Mandated testing on longer cruises

[Tripmode33]

Currently on Grand Princess heading to NZ. I read on this forum that Majestic is testing all guests today.  Interestingly, just received notification in our cabin that tomorrow morning all guests on Grand will be testing with a RAT (Day 3 of our cruise), having regard to the longer length of the cruise (13 nights in our case). Perhaps this will be the new norm until the current new variant cases decrease.

How it will work tomorrow is that our cabin steward will provide RAT tests to cabin. It is mandatory for all guests to self-administer the RAT test between 8am and 10am.  If the test is negative you simply put it in paper bag provided and place in bin.  If it is positive, you are given a phone number to ring and you will be contacted by the medical team re isolation etc.

We boarded Thursday and no mention or evidence of elevated Covid cases on board as yet.

[yes!yes!yes!]

Hope you test negative.

I'm doing 32 days on Grand at christmas. Hoping to avoid the covid, happy to wear a mask like on Coral. Are the staff wearing masks?

[mykrai]

12 hours ago, Tripmode33 said:

If the test is negative you simply put it in paper bag provided and place in bin.  If it is positive, you are given a phone number to ring and you will be contacted by the medical team re isolation etc.

Asking people to voluntarily report a positive test which will result in them being trapped in their cabin for the rest of the cruise sounds a bit optimistic.

 

Like you, I have a long cruise coming up next year and these half-assed covid measures are making me seriously contemplate cancelling.

[OzKiwiJJ]

11 hours ago, Tripmode33 said:

Currently on Grand Princess heading to NZ. I read on this forum that Majestic is testing all guests today.  Interestingly, just received notification in our cabin that tomorrow morning all guests on Grand will be testing with a RAT (Day 3 of our cruise), having regard to the longer length of the cruise (13 nights in our case). Perhaps this will be the new norm until the current new variant cases decrease.

How it will work tomorrow is that our cabin steward will provide RAT tests to cabin. It is mandatory for all guests to self-administer the RAT test between 8am and 10am.  If the test is negative you simply put it in paper bag provided and place in bin.  If it is positive, you are given a phone number to ring and you will be contacted by the medical team re isolation etc.

We boarded Thursday and no mention or evidence of elevated Covid cases on board as yet.

It could be a requirement of the NZ government - have you had your first port stop there yet?  But whether it is or not it's sensible. While this current outbreak is doing it's rounds in the community cruise ships should be doing mandatory testing every few days - 3 or 4 would be ideal.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Just now, mykrai said:

Asking people to voluntarily report a positive test which will result in them being trapped in their cabin for the rest of the cruise sounds a bit optimistic.

 

Like you, I have a long cruise coming up next year and these half-assed covid measures are making me seriously contemplate cancelling.

When we had the mandatory testing on Coral you had to take a photo of the result alongside a card with that day's date printed on it. The photo had to be shown to your cabin steward as well as when leaving the ship at port stops. 

[nnps]

39 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

When we had the mandatory testing on Coral you had to take a photo of the result alongside a card with that day's date printed on it. The photo had to be shown to your cabin steward as well as when leaving the ship at port stops. 

What a good idea. The ship could easily provide a dated card with your name to be photographed with RAT test. I feel that the requirements on the Grand are not good enough.

[mtn_couple]

7 minutes ago, nnps said:

What a good idea. The ship could easily provide a dated card with your name to be photographed with RAT test. I feel that the requirements on the Grand are not good enough.

 

No need for a separate card.  Just sit it next to your medallion or ID and that day's Patter showing the date

[nnps]

1 hour ago, mtn_couple said:

 

No need for a separate card.  Just sit it next to your medallion or ID and that day's Patter showing the date

True, nice solution

[Tripmode33]

Fortunately, we tested negative today. We only boarded the Grand the day before yesterday and don't hit NZ soil for first port until Monday. As OzKiwi suggested, perhaps it's a requirement of NZ and hence the self-reporting decision. If they really wanted to know full picture, they'd require to sight or take photo to show. The brand of RAT tests are the ones with a unique number printed on front.

All staff wearing good quality masks and almost 100% compliance by guests from what I can see.

[MMDown Under]

1 hour ago, Tripmode33 said:

Fortunately, we tested negative today. We only boarded the Grand the day before yesterday and don't hit NZ soil for first port until Monday. As OzKiwi suggested, perhaps it's a requirement of NZ and hence the self-reporting decision. If they really wanted to know full picture, they'd require to sight or take photo to show. The brand of RAT tests are the ones with a unique number printed on front.

All staff wearing good quality masks and almost 100% compliance by guests from what I can see.

Hope you have a wonderful cruise in NZ and remain negative. 

[bazzaw]

I am certain that the cruiseship staff dont want to get too involved - but am wondering why passengers are not simply asked to test each morning and leave the RAT on the bed for inspection by the cruisestaff . 

[OzKiwiJJ]

5 minutes ago, bazzaw said:

I am certain that the cruiseship staff dont want to get too involved - but am wondering why passengers are not simply asked to test each morning and leave the RAT on the bed for inspection by the cruisestaff . 

The RAT cartridge would be seen as a biohazard, which is why they give you a bag to dispose of it. 

 

Also the result is no longer valid after about 15-20 minutes. The guy that did my "release from isolation" RAT told me to take a photo of it immediately.

Edited December 3, 2022 by OzKiwiJJ

[Ondine]

19 hours ago, Tripmode33 said:

Currently on Grand Princess heading to NZ. I read on this forum that Majestic is testing all guests today.  Interestingly, just received notification in our cabin that tomorrow morning all guests on Grand will be testing with a RAT (Day 3 of our cruise), having regard to the longer length of the cruise (13 nights in our case). Perhaps this will be the new norm until the current new variant cases decrease.

How it will work tomorrow is that our cabin steward will provide RAT tests to cabin. It is mandatory for all guests to self-administer the RAT test between 8am and 10am.  If the test is negative you simply put it in paper bag provided and place in bin.  If it is positive, you are given a phone number to ring and you will be contacted by the medical team re isolation etc.

We boarded Thursday and no mention or evidence of elevated Covid cases on board as yet.

 

Looks like Grand has learned a lot from the first voyage on 4th Nov.  I would think that NZ would require the testing.  We were allowed off without testing in November but it is now a different ball  game.  We missed Newcastle on the subsequent voyage due to the high number of cases on board by then.

 

It is good to see that Grand Princess is finally getting its protocols sorted out.  Debarkation from the Qld trip on Dec 1st was over an hour ahead of time after the fiasco when she returned from first NZ trip on 17th Nov.