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


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This language ...... Emergency Medical Transportation ...... seems like it gives the insurance company some wiggle room on determining if your medical transportation cost is due to an "emergency." Back to another posters observation of this detail.

Is the potential for infection with SARS2 of an entire ship's crew and passengers an "emergency" condition? I could make a case for that and I suspect you've inquired of your insurance company about this and they've told you that's covered.

But, man, if I'm buying insurance this is one thing you absolutely want to nail down before embarking on your cruise and get it in writing if you can. Meeting Royal's requirements to sail is one thing, finding out your $100K evac isn't covered because you're an asymptomatic + is another.

COVID symptoms in combination with other risk factors and documented clinical evidence that there might be problems for you (CXR identifying early or in progress pneumonia, low O2 sats, certain labs, i.e., Arterial Blood gases), no worries. You'll get medivac'ed and I can't see how that wouldn't be covered. JMO. This is tricky stuff.  

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21 minutes ago, JeffB said:

This language ...... Emergency Medical Transportation ...... seems like it gives the insurance company some wiggle room on determining if your medical transportation cost is due to an "emergency." Back to another posters observation of this detail.

It absolutely does.  The insurance company makes the call as to whether they want to consider it an emergency or not.

From my policy:

If you become seriously ill or injured or develop a medical condition while on your trip and we determine that 
the local medical facilities are unable to provide appropriate medical treatment:
1. Our medical team will consult with the local doctor;
2. We will identify the closest appropriate hospital or other appropriate facility, make arrangements to 
transport you there, and pay for that transport; and
3. We will arrange and pay for a medical escort if we determine one is necessary.
The following condition applies:
a. You or someone on your behalf must contact us, and we must make all transportation arrangements in
advance. If we did not authorize and arrange the transportation, we will only pay up to what we would have 
paid if we had made the arrangements.

Now we also got specific notice that COVID is covered despite the typical exclusions for a pandemic as well.

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I guess the real question is….

Does testing positive for COVID-19 = “becoming ill with COVID-19”.

It’s obvious (at least, recent experiences indicate) that nobody is really “becoming ill” with COVID-19.  The limited recent examples really just consist of asymptomatic people testing positive or coming into contact with someone who tested positive.  No one (that I am aware of) has had any real medical emergencies.

The point of Royal requiring everyone (potentially) to get medical insurance coverage would be to preclude Royal from having to continue to fly all of the positive cases home in a private jet.

Insurance companies, being what they are, will try and weasel out of paying for ANYthing if they can.  Maybe this would have to be an entirely new coverage area.  I really don’t know.

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1 hour ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Does testing positive for COVID-19 = “becoming ill with COVID-19”.

I wonder this as well.  If you aren't "ill" and if the insurance company doesn't consider contacting COVID-19 itself to be a triggering event to interrupt the trip, then the triggering event has to be the cruise line forcing you to leave the ship.  I don't see clear cut coverage for that situation in the policy.  

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Ok... I'm confused. I saw the order requesting the testing til end of August. Title f thread is through end of December? Did I miss something (not being stubborn) (I may well have missed something).  I'm really reaching the limits of my patience with this stuff.  Since its their new mandate they should puck up the tab as the other lines did. I specifically vaccinated myself and my loved ones to avoid having to take more tests especially at my cost! That's $600 a sailing times 4 sailings I gotta eat. Maybe $2400 doesn't mean much to some but that represents a two balcony 5 night for family of 4.  Or a month of very big mortgage. Or 8 car lease payments. Or... You get the point. If they want me t test , fine but at my expense was not in the original contracts we entered into and I'm plenty cheesed off now!

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1 hour ago, deep1 said:

I saw the order requesting the testing til end of August. Title f thread is through end of December? Did I miss something

They have extended the pre-cruise testing requirements for everyone through the end of the year.  It's on their website in the FAQ now though December 31, 2021.

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13 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said:

They have extended the pre-cruise testing requirements for everyone through the end of the year.  It's on their website in the FAQ now though December 31, 2021.

I get doing our part (thus the vaccination). For us to test: Me- I was going to drive to my Florida home, pick the family up at the airport night before then to ship... Thats out the window with the time frame wanted. I have to take three extra days off then try and find a place down there to even get one.... Fiance' take off an extra day from work to get her and her son (extra day out of school) tested. Her daughter is at UVM and has classes right up til planned flight time from little podunk airport in the backwoods...  Now we gotta find a place in those same backwoods to get a timely test and hope that it fits her school schedule! All this on top of laying put $600 that we never agreed to up front?????  Then repeat these steps three more times?????

 

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For a land vacation 3 weeks ago we needed testing before leaving Florida to enter Jamaica.  Had no problem scheduling for DH and I at a CVS, reason marked 'travel' and we weren't charged. Had to schedule again day of test because of a clerical error (mine) and was able to schedule a 2nd test no charge. I did 1 PCR and 1 antigen. 

Simply sharing to illustrate I had no issues testing for travel out of Florida and we weren't charged. 

It was required we test 3 days prior to departure,  and we got results for both test types in less than 5 hours. 

 

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Not a happy camper at all with this development (or the last 18 months in this country, in general). 

All the test does is prove your status at the time the test was taken.  Your status 72 hours ago means ZILCH right now.  And why the differentiator between sailings starting at 5 nights?  A family who goes on a bender at a wedding and then gets on a 3-night cruise the next day can infect large amounts of people on the ship just as bad, if not worse. 

I have a 4 night sailing out of Miami on 11/3 on Oasis, getting back to port on 11/7.  I then immediately turn to a 5-nighter on Radiance on the 7th (same day).  So I won't need the negative test for the first sailing, but WILL for the second sailing, and I'll have mere hours to get off the ship, find a CVS in miami and get a Q-tip jammed up my nose and get back to the dock.  Since this is a Sunday, I'm worried that basic drugstores won't have testing widely available or it'll involve some stupidly-expensive Uber ride to get there. 

And of course, this will all change again in 3 months I'm sure. 

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17 hours ago, LizzyBee23 said:

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.

 


Thru Allianz, the Annual “All Trips Premier Plan” for two 51 year old adults and one 9 year old isn’t much different than what RCL charges for their insurance for just one cruise ….. below is the Total Annual Cost to cover all 3 of us on trips that last up to 45 days each  ….. one is 2,000 cancellation/interruption limit and the other is 5,000 limit …… also look how high the medical and emergency transportation limit is and that covered amount is per person per trip  ….

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1 hour ago, ChrisK2793 said:


Thru Allianz, the Annual “All Trips Premier Plan” for two 51 year old adults and one 9 year old isn’t much different than what RCL charges for their insurance for just one cruise ….. below is the Total Annual Cost to cover all 3 of us on trips that last up to 45 days each  ….. one is 2,000 cancellation/interruption limit and the other is 5,000 limit …… also look how high the medical and emergency transportation limit is and that covered amount is per person per trip  ….

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Wow, TIL. We actually have a lot (for us) planned for the next year, so this may make sense. Thanks you all!

Edit: I can't believe I didn't know the rates were so reasonable per annum. Just finished up buying an annual policy for our family of four.

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On 7/30/2021 at 1:09 PM, Cruising With JT said:

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

I've had multiple COVID test all of them done at Walgreens here in Chicago.  Every time all I do is make the appointment and fill out the questionnaire.  Do I tell 100% of the truth on the questionnaire NO I don't.  When they ask is this for travel purposes I say no, when they ask have I been in close contact I say yes, when they ask am I symptomatic I say yes, they always say bring insurance card and an ID but I've never once been charged for a COVID test at Walgreens.

I'm I wrong for lying on the questionnaire well that depends on your point of view. The way I see it is like this the federal government is paying Walgreens and other pharmacies around the US to conduct COVID testing so as a middle class tax payer I've already paid for more COVID test than I'll ever take.  My thinking is this why should I pay Walgreens again when I've already paid the federal government taxes which they have already used to pay Walgreens. Walgreens does not get to cash in and double dip off COVID so I've never told Walgreens it is for travel purposes and I've never paid a cents for a COVID test.

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9 hours ago, PurdueFlyer said:

Since this is a Sunday, I'm worried that basic drugstores won't have testing widely available or it'll involve some stupidly-expensive Uber ride to get there. 

Royal has been offering the tests on ship for folks that need them to fly home from what I have been hearing. You may be able to get an antigen test the night before you debark the first ship and you could use those results on embarkation for the next cruise.

 

9 hours ago, PurdueFlyer said:

And of course, this will all change again in 3 months I'm sure. 

Very, very true.  Anyone cruising before the end of the year can expect many back and forth changes.

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1 hour ago, LizzyBee23 said:

Edit: I can't believe I didn't know the rates were so reasonable per annum. Just finished up buying an annual policy for our family of four.

This will cover you for a weekend road trip too..not just big vacations. 

Right before I bought my policy I had an incident with weather canceling a flight of mine. Couldn't get a flight out until the next day, which means the airlines aren't responsible.  The hotel, Uber and food allowances alone for that one incident would have equalled half of what I paid for my annual premium.

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58 minutes ago, JasonOasis said:

I've had multiple COVID test all of them done at Walgreens here in Chicago.  Every time all I do is make the appointment and fill out the questionnaire.  Do I tell 100% of the truth on the questionnaire NO I don't.  When they ask is this for travel purposes I say no, when they ask have I been in close contact I say yes, when they ask am I symptomatic I say yes, they always say bring insurance card and an ID but I've never once been charged for a COVID test at Walgreens.

I'm I wrong for lying on the questionnaire well that depends on your point of view. The way I see it is like this the federal government is paying Walgreens and other pharmacies around the US to conduct COVID testing so as a middle class tax payer I've already paid for more COVID test than I'll ever take.  My thinking is this why should I pay Walgreens again when I've already paid the federal government taxes which they have already used to pay Walgreens. Walgreens does not get to cash in and double dip off COVID so I've never told Walgreens it is for travel purposes and I've never paid a cents for a COVID test.

I would be careful with this. At least at my primary care in AL, the doctor's note that accompanies test results will give different instructions based on how you answer those questions. If you were exposed and you are symptomatic, for instance, you're supposed to quarantine for a set period of time regardless of test results. I'd just hate for a statement like that to accidentally get in the wrong hands just to avoid the testing fee.

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13 minutes ago, LizzyBee23 said:

I would be careful with this. At least at my primary care in AL, the doctor's note that accompanies test results will give different instructions based on how you answer those questions. If you were exposed and you are symptomatic, for instance, you're supposed to quarantine for a set period of time regardless of test results. I'd just hate for a statement like that to accidentally get in the wrong hands just to avoid the testing fee.

I always answer yes I've been in close contact and yes I'm symptomatic so then based on how I'm answering the questions I know they are looking for COVID with my test and Walgreens in Chicago (at least the one I go to)only does the PCR test, no rapid antigen test and every single test I've done  comes negative.  The reason I use Walgreens is because the government has already contracted with Walgreens and all major pharmacies across this country and the government (aka the tax payers) have already and continue to pay Walgreens for COVID test.

My sister works for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois and at least here in Illinois Blue Cross Blue Shield is fighting Walgreens and CVS (the two major pharmacies the government partner with here in Illinois) over this issue of Walgreens and CVS charging people (or their insurance) for COVID tests based on how they answer the questionnaire that Walgreens has already been paid for by the federal government. If an individual answers yes this is for travel purposes Walgreens will charge them or their insurance for a test the federal government has already paid for but Walgreens does not reimburse the federal government for the cost of test that they just charged your insurance for so Walgreens gets paid twice based on how a person answers the questions.

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18h after RCL announced pre boarding COVID testing requirements, on Friday, Celebrity followed. I dutifully went out and got an antigen test at a local Walgreens to board Equinox out of PEV today. Late Saturday, got an email stated testing would be available in the terminal .....but boarding will be quicker if you already tested and have proof. At 11am today.... sail date got another email saying testing for vaxed not required. Like I've said flexibility is the key to sanity for cruising in COVID times. We board in an hour?

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Update. We are aboard Equinox. Walked in 40m early, No line, painless, no testing. 20m from curbside luggage drop off to in cabin. Learned from one of the greeters who was probably a supervisor that Edge boarding yesterday was an absolute cluster with testing requirement. Guests were fuming. 6p ship departure was delayed. That's why I suspect the testing was dropped for today, last minute. Didn't have time to do pix during check in it went so fast. These are pix of silhouette class ship hump balconies. About 2x bigger.  

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I purchase the annual trip insurance also. But I need to make sure that Covid is specifically included in the coverage. Some carriers require a separate Covid rider. Some limit or exclude coverage related to Covid as well as offering temporary, specific accommodations. In some cases, it is not so obvious that the policy you are purchasing excludes all Covid-related incidents. I suggest actually calling and speaking with an operator and then making sure it is spelled out in whatever policy you purchase.

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13 hours ago, cruisinghawg said:

Who do you recommend? PCR?

 A lot of Airports are setting up testing.  DFW airport (where I fly out of) contracted with a lab company and they provide the range of testing at a few locations pre/post security.  For my Celebrity cruise this month, where the 72 hours before embarkation was specified, I am going to the airport 2 days early (about 70 hours before sail-away) and getting an antigen test done at the pre-security testing facility.  It was $79, results in an hour, and I have the next two days to try a second test, If i got a positive to either determine if it was false, or if it was real.  

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