Covid Testing Change For Carnival Will RCI Follow?

[B113]

Carnival is publishing that you can be tested 3 days before your cruise starting March 1st if fully vaccinated. Will RCI be doing the same?

Edited February 26, 2022 by B113

[smokeybandit]

CDC allows you to be tested 3 days before if you're "up to date."

So far it doesn't seem like RC is going to go that route.

[davekathy]

3 minutes ago, B113 said:

Carnival is publishing that you can be tested 3 days before your cruise starting March 1st if fully vaccinated. Will RCI be doing the same?

My Magic 8 Ball says, "ask again later".

[not-enough-cruising]

Royal posted their updated protocols yesterday, no changes to the “2 day” testing window 

[Jimbo]

Royal never does anything first..........they are followers, not leaders.

[Anton]

RCI probably thinks it would confuse people and those who are not 'up to date' on vaccinations would show up at the pier with 3 day tests.  So they defaulted to the 2 day rule. 

 

For those interested, here is what Carnival has on the website:

 

IMPORTANT NOTE: Effective March 1, guests who are up to date with their vaccines may take their test within three days prior to sailing. Up to date means a person has received all recommended COVID-19 vaccinations, including any booster dose(s), when eligible. If a guest is fully vaccinated but not up to date with their vaccines (i.e., is eligible for a booster but has not received one), they must take their pre-cruise COVID-19 test within two days prior to sailing.

[Native Floridian 26]

13 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Royal posted their updated protocols yesterday, no changes to the “2 day” testing window 

I find it hard to find all the info I'm looking for on the website.  Did they announce the protocols past April 14th?

Edited February 26, 2022 by Native Floridian 26

[not-enough-cruising]

5 minutes ago, Native Floridian 26 said:

I find it hard to find all the info I'm looking for on the website.  Did they announce the protocols past April 14th?

Yesterday they announced new onboard protocols regarding vaccination status and masking.  I would assume these changes will stay in place "until further notice"

 

What exact information is it you are trying to find?

[Native Floridian 26]

1 minute ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Yesterday they announced new onboard protocols regarding vaccination status and masking.  I would assume these changes will stay in place "until further notice"

 

What exact information is it you are trying to find?

When I booked my Greek Isles/Adriatic cruise 2 days ago for May, the Protocalls had only been announced through April 14th.  Wondering if the Protocalls for after April 14th have been announced yet.

[not-enough-cruising]

Just now, Native Floridian 26 said:

When I booked my Greek Isles/Adriatic cruise 2 days ago for May, the Protocalls had only been announced through April 14th.  Wondering if the Protocalls for after April 14th have been announced yet.

The protocols being discussed here are for US embarkations only; to my knowledge no updates have been giving for embarkations from other countries.  

[Native Floridian 26]

1 minute ago, not-enough-cruising said:

The protocols being discussed here are for US embarkations only; to my knowledge no updates have been giving for embarkations from other countries.  

Thank you.  There are so many different ways to navigate the info, I can't even get to that April 14th date anymore.

[Sunshine3601]

7 minutes ago, Native Floridian 26 said:

When I booked my Greek Isles/Adriatic cruise 2 days ago for May, the Protocalls had only been announced through April 14th.  Wondering if the Protocalls for after April 14th have been announced yet.

They have not yet announced protocols for Europe sailings.     Expect they will be released in the coming weeks.

[Sunshine3601]

26 minutes ago, Anton said:

RCI probably thinks it would confuse people and those who are not 'up to date' on vaccinations would show up at the pier with 3 day tests.  So they defaulted to the 2 day rule. 

 

For those interested, here is what Carnival has on the website:

 

IMPORTANT NOTE: Effective March 1, guests who are up to date with their vaccines may take their test within three days prior to sailing. Up to date means a person has received all recommended COVID-19 vaccinations, including any booster dose(s), when eligible. If a guest is fully vaccinated but not up to date with their vaccines (i.e., is eligible for a booster but has not received one), they must take their pre-cruise COVID-19 test within two days prior to sailing.

As easy as it sounds I imagine there will be a lot of questions / confusion.

[PTC DAWG]

2-3 days, what difference does it make? 

[davekathy]

1 hour ago, PTC DAWG said:

2-3 days, what difference does it make? 

Eliminate the pre cruise testing requirement. For testing none.  For travel purposes it would be nice to have that extra day.  

[nelblu]

2 hours ago, Anton said:

RCI probably thinks it would confuse people and those who are not 'up to date' on vaccinations would show up at the pier with 3 day tests.  So they defaulted to the 2 day rule. 

 

For those interested, here is what Carnival has on the website:

 

IMPORTANT NOTE: Effective March 1, guests who are up to date with their vaccines may take their test within three days prior to sailing. Up to date means a person has received all recommended COVID-19 vaccinations, including any booster dose(s), when eligible. If a guest is fully vaccinated but not up to date with their vaccines (i.e., is eligible for a booster but has not received one), they must take their pre-cruise COVID-19 test within two days prior to sailing.

Probably next year they will determine that fully vaxxed will include booster 1 & 2.  Following year, it'll be Booster 1-3 and so on.  It will like the flu shot, except that they don't ask.

[firefly333]

I think it just adds confusion when carnival is 3 days before and rcl 2 days before and the term fully vaccinated  .. people ask what that means exactly now.

 

Added confusion. 

[nelblu]

2 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I think it just adds confusion when carnival is 3 days before and rcl 2 days before and the term fully vaccinated  .. people ask what that means exactly now.

 

Added confusion. 

Carnival is going to 3 levels.  Level 1, fully vaxxed with booster,  Level 2, vaxxed but no booster.  Level 3, no vaxxed.  Talking about confusion.

[PC Skier]

I hope RCCL changes to 3 days. We like to fly in the day before so getting the test 3 days before would be much better.  We might have to look in to a Carnival cruise, maybe less stress. 

[nhraformula00]

3 hours ago, PC Skier said:

I hope RCCL changes to 3 days. We like to fly in the day before so getting the test 3 days before would be much better.  We might have to look in to a Carnival cruise, maybe less stress. 

Same here. 

[molly361]

The only testing change that I care about Royal doings is eliminating it altogether

[Coralc]

I'm sure they will. Royal Caribbean is a follower, not a leader. And it would be nice if they dropped the testing altogether for vaccinated folks. There is not much else we can do. 

[Cel_cruise]

I don’t understand why 12+ adults are having an issue with the 2 day rule.   Even if you travel a day before your flight - why can’t you get a rapid test completed 2 days prior?  
 

you can do eMed at home or CVS/Walgreens etc and have results in an hour or less?    You don’t need a pCR test which takes a while to get??  
 

unvax under 12s still have 3 days to get their PCR….

[sea mom]

Sorry to say but they need to get rid of the testing all together.  Went to Walgreens yesterday and tested positive for my Monday cruise.  I was shocked, went an hour later to CVS and tested negative.  I cant imagine how many false positives are showing up.

 

[Ex-Airbalancer]

17 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

2-3 days, what difference does it make? 

Big difference to people who are flying in from different countries, you need a test to fly into the USA, 

then another one to get on the cruise 

this could eliminate one test for some people