NSW Government has released their rules for cruising starting!

[OzKiwiJJ]

The key factor should be having had your last shot within a certain time frame of embarking. Four months maybe? 

[BRANDEE]

4 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Yes, I imagine there will be a number of places to go to by June.

Hi Julie,

Once cruising began in the US, Princess began accepting two home tests that had proctoring through a  telehealth service. Optum or Radeas kits were purchased around one month prior embarkation. This helped many travelers test within the two day window.  Princess has their name and address to purchase them on their US site under health protocols.  I purchased them as a back up incase our appointment at our local hospital/outreach facility was cancelled.  Our friends who cruised in January and could not find a place in FLL to test prior their cruise used it and said it was easy.  The two test kit was $70.  My insurance actually reimbursed us.

[OzKiwiJJ]

12 minutes ago, BRANDEE said:

Hi Julie,

Once cruising began in the US, Princess began accepting two home tests that had proctoring through a  telehealth service. Optum or Radeas kits were purchased around one month prior embarkation. This helped many travelers test within the two day window.  Princess has their name and address to purchase them on their US site under health protocols.  I purchased them as a back up incase our appointment at our local hospital/outreach facility was cancelled.  Our friends who cruised in January and could not find a place in FLL to test prior their cruise used it and said it was easy.  The two test kit was $70.  My insurance actually reimbursed us.

We've got plenty of Rapid Antigen kits, at our age they are free. But to use them for travel the test has to be supervised which some pharmacies are now doing. I haven't heard any telehealth supervision being available here, so far it has to be done in person. 

 

I don't think it will be a problem. We have a whole day in Brisbane before we embark so should be able to get one done then. 

[arxcards]

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

We've got plenty of Rapid Antigen kits, at our age they are free. But to use them for travel the test has to be supervised which some pharmacies are now doing. I haven't heard any telehealth supervision being available here, so far it has to be done in person. 

 

I don't think it will be a problem. We have a whole day in Brisbane before we embark so should be able to get one done then. 

Would be great, but not aware of this being a thing here yet. One snag is that travellers tests aren't being subsidised, yet telehealth is a doctor consult covered by medicare.

 

They will be so easy. I asked my local chemist a few hours ago. They are starting them in two weeks, and no appointment is necessary, but we can make one if we wish. They are not going down the online booking path. Just pay, give particulars, do test, get result.

[queenslander]

I'm doing B to B cruises so just wondering whether I will need one test or two. I am not planning to get off the ship on changeover day but might have to if a second test is required. 

[BRANDEE]

1 hour ago, queenslander said:

I'm doing B to B cruises so just wondering whether I will need one test or two. I am not planning to get off the ship on changeover day but might have to if a second test is required. 

We did a b2b and the day before the second leg of the b2b, the cruise line, which was Princess, gave us a covid test on the ship.  We were given an appointment time and place. If you were positive, off the ship the next day.  There were 300 of us (in transit),

[BRANDEE]

7 hours ago, arxcards said:

Would be great, but not aware of this being a thing here yet. One snag is that travellers tests aren't being subsidised, yet telehealth is a doctor consult covered by medicare.

 

They will be so easy. I asked my local chemist a few hours ago. They are starting them in two weeks, and no appointment is necessary, but we can make one if we wish. They are not going down the online booking path. Just pay, give particulars, do test, get result.

Medicare is picking up testing at facilities here in US,  Even if being used for travel.  However, they are not providing/covering  telehealth home proctored kits.  You have to purchase on your own.  My secondary private insurance picked up the cost.  I didn't realize until I went to Aruba and had to be tested to come home that my private insurance picks up international and travel tests.  Nice surprise. Many local  pharmacies (CVS, Walgreens, etc.)are not reliable in returning results in time for traveling.

[NSWP]

16 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

We've got plenty of Rapid Antigen kits, at our age they are free. But to use them for travel the test has to be supervised which some pharmacies are now doing. I haven't heard any telehealth supervision being available here, so far it has to be done in person. 

 

I don't think it will be a problem. We have a whole day in Brisbane before we embark so should be able to get one done then. 

RAT's are only free if you have a concession/Healthcare card, Julie.

 

As you know not all us retirees qualify for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Care Cards for the 'stay alive pills' and free RAT's.🤬

Edited April 9, 2022 by NSWP

[NSWP]

20 hours ago, Kiwi_cruiser said:

 

I would think two shots.

I would say 3.  Govt says 3 is the required number of Covid 19 vaccs, my digital certificate says that anyway.  I am booked in for No.4  on 6 May.    My son has recently returned from Copenhagen on business, he says they are doing the 5th shot over there in Denmark.

[arxcards]

1 hour ago, NSWP said:

I would say 3.  Govt says 3 is the required number of Covid 19 vaccs, my digital certificate says that anyway.  I am booked in for No.4  on 6 May.    My son has recently returned from Copenhagen on business, he says they are doing the 5th shot over there in Denmark.

My digital certificate doesn't show how many vax I have had, it just displays a tick to say I am up to date. I have had my 3, but it would currently be considered as up to date with 2.

[possum52]

8 minutes ago, arxcards said:

My digital certificate doesn't show how many vax I have had, it just displays a tick to say I am up to date. I have had my 3, but it would currently be considered as up to date with 2.

The certificate I have on my phone wallet just has the tick but the certificate attached to the Services Vic app has the three vaccination dates listed.

Edited April 10, 2022 by possum52

[NSWP]

26 minutes ago, arxcards said:

My digital certificate doesn't show how many vax I have had, it just displays a tick to say I am up to date. I have had my 3, but it would currently be considered as up to date with 2.

Mine lists the vaccination type and dates. I got the trifecta so far.

 

For your 4th jab it has to be the same stuff as your third, e.g. my first 2 were AstraZeneca, 3rd was Moderna so 4th will be Moderna which will be 4 months after third.

Edited April 10, 2022 by NSWP

[Mikamarii]

1 hour ago, NSWP said:

I would say 3.  Govt says 3 is the required number of Covid 19 vaccs, my digital certificate says that anyway. 

I think this is what concerns me most about the latest Covid rules being implemented. Everywhere is different and inconsistent. In Canada, only 2 are needed.
As a front line worker I was eligible for my doses early on in 2021. I did what my govt asked and had a mixed dose as I took the first one available. There was a short period of time where professionals across the globe said that mixed doses don’t qualify as fully vaxed so I was required to get a third. That was last September. Now some places are saying if your last dose was more than 270 days you require then you need a booster. So for me that would be a 4th dose but, as of now,  I don’t meet the eligibility  requirements for a 4th dose so if that doesn’t change by summer I’ll be ineligible to travel this fall. 

it’d make more sense if all vaccinations were required and everyone had equal access to them. 
 

[NSWP]

5 minutes ago, Mikamarii said:

I think this is what concerns me most about the latest Covid rules being implemented. Everywhere is different and inconsistent. In Canada, only 2 are needed.
As a front line worker I was eligible for my doses early on in 2021. I did what my govt asked and had a mixed dose as I took the first one available. There was a short period of time where professionals across the globe said that mixed doses don’t qualify as fully vaxed so I was required to get a third. That was last September. Now some places are saying if your last dose was more than 270 days you require then you need a booster. So for me that would be a 4th dose but, as of now,  I don’t meet the eligibility  requirements for a 4th dose so if that doesn’t change by summer I’ll be ineligible to travel this fall. 

it’d make more sense if all vaccinations were required and everyone had equal access to them. 
 

There should be a world wide standard/bench mark, but it ain't gonna happen.

[arxcards]

27 minutes ago, NSWP said:

There should be a world wide standard/bench mark, but it ain't gonna happen.

That would be a stretch. From what I have seen over the past 2 years, we can't even get the states of our federation to agree on a standard.

 

I am ineligible for #4, but that may change before my next cruise. Quite a few countries spec that fully vaxxed is two jabs, but the the last jab must be within the last 9 months to be considered fully vaxxed. It would be a minefield for anyone planning a big OS trip.

 

I do have my 3 jabs listed on the medicare app, but the service NSW check-in just shows if you are up to date. Currently, 2 jabs is up to date unless you have a mandate that requires more.

[BRANDEE]

3 hours ago, NSWP said:

RAT's are only free if you have a concession/Healthcare card, Julie.

 

As you know not all us retirees qualify for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Care Cards for the 'stay alive pills' and free RAT's.🤬

is the Commonwealth Senior Health Care Card similar to Medicare that is available in US.?  Aren't all workers required to pay into the system when working ? So they can collect in retirement. Both husband and I paid inti system so we are covered by Medicare, but we also have a supplement to cover what Medicare doesn't.  Our supplement is close to $600 per month for 2.Rapid Antigen Tests are covered for everyone who wants one..retired or not.  Although I did hear that some doctors are charging for administering the test.

 

[Aus Traveller]

15 minutes ago, BRANDEE said:

is the Commonwealth Senior Health Care Card similar to Medicare that is available in US.?  Aren't all workers required to pay into the system when working ? So they can collect in retirement. Both husband and I paid inti system so we are covered by Medicare, but we also have a supplement to cover what Medicare doesn't.  Our supplement is close to $600 per month for 2.Rapid Antigen Tests are covered for everyone who wants one..retired or not.  Although I did hear that some doctors are charging for administering the test.

 

Our Medicare covers everyone. It is paid for by the government. In addition, higher income earners who don't have private health insurance (mainly for hospitals) have to pay 2% of their income into Medicare. Doctors and medical specialists visits are either fully or partly covered and hospitalization including surgery is covered and free. The cost of going to many other health professionals (X-ray, pathology etc) is also partly or fully covered by Medicare (depending on how much is charged).

 

We have systems attached to our Centrelink (that administers pensions) where low income earners of any age (Low Income Earners Health Care Card) and seniors with income under a certain limit (Commonwealth Seniors Health Care Card), can access benefits. This is a very wide range of free services and heavily subsidized medications - currently $6.80. If the family expenditure reaches $1,542.10 in a year, the remainder of the medications are free. Concession-card holders can get five free RAT tests per month.

Edited April 10, 2022 by Aus Traveller

[Balsam12]

3 hours ago, NSWP said:

RAT's are only free if you have a concession/Healthcare card, Julie.

 

Unless you are in WA, where we have all been given 15 free RATS by the state government...

[BRANDEE]

28 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

Our Medicare covers everyone. It is paid for by the government. In addition, higher income earners who don't have private health insurance (mainly for hospitals) have to pay 2% of their income into Medicare. Doctors and medical specialists visits are either fully or partly covered and hospitalization including surgery is covered and free. The cost of going to many other health professionals (X-ray, pathology etc) is also partly or fully covered by Medicare (depending on how much is charged).

 

We have systems attached to our Centrelink (that administers pensions) where low income earners of any age (Low Income Earners Health Care Card) and seniors with income under a certain limit (Commonwealth Seniors Health Care Card), can access benefits. This is a very wide range of free services and heavily subsidized medications - currently $6.80. If the family expenditure reaches $1,542.10 in a year, the remainder of the medications are free. Concession-card holders can get five free RAT tests per month.

Sounds like a decent system.  Also, similar to Medicare  and Medicaid that is provided in the US. Medication costs is one of the biggest problems in the US.  Our Medicare does not pick up meds so we have a supplement that covers meds as well as anything else Medicare doesn't.  Our Medicare costs between $110 to $150 per month and is usually taken right out of our social security before you get it monthly. Covid testing and vaccinations are covered by the government to all. (of course, there is always an exception to the norm).

[MicCanberra]

6 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

Our Medicare covers everyone. It is paid for by the government. In addition, higher income earners who don't have private health insurance (mainly for hospitals) have to pay 2% of their income into Medicare. Doctors and medical specialists visits are either fully or partly covered and hospitalization including surgery is covered and free. The cost of going to many other health professionals (X-ray, pathology etc) is also partly or fully covered by Medicare (depending on how much is charged).

 

We have systems attached to our Centrelink (that administers pensions) where low income earners of any age (Low Income Earners Health Care Card) and seniors with income under a certain limit (Commonwealth Seniors Health Care Card), can access benefits. This is a very wide range of free services and heavily subsidized medications - currently $6.80. If the family expenditure reaches $1,542.10 in a year, the remainder of the medications are free. Concession-card holders can get five free RAT tests per month.

All depending on an individual's income status and their location.

[LittleFish1976]

On 4/9/2022 at 6:23 AM, Mikamarii said:

We have a cruise planned in November ....I'm sure rules will change by then but as they stand now

 

I don't need a test to enter Australia, to visit any city, or facility but I do need a test to get on a cruise in Australia which will take me to same places?

 

I could fly or drive to Cairns and not need a test but if I take a ship I need a test?

 

I could organize a private excursion with any company on land to the great barrier reef and don't need a test but if I'm on a ship I need to choose from a select few companies and have already provided a negative test? Seems reasonable

 

In NA cruise ships were able to verify that their numbers were vastly fewer than anywhere on land that had no restrictions. These rules seem to be based on feeling and not 'science'

 

As the rules stand right now you do in fact need a negative covid test to travel into Australia.

 

I could get on a ship somewhere I guess that wouldn't require passengers and crew to be tested prior to boarding but would I want to? Hell, no. Why not take all the simple and sensible precautions we can to minimise the spread of covid?

 

Also, cruise lines in the UK such as Cunard and Saga are requiring their passengers to test negative at the port just prior to embarkation (in fact Saga requires 2 negative tests) despite the fact that the UK no longer requires a negative test to enter the country. It's sensible and protects their business. Despite the testing some cases will still become evident on board but the spread is at least minimised by prior testing and isolation of cases on board.

 

 

 

 

[LittleFish1976]

On 4/9/2022 at 9:02 AM, CDaze71 said:

I wonder what the Pre-boarding NEGATIVE TEST will need to be. Will it be a $150pp Traveller PCR Test or a RAT Test. That's the protocols I am waiting to see.
You can't just rock up to a testing clinic now and ask for a FREE PCR Test. 

Probably a RAT - if you can use them for entry to a country I can't see why they wouldn't allow them for cruise ships. That's what they're using overseas prior to boarding so people can be tested at the port (as well as on board ship).

[LittleFish1976]

11 hours ago, NSWP said:

Mine lists the vaccination type and dates. I got the trifecta so far.

 

For your 4th jab it has to be the same stuff as your third, e.g. my first 2 were AstraZeneca, 3rd was Moderna so 4th will be Moderna which will be 4 months after third.

 

Where did you hear that about your 4th shot needing to be the same as your 3rd?

[Mikamarii]

2 hours ago, LittleFish1976 said:

 

I could get on a ship somewhere I guess that wouldn't require passengers and crew to be tested prior to boarding but would I want to? Hell, no. Why not take all the simple and sensible precautions we can to minimise the spread of covid?

 

Why not? Im sure you go to a variety of settings everyday where people have not provided a neg test. Why is a cruise line any different?

 

Testing does very little to stop the spread of this virus given its incubation and infectious time. Testing tells the professionals how prevalent it is and what you have so Dr's  know how to treat it. The RATs are unreliable anyway. 

 

Cruise ships have had success in NA America not because of pre cruise Testing but because of the excellent air filtration and staffs dedication to cleaning 24/7. There are some that have had outbreaks but that was true before of disease before the pandemic. We all know cruise ships are much safer than the media or non cruises suggest and that's largely because the staff is so dedicated to cleaning. 

 

Our province dropped all restrictions about 6 weeks ago and the world didn't implode like the opposing political party predicted. The best thing we've done is stop the daily reporting of daily numbers. 

 

Wash your hands and get vaccinated. That's what will get us out of this. For pasty canadians it also includes extra vitamin D as we don't get the same amount of sun light. 

[NSWP]

10 hours ago, LittleFish1976 said:

 

Where did you hear that about your 4th shot needing to be the same as your 3rd?

My GP, Batemans Bay Medical Centre which is a large complex with 8 Doctors, 3 Nurses and a Vampire (Pathology.) 👿

Edited April 10, 2022 by NSWP