So with new test requirement, what will you do (if anything) to increase chances of testing negative?

[Jill]

For us, we’re going to lay low starting 2 weeks before our cruise in October. No going out unnecessarily. We’re lucky that we are home based, so no offices we have to go to. 
 

We were going to drive to Miami with our friends, but now (if cases remain high) considering taking separate cars. Especially since one of the friends will have just flown home from NYC a few days before we leave. 
 

I’m not risking it! Lol We’ve waited so long to finally get back onboard that to test positive would be just awful. 

[BrianB]

Good thinking! I’m also thinking of staying in a semi-quarantine for the two weeks prior. Going to limit my contact and really try social distancing…which shouldn’t be too hard for me as I was pretty much always social distancing before it became a thing! I agree that it’s been sooooo long that I definitely don’t want to do something that interferes with me enjoying a wonderful sail away and a fantastic cruise again!

[smokeybandit]

Douse your nostrils with rubbing alcohol before the test?

[teddy]

Since I’m working up until we drive to the airport, I guess I’m rolling the dice. 
 

I work for a big regional supermarket chain, so I’m hoping for big bucks and no whammies. 

[ChessE4]

My wife and I continue to wear masks while shopping, picking up pizza, etc.  That in addition to what has been said about social distancing, etc.

[Reigert2008]

17 minutes ago, ChessE4 said:

My wife and I continue to wear masks while shopping, picking up pizza, etc.  That in addition to what has been said about social distancing, etc.

Exactly, none of this changes anything for us.  We’ve continued to mask up, socially distance, and practice our good hygiene.  We’ve been fully vaccinated since February since both of us are in the health care fields. 
 

we have started to travel some, but still take all the precautions we can.  We’ve always carried hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes when we travel, so we were wiping down plane seats before it was cool

 

stay safe.

[barbeyg]

Because of Delta, we have started ordering grocery pick up for now, we aren’t eating inside restaurants (pickup or outdoor seating only), no unnecessary appointments, etc. Sorta like last year, just without masks.  We would wear them if we felt uncomfortable going into a situation.  
 

We aren’t doing this to be able to cruise, but to try to avoid Delta. My family at home has been seriously affected by Delta.  Went thru my sister’s family like a brush fire.  Very contagious, and the original case was a vaccinated sibling. All the rest are unvaccinated 20-50 year olds. Don’t know about their children, none are symptomatic for now. All quarantining.

We will do the same things for a couple weeks before our cruise, if we don’t cancel.  

[Bob_KY]

Am I the only one that feels challenged/stressed by the timing of taking the covid test, getting results, departing early (minimum day before), and boarding?  Throw in the mad work schedule to cover projects and requirements because of taking vacation.  Sigh..

[JimnKathy]

24 minutes ago, Bob_KY said:

Am I the only one that feels challenged/stressed by the timing of taking the covid test, getting results, departing early (minimum day before), and boarding?  Throw in the mad work schedule to cover projects and requirements because of taking vacation.  Sigh..

I think we all share the same feeling...just have to remind ourselves how awesome it'll be when we do the embarkation walk onto the ship. 

[MicDay]

26 minutes ago, Bob_KY said:

Am I the only one that feels challenged/stressed by the timing of taking the covid test, getting results, departing early (minimum day before), and boarding?  Throw in the mad work schedule to cover projects and requirements because of taking vacation.  Sigh..

@Bob_KY I right there with you!  Since I wanted to see some of Seattle before we cruise we are there two days earlier with plans to explore.  We won’t talk about preparing to leave work for 13 days.  
I'm trying not to stress about it but holy cow.  I understand why RC is doing this but it doesn’t take the stress of it away.

[dandi799]

We are cruising out of Miami 2 weeks from today. We are masking up and not hanging out with other indoors as much as possible. I do have two days at an in-person conference this week, which makes me very nervous, if I'm being honest. We are flying to Miami the day before the cruise, and I have N95 masks and face shields for all of us. I'm completely over caring if I look silly at this point. We have been planning this cruise since 2019, and I just want it to happen!

[MicDay]

I really think we are at a point that everyone just does:

you do you and I’ll do me 

what makes me feel comfortable and safe might not be the same for you and that’s ok

no judgement here

[steverk]

I take airborne supplement every day  and hope for the best 

[cdixon22]

33 minutes ago, steverk said:

I take airborne supplement every day  and hope for the best 

I swear by airborne gummies. 

[wordell1]

Generally, you should avoid small indoor spaces if you are with anyone who you do not know, or trust to do the same.  The Delta variant is 50% more contageous than the original covid.  The vaccines do provide some protection from getting the disease so I don't think you need to hide in your house for 2 weeks prior to a cruise, but I do think it is wise to take precautions to avoid a negative test. 

I had to take the test immediately before boarding AOS, and I can assure you that it was a nervous 40 minute wait for my results.

[JeffB]

Agree with the comments above. Here's my 2 cents posted at another thread where this thread's question was brought up:

 

[AlmondFarmer]

My families cruise isn’t until after thanksgiving. As a young and healthy family we are considering finding someone who has Delta variant and hanging out with them in an effort to get it, then hang low to keep from giving it to others. In doing this we will have less worry about accidentally getting it before pre cruise test and being denied boarding. 

[barbeyg]

1 hour ago, Bob_KY said:

Am I the only one that feels challenged/stressed by the timing of taking the covid test, getting results, departing early (minimum day before), and boarding?  Throw in the mad work schedule to cover projects and requirements because of taking vacation.  Sigh..

You are not alone. We may cancel our next before final payment for these reasons. Going on vacation shouldn’t cause worry or stress. Some of us live in places where testing is expensive due to insurance not covering for travel, and results can be delayed. Not worth the cost or fretting over it…even for a cruise.  

We have a month to think about it ourselves. I suggest not rushing to a decision, but make the best one for you.

Hope we all can cruise again soon.

[cruisellama]

[JimnKathy]

Here're a few thoughts regarding this new test mandate 3 days prior to embarkation:

1. Vaccinated folks like the missus and me still have to sweat out test results that could screw up our entire vacation plans at the midnight hour...false positives are a thing.

2. The data seems to show that 99% of new cases are occurring in the group that choose to not get vaccinated.

3. Vaccinated folks who do test positive rarely risk hospitalization and/or death...the therapeutics administered to the already-vaxed seem to reduce fatality risk to almost zero.

4. RCG is in a tough spot. They're playing a balancing act between satisfying the CDC rules, assuaging national political shenanigans, managing guest perceptions and overcoming the financial risks of getting back to creating amazing vacation experiences while avoiding the gargantuan risk of cruising lockdowns.

Happy sailing to all! 

[Jill]

4 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

Douse your nostrils with rubbing alcohol before the test?

Ok you try it first and let me know

[Jill]

1 hour ago, AlmondFarmer said:

My families cruise isn’t until after thanksgiving. As a young and healthy family we are considering finding someone who has Delta variant and hanging out with them in an effort to get it, then hang low to keep from giving it to others. In doing this we will have less worry about accidentally getting it before pre cruise test and being denied boarding. 

However, there are some that continue to test positive for a few months even though they’ve recovered. 

[sk8erguy1978]

Nothing.

Hopefully this doesn't come across wrong but if I change my behavior for a vacation then I'm questioning how serious I'm taking this virus.

If I test positive, even a false positive, then so be it. IN FACT, if a true positive (I'm vaccinated) I need to question how serious I'm taking this virus.

Edit: although, I did get COVID in January from my wife. She was exposed volunteering as an EMT. 

Edited July 31, 2021 by sk8erguy1978
Edit line.

[wordell1]

48 minutes ago, JimnKathy said:

 

4. RCG is in a tough spot. They're playing a balancing act between satisfying the CDC rules, assuaging national political shenanigans, managing guest perceptions and overcoming the financial risks of getting back to creating amazing vacation experiences while avoiding the gargantuan risk of cruising lockdowns.

RCL stock dropped 4% yesterday just because of the news reports of 6 people getting covid on AOS.  They need to ensure that they do not have a widespread outbreak on one of their ships or it will prove the CDC correct.  

[wordell1]

10 minutes ago, sk8erguy1978 said:

Nothing.

Hopefully this doesn't come across wrong but if I change my behavior for a vacation then I'm questioning how serious I'm taking this virus.

If I test positive, even a false positive, then so be it. IN FACT, if a true positive (I'm vaccinated) I need to question how serious I'm taking this virus.

Edit: although, I did get COVID in January from my wife. She was exposed volunteering as an EMT. 

I am vaccinated along with my entire family.  I am not worried that I would be seriously sick if I got it so I generally behave as I did pre covid.  

I would (and have) changed my behavior pre vacation so that I don't travel to my cruise and get turned away from a vacation that I have been anxiously awaiting.

[JeffB]

Well, here's another thing to do ....... pray that the spike in FL goes down like it mysteriously has in India first and now the UK. Steep rises followed by precipitous declines ..... ALL WITHOUT ANY NEW MITIGATION MEASURES in these two countries. In fact, Boris Johnson cancelled all mitigation measures in the UK on July 19th. Cases plummeted. NB, the UK has a high vax rate, India does not.

It's early but this is a snap shot of FL's vax rates and new case numbers for the previous week (7/23-7/29. I've highlighted Broward (PEV) and Dade (POM) counties. Vax rates have jumped considerably from 3 weeks ago - like 20% or more. Note that these two counties also have the highest vax rates state wide and also have the lowest (below the state average) % positives. These are down a lot from a week ago.

Note also % positives in these two counties is declining and by a lot.

What these two metrics portend is herd immunity is being approached in S. FL counties with high vax rates. I'd predict steep declines in new case numbers over the next two weeks in these counties. If they get down below the 8% threshold the pre-boarding testing requirement could be relaxed.

Fingers crossed.

  

 

 

[sk8erguy1978]

31 minutes ago, wordell1 said:

I am vaccinated along with my entire family.  I am not worried that I would be seriously sick if I got it so I generally behave as I did pre covid.  

I would (and have) changed my behavior pre vacation so that I don't travel to my cruise and get turned away from a vacation that I have been anxiously awaiting.

I do basically the same. Honestly as a WFH person still, there really isn't much to do to be more cautious. I am bringing my work laptop in case I get "stuck" somewhere having to quarantine. 

[wordell1]

36 minutes ago, JeffB said:

Well, here's another thing to do ....... pray that the spike in FL goes down like it mysteriously has in India first and now the UK. Steep rises followed by precipitous declines ..... ALL WITHOUT ANY NEW MITIGATION MEASURES in these two countries. In fact, Boris Johnson cancelled all mitigation measures in the UK on July 19th. Cases plummeted. NB, the UK has a high vax rate, India does not.

It's early but this is a snap shot of FL's vax rates and new case numbers for the previous week (7/23-7/29. I've highlighted Broward (PEV) and Dade (POM) counties. Vax rates have jumped considerably from 3 weeks ago - like 20% or more. Note that these two counties also have the highest vax rates state wide and also have the lowest (below the state average) % positives. These are down a lot from a week ago.

Note also % positives in these two counties is declining and by a lot.

What these two metrics portend is herd immunity is being approached in S. FL counties with high vax rates. I'd predict steep declines in new case numbers over the next two weeks in these counties. If they get down below the 8% threshold the pre-boarding testing requirement could be relaxed.

Fingers crossed.

  

 

 

Great info, thanks for sharing. Good reason for optimism.

[mk-ultra]

5 hours ago, Bob_KY said:

Am I the only one that feels challenged/stressed by the timing of taking the covid test, getting results, departing early (minimum day before), and boarding?  Throw in the mad work schedule to cover projects and requirements because of taking vacation.  Sigh..

Ditto.

I don't have a problem with getting tested, but I fly SFO-MCO for an August 22 cruise.  The testing centers at both airports (which was Plan A) are both closed at the times I'll be at the airport to make my flight and after I disembark in FL.

Plan B is to get the rapid antigen test here in my departure city on 8/19 (day before flight).  That's pretty tight depending on how strict they are about the time-out.  It's within 3 days but may not be within 72 hours.  I'll probably back that up with an antigen test at a CVS in FL on 8/21 if I don't have results by then.

[JeffB]

10 minutes ago, mk-ultra said:

That's pretty tight depending on how strict they are about the time-out.  It's within 3 days but may not be within 72 hours.  I'll probably back that up with an antigen test at a CVS in FL on 8/21 if I don't have results by then.

I wouldn't count on that. I'm sailing tomorrow on Celebrity Equinox and my sense Celebrity anyway is being pretty strict about this. Here's the link to a post I made on the Celebrity thread on where to get antigen tests in Fort Lauderdale. You have to be very careful to make sure the clinic you're going to is administering the rapid antigen tests. Some clinics are either hard to schedule (I found that true of CVS in my Fort Lauderdale Neighborhood) or only do PCRs with the attendant delays in that test result.

Walgreens (the one at the link) has two benefits: They are staffed by U of Miami Heath Care System and they take most insurance including Medicare. They have a central scheduling number to make an appointment that actually works. Just make sure you're scheduling for the Walgreens I linked to when you talk to them.

 

[Ray]

3 hours ago, JeffB said:

Well, here's another thing to do ....... pray that the spike in FL goes down like it mysteriously has in India first and now the UK. Steep rises followed by precipitous declines ..... ALL WITHOUT ANY NEW MITIGATION MEASURES in these two countries. In fact, Boris Johnson cancelled all mitigation measures in the UK on July 19th. Cases plummeted. NB, the UK has a high vax rate, India does not.

 

 

As someone once said " statistics are like mini skirts! Nice to look at but hide the most important parts!"

Uk had the Euro football championship so lots of people out mixing and drinking causing a sharp rise in figures.

England also had the "Pingdemic" this is where the track and trace app was pinging 1000s of people telling them they had been in close contact and they had to isolate, when in fact it was an error, Due to these issues with app 1000s deleted it thus meaning less people are getting pinged to get tested meaning less positve results 

LASTLY 

Boris johnson cancelled all measures in england NOT the UK, UK is made up of 4 seperate countries and Boris ONLY governs England

It would be like me saying Florida has to follow Texas law because it all the US  or the US follow Canada laws because its all north America, fortunately i know my geography and other cultures 

[wordell1]

40 minutes ago, Ray said:

As someone once said " statistics are like mini skirts! Nice to look at but hide the most important parts!"

Uk had the Euro football championship so lots of people out mixing and drinking causing a sharp rise in figures.

England also had the "Pingdemic" this is where the track and trace app was pinging 1000s of people telling them they had been in close contact and they had to isolate, when in fact it was an error, Due to these issues with app 1000s deleted it thus meaning less people are getting pinged to get tested meaning less positve results 

LASTLY 

Boris johnson cancelled all measures in england NOT the UK, UK is made up of 4 seperate countries and Boris ONLY governs England

It would be like me saying Florida has to follow Texas law because it all the US  or the US follow Canada laws because its all north America, fortunately i know my geography and other cultures 

I thought his title was Prime Minister of the UK.  It does get confusing as to the differences in the governance of England vs Great Britain vs UK to outsiders.

[Ray]

2 hours ago, wordell1 said:

I thought his title was Prime Minister of the UK.  It does get confusing as to the differences in the governance of England vs Great Britain vs UK to outsiders.

He has a title which is ancient, before devolution of the home countries. 

https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/boris-johnson-coronavirus-lockdown-uk-scotland-sturgeon-wales-northern-ireland-a9507946.html

His title may say UK but as i have mentioned previously scottish rules are different to English, just as are Welsh and Northern Irish. Boris has NO say in these countries 

 

[Cakemeister]

Change from cloth masks to N95 masks.

[B&S]

Our cruise isn't until October, so this could all change by then (hopefully for the better). We're driving to Port Canaveral from Texas to avoid flying, but will be having several stops in between.  Of course, we'll be wearing masks when we're out of the car, sanitizing and social distancing as much as possible.   Does anyone know if the "self-tests" sold at CVS are valid?  It would be easier to buy some of these tests before we leave home if we can use them.

 

[deep1]

I was gonna say schedule time on a really quiet little Bahama island called Chub Cay...  Then found out my best friend on island , their Dockmaster just passed away from Covid...  Guess I'll just hunker down in New Jersey then Palm Beach Gardens homes. Fiance in Jersey. Her Daughter will come straight from Vermont college to PBG house. Her son is a pain in the butt. Need to lock him in the tool shed and fumigate 

[PetraElise]

We are being extra cautious starting this week, for our sailing later this month.  We generally still mask in stores, etc, but we are really looking forward to our B2B and don’t want to risk it not happening.  So finishing up any errands that need doing in the next two days, and then it will just be groceries until we leave.  

[rjac]

1 hour ago, deep1 said:

Her son is a pain in the butt. Need to lock him in the tool shed and fumigate

Good plan of action!

[deep1]

21 minutes ago, rjac said:

Good plan of action!

All through the lockdowns he was sneaking out and "hanging" with crowds. His class mates made local news for being party "spreaders" on regular basis. He was there on a couple occasions but got lucky...

 

[Cile]

We have cruise October 1, with Mariner of the Seas. Check in is not Available yet and it is less that 60 days. I am guessing maybe because we are going with 4 kids ages 6., 9 and 10 . Maybe that is reason, kids are not vaccinated . It will be interesting to see what kind of protocol they will have for kids?