Covid Testing at FCO WARNING!!!

[deliver42]

I love that the OP is blaming Celebrity for the crappy tests. I guess he doesn't know that all the lines get the tests from the same companies.

[DarrenM]

19 hours ago, SHIP TRAVELER said:

One of our tests purchased on the Reflection and picked up in the luggage area also was invalid so DH had to test in Rome FCO but luckily we were there the day before our flight home.  It took about two hours. We already know he was negative but the proctor on line said the rules were your card had to self seal.  We didn't have a back up test with us.  My advice is to take your own.

This sounds a nightmare.

 

We too left reflection and headed to Rome Airport, for a 3 hour flight back to the UK. But we dont need a test to get back home. Infact we dont need a test leave the UK now either.

 

The rules sound almost pre-historic for you guys.

[phoenix_dream]

15 hours ago, Doubt It said:

How about not doing a cruise period.

Not participating in this total scam. All cruises cancelled.

Not paying after tax $ for this "experience".

Doing a driving trip and loving it right now.

Really, break out of the cruise fixation.

 

How about staying away from the cruise boards if you are so anti-cruising and leave the conversations to those of us who still really love cruising and are willing to put up with some hassle to do it.

[zitsky]

1 hour ago, hrhdhd said:

If you are in the U.S. (can't tell from my phone), order some of the free government tests and practice. Then watch the YouTube videos of others taking the tests. That'll give you a good idea.

If you look at them, it says your result is negative but you may be positive.  The procedure is explained on the sheet but I’d rather do a proctored test to make sure I do it right.  But YouTube videos are good too.

Edited May 27, 2022 by zitsky

[klfhngr]

7 hours ago, Moby Jones said:

I was on this cruise. There were 1700 passengers onboard. 

The captain announced there were 3 confirmed cases of covid onboard. 

 

However all four members of our party have since tested positive after disembarking Reflection. Thankfully we all have mild symptoms but it does suggest there were considerably more cases onboard that the ship was unaware of. 

Odd, we heard the announcement while we were at the pool, on that day it was up to 5 (maybe 6, I don't recall).

 

Oh wow, sorry to hear that!

[klfhngr]

1 hour ago, deliver42 said:

I love that the OP is blaming Celebrity for the crappy tests. I guess he doesn't know that all the lines get the tests from the same companies.

I never blamed them for the crappy test, I do blame them for handing them out once we're off the ship! If we could do it the day before, then we could be prepared for the failed tests! Get it now!?

[klfhngr]

9 hours ago, pmarrsouth said:

Exactly, not 24 hours. Plus it’s the day on/before the originating flight of the ticket, even if the initial connection is not in the USA

Oh, I always thought a day was 24 hours or less. 😮 

[zitsky]

33 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

How about staying away from the cruise boards if you are so anti-cruising and leave the conversations to those of us who still really love cruising and are willing to put up with some hassle to do it.

I just can’t believe people sometimes.  😭

 

When I invited you to my church to worship Lisa the CEO you said no.  I hope you’ll attend services on board*???
 

*Must be in a suite to attend services.

 

🤣

 

Don’t yell at me but I understand the interest in a non cruise vacation.  Go to one country, hang out.  Deal with one set of rules for testing.  One language etc.

[DarrenM]

8 minutes ago, klfhngr said:

Odd, we heard the announcement while we were at the pool, on that day it was up to 5 (maybe 6, I don't recall).

 

Oh wow, sorry to hear that!

was this the 13th to 25th May cruise?

 

Last captains update I heard was 4. All Asymptomatic.

 

There were a few people coughing, a lot. 

 

But I guess pre-covid, there always was right?

 

I also made the assumption that those with covid onboard were unvaxxed. as they must have had tests on board, because as they were asymptomatic, why would they have got themselves tested?

 

I think I am going to have to defend the cruise lines for a while as I suspect a lot are going to go into covid panic meltdown again.

 

The cruise was brilliant, and hardly anyone appeared ill.

[Gracie115]

2 hours ago, zitsky said:

Thanks.  So easy to use?  How easy to use?  How do they work?

 

You can do at on a smart phone, IPAD or desktop.  We did it with our phones.  You have to download the EMED & NAVICA ap.  When you are ready you connect to Emed and follow the prompts from there.  It took no more than 20 minutes total, including the 15 waiting time for the test to process.  There are several UTube videos showing step by step what to do.  

 

I was concerned about how difficult this was to do but it was truly easy-peasy.  We bought a pack of 6 tests for $150 from Emed and there are no other charges at all.  So $25.00 a piece, pretty low for the peace of mind it provided.

[klfhngr]

17 minutes ago, DarrenM said:

was this the 13th to 25th May cruise?

 

Last captains update I heard was 4. All Asymptomatic.

 

There were a few people coughing, a lot. 

 

But I guess pre-covid, there always was right?

 

I also made the assumption that those with covid onboard were unvaxxed. as they must have had tests on board, because as they were asymptomatic, why would they have got themselves tested?

 

I think I am going to have to defend the cruise lines for a while as I suspect a lot are going to go into covid panic meltdown again.

 

The cruise was brilliant, and hardly anyone appeared ill.

13th. 

I heard a few coughing also, and not wearing masks.

We enjoyed the majority of the cruise, I felt safe and I'd do another one tomorrow if I could, lol!

[zitsky]

17 minutes ago, Gracie115 said:

 

You can do at on a smart phone, IPAD or desktop.  We did it with our phones.  You have to download the EMED & NAVICA ap.  When you are ready you connect to Emed and follow the prompts from there.  It took no more than 20 minutes total, including the 15 waiting time for the test to process.  There are several UTube videos showing step by step what to do.  

 

I was concerned about how difficult this was to do but it was truly easy-peasy.  We bought a pack of 6 tests for $150 from Emed and there are no other charges at all.  So $25.00 a piece, pretty low for the peace of mind it provided.

ok thanks.  The airlines accept the results from the app?  Is there some kind of code?

[DarrenM]

47 minutes ago, klfhngr said:

13th. 

I heard a few coughing also, and not wearing masks.

We enjoyed the majority of the cruise, I felt safe and I'd do another one tomorrow if I could, lol!

yep so would I.

 

No issues whatsoever for me. Loved every minute of it.

 

We could have met.

[sunlover33]

56 minutes ago, klfhngr said:

heard a few coughing also, and not wearing masks.

Are you suggesting they should be wearing masks because they were coughing or masks per se? 

[klfhngr]

12 minutes ago, sunlover33 said:

Are you suggesting they should be wearing masks because they were coughing or masks per se? 

If your coughing, the right thing to do is wear a mask. I didn't, but I wasn't coughing. I hate wearing masks, but will if needed.

[sunlover33]

48 minutes ago, klfhngr said:

If your coughing, the right thing to do is wear a mask. I didn't, but I wasn't coughing. I hate wearing masks, but will if needed.

I suppose it depends on the reason for coughing. My DH coughs with asthma, nothing to do with covid or being infectious. I was just wondering about the percentage of passengers wearing masks as we are on Reflection in a few weeks. 

Edited May 27, 2022 by sunlover33

[klfhngr]

6 minutes ago, sunlover33 said:

I suppose it depends on the reason for coughing. My DH coughs with asthma, nothing to do with covid or being infectious. I was just wondering about the percentage of passengers wearing masks as we are on Reflection in a few weeks. 

I'd say pretty low, like 10% maybe.

 

FYI, masks were required on X excursions on the buses. 

Edited May 27, 2022 by klfhngr

[Jim_Iain]

21 hours ago, zitsky said:

 

So I'm on a roundtrip cruise from Rome back to Rome in late September.  So I'm not sure what my options are for testing.  It seems that testing at FCO might be our only option?

Personally I would purchase a couple test kits at eMeds

[zitsky]

22 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Personally I would purchase a couple test kits at eMeds

Right now that’s what I’m thinking.  

[lexmiller]

18 hours ago, Doubt It said:

How about not doing a cruise period.

Not participating in this total scam. All cruises cancelled.

Not paying after tax $ for this "experience".

Doing a driving trip and loving it right now.

Really, break out of the cruise fixation.

 

The main point is not cruising at all - it is the test that the USA still requires you to take to fly back into the country.  The US is the ONLY country that still requires this test.  So it is not about cruising at all - if you want to go to any foreign country and fly back home, you must take a covid test.  So too must any visitors to the US - a foreign visitor cannot fly into the US without a negative test.  There is a great uproar in DC about getting the CDC to stop requiring the test.  Lobbyists from over two hundred travel companies, airlines, cruise lines, etc, are working hard to end this ridiculous test.  People can fly domestically without masks, no vaccines required, no tests needed - and yet, if you want to visit a foreign country and fly home, you are penalized - covid is now criminalized if you want to fly home, yet within the borders, there are no rules.  This is not two years ago - we have the vaccine, we have the boosters.  A very recent interview of Fauci was extremely interesting as even he said that there is no medical reason to still require the fly in test.  That is HUGE that he said that, and yet, here we are, still testing and no one not even Fauci, can tell us why!!??  American citizens that live along the Canadian border are finding it much easier to fly into Toronto or Montreal or Vancouver and then rent a car and drive home - all perfectly legal to do. 

So this is not a "cruise fixation" at all.  It's about traveling abroad NOW, broadening our minds and expanding our experiences - while we are still young enough and healthy enough to do so.  Time marches on and this stupid test is ruining  things for a lot of us, causing unnecessary angst and anguish.  

[Virginia100]

19 hours ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

Actually a 4th choice.  Bring a test from home and using wifi and telehealth test on board.  www.covid.gov/tests will Mail you 8 tests in the US for FREE.  In Canada most pharmacies have for free pickup.  

Works for both pre and post cruise.  Telehealth visits only cost about $20-30

Actually 4th option is the one I took. Canceled my 8/8/22 Greek cruise and rebooked on Reflection for 9/11/23 for Greek Island, Malta and Barcelona with an upgrade to Aqua for $2000 less than balcony on Beyond. Reasonably confident test to return to US will be history by then.

[Virginia100]

18 minutes ago, lexmiller said:

The main point is not cruising at all - it is the test that the USA still requires you to take to fly back into the country.  The US is the ONLY country that still requires this test.  So it is not about cruising at all - if you want to go to any foreign country and fly back home, you must take a covid test.  So too must any visitors to the US - a foreign visitor cannot fly into the US without a negative test.  There is a great uproar in DC about getting the CDC to stop requiring the test.  Lobbyists from over two hundred travel companies, airlines, cruise lines, etc, are working hard to end this ridiculous test.  People can fly domestically without masks, no vaccines required, no tests needed - and yet, if you want to visit a foreign country and fly home, you are penalized - covid is now criminalized if you want to fly home, yet within the borders, there are no rules.  This is not two years ago - we have the vaccine, we have the boosters.  A very recent interview of Fauci was extremely interesting as even he said that there is no medical reason to still require the fly in test.  That is HUGE that he said that, and yet, here we are, still testing and no one not even Fauci, can tell us why!!??  American citizens that live along the Canadian border are finding it much easier to fly into Toronto or Montreal or Vancouver and then rent a car and drive home - all perfectly legal to do. 

So this is not a "cruise fixation" at all.  It's about traveling abroad NOW, broadening our minds and expanding our experiences - while we are still young enough and healthy enough to do so.  Time marches on and this stupid test is ruining  things for a lot of us, causing unnecessary angst and anguish.  

Excellent write up. I’ve often thought it is unconstitutional to deny entry to the US by a citizen holding a valid passport for any reason including an illness. I’m surprised no one has filed a lawsuit for such in Federal court. I’m cruising out of FL but holding off any foreign travel until this return test is canceled. The USVI is also an alternative. No test required.

[Trixsea]

Amy I correct that the tests can also be done through the emed website and that the app is not required?

 

Thanks

[BEAV]

9 minutes ago, Trixsea said:

Amy I correct that the tests can also be done through the emed website and that the app is not required?

 

Thanks

We tested successfully without involving the Navica app. 

[gfkcruiser]

15 hours ago, klfhngr said:

We attempted to take the online tests at FCO, had rep on phone and followed all the steps. At the end, the tests were inconclusive, meaning that you were neither negative or positive, so you had to take another test to prove negativity. That's when we had no choice but to get in line at FCO and take the Covid test.

For inconclusive results, we’re there no lines on tester?   Not even Control line?  What deemed it inconclusive?   Just did these and tested negative but curious what deems it inconclusive.  
Thanks