Anyone else reevaluating?

[BarnCat1]

My final payment is due Tuesday.  With the new Delta variant being "as contagious" as chicken pox or the common cold, even being fully vaccinated isn't making me feel good about going.  Plus, I was going to Alaska, one of my favorite places, just to finally get back on a cruise. But this is in the very off season, as opposed to going when it's much warmer with more daylight.  Their ports are getting higher cases now and might even shut completely by then to additional tourists.  There are just too many "what ifs"  and I think I will be cancelling again.  This deeply saddens me,  but I don't feel it's a good decision to go with the new variant in the picture. i have a few more days to ponder this, but I think my mind is made up. 

Edited July 30, 2021 by BarnCat1
word edit

[MsTabbyKats]

@ChiefMateJRK

Here's my issue.  We know "the current protocols".....but nobody knows the future protocols.

 

I've said this a million times before:  I got off the Bliss on 3/8/20....and said to DH in the cab going home, that this would be over in 2 weeks.  And then I was nearly cruicified (on the Carnival board) because I said that cruisng wouldn't resume until what's now "a long past date".

 

So I wouldn't even venture to guess "what will be" in a couple of months from now.

 

When I feel like "a cruise would be fun for ME" is when you'll find me on a ship.

[BermudaBound2014]

2 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

I just googled and it says that it takes from 24 hours to several days to receive PCR test results.  How the heck does this work when the test has to be performed within 72 hours of departure?

 

Walgreens offers a free rapid PCR test. I needed this to fly to Hawaii. I had the results back in less than one hour. So did my niece when she came to visit.  

Edited July 30, 2021 by BermudaBound2014

[BirdTravels]

2 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

I just googled and it says that it takes from 24 hours to several days to receive PCR test results.  How the heck does this work when the test has to be performed within 72 hours of departure?

 

Let's say my cruise departs at 5:00 PM on Saturday.  That means I can try to find someplace to administer the test at 5:00 PM on Wednesday.  I need to leave for the airport around 5:00 AM on Friday.   That means that the lab has to provide the results to me within 24 hours (i.e. 5:00 PM Thursday) if I want my trip to be a go.  Am I missing something? 

It works very well. Most cruise lines require a 72 hour test on many itineraries and everyone does fine. When testing was "in fashion" for travel to Hawaii, I did it several times. (In addition to testing for medical procedures). 

[ChiefMateJRK]

16 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

Walgreens offers a free rapid PCR test. I needed this to fly to Hawaii. I had the results back in less than one hour. So did my niece when she came to visit.  

Are you sure it wasn’t the antigen test?  Do you have a link?  Walgreens’ website says PCR are sent to a lab and it is a “variable” amount of time. 

[BermudaBound2014]

Just now, ChiefMateJRK said:

Are you sure it wasn’t the antigen test?  Do you have a link?  Walgreens’ website says PCR are sent to a lab and it is a “variable” amount of time. 

 

I'm 100% positive. Hawaii doesn't accept antigen. There are three choices on the walgreens site. You want the pink/red choice on the walgreens site. It's called "Rapid diagnostic Testing ID Now". It's a rapid PCR test. I'd call your individual walgreens to see how fast they run the test, but like I said, I had mine back within the hour. So did niece who visited the next month. 

[ChiefMateJRK]

Thanks. You almost have to be a medical professional to sort through those.

[BermudaBound2014]

1 minute ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Thanks. You almost have to be a medical professional to sort through those.

 

You are welcome. I agree, it can be confusing at first but in order to avoid headache of the ridicuolouslly common false positive antigen test, PCR is significantly better. 

[MsTabbyKats]

3 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

You are welcome. I agree, it can be confusing at first but in order to avoid headache of the ridicuolouslly common false positive antigen test, PCR is significantly better. 

You and your niece where lucky.

 

The Walgreens website says "results in less than 24 hours"  and has this footnote (it's exactly what my nephew had, but he just missed "the samples going to the lab" cut off):

^† Test Results Turnaround Time

Test results turnaround time is based on when the sample arrives at the laboratory. Test results for travel purposes cannot be guaranteed in time for travel. Current turnaround times can be found on the websites of our laboratory partners. 

Click here

 for the Aegis Sciences website, and 

click here

 for LabCorp’s website.

[mianmike]

2 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

You are welcome. I agree, it can be confusing at first but in order to avoid headache of the ridicuolouslly common false positive antigen test, PCR is significantly better. 

 

Can you elaborate on the: "ridiculously common false positive antigen test"?   I've read that for the emergency approved antigen tests most erroneous results are false negatives and a much smaller number are false positives.  Do you have a source?  Thanks

[HowardK]

I am now considering March 2023 8 night from NYC vs the Seattle/Alaska. Have never been on a 8 nighter and it will be a good way of getting my feet wet again and I like GSC .

[BermudaBound2014]

8 minutes ago, mianmike said:

 

Can you elaborate on the: "ridiculously common false positive antigen test"?   I've read that for the emergency approved antigen tests most erroneous results are false negatives and a much smaller number are false positives.  Do you have a source?  Thanks

 

Taken directly from the FDA site:

 

Potential for False Positive Results with Antigen Tests for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2 - Letter to Clinical Laboratory Staff and Health Care Providers | FDA

[BermudaBound2014]

9 minutes ago, MsTabbyKats said:

You and your niece where lucky.

 

The Walgreens website says "results in less than 24 hours"  and has this footnote (it's exactly what my nephew had, but he just missed "the samples going to the lab" cut off):

^† Test Results Turnaround Time

Test results turnaround time is based on when the sample arrives at the laboratory. Test results for travel purposes cannot be guaranteed in time for travel. Current turnaround times can be found on the websites of our laboratory partners. 

Click here

 for the Aegis Sciences website, and 

click here

 for LabCorp’s website.

 

The Rapid ID NOW PCR test is not sent to a lab, it is processed on-site.

We weren't necessarily lucky, but we played the odds after extensive research. Walgreens says they can take up to 24 hours, but they don't (or rarely do). There is an entire facebook page devoted to this exact subject. Thousands (I do mean thousands) have used Walgreens rapidID NOW pcr test to enter Hawaii. The average time to get results back is less than an hour. Sure, there are some outliers but they are extremely rare. 

[mianmike]

10 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

Taken directly from the FDA site:

 

Potential for False Positive Results with Antigen Tests for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2 - Letter to Clinical Laboratory Staff and Health Care Providers | FDA

 

Thanks.  An eye opener for sure!

[BermudaBound2014]

Just now, mianmike said:

 

Thanks.  An eye opener for sure!

 

Makes you wonder why this information isn't shared more openly. 

 

You are most welcome 🙂

[mianmike]

Just now, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

Makes you wonder why this information isn't shared more openly. 

 

You are most welcome 🙂

 

It's confusing.  Harvard health says one thing and the FDA says another. 

 

"What about accuracy? False negative results tend to occur more often with antigen tests than with molecular tests. This is why antigen tests are not favored by the FDA as a single test for active infection. Because antigen testing is quicker, less expensive, and requires less complex technology to perform than molecular testing, some experts recommend repeated antigen testing as a reasonable strategy. As with the molecular test, the false positive rate of antigen testing should be close to zero."

[BermudaBound2014]

2 minutes ago, mianmike said:

 

It's confusing.  Harvard health says one thing and the FDA says another. 

 

The longer this draws out, the more conflicting information I find. I've started to wonder if conflicting information isn't by design. Scary, no?

[BermudaBound2014]

5 minutes ago, mianmike said:

 

It's confusing.  Harvard health says one thing and the FDA says another. 

 

"What about accuracy? False negative results tend to occur more often with antigen tests than with molecular tests. This is why antigen tests are not favored by the FDA as a single test for active infection. Because antigen testing is quicker, less expensive, and requires less complex technology to perform than molecular testing, some experts recommend repeated antigen testing as a reasonable strategy. As with the molecular test, the false positive rate of antigen testing should be close to zero."

 

I just read the Harvard site you quoted. the two studies are not conflicting. Harvard is not referencing false positive antigen, they are only speaking about false negative antigen. Harvard agrees with the FDA... antigen tests product more false negative tests. But Harvard doesnt' address false positive antigen, so we don't know what Harvard has to say about the rates of false positive antigen.

 

Harvard does say that false positive tests should be near zero for PCR tests.

 

Bottom line, PCR tests are far superior, but they cost more. Antigen has ridiculously high false positive rates (as referenced by the FDA) and they also produce more false negative rates (as evidenced by the Harvard study).

 

Which test is best for COVID-19? - Harvard Health

 

 

[RumRunner2021]

It is sure going to be interesting to see how this all goes starting next Saturday.  I need to get my popcorn ready.

[BermudaBound2014]

1 minute ago, RumRunner2021 said:

It is sure going to be interesting to see how this all goes starting next Saturday.  I need to get my popcorn ready.

 

Friday is the bigger day. 2Q21 baby. Set those shorts now! 🙂

[RumRunner2021]

39 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

Friday is the bigger day. 2Q21 baby. Set those shorts now! 🙂

I never mix my investing and fun.  It's the same as those who try to turn a hobby into a job and wind up screwing both up.

[RumRunner2021]

46 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

Friday is the bigger day. 2Q21 baby. Set those shorts now! 🙂

B*gl#h*@d?

[Carpe-Diem]

Not worried. Just booked the Gem today for Aug 15. Ready to get back to normal. 

[WarfRatWA]

On 7/28/2021 at 9:17 AM, MsTabbyKats said:

I have an 11/2021 and a 2/2022 booked.

 

I read feedback from passengers who have sailed...and based on what they've said, I'm not too sure if I want to sail until Covid is a thing of the past.  One thing, masks required in ports....nope, not for me.

 

Yesterday I had "a scratchy throat" so I immediatly had a (negative) covid test.  As a rule, I am not a germophobe or a hypochondriac.  But, this uncertaintly of what's gonna happen or what the rules will be at the time of the cruise.....is cruising worth the worry?  Truth be told....I don't even look at cruising as the fun it used to be.  Based on the price increase it's not "the almost giveaway" vacation anymore.

Yes..we are reevaluating.  We are booked on the NCL Joy in January 2021.  Family of 4, all vaccinated.  We are Americans living in Germany.  Germany just instituted a new rule that all incoming persons must have a negative test, regardless of vaccinated status.  Given recent positive cases among vaccinated individuals on cruises (not to mention the rising tide in Florida) and the expense of travel + cruise and not knowing NCL's policy on 100% vaccinated cruises after October it has caused us to rethink this particular cruise.  Final payment is in September and we will decide before the final pay date.  We hope NCL will extend the 100% vaccinated cruise, which is likely where we will draw the line.   We are also booked on the the Epic in the Med in summer of 2022 and on the Prima in the Caribbean in February 2023.  Like the Joy, we make our decisions before final pay for those cruises. 

[Sweetnspicy]

A little off the subject of cruising but my husband and I just returned from 7 days in Puerto Vallarta. We went as a group with some family and friends 8 people total. On Monday my in-laws, grandma and sister tested with a rapid test as their flight home was Wednesday. They all had results through text message within 15 minutes. All negative for covid and able to fly home. 
 

on Wednesday my husband, myself and our couple friends tested at the same clinic. I immediately got a negative result (we didn’t even make it back to where the car was parked before I had my results) our female friend had her negative result about 10 minutes after me. My husband and the other guy waited and waited for over two hours before they got the dreaded “positive” result. We called the clinic and they said to come back and retest with the rapid as it’s notorious for false positives. So we went back. They retested and within 30 minutes the results came back as positive once again. At this point we completely panicked. The clinic told us that we would all need a PCR test the next day at 7am. We all tested and didn’t receive our results until 9pm on Thursday night. Our flight was Friday at 4pm. Thankfully we all came back negative after the PCR but we spent a total of $512 for each couple with the testing. The stress and anxiety on Thursday was awful and we couldn’t enjoy anything. We didn’t want to expose the locals so we stayed shut in our rental house. The idea of leaving my husband behind in Mexico with our friend was just really stressful and I was worried the entire time that he would be in trouble with his job but we decided that the girls needed to get home. 

 

The whole trip was really stressful and we decided to cancel our next couple of international adventures. I was so hopeful that things were starting to look better all over the world but that doesn’t seem to be the case.