Princess changed testing rules

[antsp]

Just read an update on Princess.com that you can now self test without video supervised option, obviously reduces costs of the test 

[caribill]

Can you post a link?

 

Here is what I find on the USA web Princess web site:

 

Vaccinated guests may use a medically observed self-test (sometimes referred to as an at-home test) that meets the following criteria:

• The test must be a SARS-CoV-2 viral test (nucleic acid amplification test [NAAT] or antigen test) with Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Please note: antigen tests are accepted for fully vaccinated guests but not for unvaccinated guests.
• The testing procedure must include a telehealth service affiliated with the manufacturer of the test that provides real-time supervision remotely through an audio and video connection. Some FDA-authorized self-tests that include a telehealth service may require a prescription.
• The telehealth provider must confirm the person’s identity, observe the specimen collection and testing procedures, confirm the test result and issue a report that meets the requirements of acceptable proof of a negative COVID-19 test.

https://www.princess.com/plan/cruise-with-confidence/cruise-health/frequently-asked-questions/us-cruises/

[villauk]

Have vaccination and testing requirements changed with the recently implemented guidelines in the UK and EU?

Unless otherwise communicated, all guests ages five and older must take a viral COVID-19 test (PCR or antigen) within three days prior to embarkation on the ship. This can be done at any time in the three days before on the day of embarkation. Guests no longer need to provide a test certificate, however they will be asked to confirm that the test has been taken, with a negative result, as part of the pre-boarding health declaration at the cruise terminal/airport. Guests under five years of age are exempt from pre-cruise testing. (Please note that these updated guidelines apply to the UK and EU but not to the U.S., Canada or Greece).

Edited August 9, 2022 by villauk

[villauk]

https://www.princess.com/plan/cruise-with-confidence/cruise-health/frequently-asked-questions/uk-southampton-cruises/?accordion=covid-test-prior-to-boarding
 

Link to above. UK and EU rules.

[Sunshine Bob]

Perfect timing for our cruise on Sky this weekend. 

 

I have caught covid on both my last two cruises let's hope I manage to miss it this time.

[Alcairns]

This is great news but I do see some passengers ignoring the testing and merely attesting to the fact they have done the test. I for one will be testing and playing by the rules. 

[cococruiser]

There seems to be conflicting information on the website. One page says the test no longer needs to be supervised for UK and EU. The ‘sailing from Europe’ page still states a supervised test. We board on Saturday from Barcelona. I hope this is clarified soon. Villa UK - how are you? Long time no see!

[villauk]

26 minutes ago, cococruiser said:

There seems to be conflicting information on the website. One page says the test no longer needs to be supervised for UK and EU. The ‘sailing from Europe’ page still states a supervised test. We board on Saturday from Barcelona. I hope this is clarified soon. Villa UK - how are you? Long time no see!

 

We are all good, thank you. How about you? 
 

Princess doesn’t appear to have updated the page where the table is showing the test requirement days - this still shows updated ‘24th June’, whereas the above link states that it was updated yesterday. I presume they will eventually update all the relevant pages 🤷‍♀️.

[Musky Ike]

3 hours ago, cococruiser said:

There seems to be conflicting information on the website. One page says the test no longer needs to be supervised for UK and EU. The ‘sailing from Europe’ page still states a supervised test. We board on Saturday from Barcelona. I hope this is clarified soon. Villa UK - how are you? Long time no see!

Unfortunately conflicting information is the new normal for Princess. When I follow the health and safety links on the personalizer for our upcoming cruise next month it still shows the June 24th updates. 

[Musky Ike]

5 hours ago, caribill said:

The testing procedure must include a telehealth service affiliated with the manufacturer of the test

Interesting 🤔 Depends on what affiliated means. Wound this exclude the proctoring services like onpoint that except any FDA approved test? More conflicting information. This is a total mess! Just eliminate all pre-cruise testing and be done with this crap.

Edited August 9, 2022 by Musky Ike

[Ombud]

3 hours ago, cococruiser said:

There seems to be conflicting information on the website. One page says the test no longer needs to be supervised for UK and EU. The ‘sailing from Europe’ page still states a supervised test. We board on Saturday from Barcelona. I hope this is clarified soon. Villa UK - how are you? Long time no see!

The word 'supervised' is now removed and does not mention a certificate. Testing timeliness remains. Progress on updating

 

Edited August 9, 2022 by Ombud

[Princessfan20]

4 hours ago, Alcairns said:

This is great news but I do see some passengers ignoring the testing and merely attesting to the fact they have done the test. I for one will be testing and playing by the rules. 

 

Some.  I will bet a least 50% or will ignore and lie about it and this is based on several of our earlier cruises this year where at least that many passengers ignored Princess' recommended health protocols on the ship.  

 

Princess will need to increase the number of quarantine cabins but you can bet they are not increasing medical staff.

[chisoxfan]

4 hours ago, Alcairns said:

This is great news but I do see some passengers ignoring the testing and merely attesting to the fact they have done the test. I for one will be testing and playing by the rules. 

Let's be honest here. For years the cruiselines have surveyed cruisers on embarkation asking if they had any symptoms prior to boarding, ie, have you had fever, sore throat, etc. 

I am surmising that some of the more fervent Covid testing advocates have at one time or another not acknowledged a 'symptom' so their cruise was not impacted.

We are excited about the return to more common sense restrictions but realistically do not think many will bother to test without symptoms and no need for test verification. JMHO

[johnnylikely]

HELP! What to do? Lol

i sail Friday (U.K. enchanted)

 

I have video tests booked for the adults in the next two days and in person for my Unvax kid.

 

what should I do?  

[Musky Ike]

44 minutes ago, johnnylikely said:

HELP! What to do? Lol

i sail Friday (U.K. enchanted)

 

I have video tests booked for the adults in the next two days and in person for my Unvax kid.

 

what should I do?  

Up to you. If you can't cancel the video test with a refund or just want the added peace of mind, you could just complete the video tests as planned. They are not saying it can't be proctored. You could still fill out the attestation. 

[johnnylikely]

37 minutes ago, Musky Ike said:

Up to you. If you can't cancel the video test with a refund or just want the added peace of mind, you could just complete the video tests as planned. They are not saying it can't be proctored. You could still fill out the attestation. 

Thx! Everything is refundable in part.

just wondering the official word on testing as it’s a bit confusing at mo

[Camgirl]

Just now, johnnylikely said:

Thx! Everything is refundable in part.

just wondering the official word on testing as it’s a bit confusing at mo

Hi, we are also on enchanted this Friday. We rang Princess in the end and they (eventually) repeated what it says in the faq - that you do not need a negative test certicate to board. You just need to atest that you have done a negative test within 3 days of boarding.

Have just cancelled our tests booked for this evening.

[Alcairns]

2 hours ago, Princessfan20 said:

 

Some.  I will bet a least 50% or will ignore and lie about it and this is based on several of our earlier cruises this year where at least that many passengers ignored Princess' recommended health protocols on the ship.  

 

Princess will need to increase the number of quarantine cabins but you can bet they are not increasing medical staff.

This may be a good thing as that 50% who ignore then on board test positive for Covid will end up having a miserable time in quarantine. For the sake of a £1.50 LFT it’s worth testing before the cruise.

[johnnylikely]

1 hour ago, Camgirl said:

Hi, we are also on enchanted this Friday. We rang Princess in the end and they (eventually) repeated what it says in the faq - that you do not need a negative test certicate to board. You just need to atest that you have done a negative test within 3 days of boarding.

Have just cancelled our tests booked for this evening.

Thx! Have called and they said the same

 

portion of video tests refunded

 

 Gonna still send nephew in for his PCR as theres no refund and he’s unvax so better to be safe in case the check in staff aren’t you to date!

[Musky Ike]

7 hours ago, cococruiser said:

There seems to be conflicting information on the website. One page says the test no longer needs to be supervised for UK and EU. The ‘sailing from Europe’ page still states a supervised test. We board on Saturday from Barcelona. I hope this is clarified soon. Villa UK - how are you? Long time no see!

Dang. They changed the UK site to exclude the EU now. Not the direction I wanted.

 

Unless otherwise communicated, all guests ages five and older must take a viral COVID-19 test (PCR or antigen) within three days prior to embarkation on the ship. This can be done at any time in the three days before on the day of embarkation. Guests no longer need to provide a test certificate, however they will be asked to confirm that the test has been taken, with a negative result, as part of the pre-boarding health declaration at the cruise terminal/airport. Guests under five years of age are exempt from pre-cruise testing. (Please note that these updated guidelines apply to the UK but not to the U.S., Canada or EU).

Edited August 9, 2022 by Musky Ike

[Steelers36]

2 minutes ago, Musky Ike said:

Dang. They changed the UK site to exclude the EU now. Not the direction I wanted.

 

Unless otherwise communicated, all guests ages five and older must take a viral COVID-19 test (PCR or antigen) within three days prior to embarkation on the ship. This can be done at any time in the three days before on the day of embarkation. Guests no longer need to provide a test certificate, however they will be asked to confirm that the test has been taken, with a negative result, as part of the pre-boarding health declaration at the cruise terminal/airport. Guests under five years of age are exempt from pre-cruise testing. (Please note that these updated guidelines apply to the UK but not to the U.S., Canada or EU).

It is what it is, but I wonder why this is just for UK departures?  Those cruises also visit EU ports.  I guess we wait for the next update to see what happens next.

 

ETA:  Maybe it's a test market.

Edited August 9, 2022 by Steelers36

[Level six]

I am getting a monitored test.  I mean, if they can change the requirements from one minute to the next, why chance it? 

[Sunshine Bob]

48 minutes ago, Alcairns said:

This may be a good thing as that 50% who ignore then on board test positive for Covid will end up having a miserable time in quarantine. For the sake of a £1.50 LFT it’s worth testing before the cruise.

The type of person that lies to save £1.50 is the same type of person who if they feel sick won't be going to the medical staff and won't be going to quarantine..

[Musky Ike]

4 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

It is what it is, but I wonder why this is just for UK departures?  Those cruises also visit EU ports.  I guess we wait for the next update to see what happens next.

 

ETA:  Maybe it's a test market.

Yup, give it a minute things will change again.

[PacnGoNow]

1 hour ago, Musky Ike said:

Yup, give it a minute things will change again.

Or, they updated it wrong the first time?

Maybe was from the UK only.

They should update the rest of the site

from the UK to show self administered 

for the testing.

The Saga continues…😳