MSC COVID Requirements in Rio?

[wjcollum]

Howdy, all! We are booked in (Yacht Club, I hope it's as good as the hype) cabins on MSC Seaview out of Rio de Janeiro on 18 December. It looks like MSC requires a COVID test to be performed for all guests, vaccinated or not, within 24 hours before boarding the ship in Rio de Janeiro. OK, a bit pointless I think, but OK. The problem is that it can't be a self-administered rapid antigen test. Does anybody know if on-line proctored tests are acceptable to MSC? MSC "Customer Support" has not been very helpful when asked, just reading me the quote from the MSC web page:
 

"For Cruises longer than 6 nights:

- All guests (ages 3 years old or older) are required to provide a COVID-19 antigen or PCR-RT test 24 hours before embarkation.

 

A rapid antigen self-test is not valid for travel purposes."
 

I have found some clinics that will do the tests (we need 6 of them) at a reasonable price ($50 USD or so), but the results will take 2 business days to receive (we board the ship on Sunday, so to meet the 24-hour requirement the tests will have to be done on Saturday, and two business days puts us into Tuesday). MSC does not provide the tests, at any price, either at the pier or on the ship. If proctored on-line tests are not acceptable, then it seems like MSC has set up an impossible situation. Has anybody managed to navigate this requirement in Rio? Any suggestions? 

[tweakes]

I am on the same sailing, also in YC. We are staying at the Hilton Copacabana before the cruise, and I emailed and asked about options. They partner with a company who will do the tests in the lobby. 

 

These are the prices they quoted me:

PCR with result in 24 hours R$390,00 reals

PCR with result in 7 hours R$690,00 reals

Antigen Rapid Test with result in up 3 hours R$ 250,00 reals

 

The company's web site is c2rio dot travel, and they appear to be a regular tour operator. You could try to contact them to see if you have options for where you're staying. 

 

Look forward to seeing you on board!

-Todd

[wjcollum]

Danke, Todd! I will call c2rio. We're staying nearby in the Windsor Miramar, and I assume they will accommodate us there as well. We may also book a tour or two.

I wrote to MSC "Customer Service" to see if Rapid Antigen Tests proctored online by a health care professional are acceptable, as they are for travel in the US and Europe, but I have not received a definitive answer (I received a tentative "yes" on the phone, but I'd like a written ruling in case it is disputed at the pier). 

Thanks again for your help. See you on the ship. Safe travels!

[8420PR]

Earlier this year I got a covid test from a pharmacy across the street from the Hilton Copacabana for BRL80.  At that time most pharmacies offered tests, as many people (including me) needed them to fly home, so we just went to the nearest.

 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Farmácia+Pague+Menos/@-22.9647616,-43.1814086,17z/data=!4m9!1m2!2m1!1sFarmácia+Pague+Menos!3m5!1s0x9bd555b36b8f9f:0x8d109f99b3d67230!8m2!3d-22.9652053!4d-43.1772385!15sChVGYXJtw6FjaWEgUGFndWUgTWVub3MiA4gBAVoXIhVmYXJtw6FjaWEgcGFndWUgbWVub3OSARZwaGFybWFjZXV0aWNhbF9jb21wYW554AEA

Edited December 6, 2022 by 8420PR

[travelberlin]

22 hours ago, tweakes said:

I am on the same sailing, also in YC. We are staying at the Hilton Copacabana before the cruise, and I emailed and asked about options. They partner with a company who will do the tests in the lobby. 

 

These are the prices they quoted me:

PCR with result in 24 hours R$390,00 reals

PCR with result in 7 hours R$690,00 reals

Antigen Rapid Test with result in up 3 hours R$ 250,00 reals

 

The company's web site is c2rio dot travel, and they appear to be a regular tour operator. You could try to contact them to see if you have options for where you're staying. 

 

Look forward to seeing you on board!

-Todd

This seems expensive to me. And a rapid antigen test which usually takes 15 minutes would take 3 hours? 
I am also looking for places for the antigen test before my cruise either for Sao Paulo or Santos.

Ivi

[SirWolf]

12 minutes ago, travelberlin said:

This seems expensive to me. And a rapid antigen test which usually takes 15 minutes would take 3 hours? 
I am also looking for places for the antigen test before my cruise either for Sao Paulo or Santos.

Ivi

 

@tweakes said that the test will be sampled in the lobby of the hotel. They will most probably not perform the test and resulting while on location. 3 hours for driving back to the laboratory, performing the test and resulting seems reasonable.

[travelberlin]

31 minutes ago, SirWolf said:

 

@tweakes said that the test will be sampled in the lobby of the hotel. They will most probably not perform the test and resulting while on location. 3 hours for driving back to the laboratory, performing the test and resulting seems reasonable.

The antigen test is very simple. Each time I had to take one, it was done immediately on site and there is no need of a laboratory. Results in 15 minutes. I will try to find out a place like a pharmacy or a test station for that. PCR is a different story. PCR has to be analyzed in Laboratory.

Ivi

[SirWolf]

1 hour ago, travelberlin said:

The antigen test is very simple. Each time I had to take one, it was done immediately on site and there is no need of a laboratory. Results in 15 minutes. I will try to find out a place like a pharmacy or a test station for that. PCR is a different story. PCR has to be analyzed in Laboratory.

Ivi

 

I don’t know the requirements for medical personnel in Brazil but in the U.S. only licensed and trained staff is authorized to perform even a simple PCR Antigen test. In a Clinical Laboratory usually the supervisor reviews the test result and releases the result in the LIMS Laboratory Information Management System. The access to the LIS is not possible from the outside (laptop in hotel lobby) due to high IT security and patient privacy laws (HIPPA). The report needs to be in printed form, handwritten results are not accepted in the U.S. 

 

The turnaround time in a Clinical Laboratory setting is :

5 min. Paperwork

2 min. Sampling

15 min. Testing

5 min. Resulting

In-and-out under 30 minutes.

 

PCR Antigen Tests are point-of-care tests and can certainly be performed at a pharmacy or test station with short waiting time. @tweakes  mentioned a hotel lobby.. which is a different scenario.

 

Unfortunately Brazil is still a third world country, their testing requirements and methods may vary from other countries.

 

[wjcollum]

Thanks all. I booked tests to be conducted at our hotel in Copacabana on Saturday afternoon before embarkation with "c2rio" (c2rio.travel), with results delivered within 3 hours. Price was about $30 per person. I also booked a private van for 6 to and a private van all-day tour of Rio with the same company. Prices are very reasonable. 

I don't mean to start an argument, but I've been to a lot of developing, or what some consider "3rd world", countries. Brazil isn't one. It's a pretty civilized place. 

 

[Griff4AU]

Folks... I am pretty familiar with this as I am in Brazil no less than 6 times per year - and was doing so even during the Pandemic.

 

Just about every pharmacy does the test. Even during the pandemic, the tests were plentiful and fast. Your hotel almost certainly has an arrangement with a pharmacy or a hospital. The tests will be anywhere from $35 - 60ish USD (if you pay in R$ and you have a decent CCard to do the Fx transaction). 

 

I'm not on your sailing, but I am on the Preziosa on the 27th sailing and a Canadian on my roll call is very concerned. She needn't be.

 

Brazil was slow to take the severity of the pandemic seriously... and because of it their already "fair at best" economy was crushed. When they did start to take it seriously, they took it far more seriously than nearly every state in the US did. They still do. I arrived back from Rio yesterday (Monday) and when you land in Rio or Sao Paulo, you are going to be given a mask. Entering the airport to leave the country, you are going to be given a mask. Cases started rising again a few weeks ago and the country is responding.

Getting back to the tests... they are quick and easy and cheap and you'll have the results in 20 minutes. Heck, they are even given at the airport (at least at GRU and GIG). Of course this is the internet and hysteria makes for more interesting internet posts, but please relax. 

 

For those of you picking up the boat in Rio, on your way out of the country, please leave yourself ample time at GIG. Rio's immigration is woefully understaffed - far worse than Sao Paulo / GRU and many other Central / South American countries. 

WJ - I am trying YC myself. For what we're paying, I too hope it's worth the hype. 

[Griff4AU]

1 hour ago, wjcollum said:

I don't mean to start an argument, but I've been to a lot of developing, or what some consider "3rd world", countries. Brazil isn't one. It's a pretty civilized place. 

 

+1

 

I LOVE it down there. I love my country, but there are many other places on this planet where folks just "live life better and fuller" and I think Brazil, with their sense of family and "living life large," is one of them. Problems?  Loads of them, but I stand by my statement. Many are quick to become experts on places they have never been - those who are experts because of the internet I refer to as "keyboard commandos". 

So yes, I am willing to start the argument. There is no modern list that considers Brazil 3rd world as it has the 10th largest economy in the world.

[jjhua]

@wjcollumthanks for starting this thread, and sharing the info. We have 3 families going on the same cruise and same day, we are “on the same boat”. 

Did you book antigen test or PCR test for $30 via c2rio? I don’t know what is the difference between the antigen test (required by MSC) and the rapid antigen test. Can you or anyone explain?

 

thanks

Justin

Edited December 7, 2022 by jjhua

[rool]

15 hours ago, Griff4AU said:

+1

 

I LOVE it down there. I love my country, but there are many other places on this planet where folks just "live life better and fuller" and I think Brazil, with their sense of family and "living life large," is one of them. Problems?  Loads of them, but I stand by my statement. Many are quick to become experts on places they have never been - those who are experts because of the internet I refer to as "keyboard commandos". 

So yes, I am willing to start the argument. There is no modern list that considers Brazil 3rd world as it has the 10th largest economy in the world.

I have lived here now for 4 years and, although it has to be paid for, I find the access to medical treatment faster and more thorough than that in the UK.

As for covid tests, as said above, many pharmacies such as Drogasil and labs such as Sabin offer rapid tests with results given between 20 minutes and 4 hours. 

I recently sailed out of Santos and I noticed there was an independant testing station within the terminal building. I don't know if the same is in the Rio terminal.

[wjcollum]

I booked whatever test that C2RIO will give us <shrug>. The MSC website implies that even Rapid Antigen Tests are OK, if they are not "self administered". I will bring the paperwork to the pier and start the argument there. 

I booked the tests from the C2RIO website (c2rio.travel) using the chat feature. They will find someone who speaks English (or Spanish) to help you (Eu falo um pouco de Portuguese, ma nao moito bem). If you need a ride from the hotel to the pier, or vice-versa, you can also book a car or van through them. Prices were pretty reasonable.

Good luck, and have a great trip!

[travelberlin]

1 hour ago, rool said:

I have lived here now for 4 years and, although it has to be paid for, I find the access to medical treatment faster and more thorough than that in the UK.

As for covid tests, as said above, many pharmacies such as Drogasil and labs such as Sabin offer rapid tests with results given between 20 minutes and 4 hours. 

I recently sailed out of Santos and I noticed there was an independant testing station within the terminal building. I don't know if the same is in the Rio terminal.

We will also sail from Santos. Good to know that there is a test station within the terminal building. I hope that we find a place the day before but unfortunately it is Sunday. I will check with the places you have mentioned.

Ivi

[rool]

1 hour ago, travelberlin said:

We will also sail from Santos. Good to know that there is a test station within the terminal building. I hope that we find a place the day before but unfortunately it is Sunday. I will check with the places you have mentioned.

Ivi

We never used it as we were on a three night cruise but it looked like a walk in facility up some stairs as you enter the terminal building.

[Jamesbambridge]

We are travelling on the MSC fantasia grand voyage in a few weeks. 
 

would be interested in where people got

this test in Rio Copacabana area as we didn’t know this was needed. 
 

we have a few days there before .

 

is there testing at the port before boarding ?

 

not had much luck from msc or

our agent other than look at the website