Covid Testing Change For Carnival Will RCI Follow?

[PC Skier]

1 hour ago, Cel_cruise said:

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….

Why do unvax get 3 days and those vaxed get only  2 days?  Plus its vacation I don;t want the stress. 

[mek]

19 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

2-3 days, what difference does it make? 

It makes a great deal of difference for those of us who have to fly.  An extra day gives us a little breathing room before arriving the day before departure.

[mek]

1 hour ago, sea mom said:

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.

 

That certainly is interesting and I totally agree that testing should go away, but unfortunately that probably won't happen for some time.

 

[lgonquin]

1 hour ago, sea mom said:

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.

 

This is exactly what worries me for our upcoming April cruise.

Chasing around last minute to get tested 1,2,3 times to make triple sure the test result is accurate (or at least negative) 🙂

[Daghis]

1 hour ago, PC Skier said:

Why do unvax get 3 days and those vaxed get only  2 days?  Plus its vacation I don;t want the stress. 

The unvaccinated (kids) have to have a test at the terminal prior to boarding. Vaccinated guests who had their test within the prior 2 days avoid that step.

[DeanD]

2 hours ago, sea mom said:

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.

 

Unfortunately with the way testing works, this likely represents a current or recent true positive rather than a false positive.  Once one tests positive there's no reliable way to prove it's a false positive.  The chances of the second test that's negative being inaccurate is far more likely than a false positive though it's certainly a possibility.  

[Green Recruit]

2 hours ago, sea mom said:

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.

 

The question you have to ask is which type of test did you take? If the Walgreens one was a PCR and the CVS one an antigen then it's totally possible both are correct. Once you contract COVID you should not take the PCR test for at least 90 days as it can possibly still show up as a positive result.

 

Good luck!

 

Teri

[yancycruiser]

I have been hoping for weeks that RCI would change to three days prior.  Would be great for us.

 

[cdwise]

13 hours ago, Cel_cruise said:

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….

For one thing,  not everyone flies to the port.  Neither my husband nor I are flying at this time.

 

They only accept one "at home" test and it has to be proctored so you need a good internet connection. Some people have further to travel and may not be able to get an appointment. It will take us 2 days to get the port for our cruise and we will arrive the night before. I have no idea of the facilities available for testing after 5-6pm or pre boarding the ship that would get results in time. Three days means I can take it before departing for the port. If my husband or I tested positive we could avoid the 2 days of travel and denial of boarding. 

[iuki]

On 2/26/2022 at 7:32 AM, PTC DAWG said:

2-3 days, what difference does it make? 

You have an extra day to choose from to get an appointment.

[cindivan]

Maybe an unpopular opinion based on previous responses, but I’m ok with the vaccine and testing requirements. The cruise lines got killed financially with covid and they are doing what they can to make sure it’s not going to happen again.  
 

It does make cruising a little more stressful with breakthrough cases, but I would rather have myself and/or others not get on board and unknowingly pass along the infection. 

There are places to vacation that don’t require vaccines or testing to enter if people prefer.   We went to the in the DR in December with my partners family - it didn’t require  vaccine or testing to arrive and  the provided  US covid re-entry test that was a complete joke.
 

I personally would prefer to vacation/travel somewhere that genuinely tries to prevent the spread. This will not be forever, and it’s a pain for sure. Air travel used to be a lot more relaxing and now it’s a hassle. I see the testing as just the new normal. At least for a while. 

 

 

 

Edited February 28, 2022 by cindivan

[Another_Critic]

16 hours ago, sea mom said:

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.

 

The big question ... did you answer "Yes" on your health questionnaire today?  

[DeanD]

8 hours ago, Another_Critic said:

The big question ... did you answer "Yes" on your health questionnaire today?  

If they were willing to get a second test looking to get a negative, I think the answer is obvious.  Glad I'm not on that cruise.  We had a trip to Aruba in Jan with 3 couples.  One person tested positive (PCR) and was asymptomatic.  He'd had "bronchitis" 4-5 weeks earlier but did not get tested.  The likely answer was that he had recovered and was a residual positive and had he had proof that he was positive then, he'd have been able to travel.  They didn't go because they could not be sure and could not answer the entry questions honestly and travel.  Fortunately they are honorable people.  

[yancycruiser]

I completely agree with your post Cindivan - well said!   I applaud the cruise lines for doing everything they can to ensure they do not have to shut down again.

 

[Daghis]

11 hours ago, iuki said:

You have an extra day to choose from to get an appointment.

 

Or one has an extra day to wait for a PCR result (if that's all that's available) without ending up panicking on the way to the pier.

Edited February 28, 2022 by Daghis

[DeanD]

1 hour ago, Daghis said:

 

Or one has an extra day to wait for a PCR result (if that's all that's available) without ending up panicking on the way to the pier.

The additional day is huge when a PCR is needed as they often take 3 days to come back.  We do them in the office routinely and it's not uncommon they take 3 days and sometimes, even 4 days.  When we went to Aruba in January they had changed it from 3 days to 2 days and even as a Physician who collects them and routes them to the lab, I had to scramble and was uncertain if I'd be able to get it done in town at all.  What I was able to do was a one off that I'm not sure I could replicate if I needed to.  

[cruisinsusin]

On 2/27/2022 at 9:11 AM, DeanD said:

Unfortunately with the way testing works, this likely represents a current or recent true positive rather than a false positive.  Once one tests positive there's no reliable way to prove it's a false positive.  The chances of the second test that's negative being inaccurate is far more likely than a false positive though it's certainly a possibility.  

Well said- with rapid tests, false negatives are much more likely than false positives

[Another_Critic]

6 hours ago, DeanD said:

If they were willing to get a second test looking to get a negative, I think the answer is obvious.

That's what I figured, but wondering if they would incriminated themselves.  😄

 

And yet, 6 people liked the positive to negative switcheroo post.  🙄