Royal Caribbean Covid testing requirement

[Biker19]

Just now, spunks said:

I was not referring to 2 or 3 day test requirements....just the CDC protocols.

That is a one of the CDC protocols/recommendation - we're taking about COVID specific things,not "regular" CDC requirements.

[goldengirl]

It is surely a hassle to need to get a test 48  prior to sailing. I think rccl should do the tests right at the pier, for no charge as they offer it at no charge for kids. Even that you have a negative test within 48 hours you could have been exposed

[Flatbush Flyer]

2 hours ago, goldengirl said:

It is surely a hassle to need to get a test 48  prior to sailing. I think rccl should do the tests right at the pier, for no charge as they offer it at no charge for kids. Even that you have a negative test within 48 hours you could have been exposed

Even those cruise lines that require (and pay for) embarkation day Covid testing for all (e.g., Oceania) strongly recommend 48-72 pre-embarkation tests to establish that Covid is not a PEC. With a preliminary “negative” status, lines like O will cover your Covid related travel/quarantine expenses should you then test positive at the pier and be denied boarding.  SMALL price to pay for that kind on insurance.

[Bradison]

So we plan to get tests at CVS on Friday then fly to Miami on Saturday and board on Sunday.  My (hopeful) negative test means little as I stand in line at security with people all around.  It means little on the plane surrounded by people that pull their mask down with every sip of drink or munch on a snack.  It means little as I stand around the crowd to get our luggage.  It means little as I get in a cab/uber with a driver within a few feet to get to the hotel and no clue who was just in the vehicle before us.  It means little in the hotel lobby or in the hotel restaurant eating food prepared by someone in the kitchen who's covid status is a complete mystery.  If you think the required masks in the airport/airplane/cab are some kind of magical force field I suggest you study up on the subject or better yet just read the advisory on any box of disposable masks.  And almost nobody follows the prescribe social distancing anymore (which is the most effective way to protect yourself but can be highly impractical).

 

The test is nothing but an attempt by Royal to say "see, we are doing something".

 

Test at the gang plank and I would be more convinced this is a real attempt to keep me safe.

[Lou33]

17 minutes ago, Bradison said:

 It means little.....If you think the required masks in the airport/airplane/cab are some kind of magical force field I suggest you study up

 

Test at the gang plank and I would be more convinced this is a real attempt to keep me safe.

It means a lot to me because my family has been impacted by COVID and I want the rest of my family to be safe.  

 

I can tell you that where we live in the San Francisco Bay Area, people have always been happy to do their part and wear masks.  Almost everybody wears a mask and nobody has to tell them.  And the infection rate here has always been way less than the rest of the country.  So I see a cause and effect here.  

 

Yes, you can get infected during travel, but you can likely still test negative at the pier.  It takes a few days for most people to test positive.  

 

I wish they did do testing at the pier, but an advantage of testing at home is that it may prevent asymptomatic people from traveling across the country, then infecting others at the pier, just before they get on the ship.  And since many people fly, they would be forced to quarantine for 10 days at the port city before they could fly home.  

[Bradison]

3 minutes ago, Lou33 said:

It means a lot to me because my family has been impacted by COVID and I want the rest of my family to be safe.  

 

I can tell you that where we live in the San Francisco Bay Area, people have always been happy to do their part and wear masks.  Almost everybody wears a mask and nobody has to tell them.  And the infection rate here has always been way less than the rest of the country.  So I see a cause and effect here.  

 

Yes, you can get infected during travel, but you can likely still test negative at the pier.  It takes a few days for most people to test positive.  

 

I wish they did do testing at the pier, but an advantage of testing at home is that it may prevent asymptomatic people from traveling across the country, then infecting others at the pier, just before they get on the ship.  And since many people fly, they would be forced to quarantine for 10 days at the port city before they could fly home.  

Your point about testing at home to save you the trip is valid but still does little to protect the cruise passenger.  Does RC care about those flying or the perception of its customers?

 

As for implication about SF, masks, and infection rates I will leave that alone.

 

If I can test negative at the pier and still infect everyone on the ship then what is the point of the test at all?  Why not make us test in our cabin each and every day so we can be locked down if we get a plus sign?  If you are wanting to go on a cruise you are accepting some risk and while some things can be done to mitigate that risk (vaccines?) I don't believe testing is one of them unless they do it right before boarding.  If it takes days to show up then even that is suspect.

[webecruzin2]

On 10/20/2021 at 9:08 PM, pbokie said:

Do you really understand what you are saying with the comment "how can precautions go to far"  I hear China is looking for more people.

Exactly. It's a slippery slope when forced precautions go to far.   

Edited November 5, 2021 by webecruzin2

[jrapps]

Putting aside the whole is testing right or wrong tangent of this conversation...

 

Doesn't RCL accept Rapid Antigen tests for both vaccinated AND un-vaccinated passengers for the pre-cruise requirement? Here in South Florida, there are dozens of walk up no appointment needed Rapid testing sites, the one's I have been to rarely have any lines, and you get results in 15 min.

 

I can understand why you might think testing is a hassle...but I just don't understand the whole "i'm afraid I wont get tested in time" mentality. You could literally get tested 3 days before (or 2 days before for vaccainted), get results in 15 min, and be done with it.

 

Am I missing something? To be clear, I am addressing the question asked by the OP regarding the 48 hour Covid test requirement. I just don't see how the 48-hr is any issue whatsoever, strictly from a timing perspective.

 

 

Edited November 5, 2021 by jrapps

[Biker19]

1 minute ago, jrapps said:

Am I missing something?

The COVID era has introduced various new anxieties.

[jrapps]

Just now, Biker19 said:

The COVID era has introduced various new anxieties.

True, I get that. I guess just from a procedural point of view (not a political one) there really is no issue in getting tested in time with minor to no planning and hassle.

 

If you are worried about not being allowed to board if you test positive, I get that. If you feel that testing isn't reliable, I get that. If you feel that the requirement is over the top, I get that. But just in terms of "can I get it done in 48 hours", there really isn't a problem here...again unless I am missing something.

[Biker19]

Just now, jrapps said:

there really isn't a problem here...again unless I am missing something.

Apparently, getting tested in some areas is a problem, especially if the test you have lined up cancels on you (like CVS seems to do).

[jrapps]

1 minute ago, Biker19 said:

Apparently, getting tested in some areas is a problem, especially if the test you have lined up cancels on you (like CVS seems to do).

True. I guess I was specifically responding to the "I'm flying into Miami" question. In south Florida, if you are cruising out of here, there are dozens of no-appointment walk up raid antigen places. 15 min results. Free.

 

I'm not telling anyone not to stress about it, trust me it's always stressful. Just hoping it helps for anyone going out of Miami or Ft. Lauderdale to know that worst case, even if CVS cancels your appt, there are other easy last minute options.

[Biker19]

Just now, jrapps said:

In south Florida, if you are cruising out of here, there are dozens of no-appointment walk up raid antigen places. 15 min results. Free.

That's probably news to many folks, but some may not want to leave testing till that late.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

On 11/3/2021 at 9:23 PM, Bradison said:

If you think the required masks in the airport/airplane/cab are some kind of magical force field I suggest you study up on the subject or better yet just read the advisory on any box of disposable masks. 

a friend of mine is a Lyft driver. He has worked through the entire pandemic, transported thousands of people, wore a mask religiously and didn't get Covid. His wife works at the hospital (a nurse) and didn't get covid either. They are 60+ yo.

So, yeah, masks work. They are not a magical force field, but they do work.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

33 minutes ago, jrapps said:

Here in South Florida, there are dozens of walk up no appointment needed Rapid testing sites, the one's I have been to rarely have any lines, and you get results in 15 min.

 

I can understand why you might think testing is a hassle...but I just don't understand the whole "i'm afraid I wont get tested in time" mentality. You could literally get tested 3 days before (or 2 days before for vaccainted), get results in 15 min, and be done with it.

that's great. Glad you are in FL. Other people are reporting no such sites in their states, and their CVS appointments made 2 weeks in advance get cancelled without any kind of warning or with an hour warning. It's very difficult to find a site for same day testing around here. I tried. You could pay $150pp and drive for an hour to get to a location, but when you have 5 people to get tested, it really adds up.

 

Please give us a link to find info on dozens of places to test around Port of Canaveral. We are flying in the day of the cruise. Would it be easy to walk up to one of those sites with 5 people in a Lyft/uber/taxi? Are they open on Thanksgiving and the day after TG or that Saturday?

Edited November 5, 2021 by Itchy&Scratchy

[Itchy&Scratchy]

27 minutes ago, jrapps said:

But just in terms of "can I get it done in 48 hours", there really isn't a problem here...again unless I am missing something.

and I've just found out that my BFF's family is sailing 2 days after Thanksgiving. They had no idea that they may not be able to find a testing site on TG day or the day after and get their results on time. They are in the middle of nowhere GA. If it weren't for me being on CC, I wouldn't have known about the Abbot BinaxNow AG card tests either.

Edited November 5, 2021 by Itchy&Scratchy

[jrapps]

39 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

that's great. Glad you are in FL. Other people are reporting no such sites in their states, and their CVS appointments made 2 weeks in advance get cancelled without any kind of warning or with an hour warning. It's very difficult to find a site for same day testing around here. I tried. You could pay $150pp and drive for an hour to get to a location, but when you have 5 people to get tested, it really adds up.

 

Please give us a link to find info on dozens of places to test around Port of Canaveral. We are flying in the day of the cruise. Would it be easy to walk up to one of those sites with 5 people in a Lyft/uber/taxi? Are they open on Thanksgiving and the day after TG or that Saturday?

Yeah, the Thanksgiving being 2 days before is definitely a special case. For that I would totally do the virtual option if you can.

 

For those sailing out of Cape Canaveral and you live in FL (or come to FL 2 days before your cruise), You can find testing places in Brevard County

https://www.brevardfl.gov/EmergencyEvent/COVID19/CoronavirusTestingProcedure

 

FL. Dept of Health also has testing sites listed by city here: https://floridahealthcovid19.gov/testing-sites/

 

For those in South Florida, here are testing sites in Miami: https://www.miamidade.gov/global/initiatives/coronavirus/testing-locations.page

 

[dgm9610]

1 hour ago, jrapps said:

Putting aside the whole is testing right or wrong tangent of this conversation...

 

Doesn't RCL accept Rapid Antigen tests for both vaccinated AND un-vaccinated passengers for the pre-cruise requirement? Here in South Florida, there are dozens of walk up no appointment needed Rapid testing sites, the one's I have been to rarely have any lines, and you get results in 15 min.

 

I can understand why you might think testing is a hassle...but I just don't understand the whole "i'm afraid I wont get tested in time" mentality. You could literally get tested 3 days before (or 2 days before for vaccainted), get results in 15 min, and be done with it.

 

Am I missing something? To be clear, I am addressing the question asked by the OP regarding the 48 hour Covid test requirement. I just don't see how the 48-hr is any issue whatsoever, strictly from a timing perspective.

 

 

I'm in SW Florida, where can you do   testing with 15 minute results?

[jrapps]

6 minutes ago, dgm9610 said:

I'm in SW Florida, where can you do   testing with 15 minute results?

https://www.tampa.gov/emergency-management/COVID-19/get-tested

 

https://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/en/residents/public-safety/emergency-management/stay-safe/getting-tested

 

https://www.tampa.gov/news/city-tampa-opens-free-covid-19-testing-site-81601

[AustinCruise]

1 hour ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

and I've just found out that my BFF's family is sailing 2 days after Thanksgiving. They had no idea that they may not be able to find a testing site on TG day or the day after and get their results on time. They are in the middle of nowhere GA. If it weren't for me being on CC, I wouldn't have known about the Abbot BinaxNow AG card tests either.

It is in the "Healthy Sail" section of the RCCL web page.  They actually do a good job (now) describing the requirements.  But they do a bad job leading everyone there.

[a6guy]

https://www.cvs.com/minuteclinic/covid-19-testing

[Itchy&Scratchy]

7 minutes ago, AustinCruise said:

It is in the "Healthy Sail" section of the RCCL web page.  They actually do a good job (now) describing the requirements.  But they do a bad job leading everyone there.

the problem is not with listing or not listing info on the RCI website, the problem is with having to do the testing locally on TG day or day after, and NOT realizing now that CVS or Walgreens or the govt sites will not be open on those days (or even if they are open, the PCR test results may not be ready in time for the cruise).  If it weren't for CC, I wouldn't know that CVS is still cancelling test appointments without a warning (due to lack of supplies).

Mine was cancelled last summer due to not having power because they were remodeling the store, but did they warn you? Nope. I showed up to a sign in the window.

[jrapps]

For those in Miami, here is another link for Nomi testing. This is the tester I have used in the past (in North Broward County but same health system). No appointment needed. 15min results. Even the PCR tests come back in about 24hrs.

 

https://mdc.nomihealth.com/easy_registration/12/onsite

 

Last year on Thanksgiving, there were few but select places open in Miami. No way to know about this year until you get closer, or call them at  (305) 602-8492

 

Keep in mind, the "free" places are technically for people who think they were exposed and not for "travel" which is why its hard to book them or find info about them weeks or months in advance.

[CPT Trips]

I just don’t understand why a cruise line won’t  do pre boarding tests at the pier as part of the boarding process.

Edited November 5, 2021 by CPT Trips

[AustinCruise]

Just now, CPT Trips said:

I just don’t understand why a cruise line doesn’t do pre boarding tests at the pier.

They don't want people showing up with covid exposing everyone else?