If you cruise Princess, take your own RATs

[Relaxing Robbies]

We are currently cruising on Majestic Princess and brought along our own supply of 5 RATs. I used 2 of them with a negative test followed by a positive test the next day. My husband has since been doing his own test daily and fortunately is still testing negative. We have used all our own tests so my husband went to the medical centre to ask if they could supply him with any RATs. They are happy to supply one if he agrees to pay $38 for a single test.  No thanks, considering he does not have any symptoms.

 

There has not been a single mention of covid since we boarded the ship. Even at boarding we were no longer asked any questions about our health. There does not seem to be any mention of covid or Princess’ policies in relation to covid anywhere on their website. It is like they think it no longer exists. I guess if you charge $38 for a RAT to self administer a test, then people don’t bother unless they are very ill. Maybe they have a deliberate policy to deter testing now, because if you don’t test, then there is no covid on the ship?

[arxcards]

I suspect that is standard across all ships. The protocols have gone, and you are correct to wonder wed-thurs-fri happened.

 

The same will also apply if you want/need anti virals. They will not be free or even PBS subsidised and you are not supposed to be able to get "in case" scripts for it either. Just make sure your insurance will cover the cost, which is now no different to any other travel ailment.

Edited November 15, 2023 by arxcards

[MicCanberra]

I am wondering if you were having symptoms before you started testing or was it just a precaution.

[Relaxing Robbies]

25 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

I am wondering if you were having symptoms before you started testing or was it just a precaution.

I had a slight cough so I went to bed early and tested first thing next morning. That test was negative, but I didn’t feel well so I stayed in my cabin all day. Next morning I tested again and was positive.

 

My husband has been testing daily as a precaution since my positive test.

[cruiser3775]

3 hours ago, Relaxing Robbies said:

I guess if you charge $38 for a RAT to self administer a test, then people don’t bother unless they are very ill.

That's what will happen, of course. People might justify not paying that money for the test by saying they thought they just had a cold. This is a short sighted policy for a cruise line. We will no doubt be hearing about this on a current affairs program shortly.

You can buy a pack of two RATs for $10 (if you are not on the ship, of course).

It's a case of forewarned and BYO next cruise.

 

 

[Kate7777]

I’m just off Royal Princess today and it was also $38 for a RAT test and $129 for an appointment with doctor to discuss a positive result. Antivirals are USD750 and I overheard someone say that it was $2600 for a family member to spend overnight in medical centre for Covid. 

[arxcards]

I knew much of the free screening tests had been dropped. What surprises me though is that if you have tested positive, it is in the ships' interest to be regularly screening your partner and providing free testing.

 

Have you self isolated based on self testing, or has Princess asked you to isolate? I am wondering if they accept your self test, or if they want to charge you for an official test before they will isolate you.

[Ondine]

Our local council is still giving tests away free.  I picked up 4 x 5 boxes before I went on my last cruise.

[Relaxing Robbies]

8 minutes ago, arxcards said:

I knew much of the free screening tests had been dropped. What surprises me though is that if you have tested positive, it is in the ships' interest to be regularly screening your partner and providing free testing.

 

Have you self isolated based on self testing, or has Princess asked you to isolate? I am wondering if they accept your self test, or if they want to charge you for an official test before they will isolate you.

I self tested and informed them I was positive by telephone. They accepted my statement and told me I have to isolate until they release me on Day 6.

[MicCanberra]

1 hour ago, Relaxing Robbies said:

I had a slight cough so I went to bed early and tested first thing next morning. That test was negative, but I didn’t feel well so I stayed in my cabin all day. Next morning I tested again and was positive.

 

My husband has been testing daily as a precaution since my positive test.

Rightio, that is why we always travelled ithe a few tests each, may have to start that habit again.

[MicCanberra]

12 minutes ago, Ondine said:

Our local council is still giving tests away free.  I picked up 4 x 5 boxes before I went on my last cruise.

Likewise, the library and hospitals have been giving them away, as they expire soon.

[arxcards]

5 minutes ago, Relaxing Robbies said:

I self tested and informed them I was positive by telephone. They accepted my statement and told me I have to isolate until they release me on Day 6.

Take care.

Personally, I think any ship that doesn't provide free screening tests for cabin contacts has rocks in their heads.

[MicCanberra]

Agreed, perhaps if you say you are ill, they then provide them gratis, to cover themselves.

[mum and son]

Other than your health (I hope you recover quickly) - I'm particularly concerned about the inevitable news story that will be coming about price gouging. I mean, I get that they're not going to charge the same price for a RAT as they do at my local pharmacy, but, when I can buy a 5 pack for under $20, then charging a 950% premium is a bit rich. Especially when most of the planet think cruise ships tried to destroy all of humanity with covid in the first place!!

Edited November 15, 2023 by mum and son

[arxcards]

The writing could be on the wall. We are both getting a booster jab at the end of the month to give us every chance of resistance for the remaining cruises of the season.

 

And by the sound of the gastro thread, we won't be anywhere near the buffet which is pretty normal for us anyway.

[MMDown Under]

Courier Mail headline "Mask Call as Covid Spikes".  Doctors have warned QUEENSLANDERS to start wearing masks again at public gatherings in hospitals and in surgeries and on planes. Qld. is in the grip of 8th covid wave. Hospitalisations have tripled in recent weeks and the peak is yet to be reached. Good on the medical profession!  The silence from the State and Federal Governments is deafening.  

[MicCanberra]

Time to start laying low again..

[arxcards]

3 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

Agreed, perhaps if you say you are ill, they then provide them gratis, to cover themselves.

It reads as if they will charge you for both a test and a consult.

[MicCanberra]

16 minutes ago, arxcards said:

It reads as if they will charge you for both a test and a consult.

Perhaps. Bad form in any case.

[bazzaw]

2 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

Courier Mail headline "Mask Call as Covid Spikes".  Doctors have warned QUEENSLANDERS to start wearing masks again at public gatherings in hospitals and in surgeries and on planes. Qld. is in the grip of 8th covid wave. Hospitalisations have tripled in recent weeks and the peak is yet to be reached. Good on the medical profession!  The silence from the State and Federal Governments is deafening.  

The Qld Chief Health Officer has just been on the TV saying that he will not be recommending the mandatory use of masks. Finally, some sanity prevails. He also said that the majority of hospitalisations in Qld in this latest "wave" are people over 65 who have not had a booster shot in 2023. 

[MicCanberra]

I don't  understand  why people are still anti vax, haven't  they learnt anything  yet.

[MMDown Under]

11 hours ago, bazzaw said:

The Qld Chief Health Officer has just been on the TV saying that he will not be recommending the mandatory use of masks. Finally, some sanity prevails. He also said that the majority of hospitalisations in Qld in this latest "wave" are people over 65 who have not had a booster shot in 2023. 

My daughter had a Covid injection prior to travelling overseas recently.  Seems the Covid injection currently is not the latest version available.  Govt approved the latest one in Oct but it is not available to the Public yet.  I have been waiting for the latest version.

[MicCanberra]

People could have had the older one and it would have been 6-9 months ago already, then get the new one when it is released.

[bazzaw]

8 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

My daughter had a Covid injection prior to travelling overseas recently.  Seems the Covid injection currently is not the latest version available.  Govt approved the latest one in Oct but it is not available to the Public yet.  I have been waiting for the latest version.

I am not sure that our problem here in Oz is the current unavailability of the most recent vaccine - but is that people are not getting updated every 6 months or so. I do dread the idea that we should have to be vaccinated every 6 months - and have personally got around that problem because we had the virus in Feb - and hence did not have to have another booster (total of 5 shots now) until August . I have been hoping that we might see a once per year combined influenza/Covid shot. However it appears (and confirmed by the QLD CHO) that the current Covid is quite mild (except for some people) - and I am more concerned about dying on the roads than getting Covid. I do think that there is some truth in the rumour that the only way to get Covid today is to get tested for it!! 🙂

[MicCanberra]

I do think they needed to keep pushing for people to maintain their vaccination, and therefore their protection.

And I do hope they have an annual flu and covid jab in the future.