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Pre board COVID testing for ALL passengers from Florida Ports though December 2021 Now


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12 minutes ago, LovetoCruise87 said:

I don't see it that way. The more testing, the safer the cruise will be. 

I agree - more testing will make the cruise safer. I am the type that would rather be safe than sorry. It would be much more inconvenient to have your cruise end early due to COVID rather than being tested before. Especially because both vaccinated and nonvaccinated are getting the Delta variant, I don't see why there is a problem with everyone getting tested prior to boarding. 

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6 hours ago, Jill said:

I was tested for Covid 2 weeks ago at Walgreens drive through. It required an appt. You have to fill out questionnaire that you check off your symptoms. 
 

On the appointment form, it does ask if this is for travel purposes or because you have symptoms. 
 

Travel purposes = charge

Symptomatic = free

(I was negative BTW. Managed to catch a summer cold) 

How do they know if you're symptomatic? Like do they actually check?

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So?? where are these tests being done and by whom and are they certified tests? Who is able to and willing to order the tests? What medical facility are they going to accept results from? Joe's Med Shoppe??

See the reason I ask is, as a medical professional we are NOT testing people that are not having any symptoms.

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23 minutes ago, Jolly Ogre said:

So?? where are these tests being done and by whom and are they certified tests? Who is able to and willing to order the tests? What medical facility are they going to accept results from? Joe's Med Shoppe??

See the reason I ask is, as a medical professional we are NOT testing people that are not having any symptoms.

An entire industry has been borne out of the pandemic.  "Covid testing for travel" businesses have popped up all over. 

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1 hour ago, Jolly Ogre said:

So?? where are these tests being done and by whom and are they certified tests? Who is able to and willing to order the tests? What medical facility are they going to accept results from? Joe's Med Shoppe??

See the reason I ask is, as a medical professional we are NOT testing people that are not having any symptoms.

 

Several urgent care facilities are testing people regularly for travel.  These are the same, valid, medical facilities with medial professionals that would test people with symptoms.  I have done both reasons to test at the same location. I work for an airline, and we contract with health care provider companies to perform tests for passengers.  Some of the labs that run the diagnostics on the test are conducting the testing themselves.  A lab locally tests people at the front door, and literally walks the sample in to the lab and off it goes for testing, which cuts out the middle man, in that case the doctor.  This is a good strategy to reduce stress on a national health system that has struggled during this pandemic, while also allowing for an additional layer of screening prior to people traveling. 

 

I am cursing celebrity next month, and they just emailed me today with the same protocols.  I am fine with the changes.  Things have changed, dramatically, in the 3 weeks since I booked my ticket. 

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4 hours ago, Jolly Ogre said:

They are not qualified. I will not send my patients to them.

Certainly your perogative. In my area, I have no trouble sending my patients to them (however I will suggest someplace else that is free), but these labs here carry the same CAP and CLIA certification as any other lab I may refer to.

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21 minutes ago, JeffB said:

Matt, I'm confused. The post from @DanielB above is from RCL Singapore and deals with testing protocols on Quantum. It has nothing to do with FL ports. Am I missing something here? If not. Please remove this thread.

From the RC site...

For Cruises Departing from Florida

For guests on cruises departing from Florida homeports from August 1 through December 31, 2021, the following requirements apply. 

PRE-CRUISE TESTING REQUIREMENT

PRE-CRUISE TEST FOR ALL GUESTS ON SAILINGS 5 NIGHTS OR LONGER

  • All guests age 2 and older — regardless of vaccination status — will need to take a COVID-19 test (PCR or antigen) with an accredited test provider, such as a drugstore chain or diagnostic lab, no more than 3 days before arriving at the terminal for embarkation. Guests will need to show their negative test result upon arriving at the terminal. The results can be printed out, or can be presented on your phone, such as the email result from your test provider. Costs associated with this test are the guests' responsibility.

PRE-CRUISE TEST FOR ALL GUESTS ON SAILINGS 4 NIGHTS OR LESS

  • All guests age 2 and older will need to take the pre-cruise test as outlined above. However, on these shorter sailings, guests who are fully vaccinated may choose to provide proof of vaccination in order to be exempt from this test.
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Getting tested is doable, even on short notice.  Look, some of the best advice to appear on this board is that if you want to cruise during the COVID pandemic, you must be completely flexible. If your work doesn't allow that or your personal preferences prefer things not changing, don't book a cruise and/or cancel an upcoming cruise for an FCC or refund if you meet all the parameters for that. RCL has gone above and beyond to make almost any cancellation under almost any condition doable. Moreover, you have the option of insuring your cruise with the option to "cancel for any reason." Being flexible and planning for the worst is going to apply well into 2022. If you don't like that, well, ........

I was notified around 12 noon today that the cruise I'm booked on that leaves on Sunday August 1st from PEV (Celebrity Equinox) that to be allowed to board, I would require a negative antigen or PCR test administered within 72h of boarding. There were no provisions offered for in terminal testing although I have a feeling from the way the email was worded that there is a contingency plan for guests that show up at the terminal to board claiming there was not enough time to get a test that terminal testing will be made available. Most likely at the guests expense.

I'm not going to throw my responsibility to get tested to board back on Celebrity. I enjoy the benefit that I live in Fort Lauderdale. It might be harder for others on this cruise who are traveling today to arrive in Fort Lauderdale a day before the cruise to suddenly learn they need a negative antigen test to board. Like I said, I have a feeling Celebrity will take care of them in the terminal - they wisely just aren't announcing that. 

Once I read Matt's post that RCL was imposing a negative COVID testing requirement to board early this morning, I figured Celebrity was soon to follow which is exactly what happened only about 18h later. Even before the notification from Celebrity, I had already looked at multiple options for testing. Last absolutely sure option was to pay $99 X2 for antigen testing at a lab at Fort Lauderdale International Airport.

I'm also lucky in that testing sites, even public health department sites are plentiful in my area. That's because, our Governor, implemented a plan to enlist local pharmacies and Publix grocery stores for testing and vaccines very early in this thing. These are up and running. Hate it for those living in states where government isn't doing stuff like that. Oh well. Vote. 

After about an hour of searching the web (easy to do but make sure the site you select are doing rapid antigen testing if on a short notice) I was able to secure an appointment at a Walgreen's Clinic. I showed up 15 minutes early, completed the paperwork drill, was seen on time by a very competent APRN, administered a COVID antigen test with plans to collect (mid-nasal) and submit a PCR test to follow (not required but that is how to correctly do all COVID testing) with results in 72h via email. I'll get the PCR results by email.... while I'm cruising. I left 45 minutes later with a letter in hand, signed by the APRN attesting to my negative COVID antigen test. Medicare and my supplement covers the testing. DONE in under an hour, testing covered by insurance.

Yes, Virginia, it can be done. 

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I have two cruises scheduled for this year... Aug 15 and Nov 21 out of Port Canaveral and Miami respectively.   Flying in I plan to get tested at the airport's testing facility  They seem convenient,  take appointments, and are cheaper than the drug stores non-airport based testing sites (assuming you have to pay for travel related travel).

When I purchased my cruises I assumed vaccinations would be required, pre-boarding testing, mid-cruise testing, and end of cruise testing would be part of the protocols.   So one test is not a big deal to be able to cruise in a safer environment than any public spot in the US (or world).

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1 hour ago, Jverge said:

When I purchased my cruises I assumed vaccinations would be required, pre-boarding testing, mid-cruise testing, and end of cruise testing would be part of the protocols.   So one test is not a big deal to be able to cruise in a safer environment than any public spot in the US (or world).

The good (?) news is, at the rate RCL changes protocols, there's a pretty high chance that your expectations will be met.  Well, except for the one that matters: a vaccination requirement.

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1 hour ago, Jverge said:

I have two cruises scheduled for this year... Aug 15 and Nov 21 out of Port Canaveral and Miami respectively.   Flying in I plan to get tested at the airport's testing facility  They seem convenient,  take appointments, and are cheaper than the drug stores non-airport based testing sites (assuming you have to pay for travel related travel).

When I purchased my cruises I assumed vaccinations would be required, pre-boarding testing, mid-cruise testing, and end of cruise testing would be part of the protocols.   So one test is not a big deal to be able to cruise in a safer environment than any public spot in the US (or world).

I also thought about doing this at both MCO and MIA but what will you do if you test positive?  If you do at home before travel then you can just stay home without the additional costs.

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10 hours ago, JeffB said:

Getting tested is doable, even on short notice.  Look, some of the best advice to appear on this board is that if you want to cruise during the COVID pandemic, you must be completely flexible. If your work doesn't allow that or your personal preferences prefer things not changing, don't book a cruise and/or cancel an upcoming cruise for an FCC or refund if you meet all the parameters for that. RCL has gone above and beyond to make almost any cancellation under almost any condition doable. Moreover, you have the option of insuring your cruise with the option to "cancel for any reason." Being flexible and planning for the worst is going to apply well into 2022. If you don't like that, well, ........

I was notified around 12 noon today that the cruise I'm booked on that leaves on Sunday August 1st from PEV (Celebrity Equinox) that to be allowed to board, I would require a negative antigen or PCR test administered within 72h of boarding. There were no provisions offered for in terminal testing although I have a feeling from the way the email was worded that there is a contingency plan for guests that show up at the terminal to board claiming there was not enough time to get a test that terminal testing will be made available. Most likely at the guests expense.

I'm not going to throw my responsibility to get tested to board back on Celebrity. I enjoy the benefit that I live in Fort Lauderdale. It might be harder for others on this cruise who are traveling today to arrive in Fort Lauderdale a day before the cruise to suddenly learn they need a negative antigen test to board. Like I said, I have a feeling Celebrity will take care of them in the terminal - they wisely just aren't announcing that. 

Once I read Matt's post that RCL was imposing a negative COVID testing requirement to board early this morning, I figured Celebrity was soon to follow which is exactly what happened only about 18h later. Even before the notification from Celebrity, I had already looked at multiple options for testing. Last absolutely sure option was to pay $99 X2 for antigen testing at a lab at Fort Lauderdale International Airport.

I'm also lucky in that testing sites, even public health department sites are plentiful in my area. That's because, our Governor, implemented a plan to enlist local pharmacies and Publix grocery stores for testing and vaccines very early in this thing. These are up and running. Hate it for those living in states where government isn't doing stuff like that. Oh well. Vote. 

After about an hour of searching the web (easy to do but make sure the site you select are doing rapid antigen testing if on a short notice) I was able to secure an appointment at a Walgreen's Clinic. I showed up 15 minutes early, completed the paperwork drill, was seen on time by a very competent APRN, administered a COVID antigen test with plans to collect (mid-nasal) and submit a PCR test to follow (not required but that is how to correctly do all COVID testing) with results in 72h via email. I'll get the PCR results by email.... while I'm cruising. I left 45 minutes later with a letter in hand, signed by the APRN attesting to my negative COVID antigen test. Medicare and my supplement covers the testing. DONE in under an hour, testing covered by insurance.

Yes, Virginia, it can be done. 

I'll be heading there in a while, interested in your experience (lines etc).

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This is just another tool in the toolbox for Royal to try and prevent Covid for walking onto the ship. We know that many cases, especially those vaccinated, show no signs whatsoever of being infected. But, no matter what preventive measures are taken, due to the incubation period between exposure and a test showing positive, it’s pretty much inevitable that cases will appear onboard. So far, the protocols dealing with such events have proven successful and each incident has been managed properly. I don’t mind submitting to whatever protocol is deemed necessary for ensuring a cruise that is as safe and healthy as possible. It’s been tooooo long! I need to cruise!!

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16 hours ago, danv3 said:

More testing means one thing: More cases (and thus more cancelled cruises). Not sure it’s safer for the vaccinated, but we’re all about bending over backwards for the unvaccinated in the US, so here we are. 

Actually the government is all about making the vaccinated bend over backwards for the unvaccinated, pretty sure most of the unvaccinated made their decision clear by not being vaccinated that they don't give a $@%#$ what those who are vaccinated do or don't do.

Blame the government not the unvaccinated and to be clear I do identify as vaccinated, the purple band on my wrist from Royal Caribbean says so ?

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14 hours ago, DanielB said:

That will probably cancel my november and december cruises then since they are over 3 nights.

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2 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

I'll be curious how many people end up denied boarding or canceling last second due to testing positive pre cruise. 

This is my worry for my October sailing out of FL now. Did a lift & shift from Oct 2020 to this sailing. We both are vaccinated. If our tests end up coming back positive I will scream, cry, and stomp my feet like a toddler. Definitely will be hibernating as much as possible during the 2 weeks prior to sailing! 

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19 minutes ago, griffinjam22 said:

If our tests end up coming back positive I will scream, cry, and stomp my feet like a toddler. Definitely will be hibernating as much as possible during the 2 weeks prior to sailing! 

Don't blame you. I think limiting your exposure to hi transmission risk venues for at least 10d prior to your cruise is a good idea right now. Things could be much improved in October for sure. I think risky venues have become obvious - don't go to bars packed with kids under 30. Use caution in restaurants - eat outside. Don't go to indoor weddings, theaters or indoor sporting events. You can think of others I'm sure - don't go overboard. Evaluate your own risk tolerance based on viral prevalence in your community and the dynamics of the environment you're considering going into.  

I just posted a link for upon arrival testing options in Fort Lauderdale in the Celebrity Thread. Have a look if you're sailing from PEV.

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Can someone explain to me something?  I see now they require a negative test within 3 days of sailing.  So are they still conducting another test prior to embarkation?  AND charging $178 per person over the age of 12!!??  Did I read it wrong? That will be over $500 in test that were complimentary a week ago.  Also ridiculous since the test are FREE at mulitple pharmacys around the US.

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1 hour ago, NCFAM said:

Did I read it wrong?

Yes.  It states in bold that you can avoid the testing requirements with proof of vaccination unless specified otherwise below.  If you read the different paragraphs addressing testing, there is a bold line for the pre-cruise paragraph that says even the vaccinated are not exempt from the requirement to bring proof of a negative test to the port.  The other paragraphs do not make this distinction.  

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On 7/29/2021 at 4:16 PM, WAAAYTOOO said:

I think this is a great idea since it seems that the vaccinated are turning positive just as often as the unvaxxed (on cruises).  I also believe that everyone will eventually be required to provide insurance protection.  Royal cannot continue to fly everyone who tests positive home in a private jet !

Would an insurance policy really cover a healthy person who is positive for COVID? Under no circumstances could that be construed as an emergency for the passenger... Just a matter of optics for RCL.

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1 hour ago, LizzyBee23 said:

Would an insurance policy really cover a healthy person who is positive for COVID? Under no circumstances could that be construed as an emergency for the passenger... Just a matter of optics for RCL.

Hmmm.  I dunno.  I do know that the annual travel insurance policy we purchase does cover such events (I had to have that verified) but some travel policies may not.

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9 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Hmmm.  I dunno.  I do know that the annual travel insurance policy we purchase does cover such events (I had to have that verified) but some travel policies may not.

Putting that down on my list of life goals: travel so much that a yearly travel insurance policy makes more financial sense than a per trip one.

 

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I'd have to check but I think the language in cruise insurance policies that covers evacuations is "Medical Evacuation." I don't think an "emergency" is necessary.

What is required in the fine print I've read is that for a medical evac to be covered, the medical facility aboard ship isn't equipped to care for the patient or the level of care that needs to be provided is beyond that of the ship's staff physicians. That is a decision that is made by the ship's physician in consultation with the receiving physician and the approving MD with the insurance agency.

Lots of potential barriers to cross. I think it would depend on the situation involving the infected guest. I don't think an asymptomatic positive will cross the threshold for a medical evac paid for by the insured cruise insurance policy. I think RCL knows this and, for now, they are prepared to transport this level of infected patient rather than risk a a soft but nevertheless bad outcome, e.g., the guest in question somehow gets tracked and traced to an outbreak in the airport, on the airplane or anywhere else he might be proceed to after he's disembarked and told to make his own way home. 

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All I know is that, as an unvaccinated passenger, Royal has required that we are covered for potential COVID-related trip interruption and medical evacuation coverage.  Luckily, our annual policy already covered us beyond what was required so we are good on insurance.

Below comes from Allianz and is known as an "Embassy Letter".  These coverage amounts are per person limits.

image.thumb.png.a7defcca0201d0f29e306bed9ca4ec5b.png

I do note that the word "emergency" appears several times in this explanation of benefits but we were assured that this coverage meets all of Royal's requirements.  Let's just hope we never have to use it to find out !

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