Question for those who have used CVS for testing?

[Bo1953]

Welcome to our 'current' new world of cruising.

 

This thread has pointed out that I have to have a few contingency plans in place beforehand or plan to stress out, not!!! LOL

 

Since I do want to sail.

 

I trust everyone with cancelled appointments, no test sites close by and etc., will find a way to overcome these inconveniences and get aboard soon!!!

 

In health and bon voyage

[TeeRick]

Lesson learned - have a back up test site scheduled within the three day window- just in case.

[radarcruiser]

11 hours ago, karl_nj said:

I guess I’ll check again in the morning, but I’m not holding my breath. Thanks for the suggestion though. 
 

 

Karl - were you able to get tests scheduled?

[robinsra]

Called my insurance Aetna. They do not cover travel Covid testing. Trying to find a place to get a test. CVS has one for $139.00 1-2 day results. Closest quick test is in Mass. I live in NY. Walk in Doc in a box $225. This seems to be the most stressful part of my cruise.  I would do CVS but afraid with Delta variant 1-2 days might be longer even though CVS said still 1-2 days. Anyone got any ideas? thanks

 

[cltnccruisers]

13 minutes ago, robinsra said:

Called my insurance Aetna. They do not cover travel Covid testing. Trying to find a place to get a test. CVS has one for $139.00 1-2 day results. Closest quick test is in Mass. I live in NY. Walk in Doc in a box $225. This seems to be the most stressful part of my cruise.  I would do CVS but afraid with Delta variant 1-2 days might be longer even though CVS said still 1-2 days. Anyone got any ideas? thanks

 

We got our antigen tests at CVS yesterday and were told 1 - 2 days which is also what's on the MyChart page.  But about 2 hours later we had our results.

[graphicguy]

On 8/23/2021 at 8:48 PM, Seany527 said:

That’s what I thought as well but post #5 says they had to pay. Ughhhhh

 

 

Anyone have experience using CVS and indicating your test was for travel?  I’ve taken countless tests through CVS and up until a few weeks ago there was no option to indicate travel. 
Im sailing 9/4 and have already booked my

test...now I’m regretting being honest and saying it was for travel. 

Used CVS for testing once.  Usually my GP does it.  I know there was a questionnaire I had to answer before getting the test that asked if I had any symptoms or was exposed to anyone or situations where COVID could be transmitted.

 

I was very straight up on the questionnaire.  One question was regarding if I felt fatigued.  Well.....yeah.  I do all the time given I have to get up at 3:30 a.m. every day to pee.  And, I go to Costco, the UPS Store, etc where there may indeed be people who are infected, and they either don't know, or don't care enough to quarantine themselves if they do know.

 

As a result,  I wasn't charged.  But, that was for a PCR test, which I had results for in about 12 hours.

Edited August 25, 2021 by graphicguy

[robinsra]

We got our antigen tests at CVS yesterday and were told 1 - 2 days which is also what's on the MyChart page.  But about 2 hours later we had our results.

 

Did you take the Molecular lab (PCR) or Rapid results test?

[cltnccruisers]

4 minutes ago, robinsra said:

We got our antigen tests at CVS yesterday and were told 1 - 2 days which is also what's on the MyChart page.  But about 2 hours later we had our results.

 

Did you take the Molecular lab (PCR) or Rapid results test?

Rapid antigen.

[sanger727]

For people calling CVS or Walgreens to inquire about a "free" test. You will be much more likely to get a free test if you register online than if you call or show up. There seems to be very specific verbiage that you need to say to qualify for a free test for traveling purposes. And it's not "My cruise line requires me to get a test so can I get a free test please". It's more along the lines of living in an area with community spread and testing to avoid catching or spreading covid. When you do the online registration, they ask you these specific questions in these specific ways. When you say yes, the test should be free. If you stick to your guns and say "no, I just want to get it because my cruise line said I have to get it" they seem to be charging for that. 

[robinsra]

13 minutes ago, robinsra said:

We got our antigen tests at CVS yesterday and were told 1 - 2 days which is also what's on the MyChart page.  But about 2 hours later we had our results.

 

Did you take the Molecular lab (PCR) or Rapid results test?

Rapid antigen.

 

Thanks but there are no CVS that have  the rapid test near me.

[cltnccruisers]

15 minutes ago, robinsra said:

Rapid antigen.

 

Thanks but there are no CVS that have  the rapid test near me.

We were lucky with our nearby CVS having both tests.  Had they not then we'd have had to go 8 - 10 miles for the next nearest CVS that worked for us.  That would not have been a problem for us but could be a deal breaker for others.  Good luck.

[robinsra]

I wouldn't mind a 10 minute ride but it is a 2 hour ride for the nearest rapid test. I tried calling Celebrity about Walgreens ID NOW test but couldn't get a definite answer. I hope the CVS PCR test results are really 1-2 day results. STRESS 

[cltnccruisers]

6 minutes ago, robinsra said:

I wouldn't mind a 10 minute ride but it is a 2 hour ride for the nearest rapid test. I tried calling Celebrity about Walgreens ID NOW test but couldn't get a definite answer. I hope the CVS PCR test results are really 1-2 day results. STRESS 

Have you tried the FAQs on the X site?  Health & Safety FAQs: Find Answers Online | Celebrity Cruises

[karl_nj]

2 hours ago, radarcruiser said:

Karl - were you able to get tests scheduled?

 

Nothing for CVS was available in the area this morning, so I did walk-in to CityMD urgent care.  I'm on a 'virtual line', they are going to text me when we should go back.  Seems to be going slower than they estimated, but I guess that is OK as long as they get to me before they close.  We shall see.  Can always try again tomorrow.

 

[39august]

A page or two back someone posted that he was able to get tested at the port, as X didn't like the test that he presented. Anyone else with information about that possibility, please?  Glad I have read that it is a good idea to make more than one appointment. That is what I was thinking I would do. 

[karl_nj]

Happy to report that I have "negative" covid antigen tests results in hand -- going to one of those urgent care places (CityMD in my case) worked out well.  I had to "wait" longer then the original estimate, but it was a "virtual" line, so it really wasn't that bad.

 

This was a bit more stressful then I had hoped for, but I still managed to get test results with plenty of time to spare, despite CVS canceling on me at the last minute.

 

I guess the moral of the story is to have a backup plan all ready to go!

[gjohns24]

If there's any confusion on cost of test....this is directly from the CVS website as you are scheduling your test.  Spells it out crystal clear.

[wrk2cruise]

25 minutes ago, gjohns24 said:

If there's any confusion on cost of test....this is directly from the CVS website as you are scheduling your test.  Spells it out crystal clear.

Yes but if you answer all of the questions no it will say you are not eligible for a test and tell you you can be tested anyway for a price.

 

[gjohns24]

1 minute ago, wrk2cruise said:

Yes but if you answer all of the questions no it will say you are not eligible for a test and tell you you can be tested anyway for a price.

 

 

Well you should answer "Yes" for the first question as it's asking if you are getting tested due to travel, which you are:

 

"Are you seeking a test to prevent possible spread of COVID-19 for future travel, work or recreation (according to CDC guidelines)?"

 

As long as you answer yes for this, it shouldn't matter what your answers are for the rest.  Just answer honestly.

[terrydtx]

11 hours ago, wrk2cruise said:

Yes but if you answer all of the questions no it will say you are not eligible for a test and tell you you can be tested anyway for a price.

 

That is why you answer the reason is for travel question with a yes. Our test Tuesday at CVS 100% covered by insurance.

[TMLAalum]

Second guessing our EDT early morning CVS rapid antigen appointments for Tuesday 9/7 for a noon PDT boarding on 9/10....

Has anyone successfully boarded a Celebrity ship with negative test in hand 3 days out vs. the 72 hours initially required?

 

[cangelmd]

20 hours ago, robinsra said:

I wouldn't mind a 10 minute ride but it is a 2 hour ride for the nearest rapid test. I tried calling Celebrity about Walgreens ID NOW test but couldn't get a definite answer. I hope the CVS PCR test results are really 1-2 day results. STRESS 

PCR - these tests are being collected by CVS and shipped to a central lab for testing. The disparity in TAT you read about here is based on the location of the CVS in relation to their lab (there’s more than one central lab) and the volume of testing/whether or not you are in a hot spot (that’s going to vary day by day, almost)

IDNow- Abbott loves the name IDNow, so they use it for a lot of their rapid Covid tests. One is the Abbott Binax IDNow (they bought a company called Binax that made this test originally), it is the rapid antigen test. According to Celebrity detailed information, it is an acceptable test if the collection is observed, which it would be at a CVS, or you can order the test and do collection at home - in that case, you need to buy the telehealth observation. This test could easily be collected and performed at the CVS location, although they likely might not do the test while you wait or still may forward to a central location - I don’t know how CVS is handling that.

Abbott also makes a small instrument which they call IDNow - this is the instrument that was famously doing the testing in the Trump White House. It is a NAAT test, uses reagents similar to a PCR, but requires only a little training and is very fast (15 minutes vs hour to 2hours for a full scale PCR). It is meant for use in Drs offices, ERs, etc. There was confusion about the acceptability of this test, but Celebrity latest update clearly says NAAT testing is acceptable and that includes this test.

I think it is unlikely that CVS would be doing this test on site, but it would NOT be called an antigen test, it is a test for viral RNA like a traditional PCR.

Clear as mud, right?

[terrydtx]

22 hours ago, robinsra said:

I wouldn't mind a 10 minute ride but it is a 2 hour ride for the nearest rapid test. I tried calling Celebrity about Walgreens ID NOW test but couldn't get a definite answer. I hope the CVS PCR test results are really 1-2 day results. STRESS 

Some on our Roll Call for our Friday Equinox cruise have reported they got their CVS PCR test results in less than 36 hours. MY CVS here is San Antonio told us they could not guaranty less than 72 hours results so we got the Rapid test on Tuesday.

Edited August 26, 2021 by terrydtx

[sanger727]

19 hours ago, 39august said:

A page or two back someone posted that he was able to get tested at the port, as X didn't like the test that he presented. Anyone else with information about that possibility, please?  Glad I have read that it is a good idea to make more than one appointment. That is what I was thinking I would do. 

 

That person was also boarding in St. Martin so that may have been a different situation. I did a thread a while back by someone who took the PCR test 3 days ahead and the results didn't come back until the day of the cruise. He did talk to Celebrity who refused to test him and said he would be denied if he didn't come up with his own test. Think this person ended up going to the airport for a rapid test. 

[39august]

That certainly explains it. Thanks.