Rccl now requires a covid19 test within 2 days of sailing!

[tomjohnsonjr]

Has anyone had troubles connecting to Emed test now web page so you can do the supervised test?  My iPhones and iPads get nothing but a Blank white page with nothing loading on it. I Did everything the customer service representative said to do. Still nothing comes up on the Emeds test now page. I have yet to be able to have a supervised test with Emed.  
 

Be sure to check your expiration dates on the  boxes. Even with the expiration dates being extended by 3 months for $150.00 and 6 tests I was getting only 4 months of total use with the tests I was sent. Seems like a lot on money for 6 test and there good only for 4 months. If your cruise dates are in February 2022 or greater the tests kits shipped today may be expired by the time your cruise comes around. 
 

Oh it takes at least waiting on hold 25 min each time I called for a customer representative with nothing resolved and some of them were very hard for me to understand. 

[tomjohnsonjr]

[beverland]

Good day!  I just went to the link provided by RCCL to order kit.  Still has the same verbiage about it being available 9/8/21.  Today IS 9/8/21!  Anyone else tried the link today?

[cruisegirl1976]

Does anyone know the hours that you can do the testing?  Hubby and I work, and will need to take the test on a thurs for our sat cruise, just afraid we may have to take an extra day off to get it done.

[JsMom2]

35 minutes ago, beverland said:

Good day!  I just went to the link provided by RCCL to order kit.  Still has the same verbiage about it being available 9/8/21.  Today IS 9/8/21!  Anyone else tried the link today?

Same for me.  🙁

[sandy00039]

Can someone provide me with the link to RCCL to order the test kits. I understand it is not providing the information to order yet. Just need the link. Thanks

[PigsCanFly]

10 hours ago, flamingos said:

Same here - we ordered Saturday night and were notified tonight (Tuesday) that it has been shipped and will be here tomorrow.   I'm thinking the holiday weekend held them up.

 

The Navica app - which specific one is it?  

They mentioned the holiday weekend delay when I placed the order.  I did not expect to here from until Tuesday.

[PigsCanFly]

10 hours ago, flamingos said:

Same here - we ordered Saturday night and were notified tonight (Tuesday) that it has been shipped and will be here tomorrow.   I'm thinking the holiday weekend held them up.

 

The Navica app - which specific one is it?  

They mentioned the holiday weekend delay when I placed the order.  I did not expect to here from until Tuesday.

[The sea calls my name]

12 minutes ago, sandy00039 said:

Can someone provide me with the link to RCCL to order the test kits. I understand it is not providing the information to order yet. Just need the link. Thanks

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/HomeTestKit 

[Cabana Girl]

Still have not seen RCCL’s promised link.  I searched for “binax now ag” and came up with this link to OPTUM. Ordered 3 tests for $99, 2 day shipping included.  I did not want to buy 6 tests with looming exp dates.  
 

 

[ryano]

29 minutes ago, cruisegirl1976 said:

Does anyone know the hours that you can do the testing?  Hubby and I work, and will need to take the test on a thurs for our sat cruise, just afraid we may have to take an extra day off to get it done.

 

They have monitors available 24/7. Early Thursday morning will likely be the best time to log in and connect with one quickly.    I did mine yesterday at 7am and was connected immediately.  My cruise is this Friday but we are still under the 3 day rule.  

Edited September 8, 2021 by ryano

[cruiselover48]

Was just able to order, two pack 69.99, three pack 99.99

[knittinggirl]

I'm confused about this.  We have a two-day drive, so we can't really take the test on the day before we leave home.  Won't they have test-kits at the pier?

[knittinggirl]

No Emails received from Royal Caribbean about this.

[sandc4e]

Use this link https://store.optum.com/royal-caribbean/ and ordered.  2 or 3 test options.

Edited September 8, 2021 by sandc4e

[bkshot]

On 9/3/2021 at 3:35 PM, Sea Dog said:

They better offer some sort of testing at the pier.

I hope there is testing at the port. We drive to ports. Three days to Galveston, so our traveling location is unknown & all testing I have seen is by appointment only. Our only other option is to cancel B toB cruise that we have booked.

[Biker19]

39 minutes ago, knittinggirl said:

Won't they have test-kits at the pier?

They might, but not sure you can count on it.

[knittinggirl]

Can you imagine how much more difficult those COVID tests will make Embarkation?  Have they lost their minds?

[Biker19]

8 minutes ago, knittinggirl said:

Can you imagine how much more difficult those COVID tests will make Embarkation?  Have they lost their minds?

Cruiselines in Europe performed tests on all customers for ships with higher capacities than RCI currently has out of the US - if money is to be made, some vendor will accommodate RCI/customers and scale up to what's needed.

[cruisegirl1976]

2 hours ago, ryano said:

 

They have monitors available 24/7. Early Thursday morning will likely be the best time to log in and connect with one quickly.    I did mine yesterday at 7am and was connected immediately.  My cruise is this Friday but we are still under the 3 day rule.  

oh good to know.. thank you

[Tinkbelle87]

1 hour ago, knittinggirl said:

I'm confused about this.  We have a two-day drive, so we can't really take the test on the day before we leave home.  Won't they have test-kits at the pier?

Depending on when your cruise is, it sounds like your best bet is to order the home test from Royal Caribbean (https://store.optum.com/royal-caribbean/) or emed.com or optum.com and take the test at some point on your drive to the port. Some have mentioned seeing trucks/vans outside of the port doing testing but they are charging $200pp. Royal has not set up testing for vaccinated guests at the port so far.

Edited September 8, 2021 by Tinkbelle87

[not-enough-cruising]

45 minutes ago, bkshot said:

I hope there is testing at the port. We drive to ports. Three days to Galveston, so our traveling location is unknown & all testing I have seen is by appointment only. Our only other option is to cancel B toB cruise that we have booked.

With the proctored self test option, you can test from anywhere and at anytime during your drive. 

[JsMom2]

We  need 5 tests, but even with shipping costs, it was less expensive to order 6 through Emed than 5 at through Optum!

 

[not-enough-cruising]

1 minute ago, JsMom2 said:

We  need 5 tests, but even with shipping costs, it was less expensive to order 6 through Emed than 5 at through Optum!

 

It’s good to have a spare. There have been reports of random defective tests, and folks have had to use 2 to get a proper result. 

[JsMom2]

1 hour ago, knittinggirl said:

I'm confused about this.  We have a two-day drive, so we can't really take the test on the day before we leave home.  Won't they have test-kits at the pier?

You will need to take it enroute.  I would take it 2 days out, so you can turn around and head back if needed!  The at home tests will take a lot of the stress out of the testing.