back to back testing Equinox?

[39august]

When we debarked on May 21 from Equinox the Retreat Hostess told me that the current back to backs were not going to be tested.  Can anyone advise if this is a fact or if they decided last minute to test in the terminal, please?  For those currently on Equinox and doing back to back, what have you been advised about back to back testing, please?  We go again in July and honestly I am not concerned about getting covid, but about being kicked off the ship after the first leg of my back to back. 

[Jim_Iain]

There have been a couple posts on this recently.   To my knowledge there isn't anything officially posted but it is dependent on Cruise Departure and Destination. 

 

Reports have been no B2B testing on recent Caribbean Cruises, Alaska Cruises  and Silhouette out of Southampton.   Italian  Cruises have been requiring B2B testing .   

 

Would really be helpful if you can confirm once complete with your B2B.  I suspect you won't be tested as usually B2B testing is done early on day before turn around day.

[Alakegirl]

41 minutes ago, 39august said:

When we debarked on May 21 from Equinox the Retreat Hostess told me that the current back to backs were not going to be tested.  Can anyone advise if this is a fact or if they decided last minute to test in the terminal, please?  For those currently on Equinox and doing back to back, what have you been advised about back to back testing, please?  We go again in July and honestly I am not concerned about getting covid, but about being kicked off the ship after the first leg of my back to back. 

 They don’t wait until you are in the terminal, because all your luggage and possessions are still on board.  When they have done back to back testing they did it on the day before turnaround day to give you a chance to pack

[39august]

On our turnaround day from the May 6 to May 15 cruise they indeed DID test us in the terminal at Port Everglades, tho' we were told the day before that there would be no testing.  I thought it was a ridiculous way to treat back2 back cruisers for several reasons. one of which you stated above. The other is we were tested then returned to the ship before results. So had we been positive, we would have already contaminated the ship Also, if they tested the day before anyone positive would have had that last day to make whatever arrangements were needed. 

[Jim_Iain]

2 hours ago, 39august said:

On our turnaround day from the May 6 to May 15 cruise they indeed DID test us in the terminal at Port Everglades, tho' we were told the day before that there would be no testing.  I thought it was a ridiculous way to treat back2 back cruisers for several reasons. one of which you stated above. The other is we were tested then returned to the ship before results. So had we been positive, we would have already contaminated the ship Also, if they tested the day before anyone positive would have had that last day to make whatever arrangements were needed. 

Thanks for your report.   It is always good to get another real life experience.    I'm still trying to get my head around how they are deciding which cruises there is b2b testing and which aren't.  

 

Were you also on Equinox?

 

I can tell you I was happy we tested positive the day before as it allowed me time to book a car and AirBnB.    I'm wondering if those that tested positive were just tossed off the ship.

[Empress217]

Back to back testing on the Millennium last week.

[jwlane]

7 hours ago, 39august said:

 told me that the current back to backs were not going to be tested.

We did not test on the 14th on Silhouette.

[Hazeleyes101]

We did B2B on Millennium (Alaska) May 13 and May 20.  Not until our first week onboard did we learn definitively that there would be no testing required for the second week's journey.  Whew! 

     Just a few days ago, during our second week, the captain announced that he was required to notify us that 2% of the people onboard had tested positive for Covid, everyone was encouraged to be extra diligent about hygiene, and masks would be required in the theater.  That was the first and only information provided about Covid cases.  It was interesting that as the week went on I noticed ever more passengers wearing masks - but they remained a small proportion of the people onboard.  

[cruising diva]

I am on the Equinox now doing a b2b and was tested yesterday on the ship. My 2nd leg starts today.

[39august]

Thanks to all for replies. Diva, at least you weren't tested today in the terminal. 

[lexmiller]

We just got off the Apex in Amsterdam on May 26.  Back to back passengers WERE tested.  We were not back to backers ourselves, but I saw that testing was occurring in Normandie restaurant on May 25, so, having an inquiring mind haha,  I stopped and asked passengers what was going on.  Though the policy had changed fleet wide to stop testing back to backers, if there is a certain threshold of covid positive passengers onboard, the CDC recommends to the cruise lines, that those particular ships with this "threshold", test their back to back passengers - this is what was explained to those passengers, and they passed this on to me.  

[39august]

I wonder why a ship in Amsterdam complies with CDC requirements.  The  Silhoutte out of Southhampton has apparently stopped b2b testing.  And when did the policy fleetwide to stop testing b2b change? I have seen nothing about that.  Also, since most ships ARE testing how does this fit in?

[Jim_Iain]

2 hours ago, 39august said:

I wonder why a ship in Amsterdam complies with CDC requirements.  The  Silhoutte out of Southhampton has apparently stopped b2b testing.  And when did the policy fleetwide to stop testing b2b change? I have seen nothing about that.  Also, since most ships ARE testing how does this fit in?

To my knowledge there was never a "fleet wide policy" on Celebrity regarding B2B testing.   RCL initially posted something but Celebrity never followed their lead.

 

My understanding is that Celebrity follows their own protocols as well as country specific protocols while in Europe.  The U.K. has eliminated all Covid restrictions while I believe the Netherlands still have quarantine regulations in place, as some have reported their passports being taken away until completion of quarantine.   It appears that when infection rates go above a certain level Celebrity increase sanitation and possible trigger B2B testing.  

 

[12cruise2]

We had B2B scheduled last week and this coming week on Equinox.  They told us at the beginning of last week no test between cruises for those continuing on.  We met a couple who had second week of B2B last week for their two cruises and no testing between.  However, come Wednesday last, we received a letter that all continuing cruisers on B2B would have to be tested yesterday, Sat. morning 8-9 a.m.  We were tested at 8:00 a., and 9:10 the phone rings--one of us tested positive, confirmed by Rapid NAAT test in the afternoon, and now we are off the ship in a hotel in Fort Lauderdale.  The other one of us confirmed negative by NAAT test.  Too many people 2300 in close quarters, not wearing masks (about 10 of us wore masks throughout)--then when we were at 1% covid positive last Thursday, capt. announced masks required in Theater and casino.  Really?  That's all?  We masked throughout (of course except to eat) and didn't go to any bars, any shore ex. and no groups.  It's everywhere.  And the cruise lines are so desperate for revenue that they are loading up the ships now with paying customers, so beware, with no mask mandates, but recommendation to wear them; people aren't listening.  Not fun. 

 

I might add, this is the first Celeb. cruise we have taken--one week! and covid.  We were on Holland America for 9 weeks last year and 3 weeks in April of this year, many B2B, one B4B, no covid for us.  Many more HAL cruisers wear masks and there are far fewer cases, far fewer. 

Edited May 29, 2022 by 12cruise2

[viperfoth]

2 hours ago, 12cruise2 said:

We had B2B scheduled last week and this coming week on Equinox.  They told us at the beginning of last week no test between cruises for those continuing on.  We met a couple who had second week of B2B last week for their two cruises and no testing between.  However, come Wednesday last, we received a letter that all continuing cruisers on B2B would have to be tested yesterday, Sat. morning 8-9 a.m.  We were tested at 8:00 a., and 9:10 the phone rings--one of us tested positive, confirmed by Rapid NAAT test in the afternoon, and now we are off the ship in a hotel in Fort Lauderdale.  The other one of us confirmed negative by NAAT test.  Too many people 2300 in close quarters, not wearing masks (about 10 of us wore masks throughout)--then when we were at 1% covid positive last Thursday, capt. announced masks required in Theater and casino.  Really?  That's all?  We masked throughout (of course except to eat) and didn't go to any bars, any shore ex. and no groups.  It's everywhere.  And the cruise lines are so desperate for revenue that they are loading up the ships now with paying customers, so beware, with no mask mandates, but recommendation to wear them; people aren't listening.  Not fun. 

 

I might add, this is the first Celeb. cruise we have taken--one week! and covid.  We were on Holland America for 9 weeks last year and 3 weeks in April of this year, many B2B, one B4B, no covid for us.  Many more HAL cruisers wear masks and there are far fewer cases, far fewer. 

We  have cruised many many times on Celebrity since July startup last year. We have also cruised on NCL. I can tell you that times are changing. Up until our April trip all the ships were mostly empty (or less than half at least). Come April and May 6th B2B and they are packed on Equinox. I agree that nobody wears masks. We did a few times and people looked at us like we already had Covid... We were tested in between B2B and passed.

 

Anyhoo... Wife tested positive after arriving home and then I did.

 

We go back to Equinox June 25th for a B2B2B then back in August for a B4B. Even though we had Covid we are masking up. But... you still have to sit down to eat dinner somewhere... We will try and steer clear of the cattle farm in Ocean View but still have Luminae to deal with. Hostess and Maitre De know us quite well and try to seat us apart from others (where possible).

 

So after 108 days on ships between July of last year and now we finally lost the lottery... But we are not deterred and heading back.

[broadwaybaby123]

On RC's Anthem Of The Seas in May, they tested both the kids and the B2B cruisers on Day 5 or 6 of the cruise, free of charge.

[12cruise2]

12 hours ago, viperfoth said:

We  have cruised many many times on Celebrity since July startup last year. We have also cruised on NCL. I can tell you that times are changing. Up until our April trip all the ships were mostly empty (or less than half at least). Come April and May 6th B2B and they are packed on Equinox. I agree that nobody wears masks. We did a few times and people looked at us like we already had Covid... We were tested in between B2B and passed.

 

Anyhoo... Wife tested positive after arriving home and then I did.

 

We go back to Equinox June 25th for a B2B2B then back in August for a B4B. Even though we had Covid we are masking up. But... you still have to sit down to eat dinner somewhere... We will try and steer clear of the cattle farm in Ocean View but still have Luminae to deal with. Hostess and Maitre De know us quite well and try to seat us apart from others (where possible).

 

So after 108 days on ships between July of last year and now we finally lost the lottery... But we are not deterred and heading back.

Interesting to hear your comments.  Now, my spouse who is positive is going to be "immune" for our next scheduled cruise--on Celebrity in July--so we would need a certificate of recovery and have the positive NAAT (PCR) test result in hand.  So far I don't think I have cov.  I have a NAAT test scheduled at Walgreens for this coming Saturday, the day after we get home, to see if I got it.  Honestly, I'm tempted to cancel July on the Infinity.  I think we'll cancel a month-long B2B in Oct. on Holland America just because it's Alaska one week and then 3 weeks Panama Canal--we would both (if I do get it) be out of the 90-day period after positive then, and I'd rather not risk being put off the ship in Central America!  Final pay is 7/1, so we'll have to decide. And yes, you're right, through mid-December, ships were at 60% capacity on HAL max.  April, there were more passengers on.  Then "the entire U.S." in March, two years after 3/13/20, the start of all this, every business and folks decided no more masks and open everything open, free for all. 

(We are at 89 days sailing since last Sept.)  Now, just have to figure how to get the full refund as promised from Celebrity for this missed week, refund for prepaid internet, file with our travel insur. for reimbursement/trip interruption for our hotel stay and meals.  The admin. work is a pain in the neck (as it's my duty to take care of all this).  Celeb. provided no written (despite 3 requests to cov. director on board and who swore she did/will send it to our cabin before we disembarked) info but verbal info on what they cover (up to $250 hotel, $100 a day for meals), but thank goodness from reading notes from previous cruisers, I'm sure we have to apply to our own travel insur. for any reimbursement first.  They're really good at getting "you" off the ship for sure. . . .since our second cruise was not long enough (10 days) to allow us to stay on board.

Edited May 30, 2022 by 12cruise2