Covid testing

[Sharon1927]

Does any one know if NCL is doing covid test at disinbarkment. I need a covid test within 72 hrs of flying back to Canada. 

[soloscientist]

Yes, according to the current Sail Safe policy, they are doing COVID testing prior to disembarkation if you need it to return to your country and NCL will cover the cost. They will do a PCR test if your country requires that over an antigen test, but you need to know which test you require. This information is in one of the expandable questions at the link below. 
 

https://www.ncl.com/sail-safe#t4m1

Edited July 18, 2021 by soloscientist

[victory2020]

Reading through it says you will not be able to board at the second port if you miss embarkation. That concerns me as I am flying to Rome with NCL air because I wanted to guarantee getting on the ship if the flight is delayed.

Edited July 18, 2021 by victory2020

[soloscientist]

28 minutes ago, victory2020 said:

Reading through it says you will not be able to board at the second port if you miss embarkation. That concerns me as I am flying to Rome with NCL air because I wanted to guarantee getting on the ship if the flight is delayed.

I’m flying in a day before embarkation (from US through LHR to BCN, my own arrangements) specifically because of that. I board in Barcelona and the departure is 6 PM, so even if I have to come in the next day, there is plenty of time to make it.

[victory2020]

4 minutes ago, soloscientist said:

I’m flying in a day before embarkation (from US through LHR to BCN, my own arrangements) specifically because of that. I board in Barcelona and the departure is 6 PM, so even if I have to come in the next day, there is plenty of time to make it.

I've already made final payment, don't know if I can change at this point. If there are a few late passengers they may delay departure I'm hoping.

[armwinder]

3 hours ago, Sharon1927 said:

Does any one know if NCL is doing covid test at disinbarkment. I need a covid test within 72 hrs of flying back to Canada. 

We are having to cancel as we can not meet the vaccine requirements.  My wife had two shots of Pfizer but I received one of Pfizer and one Moderna. Want cabin 17011?

[Sharon1927]

4 hours ago, armwinder said:

We are having to cancel as we can not meet the vaccine requirements.  My wife had two shots of Pfizer but I received one of Pfizer and one Moderna. Want cabin 17011?

Maybe they will have it worked out before your cruise. 

[soloscientist]

4 hours ago, victory2020 said:

I've already made final payment, don't know if I can change at this point. If there are a few late passengers they may delay departure I'm hoping.

Hopefully since it’s summer travel there won’t be any delays due to weather. I would think NCL will work hard to ensure you don’t miss the departure so they don’t have to cover your expenses.

[Maplemoose]

Does anyone know what happens if you test positive? Obviously you are scewed but what are the details of the screwing? 🤮 Especially if you are not American.

[soloscientist]

 

15 minutes ago, Maplemoose said:

Does anyone know what happens if you test positive? Obviously you are scewed but what are the details of the screwing? 🤮 Especially if you are not American.

If you test positive during the cruise, they cover the cost for quarantine and/or medical treatment and travel arrangements to get you home. If you test positive during embarkation, it sounds like they cover the cost of travel arrangements as well, but it doesn’t explicitly mention covering medical treatment or quarantine costs. This is as long as you don’t violate their policies that are in place to prevent transmission. https://www.ncl.com/sail-safe#t4m1

Per the expandable questions in the link above regarding positive tests at embarkation or during the cruise. 
 

”Guests who test positive for COVID-19 during their cruise and are required to quarantine will receive a pro-rated cash refund or a pro-rated Future Cruise Credit. If a guest followed all of the cruise line’s health and safety protocols, the cruise line will coordinate and cover the cost of necessary COVID-19 related medical treatment, required land-based quarantine and travel arrangements to get the guest safely back to their home.”

 

“If you are denied boarding due to a positive COVID-19 test at embarkation, the cruise line will coordinate and cover costs for travel arrangements, for you and those traveling with you if they are also denied boarding. The cruise line will not be able to assist with travel arrangements if a guest is denied boarding as a result of a violating the cruise line’s health and safety protocols.”

Edited July 18, 2021 by soloscientist

[craig01020]

31 minutes ago, Maplemoose said:

Does anyone know what happens if you test positive?

You probably wouldn't be getting tested during the cruise unless you had symptoms. So, the details of the screwing is that you have covid. (Symptomatic covid is extremely rare among the vaccinated.)

[victory2020]

I think I read if you get a positive test at embarkation they do at least one more test to make sure you are not positive. I understand the rapid tests are not that accurate

[soloscientist]

1 hour ago, craig01020 said:

You probably wouldn't be getting tested during the cruise unless you had symptoms. So, the details of the screwing is that you have covid. (Symptomatic covid is extremely rare among the vaccinated.)

They may need to test you during the cruise if it’s necessary to get off the ship at a port. If you tested positive in that case, they probably wouldn’t let you stay on the ship and would presumably quarantine you on land at that port. 
 

There was also an instance of two people testing positive who were asymptomatic on a fully vaccinated Celebrity cruise. It was caught during testing prior to the end of the cruise. They were quarantined on the ship, presumably because they were already at sea and headed to the final destination. 

Edited July 18, 2021 by soloscientist

[soloscientist]

16 minutes ago, victory2020 said:

I think I read if you get a positive test at embarkation they do at least one more test to make sure you are not positive. I understand the rapid tests are not that accurate

I had heard that they would follow up with a PCR test for confirmation of the positive, but that was a long time ago so it may have changed. 

[bluesky8130]

On 7/18/2021 at 10:38 AM, armwinder said:

We are having to cancel as we can not meet the vaccine requirements.  My wife had two shots of Pfizer but I received one of Pfizer and one Moderna. Want cabin 17011?

We are in the same boat...I followed the advice of our Canadian Gvt and instead of waiting for Pfizer for my second I received Moderna.  At least we have 6 months to figure it out but thinking of canceling sooner rather than later. 

[BirdTravels]

On 7/18/2021 at 5:42 PM, Maplemoose said:

Does anyone know what happens if you test positive? Obviously you are scewed but what are the details of the screwing? 🤮 Especially if you are not American.

 

 

[JennJ99738]

On 7/18/2021 at 6:56 AM, soloscientist said:

Yes, according to the current Sail Safe policy, they are doing COVID testing prior to disembarkation if you need it to return to your country and NCL will cover the cost. They will do a PCR test if your country requires that over an antigen test, but you need to know which test you require. This information is in one of the expandable questions at the link below. 
 

https://www.ncl.com/sail-safe#t4m1

 

Nevermind.  I found the answer.  Sleep deprivation is real!

Edited July 20, 2021 by JennJ99738
I need caffeine

[icefresh]

Does anyone know when NCL does testing prior to disembarkation? Is it the night before or earlier?

[BirdTravels]

26 minutes ago, icefresh said:

Does anyone know when NCL does testing prior to disembarkation? Is it the night before or earlier?

As again after the first Encore cruise.

 

It will probably depend on the ship. I would expect that right now, there won't be many on the Alaska cruises that need testing (so they may be flexible)... while on international departures, there will be more. The testing will be done by contractors who have a specific schedule of testing to conduct for passengers and crew. Royal did there test on Day 6 (with overflow on Day 7) for disembarkation on Day 8 on an international departure cruise. 

[BirdTravels]

On 7/18/2021 at 11:31 AM, victory2020 said:

I've already made final payment, don't know if I can change at this point. If there are a few late passengers they may delay departure I'm hoping.

They will not hold the ship for late passengers. In order to clear the sailing with the local authorities, they need to submit their final manifest in advance (that's why it says you must be onboard 2 hours before your scheduled departure time). In Barcelona, you may see passengers who embarked in Rome arriving from their day ashore as late as 30 minutes prior to departure, but embarking passengers all must be onboard before check-in closes. 

Edited July 27, 2021 by BirdTravels

[victory2020]

2 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

They will not hold the ship for late passengers. In order to clear the sailing with the local authorities, they need to submit their final manifest in advance (that's why it says you must be onboard 2 hours before your scheduled departure time). In Barcelona, you may see passengers who embarked in Rome arriving from their day ashore as late as 30 minutes prior to departure, but embarking passengers all must be onboard before check-in closes. 

I've been on cruises out of LA that have been delayed due to late arriving passengers, I believe they can file the manifest because they know who they are waiting for. I'm sure it depends on how many people they are waiting for as to weather they wait or not.

[ysolde]

So for those who have been through the RCCL rapid testing, are they doing the deep ("Tickle the Brain") testing, or are they just getting a nasal swab?  I am trying to figure out what to prepare for.

[Sue Do-Over]

14 hours ago, victory2020 said:

I've been on cruises out of LA that have been delayed due to late arriving passengers, I believe they can file the manifest because they know who they are waiting for. I'm sure it depends on how many people they are waiting for as to weather they wait or not.

They probably booked airport-to-ship transfers through the cruise line.  Like shore excursions, part of the high cost is the guarantee that they will hold the ship if 'they' are responsible for your transportation to the pier.   The airport rep coordinating the busses definitely has contact with the pier to let them know that Bill and Susie are on the way!

[victory2020]

2 hours ago, Sue Do-Over said:

They probably booked airport-to-ship transfers through the cruise line.  Like shore excursions, part of the high cost is the guarantee that they will hold the ship if 'they' are responsible for your transportation to the pier.   The airport rep coordinating the busses definitely has contact with the pier to let them know that Bill and Susie are on the way!

Yes, this is why I am doing NCL air & transfers, well worth a little extra $ for the reassurance

[BirdTravels]

7 hours ago, ysolde said:

So for those who have been through the RCCL rapid testing, are they doing the deep ("Tickle the Brain") testing, or are they just getting a nasal swab?  I am trying to figure out what to prepare for.

So rather than worrying about what RCCL does (and I have had two tests done on RCCL ships last month),,,, let's focus on the test that NCL administers. 

 

BinaxNOWTM COVID-19 Ag CARD

To collect a nasal swab sample, carefully insert the entire absorbent tip of the swab (usually ½ to ¾ of an inch (1 to 1.5 cm) into the nostril. Firmly sample the nasal wall by rotating the swab in a circular path against the nasal wall 5 times or more for a total of 15 seconds, then slowly remove from the nostril. Using the same swab, repeat sample collection in the other nostril.