Chronomics returns

[LLOM]

Hi has anyone returned or updated their kits purchased from Chronomics , sent for day 2 lateral flow kits which now has been updated to a PCR test requirement , we were supposed to be away next week but have had it changed to January ( although I am not sure we will not be in lockdown by then !  ) and I am not sure if I should wait for the day 2 lateral flow to come then return it or just try to update it.

Thank you 

[ferretktf]

I had very bad experience with Chronomics Returns. Ended up having to do a Section 75 claim to get my money back.

 

My holiday in May was cancelled just 3 days after i booked so I cancelled Chronomics within the cancellation period specified in their T&C’s

 

Over several weeks they failed to respond whatsoever - to multiple emails, messages sent from their website, to DM on Twitter, to FB, and their telephone number went around in a loop with no ability to speak to a human or leave a message.

 

I contacted TUI. They could not help as Chronomics is third party. Ultimately my Credit Card Company was the only option. I got my money back from the Credit Card company but still no communication from Chronomics.

……and then the tests turned up both before and after my originally scheduled holiday.

 

In short they have ZERO customer service and if things are ok, then they are fine, but any problems, changes, cancellations and they are not equipped to do anything.

 

HOWEVER - this was six months ago so maybe they are better now?

[LLOM]

Thank you ferretktf

I thought this might be the case , it does say that if test requirements change then you can return or upgrade but is appears nothing is as straightforward as it seems, I am not even sure if I should  try to upgrade the 2nd day lateral flow to the 2nd day PCR yet  and incur more costs, or just wait a week or so as I have a strong feeling that this cruise may be cancelled ! Many thanks though for sharing your experience with them .

[2BACRUISER]

I've filled in their returns form online and returned the kits they sent. They appear to be a one man band working out of a pop up office somewhere in London so I'm not holding my breath. 

[LLOM]

Hope it turns out alright for you, fingers crossed ! 

[LLOM]

Just had an email from Chronomics saying that we can upgrade our day 2 lateral flow to a PCR for £25 each, that would make it in total £110 ( £30 pp originally) I am sure we only paid £30 pp previously for 1x lateral flow and 1x PCR kit pp, so it doesn’t look as though we are getting any credit for the day 2 lateral flow kits that are no longer needed and will not be sent if we upgrade.

[okavango]

14 hours ago, LLOM said:

Just had an email from Chronomics saying that we can upgrade our day 2 lateral flow to a PCR for £25 each, that would make it in total £110 ( £30 pp originally) I am sure we only paid £30 pp previously for 1x lateral flow and 1x PCR kit pp, so it doesn’t look as though we are getting any credit for the day 2 lateral flow kits that are no longer needed and will not be sent if we upgrade.

Before november it was £20 for 1 x l/f and 1 return pcr or £30 for 2 x l/f and i return pcr

[LLOM]

Thankyou Okavango for your reply, I thought it sounded more expensive then when we purchased it before, but if we get a PCR from another company it will be at least £35 each, so really we will have to go with Chronomics.

[okavango]

27 minutes ago, LLOM said:

Thankyou Okavango for your reply, I thought it sounded more expensive then when we purchased it before, but if we get a PCR from another company it will be at least £35 each, so really we will have to go with Chronomics.

To be honest not had any problems with chronomics ,used them twice and everything happened in a timely manner , pcr results within 28hr of them being picked up from our post box ,only one collection a day at 4:30pm ,results back by 8pm following day

[MX-Drew]

4 hours ago, okavango said:

Before november it was £20 for 1 x l/f and 1 return pcr or £30 for 2 x l/f and i return pcr

When I looked about a week or two ago it was £30 for 1 x fit to fly LF and 1 x day 2 LF. There was no mention of a PCR. Now it is £15 for a fit to fly LT and £30 for the day 2 pcr with no mention of a bundle and indeed it won't even let you select both to purchase at the same time!

[okavango]

40 minutes ago, MX-Drew said:

When I looked about a week or two ago it was £30 for 1 x fit to fly LF and 1 x day 2 LF. There was no mention of a PCR. Now it is £15 for a fit to fly LT and £30 for the day 2 pcr with no mention of a bundle and indeed it won't even let you select both to purchase at the same time!

Is that going to chronomics via the TUI link and entering a valid Marella cruises booking ref no ????????

For the purposes of cruises in europe it is not a "fit to fly test" ,it is a test purely to join the ship ,hotel flight passengers do not or did not need any test to fly as per local regulations.

As an afterthought what travel area were you checking for ?????

[LLOM]

Thank you MX-Drew, yes we paid £30 pp for the bundle in September and again this time (November) , and have now paid £25 pp to upgrade the day 2 lateral flow to day 2 PCR  so total £ 110, I assume we will not receive the day 2 lateral flow from our original order which I thought we may and then return it for a refund , I also went on to see if they did a bundle 1x LF and 1x PCR to see how much they were charging but as you said it won’t let you select that .

[MX-Drew]

1 minute ago, okavango said:

Is that going to chronomics via the TUI link and entering a valid Marella cruises booking ref no ????????

For the purposes of cruises in europe it is not a "fit to fly test" ,it is a test purely to join the ship ,hotel flight passengers do not or did not need any test to fly as per local regulations.

As an afterthought what travel area were you checking for ?????

Yes it is Chronomics via the TUI link and yes I entered out booking ref.

 

I believe the TUI website states the NHS LT test can't be used and you need to do the test after 9pm the day before you travel then upload the results to get a certificate. There is no other LT as far as I recall available.

[MX-Drew]

2 minutes ago, LLOM said:

Thank you MX-Drew, yes we paid £30 pp for the bundle in September and again this time (November) , and have now paid £25 pp to upgrade the day 2 lateral flow to day 2 PCR  so total £ 110, I assume we will not receive the day 2 lateral flow from our original order which I thought we may and then return it for a refund , I also went on to see if they did a bundle 1x LF and 1x PCR to see how much they were charging but as you said it won’t let you select that .

I guess they can't receive returned test due to safety reasons, so your price seems about right but as you say it is getting expensive. On the other hand I did a bit of checking and found day 2 PCR tests at £75 up! it is a rip off. 

[MX-Drew]

6 minutes ago, okavango said:

As an afterthought what travel area were you checking for ?????

Sorry forgot to say we are (may be were) going to the Canary Islands, flight to Las Palmas.

[LLOM]

Yes Okavango it was through the TUI site, I had already ordered the bundle and received the pre departure LF ( that we have to do before we join the ship ) Chronomics then emailed stating that the day 2 LF was now not acceptable therefore we would need a day 2 PCR and we could upgrade, it is a canaries cruise .

[MX-Drew]

16 minutes ago, okavango said:

For the purposes of cruises in europe it is not a "fit to fly test" ,it is a test purely to join the ship ,hotel flight passengers do not or did not need any test to fly as per local regulations.

Where are you getting this information?

I ask as the final word is with the airline and or cruise company, but of course they can not undermine the local regulations but in my experience on 4 cruises this year go well beyond the required local requirements. 

Edited December 1, 2021 by MX-Drew

[howmuch!]

29 minutes ago, MX-Drew said:

Where are you getting this information?

I ask as the final word is with the airline and or cruise company, but of course they can not undermine the local regulations but in my experience on 4 cruises this year go well beyond the required local requirements. 

All the information (updated regularly) is in the PDFs on the Tui/Marella website. Top LHS of page - Entry requirements for our cruises

 

People on the same plane going to a hotel (rather than a cruise) don't currently need to do the LFt the night before

Edited December 1, 2021 by howmuch!

[okavango]

57 minutes ago, MX-Drew said:

Where are you getting this information?

I ask as the final word is with the airline and or cruise company, but of course they can not undermine the local regulations but in my experience on 4 cruises this year go well beyond the required local requirements. 

Information is from personal experience ,cruise in august and another in october

[MX-Drew]

34 minutes ago, okavango said:

Information is from personal experience ,cruise in august and another in october

Well as things have changed I don't think it is reliable information whereas howmuch! has stated a source of updated information.

[MX-Drew]

Taken from the aforementioned PDF from the Marella website. Note this is for the Canaries Cruise.

 

If it is not a fit to fly LF, what is it? Genuine question.

 

TESTING REQUIREMENT
As a Marella Cruises safety measure, all
customers regardless of age must
complete an antigen (rapid flow) test to
be taken after 21:00 the day before you
are due to fly, but before checking-in for
your outbound flight at your UK airport.
You must produce a negative certificate
at your UK airport.

 

 

[ferretktf]

it is a "fit to Cruise" rule implemented by Marella

 

it is the "same" test as a "fit to fly" test - i.e. a non NHS Lateral Flow test, taken after 9pm on the night before embarkation.... so you can purchase a "fit to fly" test

 

Chronomics have a self-certification portal where the certificate is generated as soon as you upload a "negative" result

[MX-Drew]

59 minutes ago, ferretktf said:

it is a "fit to Cruise" rule implemented by Marella

 

it is the "same" test as a "fit to fly" test - i.e. a non NHS Lateral Flow test, taken after 9pm on the night before embarkation.... so you can purchase a "fit to fly" test

 

Chronomics have a self-certification portal where the certificate is generated as soon as you upload a "negative" result

So that takes us full circle back to my point, Chronomics' website does not allow the purchase of a fit to fly LF test and a day 2 PCR test at the same time. Whereas you used to be able to purchase a bundle of the two test required when they where LF test.

[MX-Drew]

I have just followed a link on the Marella website to the Chronomics' website and look what I found as a test bundle for a cruise to the Canary Islands. This was grabbed at 19:00 01/12/2021.

 

[ferretktf]

32 minutes ago, MX-Drew said:

So that takes us full circle back to my point, Chronomics' website does not allow the purchase of a fit to fly LF test and a day 2 PCR test at the same time. Whereas you used to be able to purchase a bundle of the two test required when they where LF test.

not yet they don't, the "cruise" requirements has thrown them a little. 

 

They are intending to upgrade their current offering - and if you order the current offering you can upgrade.

 

Alternatively you can order seperately  - as i did