Back 2 Back and Covid Testing

[LeeW]

Stuff in safe can either go in one of your bags, be carried while you get off and back on ship, or you can move it yourself if the new cabin has been vacated.  Just don't forget it!

[Northern Aurora]

4 hours ago, Nolanoel said:

First time on Celebrity.  First time on a b2b.  Going to ask my funny questions here so I don't entertain/irritate seasoned Celebrity cruisers.  LOL   I figured that I would just follow directions - the only question I really have is regarding luggage.  Does it still go out the night b4?  Sounds like you had a hard move on your last cruise!  😁

 

 

Celebrity certainly isn't going to do anything which will cause more work for them on a turnaround day, which is difficult enough for the crew.  They aren't going to move luggage off the ship only to move it back on.  This is actually one of those questions which is asked incredibly frequently.  Sometimes more than once at a B2B meeting.  It is also covered in a succinct instruction letter regarding the B2B process which will be delivered to your stateroom when those poor souls who have to leave the ship receive their disembarkation luggage tags.

 

Everyone has their different packing preferences, but for items which are stored in drawers we use packing cubes (which are more like rectangles).  We don't even remove items from the cubes but just fold the top over and under the cube.  If we have to move on turnaround day we zip up the cubes, toss the cubes and our shoes in suitcases.  As already noted the stateroom attendant, who has also done this a number of times, will load up the items on hangers and use a bellman type trolly to move your luggage and hanging items.  You will be responsible for items in the safe, but frequently the stateroom attendants for your old and new staterooms coordinate the move so that you can get your items which go into the safe actually into the new safe before the room is even ready.  I take a bag for the safe items so can quickly shove the bag into the new safe and get out of the attendant's way as they prepare the new stateroom.

 

The B2B process is very easy.  Just read that succinct instruction letter. 

[Nolanoel]

3 hours ago, Northern Aurora said:

 

 

Celebrity certainly isn't going to do anything which will cause more work for them on a turnaround day, which is difficult enough for the crew.  They aren't going to move luggage off the ship only to move it back on.  This is actually one of those questions which is asked incredibly frequently.  Sometimes more than once at a B2B meeting.  It is also covered in a succinct instruction letter regarding the B2B process which will be delivered to your stateroom when those poor souls who have to leave the ship receive their disembarkation luggage tags.

 

Everyone has their different packing preferences, but for items which are stored in drawers we use packing cubes (which are more like rectangles).  We don't even remove items from the cubes but just fold the top over and under the cube.  If we have to move on turnaround day we zip up the cubes, toss the cubes and our shoes in suitcases.  As already noted the stateroom attendant, who has also done this a number of times, will load up the items on hangers and use a bellman type trolly to move your luggage and hanging items.  You will be responsible for items in the safe, but frequently the stateroom attendants for your old and new staterooms coordinate the move so that you can get your items which go into the safe actually into the new safe before the room is even ready.  I take a bag for the safe items so can quickly shove the bag into the new safe and get out of the attendant's way as they prepare the new stateroom.

 

The B2B process is very easy.  Just read that succinct instruction letter. 

Thanks for further clarification.  As I stated, it is my first b2b….so I am normally one of those poor souls who embark and disembark all in one cruise.  I appreciate getting the information.  Now I won’t be one of those people that ask a stupid question about how to do something they haven’t done before (although fortunately I have read instructions and use packing cubes already).  Whew! Y’all cleared up the only question I had.  Now I can just count my days.

[Jim_Iain]

Instructions below.   We were tested day before and verbally told we passed.   No additional testing required if you use transit pass

[canderson]

15 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Instructions below.   We were tested day before and verbally told we passed.   No additional testing required if you use transit pass

 

As I understand it, X will be holding passports during the cruise.  When did you and Iain get them back to go through the C&I at the pier on turnaround morning???

[Jim_Iain]

12 minutes ago, canderson said:

As I understand it, X will be holding passports during the cruise.  When did you and Iain get them back to go through the C&I at the pier on turnaround morning???

 

Our  Passports were not taken from us or held.    I don't recall ever having them held on Caribbean, European , Med  or Alaska cruises.  

 

The only time we have had our passports held was in South America and also on the Singapore to Rome via Abu Dahbi .   The reason they were held was to process us through immigration in most of the ports.    Even with this in India they were given back to us to individually clear Indian Immigration but then picked up again for additional ports. 

 

Having said that I seem to recall International Passengers had to hand over their passports at check in.   Maybe  others could elaborate on this.

Edited October 8, 2021 by Jim_Iain

[canderson]

1 minute ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

Our  Passports were not taken from us or held.    I don't recall ever having them held on Caribbean, European , Med  or Alaska cruises. 

I thought it odd that they were holding them for a Caribbean cruise, too.  I believe we've only had that happen once, on a Baltic cruise that took us to St. Petersburg. 

 

Will have to dig around and find where I had seen that they planned to hold them for this itinerary.  I was surprised when I read it, which is why I remembered it.  Then again, could have just been some typical incorrect messaging.

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

1 minute ago, canderson said:

I thought it odd that they were holding them for a Caribbean cruise, too.  I believe we've only had that happen once, on a Baltic cruise that took us to St. Petersburg. 

 

Will have to dig around and find where I had seen that they planned to hold them for this itinerary.  I was surprised when I read it, which is why I remembered it.  Then again, could have just been some typical incorrect messaging.

 

 

 

On the Equinox Cruises we didn't even show our passports except for checkin.     Leaving the ship was totally facial recognition and no physical passport was required.     I was happy as I'm getting low on pages and have been procrastinating getting a new passport.

[Nolanoel]

@Jim_Iain

Thanks so much!!  Perfect!

Happy seas!!

[canderson]

On 10/8/2021 at 9:53 AM, Jim_Iain said:

 

Our  Passports were not taken from us or held.    I don't recall ever having them held on Caribbean, European , Med  or Alaska cruises.  

Found it.  It's in the silly app that also talks about Singapore customs and immigration!  IGNORE!  Knew I'd seen it somewhere!

 

 

[canderson]

On 10/8/2021 at 9:53 AM, Jim_Iain said:

 

Our  Passports were not taken from us or held.    I don't recall ever having them held on Caribbean, European , Med  or Alaska cruises.  

 

The only time we have had our passports held was in South America and also on the Singapore to Rome via Abu Dahbi .

Knew I wasn't crazy.  Found it in the app for our 11/7 Constellation cruise.  And guess what ... the app is a bit hosed - elsewhere, the app also talks about customs and immigration when landing in Singapore!  One is probably erroneously driving the other.

 

 

[mcdec3]

On 10/8/2021 at 11:22 AM, Jim_Iain said:

Instructions below.   We were tested day before and verbally told we passed.   No additional testing required if you use transit pass

 

Would you be able to tell me if the name and address of the lab is anywhere on your results?  I am interested in whether or not this would be usable to cross back into Canada by car after a cruise.  The regulations state that when crossing at a land border, it must be a US test.

Thank you!

[jg51]

6 hours ago, mcdec3 said:

 

Would you be able to tell me if the name and address of the lab is anywhere on your results?  I am interested in whether or not this would be usable to cross back into Canada by car after a cruise.  The regulations state that when crossing at a land border, it must be a US test.

Thank you!

.

Hello, "mcdec3."

 

The "lab" is aboard the ship, so no true "address" can be given!  (We'll give you the name of the lab in a moment.)  The tests are done on the day before disembarkation.  In September, gentle swabbing (by a professional) took place between 9:30 and 10:00 AM in the Quasar Lounge (deck 4 forward) of Equinox, but it could be done in various places, from ship to ship.  Any bad results for the (roughly 50) back-to-back passengers were made known to them no later than 6 PM.  [There was either one bad result or none; we're not sure.]

 

On the next day ("turnaround day"), all consecutive cruisers had to meet in the Ensemble Lounge (deck-5-midships) at about 9:00 AM.  Each passenger was questioned about his/her health by a member of the crew.  Each received a small, official piece of paper showing the result of the previous morning's test.  Ours showed that the swabs used at about 10:00 AM had been analyzed at 12 noon.  They also revealed what kind of test had been done and the name of the vendor: LumiraDx.  We just googled that name and found that Lumira Dx is based in Great Britain -- with main offices in London and a city in Scotland.

 

Here is what the vendor's Internet site says about the test:

 

"The LumiraDx SARS-CoV-2 Ag Test is a microfluidic immunofluorescence assay for the direct and qualitative detection of nucleocapsid protein antigen in nasal swab specimens collected from individuals suspected of COVID-19 by their healthcare provider within the first twelve days of symptom onset. Used with the LumiraDx Platform the test delivers rapid results at the point of care."

 

Best of luck to you.

.

Edited October 29, 2021 by jg51