Boarding and Covid Testing

[Lookyboy]

2 hours ago, marinaro44 said:

Answer is not clear, so we were tested at a local pharmacy and had results documented.

If you use a local pharmacy, is there a cost, or do you simply take the test within view of a pharmacy employee?

[marinaro44]

1 hour ago, Lookyboy said:

If you use a local pharmacy, is there a cost, or do you simply take the test within view of a pharmacy employee?

Pharmacy observed our swabbing and tested the sample.  No cost here in the U.S.

[roberts2005]

There must be a time frame.  If we are going to Europe two days before the cruise and one night on the plane, when should we be tested?

[uktog]

I’m going to try and get answers this morning but at no time in any of the emails about our cruise starting next week was the need for a test highlighted to us.  Plenty emails pushing shore excursions though!  

[marinaro44]

2 hours ago, uktog said:

I’m going to try and get answers this morning but at no time in any of the emails about our cruise starting next week was the need for a test highlighted to us.  Plenty emails pushing shore excursions though!  

Not really a "need."  We weren't asked for the result at the dock.  If the pre-boarding test is negative you're fine.

[uktog]

4 minutes ago, marinaro44 said:

Not really a "need."  We weren't asked for the result at the dock.  If the pre-boarding test is negative you're fine.

Thanks. It’s just IF we were positive looks like we’d be on our own if our insurance did not pay (and that’s a risk if you’re symptom free now) and Azamara said no test you pay as seems to be the wording 

[Lookyboy]

14 minutes ago, uktog said:

Thanks. It’s just IF we were positive looks like we’d be on our own if our insurance did not pay (and that’s a risk if you’re symptom free now) and Azamara said no test you pay as seems to be the wording 

That's how it reads to me also. Our chemist is providing this service on our village here for £179 per person. 

[uktog]

5 minutes ago, Lookyboy said:

That's how it reads to me also. Our chemist is providing this service on our village here for £179 per person. 

Yes a big last minute curve ball. As we can’t get tests Saturday or Sunday and fly before airport facility opens on a Monday it’s another challenge 

[Riocca]

I’ve looked at this but If we tested positive at that stage our travel insurance which has covid cover would cover the cancellation and the cost of any quarantine and repatriation.

[uktog]

7 minutes ago, Riocca said:

I’ve looked at this but If we tested positive at that stage our travel insurance which has covid cover would cover the cancellation and the cost of any quarantine and repatriation.

I have contacted mine (normally excellent) and they have said it would depend if the test that found you positive was necessary in their view if you were asymptomatic.  As 7-10 days in a foreign country could be quite an expense I want to know more from Azamara.  My guess is its another area where they have written US centric rules forgetting that elsewhere you can fly without a test and/or tests are not as available as just walking up to the chemist and getting them at little or no cost

[marinaro44]

This policy has been on the web site since at least January when we prepared for our February cruise.  Maybe before then, but that's when we read every bit of information posted by Azamara. 

 

Do other cruise lines offer this same coverage beyond your insurance coverage?  Would Viking have covered expenses your insurance wouldn't have if you had tested positive at embarkation?  To me, it sounds like a generous offer on Azamara's part.  As I read the Viking protocols, passengers must be tested before leaving home.  True?

[uktog]

26 minutes ago, marinaro44 said:

This policy has been on the web site since at least January when we prepared for our February cruise.  Maybe before then, but that's when we read every bit of information posted by Azamara. 

 

Do other cruise lines offer this same coverage beyond your insurance coverage?  Would Viking have covered expenses your insurance wouldn't have if you had tested positive at embarkation?  To me, it sounds like a generous offer on Azamara's part.  As I read the Viking protocols, passengers must be tested before leaving home.  True?

Correct but we knew that and it was also regularly communicated direct to us by Viking by email before we travelled.  We adjusted our flight times to fit it in, we do not have that option this late on.  And yes Viking would have covered our expenses if we tested positive at the port if the insurer did not pay.  We certainly did not need this in September and none of the documentation then mentioned tests.  

Edited March 30, 2022 by uktog

[Medeba]

33 minutes ago, marinaro44 said:

Do other cruise lines offer this same coverage beyond your insurance coverage?

We are going on a Regent cruise next week and we received an email from them on 24 March to say that they would cover expenses if you tested positive at the port BUT only if your pre departure Covid test was negative and your insurance would not cover the quarantine etc expenses.

[marinaro44]

1 hour ago, Medeba said:

We are going on a Regent cruise next week and we received an email from them on 24 March to say that they would cover expenses if you tested positive at the port BUT only if your pre departure Covid test was negative and your insurance would not cover the quarantine etc expenses.

Same policy as Azamara.  Does Regent require a pre-departure Covid test like Viking, or is it your decision, like Azamara?

[Medeba]

13 minutes ago, marinaro44 said:

Same policy as Azamara.  Does Regent require a pre-departure Covid test like Viking, or is it your decision, like Azamara?

It's our decision.  In my view, it would be silly not to do it in case you test positive at the pier and you then subsequently have trouble with your insurance.

[uktog]

2 minutes ago, Medeba said:

It's our decision.  In my view, it would be silly not to do it in case you test positive at the pier and you then subsequently have trouble with your insurance.

I agree except that supervised tests are not as easy come by in many parts of the UK and by the time we get the results fly to the port stay overnight their results are only a box ticking exercise  as 48 hours will have passed. 

Edited March 30, 2022 by uktog

[Azamarajunkie]

Having considered all the responses and opinions on this thread and having checked our annual insurance with our bank, we have decided to use the discounted fit to fly tests from British Airways for the Onward christening cruise. We have used these on our last three holidays since September 2021 and they have met our insurance and travel requirements in the past. They are also very reasonable at £13.50 each, It’s a small price to pay for peace of mind.

[uktog]

7 minutes ago, Azamarajunkie said:

Having considered all the responses and opinions on this thread and having checked our annual insurance with our bank, we have decided to use the discounted fit to fly tests from British Airways for the Onward christening cruise. We have used these on our last three holidays since September 2021 and they have met our insurance and travel requirements in the past. They are also very reasonable at £13.50 each, It’s a small price to pay for peace of mind.

Which provider are they with?  I suspect its too late for us to get them ordered up - we certainly are for Randox

[Azamarajunkie]

We use Chronomics who have been very reliable for us, but I’m not sure you would get them in time. They have always delivered to us by DPD, but you have to order them at least 5 days before travel.

[uktog]

42 minutes ago, Azamarajunkie said:

We use Chronomics who have been very reliable for us, but I’m not sure you would get them in time. They have always delivered to us by DPD, but you have to order them at least 5 days before travel.

Thats our problem!

[kool kruiser]

Although I am unsure as to the company involved, I understand that a private lateral flow test can be purchased for testing at home. The result is then photographed and emailed to the provider who emails a certificate within a few hours. If Randox offer this service their kits can be collected from local pick up points at short notice.

Cost is very modest using this methodology.

I do not think NHS tests will be acceptable as result is self-entered.

Hope this may help.

[marinaro44]

5 hours ago, Medeba said:

It's our decision.  In my view, it would be silly not to do it in case you test positive at the pier and you then subsequently have trouble with your insurance.

Agree.  I also think it's a considerate thing to do, to be sure you are not infected, before boarding an invariably full airplane.

[uktog]

32 minutes ago, marinaro44 said:

Agree.  I also think it's a considerate thing to do, to be sure you are not infected, before boarding an invariably full airplane.

For the avoidance of doubt we too do that but it is with an NHS self test - as we use whenever we visit hospital  and care homes etc - the self test is the accepted test here when we are being responsible

Edited March 30, 2022 by uktog

[travelberlin]

Does Azamara not provide this information for the particular cruise? 
Ivi

[uktog]

3 minutes ago, travelberlin said:

Does Azamara not provide this information for the particular cruise? 
Ivi

That’s the point. There has been no communication saying you need a test to guests on particular cruises