For those who have tested at CVS - a couple of questions

[ONECRUISER]

45 minutes ago, Painter4me said:

My husband had an appt this morning at Walgreens for a covid test.  He received a call from them telling him not to show up bc they didn’t have anyone to perform the tests and go back on line and reschedule.  Perfect example of why I’m buying mine proctored kit. He made the appt bc he was having symptoms, not for pre-cruise. Bought an at home test and he’s negative. We cruise at the end of the month and will now be doing proctored.

Yes, had 2 Back ups with a 4th option just in case. Hate think lack of availability a Test only thing keeping me from a Cruise

[Sarahsjb]

Any info on what the disembarking testing rules are In PR when we return? Do we have to test to be able too fly back to mainland US within 48 hrs like we do going  in? Does RC test at port at disembarkation or do we have to find a place ourselves?  Hoping since we leave at 3pm same day as we dock, we can go home without searching for a testing place, etc..

[Ashland]

32 minutes ago, Sarahsjb said:

Any info on what the disembarking testing rules are In PR when we return? Do we have to test to be able too fly back to mainland US within 48 hrs like we do going  in? Does RC test at port at disembarkation or do we have to find a place ourselves?  Hoping since we leave at 3pm same day as we dock, we can go home without searching for a testing place, etc..

No you don't have to test if flying back into the US.

[golf4me2010]

We are using CVS this week. Our secondary option Walgreens just canceled all our appointments for no reason. I did hear this could happen so not shocked. We have the at home proctored test now as our only backup which should work out.

[Lorey2007]

It seems that I may be able to make a appointment at a CVS. I did a mock appointment but now I am questioning the wording under the test type:Rapid test (antigen) it says "not accepted for most travel"  Is this ok?

Edited January 12, 2022 by Lorey2007

[Zeashore]

37 minutes ago, Lorey2007 said:

It seems that I may be able to make a appointment at a CVS. I did a mock appointment but now I am questioning the wording under the test type:Rapid test (antigen) it says "not accepted for most travel"  Is this ok?

But.... I think on the RCI site it says Rapid Antegin IS accepted.  ??

[handbellplayer]

49 minutes ago, Lorey2007 said:

It seems that I may be able to make a appointment at a CVS. I did a mock appointment but now I am questioning the wording under the test type:Rapid test (antigen) it says "not accepted for most travel"  Is this ok?

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/if-need-an-rt-pcr-test-before-i-cruise-where-should-i-go   says:

• There are two common types of diagnostic COVID-19 tests and we accept either kind to satisfy pre-cruise testing requirements, depending on a guest's age and vaccination status.
  • A molecular test, also called a PCR test or NAAT test
  • An antigen test, also called a rapid antigen test

[EllaDuChien]

56 minutes ago, Lorey2007 said:

Rapid test (antigen) it says "not accepted for most travel"  Is this ok?

 

I have used this test for cruising 5 times so far.  It is accepted by the cruise lines.  It is NOT accepted for international air travel or entrance to Hawaii.  Other than that you are fine.  Just took one today at CVS for my cruise on Thursday, had my negative PDF results in exactly one hour.

[gg255210]

On 1/2/2022 at 9:22 AM, emory2001 said:

They text you a link, and you can access it through your CVS My Chart account. The printout looks best if you do it on a desktop computer. It has the CVS logo and a big NEGATIVE at the top.

do you have to have a cvs My Chart or can they just send an email to print?

[EllaDuChien]

13 minutes ago, gg255210 said:

do you have to have a cvs My Chart or can they just send an email to print?

 

They text you a link, once you open that link you can email it to yourself.  You do not need to have a myCVS My Chart account.

[Ashland]

21 minutes ago, EllaDuChien said:

 

They text you a link, once you open that link you can email it to yourself.  You do not need to have a myCVS My Chart account.

Why can't they just email it to you...is that an option with CVS?

[Lorey2007]

1 hour ago, EllaDuChien said:

 

I have used this test for cruising 5 times so far.  It is accepted by the cruise lines.  It is NOT accepted for international air travel or entrance to Hawaii.  Other than that you are fine.  Just took one today at CVS for my cruise on Thursday, had my negative PDF results in exactly one hour.

Do you wait for the results & do  they give you any paperwork or do they just text you & you print yourself?

[Ocean Boy]

2 hours ago, Lorey2007 said:

It seems that I may be able to make a appointment at a CVS. I did a mock appointment but now I am questioning the wording under the test type:Rapid test (antigen) it says "not accepted for most travel"  Is this ok?

This is what I saw to when I booked an appointment. RCI accepts the rapid test. 

[Ashland]

This is all new to us. First time to take a covid test. We have an appointment with our local CVS this Saturday for our Monday cruise and I'm a bit stressed with how this all works !!!!

[Lorey2007]

24 minutes ago, Ashland said:

This is all new to us. First time to take a covid test. We have an appointment with our local CVS this Saturday for our Monday cruise and I'm a bit stressed with how this all works !!!!

Good luck if you have time come back here & let me know how it went.

Edited January 12, 2022 by Lorey2007

[Ashland]

24 minutes ago, Lorey2007 said:

Good luck if you have time come back here & let me know how it went.

I definitely will.....Everyone seems to say that it's easy...I'm not feeling that right now at all. 

[cyntil8ing]

We bought the eMed tests, but made CVS appointments as a backup for our Christmas cruise. Good thing we did as eMed had an 8 hour outage two days before embarkation. We did get one eMed test completed before the outage, but the results were invalid. They promised a replacement test,  yet we are still waiting for it to arrive two weeks after our cruise!
 

So, we went with the CVS option. We had an issue with getting my daughter’s test results because I entered the wrong birth year when I scheduled the appointments. It took multiple phone calls the following days , but we eventually got it sorted out. There were no issues with the other three tests. The testing process for all four of us took less than 30 minutes. Results started coming in about an hour later.

 

CVS submitted to my insurance and the claim was rejected. Not sure yet how that will shake out, but I don’t expect it will be billed to me.

 

My advice would definitely be to have two options. Our remaining eMed tests are valid through October 2022, so assuming nothing changes with testing requirements (a big assumption), we will use them to return home from London after our cruise this July. 🤞

 

 

 

 

[Junkhouse]

We have done CVS 3 times for cruises and we were in and out within 10 minutes and results back in about 30 minutes.  We had BinaxNOW as backups,  We didn't need them but now they are expired.  We need to test at the end of January for another cruise but since we have heard of sites cancelling out of the blue and at the last minute we are planning to schedule tests at 2 different sites in case the first gets cancelled.

[Coralc]

2 hours ago, Ashland said:

I definitely will.....Everyone seems to say that it's easy...I'm not feeling that right now at all. 

We still have never taken a Covid test. Although they are supposed to be FREE to everyone and readily available beginning Friday 1/14. I am hoping by April we won't need one or they will, in fact, be readily available. 

 

And your insurance is required to reimburse you for up to 8 tests per month. So, save your receipts!

Edited January 12, 2022 by Coralc

[little britain]

Can you tell Walgreens to send your results by email only? 

[EllaDuChien]

9 hours ago, Ashland said:

Why can't they just email it to you...is that an option with CVS?

 

If you have a MyChart account, they will email you as well as text you.  If you don't have one, you only get a text.

 

9 hours ago, Lorey2007 said:

Do you wait for the results & do  they give you any paperwork or do they just text you & you print yourself?

 

I did not wait for results.  Took a test at CVS last night at 6:20 and had the Negative test result text by 7:30.  

[Lorey2007]

7 hours ago, Coralc said:

We still have never taken a Covid test. 

 

And your insurance is required to reimburse you for up to 8 tests per month. So, save your receipts!

I believe only if you have private pay insurance not Medicare.

Edited January 12, 2022 by Lorey2007

[Dewaldcruiser]

13 hours ago, EllaDuChien said:

 

I have used this test for cruising 5 times so far.  It is accepted by the cruise lines.  It is NOT accepted for international air travel or entrance to Hawaii.  Other than that you are fine.  Just took one today at CVS for my cruise on Thursday, had my negative PDF results in exactly one hour.

 

Currently not accepted for air travel into Barbados either.

[FreestyleNovice]

Exploring our test options as we need testing pre-cruise with a week long pre-cruise stay: Would CVS be an option for foreign tourists or do they require a proof of ID/insurance? Just asking.. 

 

Our alternatives are: commercial testing near hotel/port of do the online supervised test in the hotel room?

[AustinCruise]

On 1/1/2022 at 3:32 PM, topnole said:

Do they charge for it?   I assume not, but at what point do tests of convenience get in the way of the system testing those that are currently sick and need testing?  Just read a story about hours long lines and sick people losing consciousness waiting.  In a surge such as this you’d think priorities would go to those most in need and lastly for those needing it to take a vacation.  

They charged my insurance company around $137 for the test and the insurance company paid. 

 

Way overpriced IMHO.

 

Had a private lab PCR test with same day results for $85.  Had symptoms for a week and wanted to know if I had covid or a cold.  Turns out it was just a cold.

Edited January 12, 2022 by AustinCruise