Self Testing for Covid

[curtsfan]

Hi 

I was wondering if anyone has actually cruised since the new self testing rules have been in place.  If so, is just a picture of the negative test enough?  Or should I just go & get a test done at CVS?

[lola2013]

We recently did the proctored test through Rapid Test and Trace using the free Covid test provided by the government.  We paid $20 for the proctor and made the appointment for two days prior to sail date.  Using my iPad, the test was easy; the proctor was very helpful as far as following the instructions.  Within 15 minutes, she emailed the results.  I had the email copied at my hotel so I had a paper copy of the negative result.  

It is my understanding...and apologies if this is not up to date...that neither CVS nor Walgreens are no longer doing the test for free if it's used for travel.  

Hope that helps!

[dazey]

We last used CVS for our pre-cruise test in May and we had to go into Minute Clinic and see a "professional" in a white coat who had to do a mini pyhsical(BP, heart, etc.) with a history and then that person's assistant could give us the test and then we waited 10 minutes to get the printed test.  Prior times we drove up, person came out and the test result was handed to us. We did not pay anything and believe it was covered by government.

 

While we had the same result(the test results printed that we needed) this last time I checked my health care records and I was charged a total of $400+ and my husband was charged(no idea why) approx. $200.  I called CVS to ask for an explanation of why the difference and why we had to have he "professional" do unnecessary physical to do test.  Of course, the person had no idea about anything.

 

We never had to actually pay anything but it just seemed beyond limits of what CVS should be charging anyone whether we pay or not - someone is giving CVS the money.

 

If we were able to do it online(not computer confident) it would be good.  However, until this requirement is removed, we will still go to CVS in December and then in May.

 

It is just another example of why things are so messed up these days.

[dlh015]

42 minutes ago, curtsfan said:

Hi 

I was wondering if anyone has actually cruised since the new self testing rules have been in place.  If so, is just a picture of the negative test enough?  Or should I just go & get a test done at CVS?

So after saying that's what you're going to do in another thread, you immediately start *another* thread asking the same question?

 

https://www.celebritycruises.com/healthy-at-sea/travel

 

"Test results from any commercially available Rapid Antigen Test (RAT), including self-tests, will be accepted. Tests do not have to be supervised or proctored. Test results may be presented as a printout, screenshot or photo of the test result or the actual test. Antibody tests are not accepted."

 

What could possibly be clearer?

 

 

 

Edited September 23, 2022 by dlh015

[suspaul]

Sounds like someone is having a bad day!

[dazey]

dlh015: I hope your response was not to me as I meant not to comment again on something. 

 

However,  I do have a followup.  I can use the government issued "Self-Test at Home" antigen repaid test and then just take a picture with my phone?  Seems too easy with no date, name, etc.  That is why I thought it would not be valid.  If so, I can handle this myself.  

[dlh015]

10 minutes ago, dazey said:

dlh015: I hope your response was not to me as I meant not to comment again on something. 

 

However,  I do have a followup.  I can use the government issued "Self-Test at Home" antigen repaid test and then just take a picture with my phone?  Seems too easy with no date, name, etc.  That is why I thought it would not be valid.  If so, I can handle this myself.  

No, it was not. I would have quoted you. 

 

"I can use the government issued "Self-Test at Home" antigen repaid test and then just take a picture with my phone?"

 

Yes, you can. They are relying on the honor system...for better or for worse. (Hmmm where have I heard that phrase before??  😁)

[39august]

I hope so. We just did our self, unmonitored test this morning for Sunday departure.  I believe our 10 night on Equinox is the first over 9 night from a US port since these new protocols were introduced. We used the "free" government test, that we tax payers paid for.  Am taking the tests as well as photos with us to board.

Edited September 23, 2022 by 39august

[TeaBag]

dlh, thank you for the link.  This is good news for us.  We paid for a proctored test for a July cruise and about a week before departure, it was announced that no testing was required.  We didn't get a refund though, so I was waiting to see what the protocol would be for our Oct cruise.  Glad we can do it ourselves.

[jwlane]

1 hour ago, dlh015 said:

 

What could possibly be clearer?

 

Exactly!  Why muddle the issue when it's clearly delineated?

[Jim_Iain]

6 hours ago, 39august said:

I hope so. We just did our self, unmonitored test this morning for Sunday departure.  I believe our 10 night on Equinox is the first over 9 night from a US port since these new protocols were introduced. We used the "free" government test, that we tax payers paid for.  Am taking the tests as well as photos with us to board.

Hope you can come back after check in and let people know your experience with your photo.   Seems like a lot of questions both here and on the other thread.   Luckily my next cruises are only 8 days each so will be our first with no test.

[LGW59]

6 hours ago, dlh015 said:

No, it was not. I would have quoted you. 

 

"I can use the government issued "Self-Test at Home" antigen repaid test and then just take a picture with my phone?"

 

Yes, you can. They are relying on the honor system...for better or for worse. (Hmmm where have I heard that phrase before??  😁)

To quote Mr. Grant: I like your spunk! 😂

[hovank]

So did they accept your photo of your at home test?  Seems too easy!

[Jim_Iain]

1 minute ago, hovank said:

So did they accept your photo of your at home test?  Seems too easy!

 

I read on another thread that they weren't even asked for their photo.    As others say it is really going to be the honor system.    What would stop anyone from taking a picture of someone else's negative test,   or just not swab your nose and run the test with a sterilized swab. 

[cangelmd]

On 9/23/2022 at 12:06 PM, 39august said:

I hope so. We just did our self, unmonitored test this morning for Sunday departure.  I believe our 10 night on Equinox is the first over 9 night from a US port since these new protocols were introduced. We used the "free" government test, that we tax payers paid for.  Am taking the tests as well as photos with us to board.

Please post your experience.

[Milly31]

We are currently on the Equinox.  We just took a photo of our self test yesterday and showed that photo when we checked in.  All went smoothly - no problems.

[Arizona Wildcat]

5 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

I read on another thread that they weren't even asked for their photo.    As others say it is really going to be the honor system.    What would stop anyone from taking a picture of someone else's negative test,   or just not swab your nose and run the test with a sterilized swab. 

No difference than with the proctored tests using your phone.  If you think about it they were actually on the honor system too.  On our Iceland cruise we were asked to show photos of covid cards,then asked if we had negative covid test results.  Said yes 

[cangelmd]

38 minutes ago, Milly31 said:

We are currently on the Equinox.  We just took a photo of our self test yesterday and showed that photo when we checked in.  All went smoothly - no problems.

Was your name on the test? Was the photo time stamped?

[jwlane]

3 minutes ago, cangelmd said:

Was your name on the test? Was the photo time stamped?

Wow!  Folks are just trying to make it more than it is.  Has anyone anywhere seen a self-test that has a name on it?

 

[RichYak]

31 minutes ago, jwlane said:

Wow!  Folks are just trying to make it more than it is.  Has anyone anywhere seen a self-test that has a name on it?

 

All the hand-wringing over this boggles my mind.

[hrhdhd]

More like posters' minds are boggled that Celebrity has such a silly stipulation for self-tests. 😬

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

No difference than with the proctored tests using your phone.  If you think about it they were actually on the honor system too.  On our Iceland cruise we were asked to show photos of covid cards,then asked if we had negative covid test results.  Said yes 

I don't think they even asked for our Covid results on the Iceland cruise.    I did however have to do a B2B test on both segments.

[dlh015]

Deleted...I'm done with this subject...it brings out the worst in me...

Edited September 26, 2022 by dlh015

[RichYak]

2 hours ago, hrhdhd said:

More like posters' minds are boggled that Celebrity has such a silly stipulation for self-tests. 😬

Silly, yes. But also 100% clear. I don't know why so many here feel the need to make this more complicated than what is required.

[cangelmd]

4 hours ago, jwlane said:

Wow!  Folks are just trying to make it more than it is.  Has anyone anywhere seen a self-test that has a name on it?

 

I’m not handwringing or making more of it. I think the requirement is totally ridiculous and the way Celebrity is handling it is all theater, CYA, whatever you want to call it.

 oh, and in my world of laboratory medicine, a test with no patient ID or collect date and time would be completely invalid - it’s something the legal eagles cooked up as a stop gap.

 

I honestly think that if WHO declares the acute pandemic phase to be over (which they have started to send out signals that they might after the first of the year), that will be the end of all testing, discussion. Persons presenting medical onboard may still get quarantined, as is done for Noro.

 

I wish they would stop all testing, but continue to announce when case numbers pass a set threshold, just so individuals can take their own precautions- that’s where we should be.

Edited September 27, 2022 by cangelmd