Royal Caribbean recently approved the Abbott BinaxNow COVID-19 Ag Card Test for a pre-cruise test, and it got a lot of readers excited that they might have a new convenient option in the days leading up to their cruise.

As you may be aware, Royal Caribbean requires all passengers to bring a negative Covid-19 test result to the cruise terminal, regardless of vaccination status. 

This test must be taken no more than two days prior to sailing and must be arranged by each guest at their own expense with an accredited test provider.

Depending on where you live and other factors, getting a test appointment is not a simple task, and being able to conduct a test at home is a convenient alternative to going to the pharmacy.

So how well do these tests work, and how long does it take? Many cruisers wanted to know, so I decided to try it out for myself and see.

Royal Caribbean accepts the Abbott BinaxNOW™ COVID-19 Ag Card Home Test because it is supervised and administered remotely via a video session. 

Royal Caribbean updated its policy to specify Abbott BinaxNow COVID-19 Ag Card Test is acceptable, while the Abbott BinaxNow COVID-19 Antigen Self Test if taken at home and not supervised by a medical professional is not accepted.

I reached out to the folks at eMed to get more information about their product, and they provided me with a pack of six home tests. eMed sells tests in six packs, which brings the price down to $25 per test.  

There is also an option to purchase the BinaxNOW™ Home Test from an eMed partner such as Walgreens (currently available in select Los Angeles, New Jersey and New York retailers) or Optum.

It is a good idea to have more than one test in case of an inconclusive test result, as well as to have additional test kits for other family members. You will need one test kit per person.

According to the company, the shelf life has been extended for the BinaxNOW™ Home Test by the FDA and it is remains useful for up to 12 months from the manufacturing date. 

This particular at-home test requires a prescription, which can be obtained when you fill out the form online during the ordering process.

First and foremost, when you get the test, be very certain not to open the box until instructed to do so during the video call.

Once you are ready to take the test, you just sign up for an account on the emed.com website and click the link to start a test.

There were reports of massive waits to speak with someone to get the test done, but I waited perhaps 30 seconds before it was my turn for the test. In fact, I had to disconnect a few times because of an issue with my computer's webcam, and was able to jump right back in immediately each time.

My advice is to do the test on a phone, or a computer with an attached webcam, so that you can easily move the camera around while seeing what is on the screen.  During the test, the proctor will ask you to show them yourself, identification, and the test itself.  Often, they need to see you doing whatever it is you are being directed to do, so being able to easily move the camera is important.

After verifying the test is intact, you will be directed to add a few drops of the test solution to the test card and then swab your nose.

You will be directed to swab both nostrils five times. The swab needs to only go up about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch, so no "brain tickler" tests required.  I felt no discomfort.

After you swab both nostrils, you place the swab into the test card and wait 15 minutes for the results.

The test card has a spot for two lines.  One line means you are negative, two lines means you are positive.

After 15 minutes, you and the proctor look over the results and confirm the outcome.  

Results are available instantly email, as well as through the NAVICA app. There is also a QR code provided to be shared via text, email and other methods.

The test can be used on children as young as four years old when samples are collected by an adult and for all people aged 15 years or older.

Having done an antigen test at a local pharmacy and now at home, the experience is pretty much the same. At CVS, the nurse had me swab my nose as well, so it is fundamentally the same process.

Without a doubt, the home test is extremely convenient, and the fact you can buy a few to have on hand for future cruises or for any potential exposure concerns in your everyday life is a really nice option.

Moreover, you could take the test much closer to your sail date. This is helpful for someone who is flying to their destination and wants to take the test the day before they sail.

Royal Caribbean requires all passengers to get a Covid test before their cruise if their sailing, and that has generated a lot of questions about when exactly should take your test.

All guests over the age of 2 are required to arrive to the cruise terminal with a negative Covid-19 test, regardless of vaccine status, prior to boarding.

The primary concern is getting the test completed with enough time to get your result before your cruise begins.  Wait too long and you might not have your results in time.  But do the test too early, and it will not count.

The logistics of when and where to get a test before your cruise is somewhat confusing, so here is what you need to know about getting a Covid-19 test before your cruise so you can get onboard without any issues.

When should you get your test done?

Vaccinated guests must present a negative PCR or antigen test result taken no more than 2 days prior to sailing in order to board. (Previously, it was 3 days.)

Unvaccinated kids departing on or after December 17, 2021 must show a negative test result for a PCR test (not antigen) taken no more than 3 days before boarding day.

Unvaccinated kids’ pre-cruise test cannot be taken on boarding day, because that may affect the sample taken during the kids’ test at the terminal.

So when should you get your test done so that the results are valid and within the timeframe?

Basically, Royal Caribbean says the day you set sail is not one of the days you count. Instead, count backwards from the day before to figure out which day to get your test.

As an example, if your cruise departs on a Saturday, you could get your test done on

1. Friday (Day 1)
2. Thursday (Day 2)
3. Wednesday (Day 3)

Your best bet is to schedule a test in advance to ensure there you can get your test completed on the day you want to ensure there is enough time to get the results before you sail.

Where can you get tested?

Depending on where you live, there can be different options available for getting tested.  This includes testing sites that are free or have an additional cost.

Keep in mind Royal Caribbean accepts antigen or PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test results for fully vaccinated passengers.

Many health providers and chain drug stores, including Walgreens, Rite Aid and CVS, now offer COVID-19 testing for work, travel and other reasons. All of these often offer PCR testing at no additional cost if using insurance or if you fall under some federal programs for those without insurance. 

Another option is Passport Health, which has over 100 locations nationwide meant for someone who is travelling or going back to school.

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services maintains a list of testing sites per state where you can be tested, including ones that have no-cost.

You may even find some testing sites offering drive-up testing, where you never have to leave the car. Roll down your window, get swabbed, and be on your way.

How long will it take to get your test results?

Depending on the type of test you take, results could be in your hands within hours or days.

Antigen tests can come back in as little as 30 minutes, whereas PCR tests usually take longer.  PCR tests generally take around 72 hours for results, although some testing sites offer rapid PCR tests that can come back much sooner.

CVS advertises its PCR test takes "typically" 1-2 days, while the rapid test is a few hours.

There are few guarantees on when exactly you will get your results, but taking your test earlier in the time window before your cruise departs is the safest bet.

How to give Royal Caribbean the test results

You simply need to bring a copy of the test results for everyone in your family to the cruise terminal.

The test results must have:

• Your name
• Date the test was taken
• Type of test
• Negative result

You have the choice of bringing a print out or using a digital copy. Royal Caribbean recommends printing out the results whenever possible to simplify the process of showing the results.

If you prefer a digital copy, the cruise line will accept  test results presented on your phone.

I have been fortunate enough to go on three Royal Caribbean cruises so far this summer from North America, and already there are some new lessons learned for cruising right now.

While the basic cruise experience pre-shutdown is still there, there are a few new, altered, or completely different ways to plan a cruise due to new protocols and ways the cruise line is operating.

If nothing else, you should expect changes early and often, so this post may even end up becoming outdated quite quickly with everything Royal Caribbean is doing to get ships operating again.

Based on my experience, here are the top eight new rules I've garnered from going on a Royal Caribbean cruise so far.

Check-in times are much closer to your sail date

Before the shutdown, you could count on online check-in for your cruise opening up 90 days before your sail date, but not anymore.

Right now, there is no pattern to when you can start checking in for a cruise, so you have to keep checking back periodically to see if it has opened.

First and foremost, expect online check-in to open up much closer to you sail date than 90 days. It is not uncommon to have check-in become available just a couple weeks in advance.

Keep in mind that what someone else on another sailing experiences for their check-in date opening may have no bearing on when yours could open up.

Regardless of when online check-in is available, try to get it done as soon as possible. Check-in times at the cruise terminal matter now, and the early check-in times go very quickly.

Don't expect protocols until a few weeks before your cruise

Because of the changing government regulations, new health protocols will likely not be available until at the most a month in before you sail.

Royal Caribbean is in the tough situation of wanting to share what the experience will be like with guests as early as they can, while at the same time trying to adhere to new guidelines and requirements from various health agencies.

In order to avoid creating confusion with changing protocols, Royal Caribbean is waiting until much closer to when a ship may sail to announce what guests can expect onboard.

It may not be idea, but most passengers are not keeping up with every change the cruise line makes, and as a result, the cruise line appears to be doing what it can to simplify messaging.

Windjammer will be closed for dinner until capacity gets up to at least 50%

After speaking with Royal Caribbean executives, it looks like the Windjammer buffet will remain closed for dinner until more guests are sailing again.

All of Royal Caribbean's ships are sailing at reduced capacity, although they have not divulged specific numbers for any ship.

Roughly speaking, the Windjammer will not re-open for dinner until at least half the ship is full again.  This means you may need to spend some extra time planning dinner before you cruise.

If you were someone that usually ate dinner at the buffet, consider specialty restaurant alternatives, going to the main dining room, or maybe just enjoying room service.

A lot of flights are getting cancelled

Never before can I recall so many flights being cancelled arbitrarily close to the departure date than right now.

Airlines are much further along in their recovery from the global health crisis (it helps when your industry gets bailed out with taxpayer money and never had any oversight by the CDC), but that does not mean their operations are smooth.

Anecdotally, a lot of cruise passengers are reporting last-minute flight cancellations for any number of reasons.

The best thing you can do is plan to fly in to your cruise at least one day ahead of time.  If you can manage it, two days in advance would be ideal (especially for sailings out of The Bahamas where there are few flights each day).

Don't rely on booking flights with Royal Caribbean through Air2Sea for the same day as your flight departs.

Cruise planner sales give the best prices

If you want a discount on a drink package, shore excursion, or something fun to do at CocoCay, be sure to purchase it during a Cruise Planner sale.

It was always a good idea to pre-purchase as much as you can to lock in discounts, but the importance of this strategy has gone up quite a lot due to higher base prices for these items than we saw in early 2020.

The good news is there is usually a Cruise Planner sale once every few weeks, and they are almost always offered over any major or minor holiday.

If you know you want something in the Cruise Planner, book it at the current price, and then cancel and rebook later if there is a price drop.

You can do eMuster from anywhere

One of the best innovations to come out of the cruise industry shutdown was eMuster, which allows passengers to do the guest safety drill from anywhere onboard the ship over the span of a few hours on embarkation day.

My advice is to multi-task the process, and go through the eMuster process in your Royal Caribbean app while you're doing something else onboard, such as eating lunch, enjoying the pool, or grabbing a drink at the bar.

Doing this allows you to be more efficient with your time, and get it taken care of sooner.

You can ask for printed menus

I love how Royal Caribbean is coming up with new ways to make its app more useful, but reading menus while in a restaurant missed the mark, in my opinion.

When you go to any restaurant on a Royal Caribbean ship right now, there are QR codes you can scan to get a copy of the menu.  Alternatively, you can ask for a printed menu.

I am all for keeping everyone healthy, but contact-based spread of Covid-19 is pretty darn remote, and Royal Caribbean's printed menus are now made of a material that is unconducive to spreading germs.

More importantly, reading a restaurant menu from a phone just is not easy, and I think a big part of the dining experience is holding a menu in your hands.

Book cruises early or they will sell out

While ships are sailing at limited capacity, sailings are selling out incredibly quickly.

Pre-shutdown, you could usually find at least something to book closer to your sail date at the last minute, but that just is not a thing right now.

Sailings from Florida are especially popular, so if you think you might want to go on a cruise soon, book it now.

Royal Caribbean has restarted cruises from North America with Adventure of the Seas, and with it comes some expected changes to the experience.

The good news is cruising today looks a lot more like cruising in 2019 than we might have thought it would, but there are a few changes, differences, and good advice everyone should heed going forward.

If you have a cruise coming up this summer, or are thinking about booking something, here are early lessons learned from being on a cruise ship in 2021.

Limited capacity means having the ship to yourself

On the first Adventure of the Seas sailing, there is just about 1,000 passengers on a cruise ship designed for over 3,000 passengers.  This means the lack of crowds, lines, or wait times very noticable.

Anyone that has cruised often will likely relish the opportunity to have less of a wait for things like elevators, pool chairs, or water slides.

If you are going to cruise soon, you will likely be able to take advantage of shorter lines and it is a really nice "side effect" of Royal Caribbean's attempt at promoting social distancing by reducing the amount of guests onboard.

At Perfect Day at CocoCay, the lack of crowds is especially noticable when you go on an island designed to easily handle 7,000 - 9,000 guests.

No one knows exactly when Royal Caribbean will go back to full capacity, but in the meantime going on a cruise this summer is likely to see shorter waits all around.

Testing requirements may change

One constant early on has been change, and if you cruise this summer, you should expect plenty of changes.

Health protocols are paramount to the cruise industry, and we have seen the requirements for guests boarding a ship change a few times.

While Royal Caribbean will communicate these changes to guests and travel agents booked onboard, expect to get new changes sent at any time, even just a few days before you set sail.  There is no minimum threshold for when they wont change a rule, because if they see an opportunity to improve or enhance a policy, they will.

There is more demand for specialty dining than normal

On these first Adventure of the Seas sailings, the Windjammer is closed for dinner due to the lack of guests onboard.

During our cruise, Royal Caribbean International's Vice President of Food & Beverage Operations Linken D'Souza mentioned they were seeing higher demand for specialty dining on Adventure of the Seas, but was not sure why exactly.

It could be a reflection of the lack of the Windjammer option, or perhaps many guests finally having the chance to get back on a cruise ship again and splurging more than before.

Whatever the reason, make reservations early for specialty dining.

You should still fly a day in a day before your cruise

A lot of cruisers have discovered Royal Caribbean's Air2Sea program, which allows anyone to book their airfare through Royal Caribbean and similar to a shore excursion, get a promise that the cruise line will get them on the ship if there is a delay or cancellation.

Unfortunately, some people are booking flights not only on the same day of their cruise, but very close-in to departure times and in my opinion, that is playing with fire.

Airlines are changing flight times and canceling flights a lot due to a variety of reasons.

Regardless of if you book with Air2Sea or not, do yourself a favor and fly in at least a day ahead of time to protect yourself against travel delays.

Yes, there is still a buffet

One of the early concerns was what would happen to the buffet on a cruise ship, and it is still there as an option.

Many feared a staple of the cruise dining experience would be lost due to health protocols, but there is still a buffet on Royal Caribbean's ships.

There are two major changes to the buffet that you should know about.

First, you have the option of making a reservation for the Windjammer.  Royal Caribbean limits capacity to ensure it does not get overcrowded, and similar to a specialty restaurant, you can make a reservation to assure yourself of a spot.  You can make reservations via the Royal Caribbean app or in person at the entrance.

On our sailing, reservations have not yet been necessary, but it is something that exists.

Second, the buffet is all full service.  Instead of you serving yourself, crew members will place food on your plate.  This is easy enough, as there are plenty of crew members to assist.

There is a larger emphasis on using Royal Caribbean's app

Royal Caribbean has invested a lot of time and effort into its app, and going on a cruise now means the most emphasis ever on guests using their app.

The app has gone from something you can use onboard to an essential must-have.  So many of the functions go through the app now, including check-in, the Cruise Compass, menus, and reservations.

Royal Caribbean has always felt the app was a helpful asset for guests to reduce friction and speed up things, but now it is more useful as a great touch-free point.

There are some guests who prefer not to use a smart device while on a cruise, and yes, you can go on a cruise without using it, but you are really putting yourself at a disadvantage in terms of time wasted by not using the app.

Be sure to download and install the app before the cruise, and do every step you can before you sail through it to ensure a very smooth and fast process.

The crew members are really happy to be back

Something very noticable is how excited the crew members are to have guests back onboard.

Just like the cruise ships, crew members have been without work since March 2020 and so many crew members loved working on cruise ships as a way to generate a good income and support their families.

While crew members are wearing face masks onboard, their enthusiasm is apparent in conversations and greetings you see around the ship.

The experience is more similar than different

If you were expecting some kind of a locked down, limited cruise experience going on a ship this summer, it is really anything but that.

Surprisingly, the differences and changes onboard are minimal, and going on a ship today has a lot more in common with going on a cruise ship a few years ago.

While there is social distancing, a few digital additions, and other changes, the truth is the day-to-day experience onboard (especially once you get past embarkation) is very similar to what it used to be.

It remains to be seen what the cruise experience may be like exactly on every ship that restarts, as Royal Caribbean has not announced health protocols for its ships sailing from the U.S. or Europe this summer.  But if everything continues on its current trajectory, it appears we can expect almost the same cruise vacation fun we did before the industry shutdown last year.

With some cruise ships resuming service this summer, and perhaps more later in 2021, booking flights sooner than later may save you money.

With the bulk of the  United States public beginning to achieve access to the Covid-19 vaccine on a wide scale, travel is starting to seriously pick up and that means airfare prices are likely to rise to match demand.

Air travel has not returned to the numbers once seen before the global health crisis yet, but is on its way up. Last week, more than 1 million people were checked by Transportation Security Administration checkpoints, which is 30% less than in 2019.

United Airlines told investors in a regulatory filing that they expect a major rebound this year, "While it will take time for the vaccine to be widely distributed, the Company’s confidence is even stronger in the recovery and the trajectory of the rebound in 2021 and beyond."

Moreover, United reported last month that its bookings for the third quarter of 2021 are only down 40%, compared with the 70% decline in bookings in December and January.

Prices for flights are still low right now

Despite a general sense of recovery in many aspects of life, prices for flights remain lower than typical for this time of year.

Hopper economist Adit Damodaran said "good" prices for roundtrip airfare are 25% lower today than they were in 2019, "In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic in Spring 2020, roundtrip airfare dropped around $60 with lower travel demand

"Similar to past years, we saw price increase into the summer, fall during the autumn shoulder season, and rise again into the holidays."

Willis Orlando from Scott’s Cheap Flights sees a different scenario playing out for international flights, "Airfares to Europe, Africa, and Asia have generally been higher than pre-pandemic levels."

Mr. Orlando believes widespread deals that occurred relatively frequently prior to 2020 on international rates "have been super rare."

Part of the reason international flight prices remain high is because of various restrictions governments have placed on travel to curb the spread of Covid.

Expect higher prices later in 2021

While prices are still lower now, expect airfare prices to go up throughout 2021 as case numbers begin to fall.

Kayak reports searches for summer travel have been up 27% each week since President Joe Biden earlier this month said all American adults will be eligible for a vaccine by May. In addition, airfares for top 100 most-searched U.S. destinations are up 7% month-over-month.

JP Morgan airline analyst Jamie Baker, said discounts for flights are becoming less prevalent, "Domestic airfares are rising. While discounts can still be found, they’re no longer falling into consumers’ laps."

"Discounted fares increasingly require a hunt, and for many consumers that have been locked up for a year, they’re probably not up to the effort."

With lower demand due to the global health crisis, airlines reduced the number of flights offered and grounded aircraft. The reduced supply of available seats helped keep prices from plummeting.

Airlines are expected to add more seats as the peak summer season approaches.

Check the fine print before booking flights

If you are looking to book a flight for a cruise this summer or later, be sure you are clear on the terms if you change your mind and want to cancel later.

Many airlines relaxed their cancellation or change terms during the global health crisis, but some are rolling those changes back.

Depending on the airline (or the website you book your flight through), there could be new conditions and/or less means to get a cash refund.

Price flights through Royal Caribbean

While not new, Royal Caribbean's airfare booking program has become much more useful for cruisers looking to get a good price now for a sailing later in the year.

Royal Caribbean's Air2Sea program allows guests to book flights through the carrier for a small fee. In many cases, Royal Caribbean has either negotiated better rates with select carriers or subsidized the prices to spur bookings through Air2Sea.

One really nice benefit of booking through Air2Sea is you can book flights with no money required until the cruise final payment date. In addition, Royal Caribbean will let you cancel your flight without penalty before your cruise final payment date.

If Royal Caribbean cancels the sailing later, it will refund you the money for the flights.

Plus, Royal Caribbean has always promised guests that book through Air2Sea will be accommodated if their flight is delayed and it impacts their ability to get to the cruise ship on time.

Over the last few weeks, Royal Caribbean has been releasing new sailings in 2022-2023, and this is actually the best time to book new cruises.

It's difficult to plan any trip more than a year and half away, especially when we are still dealing with a cruise industry that is shutdown due to the global health crisis, but if you are looking for the best prices on a cruise vacation, planning early is the best strategy.

There is a lot of renewed optimism about the trajectory of where things are headed in terms of a cruise industry and societal recovery, and with that in mind, getting a jump start on your cruise planning now may save you money later.

The rule still applies

One of the best tried and true strategies for getting the lowest price on a cruise is booking as early as you can.

For years, expert cruisers knew to jump at the opportunity when new sailings are released to get the best prices, especially on high demand staterooms.

Prices for cruise fares tend to go up over time, so booking early ensures you get a good price now, and can reprice the cruise later if there is a sale or price drop.

With the cruise industry shut down and no window of time when they might restart, it seems as though perhaps this rule would not apply any more.

However, booking trends have not changed, and surprisingly, prices are still going up for cruises in the future.

Royal Caribbean Group executives have talked about the fact that prices for cruises in 2022 and beyond are rising compared to what they were in 2019.

So why are prices still going up year over year, despite a horrific year for cruises?

First, pricing has always tended to go up each year to match demand.

Second, demand is still very present despite the cruise industry's recent struggles, largely because of a lot of people are eager to move past the global health crisis and begin planning their lives going forward.

Royal Caribbean has referred to this as "pent-up demand", which comes from everyone essentially wanting to make up for the lost time of little to no vacation in 2020.

During Royal Caribbean Group's fourth quarter 2020 earnings call, bookings for 2022 were once again brought up as being very much in demand.

The increase in bookings point to a "pent-up demand for vacations," noted Chairman and CEO Richard Fain. "People are clamoring for opportunities to have experiences outside their home."

Bookings for future cruises increased 30% since the beginning of 2021 compared to November and December, when the global health crisis was getting worse.

The trends "are building confidence that we’re getting closer to the other side of this and people are beginning to realize that travel should be here sooner rather than later," said Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean Group Chief Financial Officer.

The smart way to book cruises early

When Royal Caribbean releases new sailings, you want to take advantage of good prices, but not paint yourself into a corner either.

First and foremost, book refundable cruise fare whenever possible.  While suites require non-refundable fares, if you are booking anything else, the flexibility of refundable fares are a must-do.

Plans change all the time, and when trying to pick a sailing for 18-24 months from now, it is more likely that you will change your mind than not.  

While the potential savings of going with non-refundable cruise fare are attractive, your best bet is to book refundable just in case.

In addition, I always recommend anyone booking a cruise work with a good travel agent to ensure the booking process is smooth.

Moreover, there is a good chance you might have a future cruise credit laying around from all of these cancelled cruises, so a travel agent makes redeeming them very easy.

What to do if the price is lower later

Booking now is a solid strategy for locking in a good rate, but inevitably prices do fluctuate and sometimes do go down.

The good news is you can always reprice your cruise if there is a lower price later without penalty.

Traditionally, this option was limited to residents of North America and a few other countries.  However, one of the new policies added during the global health crisis has been an expanded and improved Best Price Guarantee program.

It allows everyone to take advantage of a better price up to 48 hours before your sail date, even residents of countries where this did not apply before, such as the U.K.

If there is a better price, you can contact your travel agent or Royal Caribbean and have the new price applied.

If there is a price drop and you re-price the cruise, you will receive the difference as a non-refundable onboard credit inside final payment or rate adjustment outside final payment.

Read more: How Royal Caribbean will let you take advantage of a price drop up until 48 hours before your cruise