Distressed cruiser - testing

[davekathy]

5 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

Congrats my friend...on being so positive about being so negative.  😄  

 

Hope you and Kathy have a fantabulous cruise!  Did she like her "burpee top" boot?  😉 

 

Agree...wish they would do away with the testing.  Testing labs are making some major $$.  

We don't take our next cruise until September. 😢 We took the test because we found out we were around someone that came down with covid five days ago. He and his wife don't believe in the covid vaccinations! Hmm... We showed no signs but took the tests for peace of mind. After we took the Walgreen test, I realized we still have the four government issued test sitting in my desk. Oh well, I'll have to blame that brain fart on a senior moment. 😏

 

Kathy says a big "thank you" for the "burpee top" boot suggestion. Works great and soooo much easier than hassling with a large trash bag to keep her wrapping dry in the shower. 👍

[island lady]

1 hour ago, davekathy said:

We don't take our next cruise until September. 😢 We took the test because we found out we were around someone that came down with covid five days ago. He and his wife don't believe in the covid vaccinations! Hmm... We showed no signs but took the tests for peace of mind. After we took the Walgreen test, I realized we still have the four government issued test sitting in my desk. Oh well, I'll have to blame that brain fart on a senior moment. 😏

 

Kathy says a big "thank you" for the "burpee top" boot suggestion. Works great and soooo much easier than hassling with a large trash bag to keep her wrapping dry in the shower. 👍

 

Great!  🙂  Tell her she can jump in and go swimming with it on as well.  I know...I did.  😄 

[ace2542]

4 hours ago, Heymarco said:

Google H1N1 or any other virus outbreak, past or present.

H1N1 didn't go for 2 years without ever slowing down the way this has. This is not seasonal it is all year round. has been for the last 2 years

[ptf2009]

On 4/22/2022 at 1:52 PM, torpeedo said:

We cruise Sunday and just had our test at Walgreens and they did do the rapid NAAT test. Had results in one hour and printed them.  Walgreens isn't doing the rapid antigen test but it makes no difference.  Yes this whole thing is so stressful. 

We are scheduled for the NAAT test at Walgreens this Thursday for our Sat. cruise. Was this a self-administered test?

 

So glad to hear that you received results in an hour.

[davekathy]

Just now, ptf2009 said:

We are scheduled for the NAAT test at Walgreens this Thursday for our Sat. cruise. Was this a self-administered test?

 

So glad to hear that you received results in an hour.

At our Walgreens you stay in your vehicle and swab your nose. I'm not sure if the pharmacist/ pharmacist tech was even watching us either time we did the test. 

[ptf2009]

5 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Is your walgreens offering the rapid Naat test, this is acceptable.   We used them end of March and had results in less than 1 hr.    Or the emed or ihealth kits are another great option.

 

Once you have results and can do Happy Dance let the fun begin!

for the health tests ihealth tests, what is the website to go to for a proctored visit that the cruiseline will accept?

 

Thank you.

[ptf2009]

2 minutes ago, davekathy said:

At our Walgreens you stay in your vehicle and swab your nose. I'm not sure if the pharmacist/ pharmacist tech was even watching us either time we did the test. 

Wonderful! Thank you for your quick response. That is how CVS did the antigen for our past cruises....but now CVS won't do them anymore...gggrrrrr.

 

I sure hope Walgreens won't stop doing them.

[davekathy]

5 minutes ago, ptf2009 said:

Wonderful! Thank you for your quick response. That is how CVS did the antigen for our past cruises....but now CVS won't do them anymore...gggrrrrr.

 

I sure hope Walgreens won't stop doing them.

I agree. Just wish the cruise lines would drop the pre cruise covid testing requirement. At least for those of us that are vaccinated and have had the booster(s). Glad the mask requirement has been done away with. 

[Another_Critic]

11 minutes ago, ptf2009 said:

for the health tests ihealth tests, what is the website to go to for a proctored visit that the cruiseline will accept?

 

Thank you.

https://ihealthlabs.com/products/ihealth-verified-covid-test-service

[ptf2009]

1 minute ago, davekathy said:

I agree. Just wish the cruise lines would drop the pre cruise covid testing requirement. At least for those of us that are vaccinated and have had the booster(s). Glad the mask requirement has been done away with. 

I second that! Sooooo happy about the mask requirements has ended....now if only the tests could end! We are now in the third year of this and for those who have been vaccinated 3 times it is just too much!!!!!

[ptf2009]

2 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

https://ihealthlabs.com/products/ihealth-verified-covid-test-service

Thank you soooo much. We will use this as our back up..."Plan B."

[MommaBear55]

16 hours ago, Heymarco said:

Did two cruises post Covid. We won’t go again until testing requirements are gone. Last time around, Royal gave my three year old a bloody nose!

With cases and hospitalizations on the rise, I don't predict it to be gone any time too soon. It wil be interesting to see at what threshold they will discontinue. 

[MommaBear55]

2 hours ago, ptf2009 said:

I second that! Sooooo happy about the mask requirements has ended....now if only the tests could end! We are now in the third year of this and for those who have been vaccinated 3 times it is just too much!!!!!

Sadly, they are still having 5% of cruisers either positive on the tests or close contacts to those positive on every cruise, until that number is negligible, testing will remain. I do find it the most stressful part of the entire process, my next cruise I have to drive 2 1/2 hours round trip because I need to save my proctored tests for when we are away and have to test to go on the next cruise, then fly back to the US.

[Jerseygirl1416]

10 minutes ago, MommaBear55 said:

With cases and hospitalizations on the rise, I don't predict it to be gone any time too soon. It wil be interesting to see at what threshold they will discontinue. 

Unfortunately ME is one of a few states where the infection rate is high. The vast majority of the rest of the states are low infection rates and very low hospitalizations.

[Travelling2Some]

3 hours ago, ptf2009 said:

I second that! Sooooo happy about the mask requirements has ended....now if only the tests could end! We are now in the third year of this and for those who have been vaccinated 3 times it is just too much!!!!!

Agreed.  We kept cancelling our bookings the day before final payment until the masks were dropped so next week is our first one since the startup.  (Took a lot of nice land vacations in the meantime so it's all good.)  We have watched a few of the online videos showing the process for the proctored Binex tests and we have 4 kits in hand for 2 people.  And, yes, I'm sure it will work out.  BUT I have to say that, as older folks who have never "zoomed" or face timed, online testing is stressful because of the unfamiliar tech.  Also, add in the heavy accents of the proctors combined with elderly hearing.  (I do agree that the actual test procedure is easy to understand). 

 

Bear in mind that, because CC is an online forum, most here are likely moderately tech literate.  However, consider that a good percentage of the cruising public (HAL, Princess, etc.) are older people who are not used to using a lot of tech.  The testing may be simple for tech savvy folks but It is a stressful nuisance for us and we will likely not do it again.  At the time that I made final payment I was planning to test at a local pharmacy.   Then, quite suddenly, no rapid antigen tests available anymore.  Just the latest in a long string of nasty little pandemic surprises.  We are vaxed, boosted and fed up.  People who wish to be super cautious are free to continue to wear their masks and avoid ships.  Heck, they can wear hazmat suits for the rest of their lives if that's what they need to do to maintain the illusion that life is 100 per cent safe.  I think most people are ready to move on and I hope the cruise lines are listening.

[twangster]

8 hours ago, britty1 said:

Yes I know the Naat Is PCR but rapid however these are the PCR test results in 48-72 hours. 

 

Are you saying you book them as Rapid NAAT but when you show up they do the regular PCR?

[britty1]

1 hour ago, twangster said:

 

Are you saying you book them as Rapid NAAT but when you show up they do the regular PCR?

No, I am saying they have a 1/2 blue dot and 1/2 red dot for the location but if you check the red dot it tells you there are none of those tests available within 100 miles.

[twangster]

10 hours ago, britty1 said:

No, I am saying they have a 1/2 blue dot and 1/2 red dot for the location but if you check the red dot it tells you there are none of those tests available within 100 miles.

 

Odd, I was able to book the Rapid NAAT in Tucson.

 

 

[SAN415]

Does anyone know what happens if you do test positive just prior to boarding? Do they refund your money or give a FCC? Or are you just out the funds and denied boarding?

[Biker19]

3 minutes ago, SAN415 said:

Do they refund your money or give a FCC?

Refund - all the details are on the RCI web site FAQ.

[island lady]

18 hours ago, davekathy said:

At our Walgreens you stay in your vehicle and swab your nose. I'm not sure if the pharmacist/ pharmacist tech was even watching us either time we did the test. 

 

I tried to book Walgreens.  But they stated they are not doing the drive up tests...or the rapid antigen test at all any longer.  😞 

[MommaBear55]

15 hours ago, Jerseygirl1416 said:

Unfortunately ME is one of a few states where the infection rate is high. The vast majority of the rest of the states are low infection rates and very low hospitalizations.

Cases across the US are low, but on the rise, up 6% over the last week with upper NE experiencing more than that. Still looking forward to knowing what the numbers need to be before testing becomes a non issue. 

[whyrlygig]

Emed is so simple and easy.  There is no need to stress.

[davekathy]

51 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

I tried to book Walgreens.  But they stated they are not doing the drive up tests...or the rapid antigen test at all any longer.  😞 

What a bummer. I hope our local Walgreens continues. What is your next option for testing? RC and Celebrity needs to do away with the pre-cruise testing requirement. At least for us that have been vaccinated and have our booster(s). 

[TexasRon]

I scheduled out Rapid NAAT for a local Walgreens for next Saturday.  We are flying to Orlando Sunday and boarding Monday.  
 

My wife prefers doing the test that way; we also have six home tests that we could have proctored.  They are also good until we’ll after our August cruise, so we will only expend them if something happens with the Walgreens tests.

 

it is a hassle, but at least we will be a tested before actually going anywhere this time.  That was not the case for our last cruise.