Covid + Within 90 Days

[drewdrewcruiser]

Has anyone been in this situation and gotten a certificate of recovery from their doctor that meets all the requirements? I'm wondering how much of a pain it will be to get a doctor to do this for you.  It's hard enough to get school forms filled out each year.

[BirdTravels]

Test once you get closer to your cruise date and you'll likely be o.k. 

 

The CoR is o.k. to get on the ship buy may limit you on countries you visit. 

[brillohead]

Note that you had to have a positive PCR test (not just an antigen) during your illness before the Certificate of Recovery, too.  

[ldubs]

We did (get a document of recovery) this past April.  Because I continued to test positive we needed it to return home from Spain.   It can be issued by a doctor or public health official.   We contacted our Doc at home and did a telemed session.   As Brillohead says, in addition to the Document of Recovery you must show a positive test result dated within the proper time frame.    However, a PCR test is not required, unless it is a cruise line requirement.   Mine was a rapid antigen test from a lab in Madrid.   The "requirements" for the document of recovery are laid out pretty well by the CDC.  

[brillohead]

11 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 However, a PCR test is not required, unless it is a cruise line requirement.

It is a requirement for Royal Caribbean.

[ldubs]

13 minutes ago, brillohead said:

It is a requirement for Royal Caribbean.

 

Thanks. I figured that was the case.   

[broadwaybaby123]

I looked this up last night, as someone in our party that we'll be cruising with on June 30th tested positive last week.

 

You can test positive for up to 3 months after your recovery

Royal Caribbean will accept a Certificate Of Recovery and all the requirements for that are outlined on their website

Not all countries will accept a Certificate Of Recovery in place of a vaccination, including (unfortunately for us), Bermuda.  What that means is, Royal will let you on the ship for the cruise, however, you can't get off in that particular port (in this case, Bermuda) 

[ldubs]

12 minutes ago, broadwaybaby123 said:

I looked this up last night, as someone in our party that we'll be cruising with on June 30th tested positive last week.

 

You can test positive for up to 3 months after your recovery

Royal Caribbean will accept a Certificate Of Recovery and all the requirements for that are outlined on their website

Not all countries will accept a Certificate Of Recovery in place of a vaccination, including (unfortunately for us), Bermuda.  What that means is, Royal will let you on the ship for the cruise, however, you can't get off in that particular port (in this case, Bermuda) 

 

Huh, I thought the certificate of recovery was in place of a negative test, but is not accepted as a replacement for a vaccination.  I'm talking about RCI, not Bermuda.  

 

Edit:  The following is from RCI's site.  

 

"A Certificate of Recovery will not be accepted in lieu of a vaccination record card for guests of vaccine eligible age." 

Edited May 17, 2022 by ldubs

[broadwaybaby123]

2 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

Huh, I thought the certificate of recovery was in place of a negative test, but is not accepted as a replacement for a vaccination.  I'm talking about RCI, not Bermuda.  

 

That I don't know. That's why we have to call Royal and find out.

[ldubs]

9 minutes ago, broadwaybaby123 said:

 

That I don't know. That's why we have to call Royal and find out.

 

I edited my earlier response to include RCI's vaccination requirement (from their website).   Vaccines are required for everyone 12 years and older and are not exempted by a letter of recovery.   I think you might be saying vaccine when you mean negative test.  Otherwise, setting the positive test aside,  if your traveling companion was not vaccinated, how would they have boarded the ship.   

[topnole]

15 minutes ago, broadwaybaby123 said:

 

That I don't know. That's why we have to call Royal and find out.

COR does not replace vaccination.  It only means you don’t have to test before boarding.  You have to be vaccinated.  Also, I was told on our cruise last week that unvaccinated kids can’t use a COR as a replacement for testing.  

[ldubs]

The key thing I learned here (thanks to Brillohead) was that RCI requires a PCR test with the COR.  

 

Seems there would be standardization for something like this, but apparently not.   It reinforced to me the best practice to confirm details with your cruise line.  

[brillohead]

18 hours ago, ldubs said:

The key thing I learned here (thanks to Brillohead) was that RCI requires a PCR test with the COR.  

 

Seems there would be standardization for something like this, but apparently not.   It reinforced to me the best practice to confirm details with your cruise line.  

I'm glad that my being a "know-it-all" came in handy instead of bossy for a change!!!

[slyster]

I just found this thread.  I tested positive two weeks ago and I no longer have symptoms (a few days ago), but my cruise isn’t until mid August.  Is there a possibility i can still test positive?  Is the Certificate of Recovery what I need to be able to board?  I have my vaccination and booster record too.

[brillohead]

2 hours ago, slyster said:

I just found this thread.  I tested positive two weeks ago and I no longer have symptoms (a few days ago), but my cruise isn’t until mid August.  Is there a possibility i can still test positive?  Is the Certificate of Recovery what I need to be able to board?  I have my vaccination and booster record too.

If you tested positive with a PCR test (not antigen) and you get a Certificate of Recovery from your doctor, you don't need a test to cruise within 90 days of your positive PCR test.  

You're extremely unlikely to still test positive on an antigen test at this point, but you could still test positive on a PCR test for up to 90 days after your initial "illness".

[slyster]

20 hours ago, brillohead said:

If you tested positive with a PCR test (not antigen) and you get a Certificate of Recovery from your doctor, you don't need a test to cruise within 90 days of your positive PCR test.  

You're extremely unlikely to still test positive on an antigen test at this point, but you could still test positive on a PCR test for up to 90 days after your initial "illness".

 

Thanks for explaining it to me 🙂. It was recommended I test again a month before the cruise.  I plan on just doing the rapid test…I’m thinking that’s the antigen test?

[brillohead]

2 hours ago, slyster said:

Thanks for explaining it to me 🙂. It was recommended I test again a month before the cruise.  I plan on just doing the rapid test…I’m thinking that’s the antigen test?

The rapid test that you can do at home is an antigen tests.  

There are rapid PCR tests and rapid antigen tests that can be done by a lab, so it would depend on how it's worded.

All you need to get on the ship for a North American cruise is any negative test by an authorized lab.  If you're going to be traveling to another country and cruising from there, you'd want to check and see what the rules are for travel to that country, and for travel back home.  

[slyster]

10 hours ago, brillohead said:

The rapid test that you can do at home is an antigen tests.  

There are rapid PCR tests and rapid antigen tests that can be done by a lab, so it would depend on how it's worded.

All you need to get on the ship for a North American cruise is any negative test by an authorized lab.  If you're going to be traveling to another country and cruising from there, you'd want to check and see what the rules are for travel to that country, and for travel back home.  

 

Okay, thank you again 🙂  I would want the rapid antigen test since it's needed 1-2 days before the cruise.  We are doing the New England/Canada cruise.  Thanks again!

[mattb31]

On 5/17/2022 at 8:13 PM, slyster said:

I just found this thread.  I tested positive two weeks ago and I no longer have symptoms (a few days ago), but my cruise isn’t until mid August.  Is there a possibility i can still test positive?  Is the Certificate of Recovery what I need to be able to board?  I have my vaccination and booster record too.

I tested positive at the end of April and was positive on an antigen for about two weeks. We are going on Oasis in a few weeks and boarding with the COR as opposed to negative pre-board test. Main reason was if for any reason we have to go to the medical center and they test us using a PCR, we will have those docs stating we are recovered in case it comes back positive. Also, if anything goes wrong and you get stuck in another country (like the Escape in DR), it's probably a good idea to have a certificate of recovery with you.

 

Other reason was it's just easier. Telemed was cheaper than buying proctored tests.

[xtremegk]

DW and DS both had COVID at the start of this month, and we sail at the end of this month. Got COR for each (from his pediatrician for my son and via a telemed for my wife).

 

We plan to still do the normal pre-cruise testing -- we have a PCR booked for my son 3 days prior to boarding and will be booking rapid NAATs for all 3 of us for 2 days prior (he's 3.5, so unvaxxed). For us, the COR is 1) to hopefully skip the test at the pier for him and 2) in case either is exposed on the ship, they'll have the documentation needed.

[ldubs]

1 hour ago, mattb31 said:

I tested positive at the end of April and was positive on an antigen for about two weeks. We are going on Oasis in a few weeks and boarding with the COR as opposed to negative pre-board test. Main reason was if for any reason we have to go to the medical center and they test us using a PCR, we will have those docs stating we are recovered in case it comes back positive. Also, if anything goes wrong and you get stuck in another country (like the Escape in DR), it's probably a good idea to have a certificate of recovery with you.

 

Other reason was it's just easier. Telemed was cheaper than buying proctored tests.

 

It looks like countries in Europe (some or all, IDK) are now extending the COR to 6 months. 

[ldubs]

1 hour ago, xtremegk said:

DW and DS both had COVID at the start of this month, and we sail at the end of this month. Got COR for each (from his pediatrician for my son and via a telemed for my wife).

 

We plan to still do the normal pre-cruise testing -- we have a PCR booked for my son 3 days prior to boarding and will be booking rapid NAATs for all 3 of us for 2 days prior (he's 3.5, so unvaxxed). For us, the COR is 1) to hopefully skip the test at the pier for him and 2) in case either is exposed on the ship, they'll have the documentation needed.

 

Out of curiosity, if you have the COR in hand, why opt to do the normal pre-cruise testing?   

[xtremegk]

3 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

Out of curiosity, if you have the COR in hand, why opt to do the normal pre-cruise testing?   

 

Overpreparedness.

[brillohead]

3 hours ago, xtremegk said:

 

Overpreparedness.

Hopefully that overpreparedness also means you have PCR-positive tests for your family that precede the COR dates, too?

 

[ldubs]

7 hours ago, xtremegk said:

 

Overpreparedness.

 

 

Good risk management!  I could see how a COR might lead to an extra medical review and delay boarding.  I thought maybe it was something like that.