Geraldo086

Hi Mike, just letting you know how I got on with my testing. I didn’t go down the home testing route in the end because I wasn’t able to download the Navica, it wasn’t available in my region. It would be the same for you too I’d imagine. 
 
So we booked a free rapid test with Walgreens, got the results by email about 30 mins after our tests. It was a drive through, self administered test. If you have a car I’d recommend this for your trip if testing is still required. 

As things stand you need a negative test to enter the United States so we have to do a test in Ireland before boarding our flight. Our flight from Ireland is on a Thursday and our cruise is on the Sunday. So If the testing rule is changed from 2 days to 3 days we can do our test in Dublin Airport Thursday morning and the results of this test would do for us to enter the United States and for our cruise. So I really hope it’s changed to 3 days! 

Yes you are probably right. As most cruisers who cruise from the U.S are based in the U.S.
For many people who are travelling into the U.S for a cruise it will mean they will just have to do one test instead of 2 which is nice from a hassle and cost perspective. 

It will be worth it to go on our cruise😊

It will be worth it to go on our cruise😊

From his facebook post last week. Last paragraph.

We paid a good amount of money for a cruise. The testing thing still gives me anxiety even though my family is vaccinated and up to date on boosters.  The extra day would help because we are flying into our port city and I have no intentions of testing after I get off of a crowded airplane full of people breathing the same air for 3 hours.  Don't want to take any chances.

The extra day could be helpful if flying overseas early for a pre-cruise hotel stay.  It would be nice to get tested in the US instead of a foreign airport...

Yes you are probably right. As most cruisers who cruise from the U.S are based in the U.S.
For many people who are travelling into the U.S for a cruise it will mean they will just have to do one test instead of 2 which is nice from a hassle and cost perspective. 

Yes you are probably right. As most cruisers who cruise from the U.S are based in the U.S.
For many people who are travelling into the U.S for a cruise it will mean they will just have to do one test instead of 2 which is nice from a hassle and cost perspective. 

I don’t think this will make much of a difference to most people.  I am vaccinated and boosted, my wife is vaccinated but not boosted.  She is not going to get the booster just to get a test one day earlier.  If it was to eliminate the need to get a test she probably would.

Keep in mind being "up to date" is defined as receiving as booster if eligible.
 
From the CDC Operations Manual
For CDC’s COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships, the following criteria should be used when evaluating if a traveler is up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines:
Date of booster eligibility: A traveler becomes eligible to receive a booster dose 5 months after they have completed their primary series of an mRNA vaccine, or 2 months after a single dose of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen (J&J/Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine.
“Up to date” status: If an eligible traveler has not received a booster dose but is within 6 months after completing their primary series of an mRNA vaccine, or within 3 months after a J&J/Janssen single dose, then they can be considered up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines. If it has been more than 6 months since a traveler completed their primary series of an mRNA vaccine, or more than 3 months since a traveler’s single dose J&J/Janssen vaccine, the traveler is not considered up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines.
Example for mRNA vaccines (Pfizer BioNTech/Moderna): Traveler A received their second Pfizer BioNTech/Moderna dose on January 1, 2022, the traveler can be considered up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines until July 1, 2022. If Traveler A does not get a booster by July 1, 2022, then they will not be considered up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines.
Example for J&J/Janssen vaccine: Traveler B received their J&J/Janssen dose on January 1, 2022, then the traveler can be considered up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines until April 1, 2022. If Traveler A does not get a booster by April 1, 2022, then they will not be considered up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines.
 

This is part of the CDC change. I expect RC to announce the same change this week.

 

I’ve just seen on YouTube that Carnival have changed their pre cruise covid test requirements. From March 1st, if you have received your booster that you can do your pre cruise covid test up to 3 days before departure instead of 2 days. I looked it up on their website and it seems to be true!
Does anyone know if this is a change in the CDC rules or just a change in the Carnival rules? If it’s a change in the CDC rules I really hope Royal implements this.
I’m coming from Ireland for a cruise in April and this would mean we could do our test needed to enter the U.S the morning of our flight and use the same test for our cruise. 
 
The screenshot below is from the Carnival website
 

Your is a tricky situation that should be more specifically addressed by RCL. It's not. Unanswered questions for you involve which, if any, monitored (proctored) COVID AG tests available to you in the UK are acceptable for pre-boarding health checks. I think Natalfaz's take above (test in the US if you can) is the most conservative approach. However, timing and ability to obtain a monitored test (in your hotel or in a US clinic) is problematic.
I'd offer these options: Because it isn't clear if RCL will accept a proctored AG test for pre-boarding health checks you might take in the UK (e.g., for your flight/to enter the US and within the 2d window for RCL's testing requirement), you could arrange for a health clinic based COVID test once you arrive in the US. Not sure your arrival location (Miami or Fort Lauderdale?) but both cities have lots of clinics that will do a Rapid AG COVID test that you will walk out the door with a printed copy of your test results. Uber/Lyft there and back. Spend some time searching the web for clinics in your arrival city that do COVID Rapid AG testing and make an appointment. Right now, you usually can't walk in.
You can try ordering the tests you need ASAP from Optum to be delivered to your hotel. Your sail date needs to be at least 10d away from your order date to allow for delivery delays. If you're closer to your sail date than that it gets risky. You can do this: 
Perhaps the easiest and least stressful and probably not a whole lot more than visiting a local clinic for your test(s) is the Concierge testing that RCL offers. You get your rapid test outside the terminal using a contracted vendor that administers it. Here's the link explaining this option and walking you through how it works. There's a link on the last page of this site to book an appointment, such test scheduling being associated with the ship/port you are sailing on/from. 
Best of luck - I know this can be stressful.
   

That’s great to hear Kristi, that you’ve had no problem using them on a non US cellphone while outside the US. Many thanks for your reply. 

An Asian and an Irishman on a video call... sounds like the start of a Billy Connolly Joke lol 
I mean Proper Queens English how difficult is it 
Yall know what i mean 🤣🤣

GeraldoO86, you have a solid plan.
I'm assuming you are ordering your tests from eMed or Optum. RCL will link you to Optum. The test you want is the proctored Abbott BinaxNow Rapid Antigen test, not the un-proctored test of the same name. You can also google search for eMed, get your tests through them, but the down side of eMed right now is they only sell a 6-pack of the proctored tests ($180). You can get a 2 or 3 -pack from Optum for much less. proctored AG tests are one test per box. The Home, un-proctored tests are 2 tests per box.
Abbott BinaxNow test results (either one) can be completed and uploaded using the Navica App (Apple or Android Play stores) that is linked to eMed. I'm not sure how Optum does this but you can use any Abbott COVID test you have with the Navica app - a bar code is a bar code and you use your phone to scan that in to the Navica app to start the testing process. I recommend this or Optum's app if they have one. It's pretty slick but you'll need a good wifi (e.g., hotel) connection to use it and get through the proctored test on line...proctors are typically Asian and they are hard enough to understand with a perfect signal. You can use data, the local network, assuming you either have an international roaming plan from your telephone service provider and can gain access to the network or a sim card (ATT, Verizon, others) you can slip into your phone for travel with phone access in the US, subject to the vagaries of data network's signal strength. Hotel wifi will probably be your best bet.
After you complete the test in the Navica App, results will uploaded directly to the app as a result of you scanning the bar code to start the test. It will then be digitally displayable (print and QR Code) to anyone you wish to show it to. You'll also get an email with your results and all the info on it for the test as a hard copy attachment. Print this out. That way you have both a digital (QR and print) and hard copy record of your test result.
Good luck and happy sailing.
 

I have done these tests a number of times using my Nicaragua cellphone, in Nicaragua, with no problems. You can also do them on a tablet or laptop with no cell number/service. No phone number access needed. 

I did the same on our last cruise to Miami. 
I ordered the at home test sets to our hotel a week before our check in day  (in our case they have a FedEx location inside the hotel so its very easy) when we arrived I just went and collect it without any issues. If you go to RCL page were they sell the kits you will see that they encourage international travelers to do the same.
Another option is to take the rapid test in the airport for around 75$ per person .
WiFI is enough and you can give the hotel phone number if you need. 

Hi All,
Myself and my wife will be travelling from Ireland to Miami in April for our 7 night cruise on Oasis and we cant wait!
I am looking into the at home testing kits sold by Royal to use for our pre-cruise test and i was wondering if any non US residents have been able to purchase and use these tests?
I did a mock booking and i'm pretty sure i can order them and have them delivered to our hotel or to a parcel pick up location, so ordering them shouldn't be a problem.
My plan is to do the tests from our hotel room the morning after we arrive. Can any US residents advise or know if I would need an american cell phone to do the online test or would my Irish cell phone work okay for this? Is it a phone number that you call to do the video call with or is the video call done over a WiFi connection? Is there any other reason why a non US resident wouldn't be able to do one of these tests like do they require a US social security number or anything like that?
Thanks in advance,
Gerard