**** CARNIVAL COVID TESTING THREAD #2 **** JANUARY 6, 2002

[mdsgu]

In the past, we never bought travel insurance.  Now, with everything going on in the world, it seems like an (almost) reasonable expense.

[2wheelin]

1 hour ago, jsglow said:

The topic of Travel Insurance is an interesting one. No doubt the line for it moved somewhat in a post Covid world.  To answer the OP's question, it is NOT required for fully vaccinated guests on the vast majority of typical Carnival cruises... think 3-7 days in the Caribbean.

 

As always, one must personally assess the risk/reward.  We personally got it (and are very glad we did) when we traveled to Germany this past Spring.  At that time, a negative test was required before flying home.  Our family had a single positive result requiring 5 days in quarantine in Germany at the end of the trip followed by a walk up plane ticket from Munich back to the United States.  Our insurance covered the expense.

 

In a typical Caribbean cruise, a failed pre-cruise test would set us back the cost of the non-refundable one night pre-cruise hotel.  All other expense (flights and cruise costs) would be refunded or turned into FCC so no money would be lost.  Then it comes down to one's willingness to self insure over things like international medical expense, helicopter evac, missed flights causing one to miss the ship, etc. 

Do you know what classification it was for insurance to pay? I review policies and am never sure which limits to be concerned about. For instance, was yours considered trip interruption since you got it covered. Trip delay only pays a small amount for a few days. Just not sure how they differentiate delay from interruption as they seem to be the same thing.

[psk2347]

So my wife and I got the rapid test this morning at Walgreens. They said we should get our results within 2 hours but we have yet to receive. I called the Pharmacy and they said our results were negative, but the computer hasn't sent out the email yet. It now been 13 hours without our results. Has anyone run into this issue?

 

[BlerkOne]

Did you give them a valid email? Could the pharmacy print out the results?

[ledges1]

On my last cruise 4 of us were tested at two different Walgreens using Rapid NAAT. My wife's came back in about an hour. Mine took 4 hours from the same location. My brother and his wife took 24 hours from a different store. They called the Walgreens store after about 4 hours and were told they were negative but it would be the next day before they would get the paper work. It did come the next day.

[psk2347]

Yes the email addresses are correct. They just aren't sending out the results for whatever reason. 

[psk2347]

Just now, ledges1 said:

On my last cruise 4 of us were tested at two different Walgreens using Rapid NAAT. My wife's came back in about an hour. Mine took 4 hours from the same location. My brother and his wife took 24 hours from a different store. They called the Walgreens store after about 4 hours and were told they were negative but it would be the next day before they would get the paper work. It did come the next day.

Thank you for this. I'm hopeful they will show up tomorrow!

[Saint Greg]

The three times I used walgreens I did the 24 hour test and had my results in less than an hour. 

[TexasJohn82]

Walgreens had an issue today (we had the same issue).  You have to call them and have them resend the email as it was down all day.

[ZoeyVictoria]

This is not the first time they have had problems with emails not being sent.  We went back and requested printed results.  They were not surprised, made no comment, and quickly printed results.

[h_blond2]

Hello all! I am looking for people who have recently used this COVID Test and were able to cruise! The Carnival website directed me to this test, but I'd like to hear from real people who have used it. Thanks! 

[AJSkarbo]

I used it in November for an RCI cruise out of Los Angeles. Very easy. 

[tallnthensome]

Been discussed hundreds of times on here. Read the covid testing thread at the very top of the forum. Use the forum search function as well.

[FireEater]

Yes, I had the same issue,  When I called about 5 hours after taking the test through the drive thru of all places,  I got the standard reply of computer issue with sending them out.  About 1 hour later, I got 6 emails from them with my results.   This was about 2 weeks ago.

[coffeemom67]

We used it in May with no problems. 3 of us tested and results emailed within minutes. 

[TeresaJ]

We used these tests for our April cruise and will be using them again next week for our Freedom cruise.

[h_blond2]

1 hour ago, tallnthensome said:

Been discussed hundreds of times on here. Read the covid testing thread at the very top of the forum. Use the forum search function as well.

Thanks for your less than helpful advice. 

[tallnthensome]

54 minutes ago, h_blond2 said:

Thanks for your less than helpful advice. 

You were seeking advice . The info you seek is in the testing thread at the top. If you use the search function there are 17 pages of threads on the Abbot Binax test kits. Somehow my thanks from you is you telling me that I'm not helpful. 

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?&q=Abbot &type=forums_topic&search_and_or=or

[Pyxie]

Yes, we've used this along with many others with no issues. Another option is Onpoint Testing which charges $14.99 per person for a virtual appointment and you can use any at home test, including the free ones from the government.

[CruisingFromLA]

Purchase the test kits through eMed instead (link) for $150 for a pack of 6. Also, you can get partial reimbursement from your health insurance (for up to 8 tests, per insured member, per month, and the reimbursement is up to $12 per test). Therefore, you will get $72 back from your health insurance, making the 6 test kits $78 ($13 each).

[txcruiser1234]

We used these BinaxNOW tests for the first time in June from our San Francisco hotel room. 

 

We had one glitch. When we first signed in to the emed app, the virtual queue just kept spinning without giving us an approximate wait time. We waited 45 minutes before locating a customer service number for Optum (we could not find an emed/BinaxNOW number that would answer the phone). Optum answered after about 5 mins.) Turns out there was a glitch on the emed end that particular night and all we had to do was exit completely out of the emed app, start the sign in process again, and the virtual queue from that point was 7 minutes. Otherwise, these tests were easy to use. Took about 25 minutes each. Had our digital results a few minutes after each test.

 

If you search youtube for something like BinaxNOW covid tests, there are a handful of cruisers who have uploaded helpful videos of themselves taking the test. We watched one guy accidentally knock the test off his table and had to restart with a new test kit. So, although we only needed two tests, we took four with us.

[englishteacher702]

1 hour ago, Pyxie said:

Yes, we've used this along with many others with no issues. Another option is Onpoint Testing which charges $14.99 per person for a virtual appointment and you can use any at home test, including the free ones from the government.

I have seen people recommend this option, but has anyone used it and been successful?

[dbrucern]

Have used these test for the 7 cruises that we have taken since the restart. Very easy to use and never any problems

[tutzig]

On 7/1/2022 at 5:14 AM, h_blond2 said:

Hello all! I am looking for people who have recently used this COVID Test and were able to cruise! The Carnival website directed me to this test, but I'd like to hear from real people who have used it. Thanks! 

 

So, this I can answer. 

 

We did 4 of our 6 yesterday. It was not clear if one email was possible or not, so everyone used their own email.

 

One warning, one of our tests came back as "not valid" so we had to quickly schedule a rapid at Quest, and that was yesterday, and still no results. Hoping for results today, sail tomorrow.

 

The test process itself was simple, and each person started their own call. There was no waiting for the testing session to start.

 

I am praying that the other 2 that test today have no issues. At some point, we may have to have the one retest again if no results from quest come back.

 

The three that tested, tested easily and results were in email within minutes. I printed the results and uploaded them to Verifly and approved within a few hours.

[jiggs]

sailing from Seattle to Alaska which includes a stop in Canada -  I have the ArriveCAN app ready to roll.  I know I have to test to get on the ship, just trying to understand some timing.  

 

If I don't need proof a test in CA, I can book my test 3 days in advance, if I do then I only get 2 days.

 

but my confusion is here - 

 

Canada says -

 

To qualify as a fully vaccinated traveller to Canada, you must:

• have received at least 2 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine accepted for travel, a mix of 2 accepted vaccines
  • or at least 1 dose of the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine
• have received your second dose at least 14 calendar days before you enter Canada
  • Example: if your second dose was anytime on Thursday, July 1, then Thursday, July 15 would be the first day that you meet the 14 day condition
  • this timing is only required for your second dose, not for third or fourth doses
• have no signs or symptoms of COVID-19
• have ArriveCAN receipt with letter A, I, or V beside your name by uploading proof of vaccination in ArriveCAN

 

Carnival says -

 

BERMUDA AND CANADA: Fully vaccinated guests traveling to Bermuda and Canada, including those who are up to date with their vaccines, can take either a PCR test within 72 hours prior to sailing, or an antigen test no earlier than two days prior to sailing, in order to comply with CDC and destination regulations.