Princess changed testing rules

[antsp]

3 hours ago, Sunshine Bob said:

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..

I'd do the test pre cruise, but I wouldnt tell Princess if I caught Covid onboard 

[Carnevale]

What I don’t understand is how testing can still be required for our Oct 1 sailing out of Civitavecchia.  The Princess policy that gives FCC to those who can’t board due to a positive test ends on Sept 30.  Seems odd that on Oct 1 they can require testing and turn people who are positive away and give them nothing.  Or I guess they can but it seems the makings of a PR nightmare.

[Ombud]

@Carnevaleis it be covered by your trip insurance? Its covered by Princess insurance 

[caribill]

3 hours ago, Carnevale said:

What I don’t understand is how testing can still be required for our Oct 1 sailing out of Civitavecchia.  The Princess policy that gives FCC to those who can’t board due to a positive test ends on Sept 30.  Seems odd that on Oct 1 they can require testing and turn people who are positive away and give them nothing.  Or I guess they can but it seems the makings of a PR nightmare.

 

I would expect by October 1 that one of two things will happen:

 

o The testing requirement for vaccinated people will be eliminated.   or

o The policy for refunds if testing positive will be extended.

[amajaa]

14 hours ago, antsp said:

I'd do the test pre cruise, but I wouldnt tell Princess if I caught Covid onboard 

 

When my Sister was in Mexico recently, they got friendly with an American Family who at that time had to test to fly home. When they went to the testing place the chap said it will be $15 if you test negative and $150 if you test positive. In other words you could still get a negative certificate even if you tested positive. I'm sure other testing hubs in other countries were doing the same. 

[spongecakenibbler]

Rules have changed once again and latest update is as of August 10. Now they have added "medically observed" to the PCR test. Antigen test can be self-administered. 

 

Unless otherwise communicated, all guests ages five and older must take a viral COVID-19 self-administered Antigen or medically observed PCR test within three days prior to embarkation on the ship. This can be done at any time in the three days before 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).

[azbirdmom]

15 hours ago, amajaa said:

 

When my Sister was in Mexico recently, they got friendly with an American Family who at that time had to test to fly home. When they went to the testing place the chap said it will be $15 if you test negative and $150 if you test positive. In other words you could still get a negative certificate even if you tested positive. I'm sure other testing hubs in other countries were doing the same. 

Yes I have heard a story about this happening in France too a few months.  Really disgusting how opportunistic some people in the testing field have gotten, and how it's affected so many others who trust the system.

[Steelers36]

21 hours ago, Carnevale said:

What I don’t understand is how testing can still be required for our Oct 1 sailing out of Civitavecchia.  The Princess policy that gives FCC to those who can’t board due to a positive test ends on Sept 30.  Seems odd that on Oct 1 they can require testing and turn people who are positive away and give them nothing.  Or I guess they can but it seems the makings of a PR nightmare.

I think you are conflating two things, but you tell me.  Yes, the Cruise With Confidence policy is currently ending Sep 30 and seems unlikely to be extended since we are well past the timeframe when they would have extended (based on prior extensions).  This policy allows you to voluntarily cancel with less notice than in normal times and not lose money. 

 

For Europe, this is the FAQ on the Europe page of Health Protocols:

UPDATED: What if I test positive for COVID-19 in my pre-travel or embarkation day COVID-19 test, prior to boarding the ship?

Guests who test positive for COVID-19 will not be permitted to board, together with their family members and close contacts, and should not travel to the ship.

If you, your family members, travelling companions or other close contacts are suspected of having COVID-19 and are not permitted to board, you are entitled to a 100% Future Cruise Credit (FCC).

If you are denied boarding at the pier, due to testing positive for COVID-19 on embarkation day, change fees, medical assessment and testing for COVID-19, shoreside quarantine and travel home for you and your immediate travel party will be covered by Princess if not reimbursable from medical insurance, a travel protection plan or other responsible party. Any meals during shoreside quarantine will be covered by a per-diem meal allowance as communicated by a letter provided by staff at the pier. (No receipt retention is required.)

If you have purchased a travel protection plan through us, you and your travel companion may make a claim for a refund under the trip interruption benefit instead of receiving the Future Cruise Credit.

 

The above does not contain any expiry date language.

[Carnevale]

1 hour ago, Steelers36 said:

I think you are conflating two things, but you tell me.  Yes, the Cruise With Confidence policy is currently ending Sep 30 and seems unlikely to be extended since we are well past the timeframe when they would have extended (based on prior extensions).  This policy allows you to voluntarily cancel with less notice than in normal times and not lose money. 

 

For Europe, this is the FAQ on the Europe page of Health Protocols:

UPDATED: What if I test positive for COVID-19 in my pre-travel or embarkation day COVID-19 test, prior to boarding the ship?

Guests who test positive for COVID-19 will not be permitted to board, together with their family members and close contacts, and should not travel to the ship.

If you, your family members, travelling companions or other close contacts are suspected of having COVID-19 and are not permitted to board, you are entitled to a 100% Future Cruise Credit (FCC).

If you are denied boarding at the pier, due to testing positive for COVID-19 on embarkation day, change fees, medical assessment and testing for COVID-19, shoreside quarantine and travel home for you and your immediate travel party will be covered by Princess if not reimbursable from medical insurance, a travel protection plan or other responsible party. Any meals during shoreside quarantine will be covered by a per-diem meal allowance as communicated by a letter provided by staff at the pier. (No receipt retention is required.)

If you have purchased a travel protection plan through us, you and your travel companion may make a claim for a refund under the trip interruption benefit instead of receiving the Future Cruise Credit.

 

The above does not contain any expiry date language.

Many thanks Steelers36!  I had indeed mixed the two together and am relieved to find out I had misunderstood what happens for those testing positive.

[caribill]

7 hours ago, spongecakenibbler said:

Rules have changed once again and latest update is as of August 10. Now they have added "medically observed" to the PCR test. Antigen test can be self-administered. 

 

Unless otherwise communicated, all guests ages five and older must take a viral COVID-19 self-administered Antigen or medically observed PCR test within three days prior to embarkation on the ship.

 

Are their any PCR tests that can be done on your own?

 

I would think all have to be medically observed at a pharmacy or other medical provider with the sample sent off to a lab to be analyzed..

[villauk]

31 minutes ago, caribill said:

 

Are their any PCR tests that can be done on your own?

 

I would think all have to be medically observed at a pharmacy or other medical provider with the sample sent off to a lab to be analyzed..

I think the main change is they have now included ‘self-administered’ for the Antigen tests which, if you look back to my original post#3, wasn’t included and was causing more confusion for pax who were about to sail.

[Steelers36]

4 hours ago, caribill said:

 

Are their any PCR tests that can be done on your own?

 

I would think all have to be medically observed at a pharmacy or other medical provider with the sample sent off to a lab to be analyzed..

Think I saw something in an article a long time ago, but I imagine it would be expensive equipment for an individual to purchase.

[suzyed]

I wish Canada would change their rules!

 

[memoak]

3 hours ago, suzyed said:

I wish Canada would change their rules!

 

What do you want no testing ?  US and Canada rules are pretty close. 

[LovetheSea]

PCR are the tests that have to be processed in a lab . Antigen are the at home tests

[chisoxfan]

20 hours ago, memoak said:

What do you want no testing ?  US and Canada rules are pretty close. 

[suzyed]

On 8/11/2022 at 12:30 PM, memoak said:

What do you want no testing ?  US and Canada rules are pretty close. 

As a matter of fact, yes.   Or at least let us do un observed tests.  We are flying to Quebec a day prior to our sailing....where to test?  Home before we sail I suppose.  It's just annoying...we're vaxed and boostered x2 and we had the original Delta covid.

Edited August 12, 2022 by suzyed

[suzyed]

4 hours ago, memoak said:

80% of the US adults are vaccinated or have had covid and they keep getting it. Some of my friends have had it 2-3 times. If you don’t like testing you should try a different line or cruise from countries with no rules. 

So are we all ok with testing forever?  We're not tested for flu or strep or TB or any other illness before we cruise...how long will this go on?  The covid now is a very different virus than the original.  Some people don't even know they have it because they are symptom free.
It's possible that we will have to get a covid booster every year, just like the flu, but why then would we have to get tested for one  virus but not others?

[Princessfan20]

9 hours ago, mom says said:

Ever hear of that song by the Rolling Stones? You can't always get what you want. 

 

So suck it up and get tested. Do it before you leave home. Or do it in Quebec at a testing location. Or bring a proctored self test and do it in your hotel. Or stay home.

 

It really annoys me when people whine and complain about how other countries choose to do what THEY deem important for the health and safety of their people, if it differs from what that person wants. Show me one time, other than the almost global lockdown at the start of the pandemic, when there has been any kind of international uniformity over covid restrictions and regulations. Live in the real world, not fantasy land.

 

I agree.  Wearing a mask when required, getting a test and vaccinated are just such small inconveniences that I still wonder what people are like when real challenges/struggles occur in their lives?

[suzyed]

1 minute ago, Princessfan20 said:

 

I agree.  Wearing a mask when required, getting a test and vaccinated are just such small inconveniences that I still wonder what people are like when real challenges/struggles occur in their lives?

Geeez...just wondered when we were all getting on the same page. 

[mom says]

5 hours ago, suzyed said:

Geeez...just wondered when we were all getting on the same page. 

Would that be YOUR page? Or someone else's, different, page?