Covid pre-departure testing

[Megabear2]

Well now we all have to test before departure to the UK.  Does the Government really know what it's doing changing rules twice in a week? Surely they could have acted all in one go.

 

Going to be an interesting time for us all, or should I say expensive!!!

[Castle25]

very expensive........can P&O cope with all travelers having tests on board ship?

[pennib]

Quite. There was a hint on the news this evening that the coming home test maybe LFT instead of PCR. Another point is if you have to have a test before you arrive, why do you have to do another on day2? Of course, we have just booked our day 2 one and will just have to hope we can get a refund if it becomes unnecessary. Not holding out too much hope though.

we were notified today that our cruise (Azura Christmas and New Year) has lost 4 ports. 2 have been replaced by calls elsewhere but the others have been abandoned to sea days. A lot of people won’t be very happy about that. 

[white_bear]

This just doesn't make any sense.  For airlines, they won't let you on if you test +ve.  But if already on cruise ship and a passenger tests +ve for the 48hr test, what then?  Is the ship then quarantined off the Isle of Wight?  If everyone gets off at Southampton, the existing rules require quarantine until receipt of -ve test anyway.  So what's the point of an extra test?

[jimbo1683]

50 minutes ago, white_bear said:

This just doesn't make any sense.  For airlines, they won't let you on if you test +ve.  But if already on cruise ship and a passenger tests +ve for the 48hr test, what then?  Is the ship then quarantined off the Isle of Wight?  If everyone gets off at Southampton, the existing rules require quarantine until receipt of -ve test anyway.  So what's the point of an extra test?

Agreed it doesnt make sense. We are in Germany next weekend just for a few days (not a cruise) and the new rules mean we will take an antigen test at the airport on the day we fly home then take a pcr when we get back to the car in the UK. So there will have been a maximum of 4-5 hours between tests. Pointless.

[Denarius]

2 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

Well now we all have to test before departure to the UK.  Does the Government really know what it's doing changing rules twice in a week? Surely they could have acted all in one go.

 

Going to be an interesting time for us all, or should I say expensive!!!

I don't think that it does. As usual, it is flailing around reacting to whoever has shouted loudest to the BBC. But down to practical points, the only way this can work for P&O fly cruises to the Caribbean is for P&O to administer the test onboard with results available before disembarking at Barbados. If they cannot cope with this, the only other alternative I can see is to cancel the cruise.

[jimbo1683]

3 minutes ago, Denarius said:

I don't think that it does. As usual, it is flailing around reacting to whoever has shouted loudest to the BBC. But down to practical points, the only way this can work for P&O fly cruises to the Caribbean is for P&O to administer the test onboard with results available before disembarking at Barbados. If they cannot cope with this, the only other alternative I can see is to cancel the cruise.

Can't passengers just take an antigen test with them and upload the result online in the same way as all non-cruise travellers would do?

[Silkysuzi]

2 hours ago, pennib said:

Quite. There was a hint on the news this evening that the coming home test maybe LFT instead of PCR. Another point is if you have to have a test before you arrive, why do you have to do another on day2? Of course, we have just booked our day 2 one and will just have to hope we can get a refund if it becomes unnecessary. Not holding out too much hope though.

we were notified today that our cruise (Azura Christmas and New Year) has lost 4 ports. 2 have been replaced by calls elsewhere but the others have been abandoned to sea days. A lot of people won’t be very happy about that. 

Just out of interest… which ports have been cancelled and what 2 did they replace with?

[zap99]

2 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

Well now we all have to test before departure to the UK.  Does the Government really know what it's doing changing rules twice in a week? Surely they could have acted all in one go.

 

Going to be an interesting time for us all, or should I say expensive!!!

Yes, quite right let the virus in for a few more days. I would guess they think acting promptly to save a few lives may be a better plan.,🤔

[Denarius]

7 minutes ago, jimbo1683 said:

Can't passengers just take an antigen test with them and upload the result online in the same way as all non-cruise travellers would do?

In principal yes. But P&O will need to be aware of the results to ascertain which passengers are cleared for the return flight to the UK and which are not. They will also need to consider the position of the latter group who will presumably need to quaranteen in Barbados. In practical terms imo this implies P&O organising the tests onboard like they do for islands which require a pre arrival test for those going ashore. That way they can ensure that everyone is accounted for.

 

[Megabear2]

8 minutes ago, zap99 said:

Yes, quite right let the virus in for a few more days. I would guess they think acting promptly to save a few lives may be a better plan.,🤔

But they haven't acted promptly. Surely this should have happened on Tuesday rather than leaving it another week?  I really don't mind how many tests I have or where but this shutting the door when the horse had bolted was partly how we got here in thr first place.

[jimbo1683]

6 minutes ago, Denarius said:

In principal yes. But P&O will need to be aware of the results to ascertain which passengers are cleared for the return flight to the UK and which are not. They will also need to consider the position of the latter group who will presumably need to quaranteen in Barbados. In practical terms imo this implies P&O organising the tests onboard like they do for islands which require a pre arrival test for those going ashore. That way they can ensure that everyone is accounted for.

 

I'm not familiar with how a fly cruise works but I don't see why the process should be different to any other flying traveller who has a negative result - upload your test result along with your passenger locator form when you check in online, or show these documents at check in at the airport.

[zap99]

2 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

But they haven't acted promptly. Surely this should have happened on Tuesday rather than leaving it another week?  I really don't mind how many tests I have or where but this shutting the door when the horse had bolted was partly how we got here in thr first place.

So last week they were accused of jumping the gun, now you are saying they should have done more. That is why politics is not welcome on here.

[Megabear2]

I'm not actually talking politics and will not enter an argument on this issue.  I replied to your post which suggested I thought it was right to allow the virus in. I shall say no more on this topic as clearly I have no desire for the very important discussion to be shut down.

[jimbo1683]

1 minute ago, zap99 said:

So last week they were accused of jumping the gun, now you are saying they should have done more. That is why politics is not welcome on here.

The reputational problem comes from changing their minds frequently - last week it was pcr tests and declarations that pre-departure testing was unnecessary and damaging to the travel industry, then during the week we heard about how we wont really know the impact of the new variant until January, and all of a sudden today we get pre departure tests. 

[zap99]

4 minutes ago, jimbo1683 said:

The reputational problem comes from changing their minds frequently - last week it was pcr tests and declarations that pre-departure testing was unnecessary and damaging to the travel industry, then during the week we heard about how we wont really know the impact of the new variant until January, and all of a sudden today we get pre departure tests. 

Cases going up so quickly and deemed to be mainly due to travel may be the clue. A week ago we had a couple of cases, now we have 160. Next week it could be a few thousand. Do you remember the stick they took following India?.

[indiana123]

No-one's fault but covid but its all getting me down now, and the excitement for our cruise next week is diminishing.  We bought LFTs then  when the rues changed, as we get back on 23rd,we booked expensive PCRs so we get quick results and can see the kids at Christmas. Now it seems we will probably have to purchase these new tests, unless they decide they aren't necessary.  Adding in the hotel, parking, cattery and other incidentals, its getting a bit silly now.

[uk338]

10 hours ago, white_bear said:

This just doesn't make any sense.  For airlines, they won't let you on if you test +ve.  But if already on cruise ship and a passenger tests +ve for the 48hr test, what then?  Is the ship then quarantined off the Isle of Wight?  If everyone gets off at Southampton, the existing rules require quarantine until receipt of -ve test anyway.  So what's the point of an extra test?

 

To that point, what happens if a visited country gets popped on the red list? Has that already happened at any point?

 

I'm just wondering about the logistics of getting all those passengers into quarantine hotels, or if the ship would be quarantined. 

 

Probably a waste of brain cycles to think about it, but it's interesting. 

[Interestedcruisefan]

8 hours ago, zap99 said:

Cases going up so quickly and deemed to be mainly due to travel may be the clue. A week ago we had a couple of cases, now we have 160. Next week it could be a few thousand. Do you remember the stick they took following India?.

What's going to be hard for the cruise lines is this will highlight how many passengers are catching covid whilst cruising and put them under pressure as the numbers stack up

 

I listened to a debate about the new variant with a doctor and a scientist on 5 Live last night

 

It made grim listening

 

This variant is so fast and successful at infecting people that in UK alone we will have tens of thousands of new cases per day by Xmas. 

 

The variant doubles it's numbers so fast compared to previous variants

 

If a cruise just has 1 or 2 cases on board early on then the numbers will multiply so fast before the end of the cruise. 

 

They discussed a dinner party in Norway where 120 guests attended all of whom were double jabbed and over 60 of them were thought to have contracted the new variant by the end of the dinner! We all know there are multiple events like that happening every day on a cruise

 

Sadly all thats going to happen for the next few months is more rules and restrictions will come in slowly but surely

 

I would suggest before long it's inevitable cruise holidays will be put on pause again 

 

We are in for another few months of restrictions which will just get tighter each week that passes 

 

The debate left me worried ww won't even have a normal Christmas and New Year again - let alone be able to go on holidays next few months

 

The ease with which this variant transmits is scary. 

 

Based on what we've seen before at some stage (no doubt with very short notice) non vaccinated kids won't be allowed to cruise. The lft test they've just introduced will become the more expensive  PCR test and so on until overseas holidays and cruises are stopped entirely until we get on top of this variant

 

Sadly we also may be heading for lockdown in our own towns and cities again sooner than you might imagine

 

 

 

 

Edited December 5, 2021 by Interestedcruisefan

[jimbo1683]

30 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

What's going to be hard for the cruise lines is this will highlight how many passengers are catching covid whilst cruising and put them under pressure as the numbers stack up

 

I listened to a debate about the new variant with a doctor and a scientist on 5 Live last night

 

It made grim listening

 

This variant is so fast and successful at infecting people that in UK alone we will have tens of thousands of new cases per day by Xmas. 

 

The variant doubles it's numbers so fast compared to previous variants

 

If a cruise just has 1 or 2 cases on board early on then the numbers will multiply so fast before the end of the cruise. 

 

They discussed a dinner party in Norway where 120 guests attended all of whom were double jabbed and over 60 of them were thought to have contracted the new variant by the end of the dinner! We all know there are multiple events like that happening every day on a cruise

 

Sadly all thats going to happen for the next few months is more rules and restrictions will come in slowly but surely

 

I would suggest before long it's inevitable cruise holidays will be put on pause again 

 

We are in for another few months of restrictions which will just get tighter each week that passes 

 

The debate left me worried ww won't even have a normal Christmas and New Year again - let alone be able to go on holidays next few months

 

The ease with which this variant transmits is scary. 

 

Based on what we've seen before at some stage (no doubt with very short notice) non vaccinated kids won't be allowed to cruise. The lft test they've just introduced will become the more expensive  PCR test and so on until overseas holidays and cruises are stopped

 

We may even be heading for lockdown in our own towns and cities again sooner than you might imagine

 

 

Agreed what i have read and heard is it is more transmissible. But unless it leads to increased hospitalisation then it isnt a problem (we still have 40,000 new covid cases per day in the UK). And there isn't enough data to know that yet i believe.

[jimbo1683]

7 hours ago, indiana123 said:

No-one's fault but covid but its all getting me down now, and the excitement for our cruise next week is diminishing.  We bought LFTs then  when the rues changed, as we get back on 23rd,we booked expensive PCRs so we get quick results and can see the kids at Christmas. Now it seems we will probably have to purchase these new tests, unless they decide they aren't necessary.  Adding in the hotel, parking, cattery and other incidentals, its getting a bit silly now.

Just a thought - i should think your original LFTs can now be used as your pre-return LFTs if they were the ones you get thfough the post rather than going in person.

[Castle25]

9 hours ago, jimbo1683 said:

I'm not familiar with how a fly cruise works but I don't see why the process should be different to any other flying traveller who has a negative result - upload your test result along with your passenger locator form when you check in online, or show these documents at check in at the airport.

how are you going to upload the test results?  P&O wont give you free WIFI to do it(i think you only get free wifi for the PLForm) and as mentioned, who will monitor it all

[jimbo1683]

3 minutes ago, Castle25 said:

how are you going to upload the test results?  P&O wont give you free WIFI to do it(i think you only get free wifi for the PLForm) and as mentioned, who will monitor it all

I assume with a fly cruise you still need to check in for your flight? And presumably the airline you fly on is just a regular airline which either P&O have purchased seats on? So, you could show your test result at check in, or you could purchase wifi. Or you could upload it once you are close enough to recieve a data signal. 

Who will monitor it - the airline. It is the airline that recieves a fine if they fly you without the negative result.

[Interestedcruisefan]

23 minutes ago, jimbo1683 said:

Agreed what i have read and heard is it is more transmissible. But unless it leads to increased hospitalisation then it isnt a problem (we still have 40,000 new covid cases per day in the UK). And there isn't enough data to know that yet i believe.

In South Africa they are now experiencing a higher hospitalization rate than in previous covid waves.  

 

And worryingly many children are being hospitalized with this variant who obviously won't be vaccinated anywhere in the world

 

10 per cent of hospitalizations in South Africa from the new variant are babies under the age of two

 

On the debate I listened to the host began to seriously question whether he would be allowed to go on holiday to  the US he has booked for Boxing Day

 

There was nothing positive that came forward in the debate tbh. It was depressing to listen to

 

I'm hoping to do 12 night Southampton Cruise early in the New Year but I'm going to wait til last minute to book.  And after what I heard last night I have to seriously question if that cruise will even be allowed to happen

 

I think we were due an official review on travel restrictions in a couple of weeks time now?

 

However, that hasn't stopped the Govt adding new restrictions in the meantime as they start to see how fast this variant transmits

 

Both the doctor and the scientist said they wouldn't consider flying anywhere once the new variant takes hold as it is so easily transmissible. They stated its not necessarily on the planes themselves where you are at most risk but in the terminals whilst you are queuing with others

 

 

 

 

Edited December 5, 2021 by Interestedcruisefan

[wowzz]

16 minutes ago, jimbo1683 said:

And presumably the airline you fly on is just a regular airline which either P&O have purchased seats on?

Normally P&O charter the entire aircraft, with TUI  being the carrier of choice.