PCR Testing to get back into home country

[caribill]

11 hours ago, Potstech said:

Why should Princess provide it as it has nothing to do with the actual cruise?

 

If passengers cannot be sure they can get a test on Princess before disembarkation in a foreign country, they can easily decide not to book with Princess. That is why.

 

As a stranger in a foreign country, it would be a big hassle to locate a test facility that could provide the proper type test with an accurate promise of when the result will be available. Thus almost an impossibility to properly book in advance a flight back to the USA.

 

Of course, as someone pointed out above, what to do if the test is positive is another problem.

[dog]

Google :  covid test LHR- same day tests,  facts listed etc 140-199 GBP cost range 

hope something better comes by 2022. 

[sugcarol]

4 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

Can you please define "expensive" in this context?

Dallas/Ft Worth. 249.00 Rapid test. Results in less than an hour.

[cr8tiv1]

Thanks for the many that replied with Rapid Test fees (paid on demand).  Good luck trying to get reimbursed by your insurance carrier for Covid travel.

 

Before my trip to the UK for a cruise this summer (was cancelled), I had all the same questions:

 

Would I have to quarantine before getting on the cruise if I arrived to visit the country a few days before?

 

Would I have to find a place locally in the UK to get a test before boarding the ship?

 

Would I be able to get a covid test for my return flight back to the US?

 

IF, I took the test on board Princess, would they be able to process the results in house?

 

What IF, I took the test at one of the ports, then had sea days, would I get the results back?

 

Is the US only accepting certain results from certain Labs (like Hawaii's trusted partners)?  

 

There were so many more questions that just seemed to make the cruise less than ideal, at this time.

 

And don't even start with the vaccination proof (passport) as an acceptable boarding "pass".  Good luck to all that are willing to travel internationally.  Please do let us know what your experience is/was. 

[downsmead]

Viking and RCI (not sure if all ships) have PCR testing facilities on board now.

[dog]

17 hours ago, tert333 said:

Being the optimist that I am, I have started planning out a cruise in Uk this fall.   While I understand the rules have not been finalized to return back to the home countries(in my case Canada), I would expect that I will need to take a PCR test before I return, even if you are vaccinated.   As there is a delay of getting the results, I either have to extend my stay in the UK or take the test on the cruise ship.  Does anyone know whether Princess will provide an option to purchase a PCR test on board the day before you disembark?

 

If that is not an option, it looks like I will need to stay an extra couple of days to get the test done and get the results.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking at Heathrow website you can see what is offered re: covid tests available there. Hyatt Place Hotel has testing too presently- can change by September. 
 

after looking this over, I won’t be making my final payment Dec. 28/21 if these tests are still required. Just not worth the hassle and extra expense. 
thanks for bringing  up this topic. 
good luck for September. 

Edited April 12, 2021 by dog

[ontheweb]

11 hours ago, Ride-The-Waves said:

Nothing is "free."  The cost will be embedded in your overall resort cost.

 

Bigger question for me is shipboard testing within the 3-day requirement to get into the US on a say 6-day TransAtlantic transit and a passenger or crew tests positive.  Cruise lines need to be ready to manage this consistent with CDC entry onto US protocols.  Have not read anything cruise lines are doing to mitigate such a scenario which was common at the start of the outbreak.

I agree it is not "free", rather I should have said included. And since it is necessary to reenter the USA, having it included is very convenient.

[windsurferfirst]

15 hours ago, tert333 said:

I agree that it is hard to speculate as things change so rapidly.    The UK seems to be getting a good handle on Covid.  So my base assumption is that cruising will start up within the next 5 months.  It may not start everywhere, as I do not believe that Canada will allow cruising in the country until 2022.  However, we are already seeing successful cruising in various countries. 

 

I have booked all of my hotels, flights and cruise with the ability to cancel with relatively short notice.   Based on the projections, most people in Europe and NA with be vaccinated by September.  We are definitely going through a difficult period here in Ontario.   However, it is 5 months until September and this wave will go down.  The only worry I have is a new variant that may become dominate that the vaccines can not address.  If that happens, we will cancel the trip.

 

It was good to get people's feedback on PCR testing and whether Princess might offer such a thing on the ship.

 

You might want to keep your eye on the UK news as Boris is going to introducing a traffic light system. Not sure where Canada would fall on the traffic light system. I guess it will be a fluid thing as counties get a handle on vaccination and variants. Unless you are on green you will have to isolate when you get here.

 

I used to live in Burlington ON I really miss the place.

[Ride-The-Waves]

On 4/11/2021 at 10:53 PM, Ombud said:

$261 @ SFO

https://www.gohealthuc.com/bayarea/san-francisco-international-airport-covid-19-testing

Free @ Oakland Airport

https://www.oaklandairport.com/oakland-airport-offering-free-rapid-result-covid-19-airport-testing-program/

 

This is the latest greatest money making scheme, even worse than the money changers.  Heathrow is charging 180GBP ($250) for a same day test result and 120GBP for 36 hours.  Its 110GBP if you have two days to wait - doesn't include the cost of hotel and food while waiting.

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, Ride-The-Waves said:

This is the latest greatest money making scheme, even worse than the money changers.  Heathrow is charging 180GBP ($250) for a same day test result and 120GBP for 36 hours.  Its 110GBP if you have two days to wait - doesn't include the cost of hotel and food while waiting.

That's way past the nickel and diming we all complain about on cruise ships.😒

[CruisinFinsUp]

On 4/11/2021 at 10:38 PM, nocl said:

Also been a couple of stories like the couple that tested positive and the airline would not let them fly so they flew within Mexico to a boarder city, crossed on land, then flew home from inside the US.

Wow.   Just Wow.  

[PrincessLuver]

On 4/12/2021 at 12:13 AM, cr8tiv1 said:

 

IF, I took the test on board Princess, would they be able to process the results in house?

 

What IF, I took the test at one of the ports, then had sea days, would I get the results back?

 

 

 

I wonder how this all going to change because starting this week the US is allowing Walmart, CVS, Walgreens and online sites  to start selling home test kits (two tests) without a prescription for around $23.00.  People will now not have to access a doctor or lab to test for Covid and get the results within 15 minutes at home.  Could give the cruise ships an affordable tool to test quickly on their ships and be able to monitor fo. Covid.

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2021/04/19/covid-home-tests-walmart-cvs-walgreens-binaxnow-ellume/7286667002/

Edited April 19, 2021 by PrincessLuver

[ChangeOrder]

I did a quick look online for a stop on my summer cruise, and found several walk in clinics in Sicily that charge no more than €50 for a same day test. It will be a pain to deal with with, but looks like it can be done. That way I could get off the ship in Civitavecchia and go straight to the airport with test results in hand. I wouldn’t be surprised if Princess didn’t facilitate a Covid Test excursion in these final ports for the US and other citizens that need it. 
 

That being said I suspect we could see a change in policy by then that will allow fully vaxxed to enter the States without the test. 

[ChangeOrder]

On 4/19/2021 at 2:20 PM, PrincessLuver said:

 

I wonder how this all going to change because starting this week the US is allowing Walmart, CVS, Walgreens and online sites  to start selling home test kits (two tests) without a prescription for around $23.00.  People will now not have to access a doctor or lab to test for Covid and get the results within 15 minutes at home.  Could give the cruise ships an affordable tool to test quickly on their ships and be able to monitor fo. Covid.

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2021/04/19/covid-home-tests-walmart-cvs-walgreens-binaxnow-ellume/7286667002/

Under the current rules the home test doesn’t work because there must be written results from a lab associated with it. A home collection kit is ok, but would have to be sent in to an actual lab to be read. 

[Thrak]

I really doubt we will be visiting Australia in January as I don't believe the government there will allow it to happen. However, on the off chance we are allowed to cruise there I'm sincerely hoping there will be a way to get a same day test for our flights home. The flights were booked with the return the same day the last cruise ends. I have actually looked at changing the flights to return a couple of days later but costs have gone up so much that it would double the cost. GAH! It's probably a moot point anyway. At this point I didn't see any info on being able to get tested for flight purposes since they seem to pretty much not be allowing international flights at all.

[Alaskanb]

17 hours ago, ChangeOrder said:

I did a quick look online for a stop on my summer cruise, and found several walk in clinics in Sicily that charge no more than €50 for a same day test. It will be a pain to deal with with, but looks like it can be done. That way I could get off the ship in Civitavecchia and go straight to the airport with test results in hand. I wouldn’t be surprised if Princess didn’t facilitate a Covid Test excursion in these final ports for the US and other citizens that need it. 
 

That being said I suspect we could see a change in policy by then that will allow fully vaxxed to enter the States without the test. 

We have planned to stay in Rome for an extra day so will need to figure that one out closer to the time. Who knows what the ever-changing rules will be at the time or even if we will sail! 

Found this that has links to the Covid rules and test locations at Fuimicino airport and in Rome . https://romevacationtips.com/how-to-get-a-covid-test-in-rome/

 

Edited April 29, 2021 by Alaskanb
Additional info

[ChangeOrder]

23 minutes ago, Alaskanb said:

We have planned to stay in Rome for an extra day so will need to figure that one out closer to the time. Who knows what the ever-changing rules will be at the time or even if we will sail! 

Found this that has links to the Covid rules and test locations at Fuimicino airport and in Rome . https://romevacationtips.com/how-to-get-a-covid-test-in-rome/

 

I thought about doing the same, but I get planning and travel anxiety and would want to get it done earlier for my own sanity 😄

 

[Thrak]

I just keep hoping they will actually get some sort of verifiable method of proving vaccination. We had our second Moderna injections back on March 4th.

[memoak]

38 minutes ago, Thrak said:

I just keep hoping they will actually get some sort of verifiable method of proving vaccination. We had our second Moderna injections back on March 4th.

Every state has an IIS (Immunization Information System). The data they got when you got shots is housed there. However I believe the will rely on the CDC cards. If they are fakes the person could face federal charges

[Alaskanb]

1 hour ago, memoak said:

Every state has an IIS (Immunization Information System). The data they got when you got shots is housed there. However I believe the will rely on the CDC cards. If they are fakes the person could face federal charges

We were told there would be no other record than that on the CDC card. It was suggested that we make a copy to carry and keep the original with our passports.

[beg3yrs]

28 minutes ago, Alaskanb said:

We were told there would be no other record than that on the CDC card. It was suggested that we make a copy to carry and keep the original with our passports.

Here in Tucson the OfficeMax stores will make a laminated wallet-sized copy of your CDC card for free. I don't know it that's corporate-wide or not...

[memoak]

41 minutes ago, Alaskanb said:

We were told there would be no other record than that on the CDC card. It was suggested that we make a copy to carry and keep the original with our passports.

Then where is the data coming from for the CDC ? I know when I got mine they typed a bunch of data from my drivers license and HMO card

[Thrak]

2 hours ago, beg3yrs said:

Here in Tucson the OfficeMax stores will make a laminated wallet-sized copy of your CDC card for free. I don't know it that's corporate-wide or not...

 

I had heard they would laminate your card for free but not that they would make a copy and then laminate the copy. Are you saying that's what they are doing?

[cr8tiv1]

LA County sent me verification for my phone wallet.  Luckily I had it today when I visited a senior residential home that required proof of Vaccination.  Glad I had it because I don't carry around my CDC card.

 

It would be convenient if Office Max will shrink it and then laminate.  I thought it was just laminate.

Edited April 30, 2021 by cr8tiv1

[Alaskanb]

14 hours ago, memoak said:

Then where is the data coming from for the CDC ? I know when I got mine they typed a bunch of data from my drivers license and HMO card

I'm not sure. We had the same data collected . I imagine that the vaccination may fall under HEPA laws.