up 

[Windsurfboy]

16 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

We have done a video private testing twice. You get LFT in advance.  Book a time slot at home, they watch you do test on video (phone , tablet or PC), you send them a picture 15 mins later. In 30 mins they email you a certificate. 

 

Don't know if allowed to say company name.

 

 

We used qured both at home and abroad.  Took LFT with us , video call and email certificate  can be anywhere with good wifi