Anyone have experience using a Certificate of Recovery and Positive COVID PCR test?

[4minimark]

We just got off Ovation of the seas Alaska cruise last Friday and tested positive the day after we got home.  We have another cruise scheduled for June 12th and we will be able to board using the "Letter of Recovery" + the positive PCR test since we will most likely still be testing positive even though we are recovered and no longer contagious.  My question is about being able to get off at the ports.  We visit Jamaica and Grand Cayman and both are listed as not being able to disembark (not accepting the Letter of Recovery) in the RCCL FAQ.  With research on their government sites, it appears all COVID restrictions have been listed for those 2 countries so I believe the information on the RCCL website is out dated.  Wondering if anyone has recent experience on this.  I personally wouldn't mind staying on the ship but will be travelling with my teens who would prefer to cancel if we can't get off at the ports.  I'm also reaching out to Royal, but past experience has shown you can get multiple answers depending who you talk to.

 

 

[irishgal432]

27 minutes ago, 4minimark said:

We just got off Ovation of the seas Alaska cruise last Friday and tested positive the day after we got home.  We have another cruise scheduled for June 12th and we will be able to board using the "Letter of Recovery" + the positive PCR test since we will most likely still be testing positive even though we are recovered and no longer contagious.  My question is about being able to get off at the ports.  We visit Jamaica and Grand Cayman and both are listed as not being able to disembark (not accepting the Letter of Recovery) in the RCCL FAQ.  With research on their government sites, it appears all COVID restrictions have been listed for those 2 countries so I believe the information on the RCCL website is out dated.  Wondering if anyone has recent experience on this.  I personally wouldn't mind staying on the ship but will be travelling with my teens who would prefer to cancel if we can't get off at the ports.  I'm also reaching out to Royal, but past experience has shown you can get multiple answers depending who you talk to.

 

 

Don't have an answer for you, but when testing on June 10th, make sure you get a Rapid Antigen and not the Naat, or Binax, or PCR as those can show covid even if not contagious, if you test negative you dont need the letter of recovery.

 

Running into this with my daughter, so fingers crossed for a Negative test on Friday.

[molly361]

14 minutes ago, irishgal432 said:

Don't have an answer for you, but when testing on June 10th, make sure you get a Rapid Antigen and not the Naat, or Binax, or PCR as those can show covid even if not contagious, if you test negative you dont need the letter of recovery.

 

Running into this with my daughter, so fingers crossed for a Negative test on Friday.

Yup I think I screwed myself up this time by going to Walgreens instead of getting the Antigen at my Healthcare provider.  I didn't know this  Good luck to you   PS  I tested negative today.  If positive I was going to Walgreens for a PCR to have in case I needed to pursue the cert

[irishgal432]

9 minutes ago, molly361 said:

Yup I think I screwed myself up this time by going to Walgreens instead of getting the Antigen at my Healthcare provider.  I didn't know this  Good luck to you   PS  I tested negative today.  If positive I was going to Walgreens for a PCR to have in case I needed to pursue the cert

Missed it by 2 days. Drat!  I looked into it when you posted about the fb message.  What was your time line from testing positive to negative.

[molly361]

8 minutes ago, irishgal432 said:

Missed it by 2 days. Drat!  I looked into it when you posted about the fb message.  What was your time line from testing positive to negative.

14 days from when I first tested positive to testing negative.   But I didn't test everyday so who knows  I didn't want to test the day that my cruise left to find out I was negative.  Tested positive Thursday and negative today Tuesday did not try in between those dates

Edited May 31, 2022 by molly361

[SarcasmSpasm]

We were just in Jamaica in April (land vacation). I know that Jamaica dropped all of their covid requirements as of April 16th. My husband and daughter had tested positive 10 days before our trip so I was going crazy trying to find answers. But then they dropped the covid restrictions 2 days before we flew there!  
 

So you should be fine going there.  We didn’t have to show any documentation when we arrived.

 

 

Edited June 1, 2022 by SarcasmSpasm

[mattb31]

19 hours ago, 4minimark said:

We just got off Ovation of the seas Alaska cruise last Friday and tested positive the day after we got home.  We have another cruise scheduled for June 12th and we will be able to board using the "Letter of Recovery" + the positive PCR test since we will most likely still be testing positive even though we are recovered and no longer contagious.  My question is about being able to get off at the ports.  We visit Jamaica and Grand Cayman and both are listed as not being able to disembark (not accepting the Letter of Recovery) in the RCCL FAQ.  With research on their government sites, it appears all COVID restrictions have been listed for those 2 countries so I believe the information on the RCCL website is out dated.  Wondering if anyone has recent experience on this.  I personally wouldn't mind staying on the ship but will be travelling with my teens who would prefer to cancel if we can't get off at the ports.  I'm also reaching out to Royal, but past experience has shown you can get multiple answers depending who you talk to.

 

 

On Oasis now. We both boarded with the letter of recovery and was very easy. Check in agent just had to clear it with someone else. Maybe added 2 minutes to check in.

 

We got it from our PCP who just set up a telelhealth with us after we completed our quarantine to make sure we were symptom free.

 

We wanted this because if for ANY reason we had to take a PCR while on board, we had proof we had already recovered.

[crewsweeper]

If you're past 10 days from initial positve PCR test, just do the rapid test.  No need to hassle with any certificate of recovery.  

[molly361]

7 minutes ago, mattb31 said:

On Oasis now. We both boarded with the letter of recovery and was very easy. Check in agent just had to clear it with someone else. Maybe added 2 minutes to check in.

 

We got it from our PCP who just set up a telelhealth with us after we completed our quarantine to make sure we were symptom free.

 

We wanted this because if for ANY reason we had to take a PCR while on board, we had proof we had already recovered.

Did you have a PCR test or NAAT that was positive?

Edited June 1, 2022 by molly361

[irishgal432]

47 minutes ago, crewsweeper said:

If you're past 10 days from initial positve PCR test, just do the rapid test.  No need to hassle with any certificate of recovery.  

Just curious where  you got your 10 days, not arguing just hoping that it is something different that I saw that was saying that said up to 14 days you can still test positive on Rapid.  My personal experience was 8 days, but my daughter had it last week and hoping Day 10 will be the golden day.

[molly361]

51 minutes ago, crewsweeper said:

If you're past 10 days from initial positve PCR test, just do the rapid test.  No need to hassle with any certificate of recovery.  

I thought people can test positive for weeks or even months.  Is that not the case with a rapid test?

[Biker19]

Just now, molly361 said:

Is that not the case with a rapid test?

Very unlikely with antigen test - more likely with PCR.

[crewsweeper]

22 minutes ago, irishgal432 said:

Just curious where  you got your 10 days, not arguing just hoping that it is something different that I saw that was saying that said up to 14 days you can still test positive on Rapid.  My personal experience was 8 days, but my daughter had it last week and hoping Day 10 will be the golden day.

Experience.   Vaxed Boosted still caught it.   Doctor and hospital said test after 6-7 days.  Still positive with anitgen test.  But on day 11 got a negative antigen test and 2 weeks later still negative before cruise.

[mattb31]

1 hour ago, molly361 said:

Did you have a PCR test or NAAT that was positive?

Yes, our initial PCR in April.

 

I was negative on an antigen I took at home about a week before the cruise, but there was no reason to risk a positive coming up by chance before we left. The COR was easy to get and copay for telehealth was cheaper than the proctored tests.

 

Plus, like I mentioned, I saw plenty of stories where people had to go to the medical center and were tested for COVID. If that happened and we had our COR it's no big deal. Without it I'm sure quarantining is a risk.

 

At this point it's just better to travel with documentation of recovery if you can.

[Welly9]

LOR negates any testing to board RCl and or fly in US, have to have Form Letter of Recovery from your Doctor, plus the PCR test showing the date of test, get the LOR 10 days and Doc will confirm in his letter.

Save $ on testing, we used it for Rome, getting ont he Odyssey, and will use it again for the Mariner for a Caribbean cruise.

 

Consulation prize I guess for contracting this stupid virus! 

[drb116]

On 6/1/2022 at 1:04 PM, mattb31 said:

On Oasis now. We both boarded with the letter of recovery and was very easy. Check in agent just had to clear it with someone else. Maybe added 2 minutes to check in.

 

Did you bring the LOR to the port at check in time, or did you submit it ahead of time? 

[mattb31]

4 minutes ago, drb116 said:

Did you bring the LOR to the port at check in time, or did you submit it ahead of time? 

Check in time

[flarad]

We're the same way. Got off Celebrity Equinox and developed symptoms that same day. Tested positive. I got the certificate of recovery today from my doctor thinking it might actually be less of a hassle than to provide negative test results each leg of my trip.  I just want to be sure that it actually works for cruising and reentering the US. 

[Ziggy256]

My Royal Caribbean cruise departs on 13 June.  I tested positive for COVID on a PCR test on 26 May and I am still testing positive 7 days later on a home Antigen test.   I am having a hard time understanding the requirements for the Certificate of Recovery.   Royal Caribbean sight states “A Certificate of Recovery, for a positive COVID-19 case at least 11 days before boarding but no more than 90 days ago, may be provide in lieu of a pre-cruise COVID-19 test result to board the shop if it meets certain requirements.” 

 

Does it mean that the positive test has to be at least 11 days before the cruise or that the Certificate of Recovery needs to be 11 days before boarding?  Today is 11 days before the cruise.  Could I still get a Certificate of Recovery next week if I am symptom free or am I out of luck if I continue to test positive?  Thanks

[movierev]

13 minutes ago, Ziggy256 said:

My Royal Caribbean cruise departs on 13 June.  I tested positive for COVID on a PCR test on 26 May and I am still testing positive 7 days later on a home Antigen test.   I am having a hard time understanding the requirements for the Certificate of Recovery.   Royal Caribbean sight states “A Certificate of Recovery, for a positive COVID-19 case at least 11 days before boarding but no more than 90 days ago, may be provide in lieu of a pre-cruise COVID-19 test result to board the shop if it meets certain requirements.” 

 

 

 

Does it mean that the positive test has to be at least 11 days before the cruise or that the Certificate of Recovery needs to be 11 days before boarding?  Today is 11 days before the cruise.  Could I still get a Certificate of Recovery next week if I am symptom free or am I out of luck if I continue to test positive?  Thanks

 

 

I am getting a LOR for our upcoming cruise as I am in the same "boat" as you!  I tested positive for Covid on May 27 and our cruise departs on June 12.  Below is from RCI website regarding the timing for the LOR... we'll both make it, barely!  The TEST is what they are looking for.

 

• Must confirm the sample collection date of the positive PCR test, which must be a minimum of 11 days and a maximum of 90 days before the departure date of your cruise

[Ziggy256]

Does it actually say someplace of the Royal Caribbean website " that it must confirm the sample collection date of the positive PCR test?"  Also I took the test at CVS and the results don't appear to contain all the required information:  The lab's CLIA Lab Number or Certificate Number and the lab address.  Did you have an issue with this.  I have concerns that my doctor may not give me the certificate.  Thanks

[movierev]

Our doctors office has a lab in their office and did the test.  Not sure what to do in your case... sorry!

[Ziggy256]

Where does it say  " that it must confirm the sample collection date of the positive PCR test?"  Is that how you interpret it or is does it say this somewhere?

Thanks

[irishgal432]

10 hours ago, Ziggy256 said:

My Royal Caribbean cruise departs on 13 June.  I tested positive for COVID on a PCR test on 26 May and I am still testing positive 7 days later on a home Antigen test.   I am having a hard time understanding the requirements for the Certificate of Recovery.   Royal Caribbean sight states “A Certificate of Recovery, for a positive COVID-19 case at least 11 days before boarding but no more than 90 days ago, may be provide in lieu of a pre-cruise COVID-19 test result to board the shop if it meets certain requirements.” 

 

 

 

Does it mean that the positive test has to be at least 11 days before the cruise or that the Certificate of Recovery needs to be 11 days before boarding?  Today is 11 days before the cruise.  Could I still get a Certificate of Recovery next week if I am symptom free or am I out of luck if I continue to test positive?  Thanks

 

Yes, the positive test has to be 11 -90 days from embarkation.  If you are still testing positive next week, you can get a letter of recovery based on your original test as long as it was a pcr or pcr/naat test.

[irishgal432]

9 hours ago, Ziggy256 said:

Does it actually say someplace of the Royal Caribbean website " that it must confirm the sample collection date of the positive PCR test?"  Also I took the test at CVS and the results don't appear to contain all the required information:  The lab's CLIA Lab Number or Certificate Number and the lab address.  Did you have an issue with this.  I have concerns that my doctor may not give me the certificate.  Thanks

Since you took it at CVS you should be fine.  Make sure you print out your results to take with your letter of recovery in case they ask.