WAAAYTOOO

We'll agree to disagree that a PCR test can tell you if you're infectious.

While true - the fact that it technically "can" detect small amounts of dead virus, and will detect small amounts of the virus at the tail end of an infection after an individual has fought off the virus, I think I was trying to stress that PCR is the gold standard at detecting the virus at the beginning of an infection.   For this reason it is recommended that if you've had covid you do not have another PCR test for 90 days post-recovery.
You commented:   While true, PCR tests don't tell you if you're infectious or not, just if you've been exposed to the virus at some point in the last several months.
I believe this explanation of the test to be hyperbolic -   PCR is the literal global gold standard and will tell absolutely you if you're infectious - not "just" if you've been exposed.   For this reason it is recommended that if you've had covid you do not have another PCR test for 90 days post-recovery.
I'm not wanting to debate the intricacies of the virus vs the disease (a la HIV and AIDS) as I understand the distinction and is a very different conversation than we were having.  I was trying to point out that the PCR test does not only detect if you've already had COVID.   It is used internationally and has been deemed to be the most effective test on earth by scientists and researchers that have far more knowledge and education than most of us (combined) and I will defer to their expertise.
I just wanna cruise. 😩
 

Untrue - the PCR test (according the the Cleveland clinic) indicates if you have COVID-19.   An antibody test tells you if have been exposed to the virus (not if you are infectious).   It's a very distinct and important difference as a PCR will indicate if you are infectious and is also why an antibody test will not suffice for travel.
PCR is the gold standard and is more sensitive and accurate than antigen testing which is commonly accepted in the US for travel
(and unfortunately not in Canada as PCR are double the cost)
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/21462-covid-19-and-pcr-testing
Also untrue - the covid virus has been isolated (last year).  See link for details.
 
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/lab/grows-virus-cell-culture.html

When I was a younger man, getting a six pack had a whole different meaning.  
However I am happy to report my eMed six pack has arrived.  Probably the only six pack I'll get at my age.

We just checked aboard Mariner and we were told they stopped tracelets as of today.  

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." ― Ferris Bueller 
(and wonder where the tracelets are!) - Snotarni

They haven't approved my request to join the FB group
 

My May Oasis dropped.
so did my February Anthem
 

Yep, we are on the Ovation in May 2022 and the price REALLY dropped. Our TA emailed us yesterday and saved us a lot. I ended up upgrading our room for less than I had originally booked our cruise for. Have seen 2 price drops so far!

To answer your questions:
Yes
Yes
Yes
and Yes
Also, with college football starting, should those going into a stadium be tested? I
If the CDC is placing these requirements on the cruising industry, then those same requirements should be placed on everything else. But they won't do that because as has been proven, the CDC does not like the cruise lines. I wonder if the CDC Director had a really bad experience on a cruise ship once and now she's like, "Cruising bad, I will make it stop"  

Somewhat related to something I witnessed on a cruise.
Two or three folks order a round of Louis XIII. Bartender carefully warms the snifter glasses and precisely pours an exact measure. This group then downs it less then two minutes and chases it with a tequila shot. I'll never forget the expression the bartender had, was a combination of amazement and disbelief.

And wear a mask!! 

What?  I'm booking more every week.  It's a great time to cruise.  No lines, no elevator wait.  
My test results from this morning just came in...

 
I'm cruising this weekend!
Bring.  It.  On.    

Day 58......
 
Super excited with less than 2 months to go, although it won't officially be real until I step on the ship. It is nice to countdown and the closer it gets the more real it becomes. The UDP has come back for this sailing, with the current CP sale it is only $196pp. They are also selling the Key but I pretty sure they will cancel it. They are selling Beach club passes for $179. Even though I am afraid of heights, I ended up booking the Up, Up and Away helium balloon ride for us, its $74pp. This is wishful thinking as I don't know what the weather will be like at CocoCay in Nov. On my FB roll call a bunch of people have had to cancel because their children don't meet vax requirements. I also have heard the Royal Up emails have started to go out. I am always checking the current sale for price drops and I noticed a lot of suite are available, a few months ago nothing was left. 
In Chicago we would have very little issue getting a covid test in the appropriate time frame. However, we will be in Orlando visiting the theme parks prior to our cruise. We decided against renting a car, no one wanted to drive in Florida traffic, so it might be hard to find a testing locating near our resort. Factor that in with the possibility of RCG going to 2-day testing and we decided it will be better to just do the BinaxNow home test. I tried the test as I had to have a negative test for conference. It was very easy and stress free. My company gave each one of us a 2pk. Since they do 24/7 proctoring and I am both a night owl and early bird, I had no issue with getting someone. They recommend having 2 test pp in case something happens. I purchased a 6pk yesterday and my brother purchased a 6pk today. That will give us 12 test to be split amongst 5 people. The 6pk cost $164.44 with overnight shipping, that averages out to about $55pp. I am very much sure that will not be a better deal then trying to get tested at the pier, at an urgent care or at an airport. I have a S2S in Jan and will be able to use the 2 left over test if testing is still needed. 
 

I'm all set!  

I was a bit nervous because I was at a party last Tuesday, no masking.  Someone at the party has recovered from COVID a couple of weeks ago.

It has been now been fixed indeed!

I have never been "upcharged" for going over the max - unless it's wine. But I am not snobby enough with my wine to want to order a $30 glass of wine (and I am too cheap to order it to see if they would). I think I ordered a $16/glass once or twice - and I wasn't charged the overage. Could be bartender specific, could be I'm cute. Who knows. Bottom line, I wouldn't stress too much over that $1. And I agree with Matt - you would be hard pressed to find a mixed drink they charge you extra on - you're going to have to go top-top-top shelf. 
 

Welcome back to the US !!  Just hope it all goes smoothly from here on out.  Enjoy your cruise !!!!

There hasn't been a more accurate test created b/c they still cannot even isolate the SARS COV-2 virus !

There hasn't been a more accurate test created b/c they still cannot even isolate the SARS COV-2 virus !

Gonna hold off until Black Friday (Cruise isn’t til March). If it hasn’t budged by then, I will bite the bullet.  I know, rolling the dice.  But since the price has been the same for EVERY SALE since January, I’m gonna chance it.

I bet this trip is the most anticipated.  Congrats on getting to meet and love on your newest granddaughter.  ❤️

I'm realizing that the pandemic will continue to create a myriad of travel problems. This is the new travel reality and it's not going away for a while, maybe ever. It seems most of us here are obsessive about planning and being prepared to not be surprised last minute, including myself. Up until just recently, it created a lot of stress that made the thought of traveling during the pandemic unpleasant. Surprise ...... things work out.
This isn't to say throw up your hands and don't care. That's dumb. Do your research on the places you want to go and how you're going to get there. Know that there will be changes before you're traveling and probably while you're traveling. The most important thing is to get excited about the beautiful places you will visit and see getting there. Don't let the hoops you have to jump through to get there get you down or make you consider cancelling. Don't let changes that occur doing your travels upset you. Go with the flow ..... have a martini!
Having said that, since July, I've been to Greece and sailed Apex out of Pireaus in the Greek isles for 8d and sailed a B3B on Equinox out of PEV for 28 consecutive days in the Caribbean. On September 27th we leave for 3d in Lisbon, on to Lausanne Switzerland for 10d to visit my daughter who lives there. She's had a baby, Elysa (my 12th grand child), who is now over a year old whom I have not yet held (current trip moved up from 2020). From there we fly to Barcelona and sail back on Apex to Fort Lauderdale, our current residence. 
So far, all the hoops jumped through have been totally worth it. For the trip to Europe coming up there have been multiple changes in flights, cruise itineraries and dates, health protocols for country entry and cruise ship boarding requirements. One good thing is that every carrier has been on top of these and kept me informed of what I need to do to comply. Like I said above, things work out. Testing in Europe is available all over, easy to locate and in some cases it's free. Traveling between EU countries almost always requires proof of vaccination and a negative COVID test (Molecular or Antigen).
 I'm ignoring the politics of COVID and most of the MSMS' reporting about it. Besides almost all of it having hidden agendas that bend their reporting on it to fit that agenda, It just causes me to get angry. Instead, I'm focusing on the joy of travel. It's there. It's just become more complicated to get to where you want to go ...... but rest assured, governments want their travel and leisure economies to grow and thrive while at the same time coming up with reasonable ways to keep COVID at bay. In some places, the travel and leisure sector IS that place's economy.  
The things I have to do to get to Europe and back this coming trip ARE complicated but easy to find what you need to know and do. Lots of testing and we are adding even more to protect my daughter's un-vaccinated little ones in case we were exposed during travel before we stay with them. We'll arrive from Lisbon, stay in a nearby hotel for 3d (a self imposed modified mini-quarantine; we'll visit outdoors or masked indoors but not stay overnight at their place), then test (easily available in Switzerland). If we're not infected, we'll stay with my daughter unmasked then test again at the airport to enter Spain/Boar Apex and on to Barcelona. 
This sort of thing is the new travel reality. Don't stress out over it. You can either let COVID keep you home or you can travel using the right approach to doing it safely. It's possible.