Those who have used Walgreens for Testing

[ColoradoMom!!]

I am very sorry, and I have read the testing thread above, and the Information on the Princess site.

However, I just would like to hear from someone who used Walgreens in their home state - how it went.

 

I booked a last minute cruise out of FLL that leaves the weekend of March 4th, and I'm weighing my options. Might be too late to order kits, and it's $$ compared to Walgreens - but I don't want to put all my eggs in an unreliable basket!

 

Thanks!!

[gypsybaba]

 We used Walgreens for our pre-cruise testing in December, right in the middle of the "surge". I scheduled the tests online about 1 week before testing. Process was quick and staff helpful. We did the test for travel that was quick- resulted. We had emailed results in less than 2 hours. 

[e71465]

We leave on March 4th to sail out on March 5th. We are testing at Walgreens because that's really all that's available in our small town. So I am following this post.  

[NRWPA]

I've had 50-50 luck. First time no problem; second time no results, no email, nothing. Was finally able to get through to pharmacy and they told me the whole batch the day I got mine done was no good. That said, I'm going there Friday for my Sunday cruise. Nomi Health in my area now only does PCR tests 😞

 

[VibeGuy]

Either of the Walgreens offers that promise same-day results are appropriate for travel and not subject to lab delays or screwups as they are 100% completed in-store.  I’ve used their IDNow tests twice and will use them again in two days, with zero issue.  Just book appointments for the same day for everyone who will be in the car for the test and they’ll collect all the swabs at once - results for IDNow will show up one at a time, those for BINAXNow will show up one after the other.   

[cr8tiv1]

Some pharmacies have PCR and rapid antigen tests.  PCR tests are usually sent to a lab.  It could be several states away (express overnight) and can take up to several days to get a result.  Rapid Antigen tests are processed in house with a reader.  Results usually under a couple of hours.  

[tompeter]

13 minutes ago, VibeGuy said:

Either of the Walgreens offers that promise same-day results are appropriate for travel and not subject to lab delays or screwups as they are 100% completed in-store.  I’ve used their IDNow tests twice and will use them again in two days, with zero issue.  Just book appointments for the same day for everyone who will be in the car for the test and they’ll collect all the swabs at once - results for IDNow will show up one at a time, those for BINAXNow will show up one after the other.   

Agree. Have used twice and using again later this week.

[Jersey42]

We have used the IDNow (Rapid NAAT) test at Walgreens three times since Thanksgiving.  It was all very easy and worked great.  Results came back via email in no more than three hours.  

 

In Nov and Jan, you could book up to seven days in advance. Two weeks ago, you could only book three days in advance.  In Nov, only a few of the stores had the IDNow equipment to process the tests.  By February, most, if not all of the stores near us had the equipment.  With the abundance of stores offering the test, it was very easy to get an appointment.

 

The BinaxNOW tests are not offered in this area.  The lab processed PCR tests are, but there is no guarantee the results will be available in time.

[crawford]

In addition to the PCR test (results time varies - per website), Walgreen's also offers the Rapid Diagnostic Test (ID NOW) and the Rapid Antigen Test (BinaxNOW). Not that not all Walgreens offer all of the tests. My local Walgreen's, for example, offers the PCR and Rapid Diagnostic Test, not the Rapid Antigen Test. I can make an appointment from tomorrow, through February 28th, for the Rapid Diagnostic Test. Results for this test are usually provided within 1-3 hours. In my case, we cruised on February 13th and took our ID Now tests on February 11th. My results came within one hour, my wife's didn't come for 3 hours, although we took the outdoor tests at the same time. We printed the test results and breezed through check-in. If you're wondering where the Rapid Diagnostic Test falls, it is a NAAT test.

[ZoeyVictoria]

We have used Walgreen’s twice (December) and will be making an appointment tomorrow for March 1.  Appointments are available to be booked one week in advance right now, though that has varied in the last few months from three days to two weeks.  All information is submitted online, an appointment is confirmed by email, and it is just a matter of showing up in the drive-thru line at the correct time.  We have received results in less than an hour both times.  We also used a site sponsored by Manatee County and run by Nomi Health three times (September to November) and had the same positive experience, Walgreens was just closer for us.

[beaglesandducks]

I used walgreens (drive thru) for january cruise  results for idnow came in 30 minutes

also used cvs (outside kiosk) for antigen test for august cruise   Results in less than 30 minutes   Made appointments online a week in advance

[ColoradoMom!!]

OP Here..

Thank you all so much for your replies - I am so relieved !! 

 

My Walgreens offers the ID Now and PCR.  I think we'll go with the ID now - faster, and we did have Omicron run through our house late December - and heard you may test positive on a PCR for up to 90 days.

 

Our Walgreens is also scheduling only one week ahead.  I sure hope they don't decide to end the program in the next 10 days!! 😬

[VibeGuy]

Note that IDNOW is a molecular test that has the same ability to detect old virus genetic material as PCR (NAAT and PCR are both looking for the same thing and making copies of what they find, to see if they reach a threshold level in a certain number of copies).  It too can identify virus in people who are no longer capable of transmitting it to others. 
 

Specifically because it’s such a giant pain to get a proctored antigen test on short notice, we did a lab PCR roughly ten days before our NAAT test, to see if there was anything that might have gone unnoticed symptom-wise since our last surface antigen.  That PCR was clear and we can use either IDNow or BINAXNow with confidence.  If that PCR had popped, we would have the ten days of recovery required to board without an additional test.  

[Coral]

I have tested 2x at Walgreens. First time, I never got the results (well - I did but I had to call and it was more than 24 hours later). Second time, it took 5 hours to get results.

[ColoradoMom!!]

2 minutes ago, VibeGuy said:

Note that IDNOW is a molecular test that has the same ability to detect old virus genetic material as PCR (NAAT and PCR are both looking for the same thing and making copies of what they find, to see if they reach a threshold level in a certain number of copies).  It too can identify virus in people who are no longer capable of transmitting it to others. 
 

Specifically because it’s such a giant pain to get a proctored antigen test on short notice, we did a lab PCR roughly ten days before our NAAT test, to see if there was anything that might have gone unnoticed symptom-wise since our last surface antigen.  That PCR was clear and we can use either IDNow or BINAXNow with confidence.  If that PCR had popped, we would have the ten days of recovery required to board without an additional test.  

WOW - ok, great information!! Thanks!

 

 SO - let me make sure I understand.  If one tests positive on a PCR, they would be allowed to board 10 days later with no additional testing?

 

My husband has access to free PCR - maybe he should do it now.  It's return time is not reliable enough to risk it closer to departure.

[capriccio]

We got the Walgreens IDNow tests done on New Years Eve day back when you had to make an appointment as soon as they opened 7 days in advance because demand was so great.  You can't make just one appointment for two people so you need to made 2 consecutive appointments if there are 2 people in your travel party but when you both show up together they don't make the second person wait (that was true for us and for 2 friends being tested in early December).  We were told "it can take up to 24 hours for you to receive the results, but more likely it will be less than 4."  We received our results in 40 minutes. We'll be doing the same again for a March 10th cruise.

[Honolulu Blue]

5 hours ago, ColoradoMom!! said:

I booked a last minute cruise out of FLL that leaves the weekend of March 4th, and I'm weighing my options. Might be too late to order kits, and it's $$ compared to Walgreens - but I don't want to put all my eggs in an unreliable basket!

 

I haven't used Walgreens for testing, so I have no opinion on that (but it's nice to hear other reports - thanks!), but I do have a bit to say on the at-home proctored test kits.  You should be able to receive them on time if you order them today or tomorrow.  I got next day delivery on the two orders I made through Optum at no extra cost.  YMMV, of course.

[VibeGuy]

Yes, a positive test 90-10 days prior to sailing, with a healthcare professional‘s note that you have recovered, counts as a viral test.   See the answer from the Princess FAQ below:

 

UPDATED: Will I still need a pre-cruise COVID test before embarkation if I have recently recovered from COVID-19?

Guests who have recovered from COVID-19 within 3 months of their embarkation, do not need to get a viral test 2 days before embarkation if they are at least 10 days past their COVID-19 infection, have no symptoms and produce documentation of recovery from COVID-19 infection.

Documentation of Recovery consists of the following:

1. Paper or electronic copies of the positive viral test result from a certified laboratory (dated no more than 90 days ago), and
2. A signed letter, on official letterhead that contains the name, address, and phone number of a licensed healthcare provider or public health official, stating that the individual has been cleared to end isolation, is at least 10 days past their infection start date and can travel. The letter should include the date of the positive test and patient identifiers such as name and date of birth that matches the passport or other travel documents.

Guests who present these documents will need to go through secondary screening at the terminal and boarding will be approved at the medical staff’s discretion. If guests are not able to obtain documentation of recovery that fulfills the above requirements, they will need to take the required COVID-19 viral test and show a negative result.

Edited February 22, 2022 by VibeGuy

[ColoradoMom!!]

Thanks Vibe Guy!

I had read that, and forgot!! I think I dismissed it upon my initial reading because getting the DR note would be tough considering we never saw a doctor when positive over Christmas. 

[VibeGuy]

The note doesn’t have to be contemporaneous with the test - you can have the positive tests and then get the doctor to write the clear-to-travel note later.  C’mon, we all know how much medical practices love to fill out trivial paperwork!

[Torfamm]

Walgreens has worked well for us three times. I try to make my appointment 7 days ahead and have not had a problem 

[coo359a2]

6 hours ago, ColoradoMom!! said:

Thanks Vibe Guy!

I had read that, and forgot!! I think I dismissed it upon my initial reading because getting the DR note would be tough considering we never saw a doctor when positive over Christmas. 

Just FYI. Daughter felt like her allergies were acting up but to be sure she tested at Walgreens since cruise was in 20 days. Was positive. Also tested at her hospital and once more at Walgreens and both positive Then she started testing negative at Walgreens. When time to take the “official test” to cruise she tested at Walgreens and now was positive. Went to an Urgent Care Clinic and tested negative. 

[voljeep]

14 minutes ago, coo359a2 said:

When time to take the “official test” to cruise she tested at Walgreens and now was positive. Went to an Urgent Care Clinic and tested negative. 

which test did you show Princess at the dock ? 🦄

[coo359a2]

43 minutes ago, voljeep said:

which test did you show Princess at the dock ? 🦄

The one done by the doctor and hospital

[rj59]

I use Walgreens as my first choice and emed home tests as a backup, which I had to use once during the December surge when my test was canceled. The most important thing is to check how soon test spots open up, which is a pain because you have to fill out lots of info every time you try to look at their schedule. Then make sure you get online to schedule that number of days before your cruise--on my last one I woke at 3 am to schedule the day that appointments opened up for your day. Other important things--don't say that you're getting the test for travel, because you're not supposed to get a rapid antigen test for travel, say you've had exposure to a confirmed covid case, which you probably have had. The other thing is that it tells you to bring an insurance card, but in reality they don't ask for or require insurance, and they charge it to a government account. 

 

If you order home tests from Optum, they ship very quickly, by Fedex, so I would order a set of 3 for two passengers, since there are various ways to mess up a test. Watch YouTube videos of the process and what people learned and did wrong. If you're really clueless about tech and using QR codes and a webcam, you might look to a local backup option to Walgreens that offers paid tests--your county health site should have various local options, and then confirm availability. The good news is that with the drop in omicron cases and the relaxation of mandates for school and work testing, there should be much more availability. Finally, I highly recommend bringing some home tests on your cruise, so if you get any symptoms you can test yourself and avoid a lot of worry or being quarantined for no reason--I had a scratchy throat on my last cruise, and using a home test gave me peace of mind.