Beware of going to Europe from the US

[FamilyCruiserUK]

So glad the uk does NOT require a test to return home. However i do hope they drop the requirement for a test to cruise. We do NOT require a test to enter Italy however have to test to get on the ship, so once the US drop testing to enter i think RCL will follow. The test result is really only valid for that point in time anyway as you can catch it right after or not show symptoms before test. My work colleague tested negative in morning, in evening started to feel flu rough and re tested and was positive.....

But i do find it staggering how many people fail to check all the requirements for a holiday and have a lack of adequate insurance cover.

[Citrons]

10 hours ago, ILOVESHIPS said:

Make sure you  know  that  after your  Europe cruise  you must  have  a negative test  to return  to the  US.

We just did the  Wonder TA and many  people from the  United States got  covid on the  cruise.

This is a real  nightmare as  you cannot return to the United States without a  negative  test.

We got covid on the Odyssey cruise on one of the port days. We are in Europe so could fly back - only found out we had covid at home

[Ex-Airbalancer]

6 minutes ago, Citrons said:

We got covid on the Odyssey cruise on one of the port days. We are in Europe so could fly back - only found out we had covid at home

How do know that you got in a port ? 

[NSnewcruiser]

6 hours ago, okiedrifters said:

While Canada does not require a negative test to enter, I am assuming the airline will ask for the test in ( Athens for us) because my final destination is in the United States?  Or will they ask for it in Toronto when we board for US?  
 

 

 

 

 

From our experience of flying twice from Canada to the US,Nov 2021&Feb 2022,we were not asked once from the time we arrived at the airport till we landed in Florida to show our negative test.Not by the airline,security,or US customs. I have heard from many others that they experienced the same.

Edited May 18, 2022 by NSnewcruiser
spelling

[Teeara]

10 hours ago, LoriLoriLori said:

Hopefully this requirement will be lifted this summer.  Regardless, I'm aware of the ramifications.  I expect all to go well.  I am vaccinated plus boosted,  plus I had Covid with the Delta outbreak,  and likely had Omicron during its peak (symptoms never tested).  I am optimistic and excited to travel abroad.  If I get "stuck" and can't enter the US hopefully my health will be intact while I recover in Canada or Spain.  

 

I answered my own question that I should test in Spain before I travel to a layover in Canada destined for US.  While Canada does not require a negative test to enter, I am assuming the airline will ask for the test in Spain because of my final destination is in the United States?  

You should be watching Patrick Guide Barcelona on YouTube.  He has been absolutely fantastic on posting the most recent requirements for getting into Spain.  Here's his most recent post from Monday May 16th.  Start at the 5:45 minute mark since it's a live stream.

 

 

[Travel R]

1 hour ago, NSnewcruiser said:

From our experience of flying twice from Canada to the US,Nov 2021&Feb 2022,we were not asked once from the time we arrived at the airport till we landed in Florida to show our negative test.Not by the airline,security,or US customs. I have heard from many others that they experienced the same.

 

Very interesting. However, for our cruise late next month we are not going to take that chance and will be taking our tests prior to going and coming back to the US (Alaskan itinerary out of Vancouver). With my luck, I will also be the person that gets randomly tested at the CA airport.

 

The comments on this thread are also interesting.  Being locked out of coming back to the US will be different for each individual.  For instance, myself and my whole family are scheduled to go back to work the day after we get back home.  Staying in Vancouver for an extra week locked up in a hotel room is not my idea of a vacation. In addition, none of our jobs would appreciate it (I am planning of brining my laptop, just in case - so myself and DW could still do some work if quarantined).  I would have to find a hotel somewhere, which some cannot afford after paying a cruise (not to mention food for the week).

 

However, I knew when I booked last year (and when I made final payment) that there will be required testing), and consequences if any of us test negative. The cautionary title of this thread is not anything new or a vast majority of us are not aware of.

[Billy Baltic]

7 minutes ago, Travel R said:

For instance, myself and my whole family are scheduled to go back to work the day after we get back home

Just being devils advocate here …. if you have Covid then I’d imagine you would be working remote, regardless if it’s from your home or Vancouver. That doesn’t help the costs involved but should pacify employers. 
That said, my own view is that testing out side of specific medical settings is pointless. Covid has become very efficient at spreading. A negative result is only a point in time measure which could be different an hour later. 

[Citrons]

4 hours ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

How do know that you got in a port ? 

Because the 2 of our group who got covid symptoms 1st had spent most of the day in shops in Kusadasi without their masks. 

 

We were in Santorini last summer and the locals told us everyone on the island had to get a covid vaccine. I would imagine Turkey is not so strict.

 

Also as the cruise went on, more and more people on the cruise had covid symptoms. Obviously we on the cruise all tested negative the day before getting on the cruise. So obviously people picked up covid in the ports.

 

The kids in the kids club all ended up with Covid and some american people tested positive in Rome airport. The queues for the covid test for americans in Rome after the cruise was 4 hours long and even people who tested negative for covid missed their flights back to the USA due to the slow covid testing. These people found it difficult to get a hotel room in rome as everywhere was booked up. We happened to be in the Hilton Rome Airport hotel waiting for our flights to Dublin and could help them find a hotel. As Europeans there is no requirement for us to do a test to travel home on a flight within the EU.

Edited May 18, 2022 by Citrons

[Mr. Green]

15 hours ago, sandy toes said:

 I was hopeful too, but numbers are climbing again. Now, North Korea is presenting with their results of their flawed "we got this" plan. I think it will be a while before the world is ready to back off on all the requirements, as much as we want them gone, they look like they will be here a while longer. 

Honestly, if you believe that North Korea never had a positive case through all of this, I have some fresh air to sell ya. 😁

[dleahy4444]

11 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Anyone traveling abroad make sure to take sufficient meds should you have to quarantine for extra time.  I have heard of one spouse testing positive then go to guarantine in a hotel and another 5 days the other spouse tests positive.   

Good point, thank you for mentioning it. I take several pills a day, was just going to bring enough to cover the cruise. Now I’ll bring more just in case

[clearlake_cruiser]

We were on Wonder TA & wife tested positive at BCN airport. If US citizen in Spain tests positive prior to return flight back to US, an alternative to waiting to hopefully retest negative is the Certificate of Recovery. This involves a telehealth doctor or local doctor certification in writing that you are "fit-to-fly" and you have your positive test result. Still requires 7 days of isolation from symptoms to be cleared.

https://www.mobidoctor.eu/

https://quick.md/documentation-of-recovery/

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/testing-international-air-travelers.html

Please mask up on your flight home.

[Billy Baltic]

47 minutes ago, Citrons said:

We were in Santorini last summer and the locals told us everyone on the island had to get a covid vaccine. I would imagine Turkey is not so strict.

 

Also as the cruise went on, more and more people on the cruise had covid symptoms. Obviously we on the cruise all tested negative the day before getting on the cruise. So obviously people picked up covid in the ports.

Two big holes in your theory:

Just because people are vaccinated, doesn’t mean they cant have or pass on Covid. 
 

Just because someone tests negative before getting onboard doesn’t mean they don’t have Covid. It might have been incubating or even a false negative. 

[Citrons]

4 minutes ago, Billy Baltic said:

Two big holes in your theory:

Just because people are vaccinated, doesn’t mean they cant have or pass on Covid. 
 

Just because someone tests negative before getting onboard doesn’t mean they don’t have Covid. It might have been incubating or even a false negative. 

Big holes in my theory??? I never said people vaccinated cannot pass covid. For your interest i have a PhD in Covid vaccine research.

 

We got covid on the 9 night Odyssey of the seas 7th May to 16th May cruise! We did not have covid before the cruise. We contracted Covid on the cruise!! End of discussion. There is zero if's, but's etc because it is a fact we got covid on the cruise.

Edited May 18, 2022 by Citrons

[Biker19]

13 hours ago, LoriLoriLori said:

If I am departing from Spain, with a 3 hour layover in Montreal,  to a final destination in the US, where and when would you test?  Thanks.

You would test in Spain within a day of departure.

[Oceansaway17]

14 hours ago, texasweather said:

Maybe I'm just crazy but when I went to Italy in April, I was almost (not really, but kind of) hoping I'd test positive so I could stay another week! 😛 

Glad it did not happen but I understand

[Jasukkie]

1 hour ago, Citrons said:

Big holes in my theory??? I never said people vaccinated cannot pass covid. For your interest i have a PhD in Covid vaccine research.

 

We got covid on the 9 night Odyssey of the seas 7th May to 16th May cruise! We did not have covid before the cruise. We contracted Covid on the cruise!! End of discussion. There is zero if's, but's etc because it is a fact we got covid on the cruise.

I think the critique was about getting covid while in port because everyone had a negative test before boarding. 

 

One of my party tested negative on the antigen test onboard and they were the most symptomatic. Retested by PCR onboard and voila, positive. Tests may work on a broad screening level to weed out some positives, but they do not pick up everyone reliably. 

[Travel R]

2 hours ago, Billy Baltic said:

Just being devils advocate here …. if you have Covid then I’d imagine you would be working remote, regardless if it’s from your home or Vancouver. That doesn’t help the costs involved but should pacify employers. 
That said, my own view is that testing out side of specific medical settings is pointless. Covid has become very efficient at spreading. A negative result is only a point in time measure which could be different an hour later. 

 

With my laptop, I would be okay. However, my DW would also be "mostly" okay since she will not have access to some applications, although she does go into the office most of the week.  My DDs would not be able to work since their jobs require them to be physically present (for my younger DD, it would be the first week of her summer job). So, we are taking a chance - but playing the odds, which are in our favor.

[xpcdoojk]

I have nothing to add, but getting a PhD in Covid Vaccines since February 2020 is an impressive academic achievement.

 

jc🤣

[Oceansaway17]

3 hours ago, Travel R said:

 

Very interesting. However, for our cruise late next month we are not going to take that chance and will be taking our tests prior to going and coming back to the US (Alaskan itinerary out of Vancouver). With my luck, I will also be the person that gets randomly tested at the CA airport.

 

The comments on this thread are also interesting.  Being locked out of coming back to the US will be different for each individual.  

 

Yes I would have the same dumb luck too.

I know we all have to try to be honest as best we can, but I think avoiding Europe right now is best to avoid getting stuck and not being allowed to come home to my own country. Just would be awful feeling not to mention hearing the words “we told you so”

[marielco]

Is there any insurance you can take to cover your expenses if you test positive and have to stay in Europe an extra 7 days?

 

Things are obviously different in Europe now.  Just back from Baltic cruise. No tests or restrictions on entering any of the four countries we visited - Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Estonia. Nor were there any tests needed to  return home to Ireland. 
 

I did see a line at the Covid testing center at the airport in Copenhagen. Obviously people returning to the USA or other countries still requiring a negative test to enter. 

[Jimbo]

14 minutes ago, Oceansaway17 said:

Yes I would have the same dumb luck too.

I know we all have to try to be honest as best we can, but I think avoiding Europe right now is best to avoid getting stuck and not being allowed to come home to my own country. Just would be awful feeling not to mention hearing the words “we told you so”

Correct, it may not happen. But in the end is it really worth it? Not for us.

[Citrons]

49 minutes ago, Jasukkie said:

I think the critique was about getting covid while in port because everyone had a negative test before boarding. 

 

One of my party tested negative on the antigen test onboard and they were the most symptomatic. Retested by PCR onboard and voila, positive. Tests may work on a broad screening level to weed out some positives, but they do not pick up everyone reliably. 

None of us had symptoms before the cruise and we 100% picked it up on the cruise. My antigen test only went positive today on Wednesday despite leaving the ship on Monday morning 16th May. I got covid symptoms on Sunday 15th May.

 

We boarded the odyssey 7th May - the antigen 6th May aligned with me not having symptoms or covid. 

 

I didnt enter the ship with covid. I am not saying you cannot but given that my antigen test is positive only today...i picked up covid on the cruise given that my 1st symptoms were on the Sunday 15th may on the cruise.

[Jasukkie]

6 minutes ago, Citrons said:

None of us had symptoms before the cruise and we 100% picked it up on the cruise. My antigen test only went positive today on Wednesday despite leaving the ship on Monday morning 16th May. I got covid symptoms on Sunday 15th May.

 

We boarded the odyssey 7th May - the antigen 6th May aligned with me not having symptoms or covid. 

 

I didnt enter the ship with covid. I am not saying you cannot but given that my antigen test is positive only today...i picked up covid on the cruise given that my 1st symptoms were on the Sunday 15th may on the cruise.

I 100% agree you got Covid on your cruise! I did on mine too. My party came from different places, met up on the ship, and tested positive the same day onboard. Now that people are home they are reporting to the facebook group about positive tests.

[Citrons]

15 minutes ago, Crazy planning mom said:

For the dining in Kusadasi, was it indoor our outdoor?  While the vax rate in Turkey is lower than Greece, its 88.5 percent which is higher than many countries.   https://graphics.reuters.com/world-coronavirus-tracker-and-maps/countries-and-territories/turkey/

We had beers outside. However the guy who brought us the beers was coughing over our heads. The toilet was indoors but very grubby and there was zero hand gel. 

 

The shops which my aunties kept running into were indoors and they lost the run of themselves and covid/masks went out the window when they saw the baby clothes. They were the 1st 2 to complain about a sore throat in our group and it was after the 2 of them did shopping together in kusadasi - no one else from the group spent as much time in the shops as they did

[smarcbie]

For any people who recently came down with CoVid, is this your first time? If not, when did you catch CoVid before? I am wondering about the Delta variant(s) and the rate of reinfections.