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International Travelers who test positive post cruise and can't board flight back home


Amanda92

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Looks like as of January 5th, 2022 Royal Carribean is no longer offering covid tests on board for travelers who need them to return to their home country. Website now says you can get one at the cruise terminal, the airport, or other 3rd party testing sites. Does anyone know if royal carribean will offer any support to customers who test positive after disembarking and therefore cannot board a plane to get back to their home countries? 

Edit added link to info: https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/when-to-take-a-test-if-traveling-to-us-from-another-country

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1 hour ago, Amanda92 said:

Looks like as of January 5th, 2022 Royal Carribean is no longer offering covid tests on board for travelers who need them to return to their home country. Website now says you can get one at the cruise terminal, the airport, or other 3rd party testing sites. Does anyone know if royal carribean will offer any support to customers who test positive after disembarking and therefore cannot board a plane to get back to their home countries? 

Where is that documented? I spent quite a bit of time on hold with Royal a bit ago and they say as of this point there is no change. Please put up a link if you see something different. That is a good habit in general so people can see things. Too often "rumors" turn into long discussions, but they turn out to have no foundation.

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Thank you for posting that - I see it. I guess they need to let their phone reps know. I did talk with one for a 3/4 of an hour last night. I sail on Dec. 30th, so it won't affect me. That is why the link helps - there is a difference between "ends Jan. 5" and "sailing after Jan. 5." Thanks again.

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5 minutes ago, Eggbert said:

Thank you for posting that - I see it. I guess they need to let their phone reps know. I did talk with one for a 3/4 of an hour last night. I sail on Dec. 30th, so it won't affect me. That is why the link helps - there is a difference between "ends Jan. 5" and "sailing after Jan. 5." Thanks again.

I often find advice offered by the phone reps to be varied and contradict the website a bit. For example, I was told that my Covid test needed to be within 48 hours of sail away time, when the policy is clearly posted that it's anytime 2 days before you board. 

Another case where 1) It helps to review the policies on Royal's website directly (and often, the closer you get to sail away to be familiar with the changing landscape of protocols) and 2) work directly with a trusted travel agent. 

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https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/when-to-take-a-test-if-traveling-to-us-from-another-country

 

International Re-Entry Testing Options 

Many international travelers will require a negative COVID-19 test result for re-entry into their country of residence. Please see below for options available to you on your sailing. 

Be sure to familiarize yourself with your country’s specific requirements prior to scheduling your re-entry test. 

 

For Guests Sailing before January 5, 2022 

You can schedule a COVID-19 test onboard prior to debarkation day to complete your International Re-Entry Testing requirement. Details on scheduling your test will be provided once onboard. 

For Guests Sailing on or after January 5, 2022 

Optional onboard testing to satisfy your International Re-Entry Testing requirement will no longer be available. However, if your country requires a COVID-19 test, you have various ways to complete this testing requirement nearby upon debarking the ship. Note that Royal Caribbean is not affiliated with these providers in any way. Testing costs vary by location and should be paid directly to the provider. These options will be communicated to you once onboard in greater detail. 

  • At the Terminal — For your convenience, you can take a rapid PCR or antigen COVID-19 test right at the terminal upon debarking the ship and depart. Results will be emailed to you shortly after. 
  • At the Airport — Guests traveling directly to the airport can schedule their rapid PCR or antigen COVID-19 test to be taken on-site with a test provider at the airport.  
  • Local Testing Sites — If you’re staying in the area, there are various locations close to the terminal, the airport and hotels in the area where you can complete PCR or antigen COVID-19 testing.  

Pricing for these tests varies by test type and location.

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Have to say this is very short sighted, can see an awful lot of overseas travellers cancelling their cruises.

As if all the testing involved with cruising wasn't stressful enough we'll now how to source a test and recieve the results in the few hours between leaving the ship and checking in for the flight home.

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48 minutes ago, Bob13 said:

Definetly adds to the anxiety of cruising.  Feels like it’s a money grab from the third party. Now I have to get swabbed twice in one day makes no sense

I'm not sure I understand the swabbing twice in one day comment.

This is only for the requirement that you may need to return home from the US after your cruise is complete.  

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11 minutes ago, TonyYOW said:

Another major change published on the website: unvaccinated kids now require PCR tests, not the rapid ones, before boarding. Another PCR will be taken at the port, same as before. 

Where do you see this?  I know it's changed to require you bring a negative PCR test for unvaccinated passengers that was taken no more than 3 days in advance (that change was effective December 17th), but I still see that they're testing at boarding with antigen.

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/if-travel-with-an-unvaccinated-kid-under-12-how-will-our-experience-be

 

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17 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said:

Where do you see this?  I know it's changed to require you bring a negative PCR test for unvaccinated passengers that was taken no more than 3 days in advance (that change was effective December 17th), but I still see that they're testing at boarding with antigen.

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/if-travel-with-an-unvaccinated-kid-under-12-how-will-our-experience-be

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/when-to-take-a-test-if-traveling-to-us-from-another-country

 

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Also here:
https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/will-i-have-to-take-a-test-before-i-cruise

 

Quote
  • Unvaccinated kids age 2 to 11 must show a negative test result for a PCR test (not antigen) taken no more than 3 days before boarding day.
  • Unvaccinated kids’ pre-cruise test cannot be taken on boarding day, because that may affect the sample taken during the kids’ test at the terminal.

 

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1 hour ago, TonyYOW said:

Another major change published on the website: unvaccinated kids now require PCR tests, not the rapid ones, before boarding. Another PCR will be taken at the port, same as before. 

That was announced a week or so ago. But antigen tests will now be given at the port (which is why, thanks to the CDC, you need a PCR test beforehand).

Not that big of a deal for Americans, but certainly a huge PITA for Canadians.

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11 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Not that big of a deal for Americans, but certainly a huge PITA for Canadians.

It is, and it's expensive... 

Having kids get PCR before, and all family get PCRs after cruise at our own expenses is definitely going to be a huge no-go for Canadians. I'm so happy my wife and my daughter just finished their cruise on Odyssey. With these new measures I'm not sure when the next cruise is going to be for us 😢

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So it seems like now that royal won't test you on board that travelers who test positive when they get off won't have their quarentine expenses covered by royal. Anyone have any idea what the procedure/ cost is to quarentine in Florida for two weeks? Are you able to just rent an air bnb or do you have to go to an official quarentine hotel if such a thing even exists? 

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9 minutes ago, Amanda92 said:

So it seems like now that royal won't test you on board that travelers who test positive when they get off won't have their quarentine expenses covered by royal. Anyone have any idea what the procedure/ cost is to quarentine in Florida for two weeks? Are you able to just rent an air bnb or do you have to go to an official quarentine hotel if such a thing even exists? 

I bought a Manulife policy for two that was pretty cheap. They also have a family option which covers four. It covers Covid expenses and gives a daily per person stipend that would be enough in FL.

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4 hours ago, Amanda92 said:

So it seems like now that royal won't test you on board that travelers who test positive when they get off won't have their quarentine expenses covered by royal. Anyone have any idea what the procedure/ cost is to quarentine in Florida for two weeks? Are you able to just rent an air bnb or do you have to go to an official quarentine hotel if such a thing even exists? 

I wasn’t trying to figure out why they changed this policy and I think you hit the nail on the head. This way they avoid any costs associated with a positive test. They also probably don’t want to test any more than they have to in case of positive results on asymtomatic passenger which drives up their numbers, as well as them then having to do contract tracing and more testing.

This could be a game changer as the costs keep rising and rising.

Anyone know if other lines are offering testing on board for international travellers? 

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Of course!  I’m on a European Celebrity cruise in July,  just booked my airfare this past week.  I purposely booked to come home the day I get off the ship, assuming the 24 hour re-entry test for the US remains the same.  Venice airport  is a few hours from the port.  It’ll be a real time squeeze to get things done, plus the added cost.

now I wonder if I can get my airfare back as well as cruise fare. 
 I wonder if “I have a headache and other symptoms “ the day before we disembark if I can be tested onboard!!

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We are on Freedom Jan 10-14. One of us flies back to Canada at 2:00pm the day we arrive back in port. Is it reasonable to get off the ship, get a PCR test (which is required for travel back to Canada) at the port , and get the results before flight check in time which is supposed to be 2-3 hours before departure? Any thoughts?

Hopefully the testing process is efficient at the port.

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I’m a little worried about testing at the port after watching a recent video on you tube where the port testing for debarkation was in the middle of the parking lot and everyone was testing positive. This person saw what was happening and left the lineup and went to a private clinic where he tested negative.

i think I will use testing facility at the airport although it adds about $400CAD to the vacation for my wife and I

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9 minutes ago, Vancity Cruiser said:

I’m a little worried about testing at the port after watching a recent video on you tube where the port testing for debarkation was in the middle of the parking lot and everyone was testing positive. This person saw what was happening and left the lineup and went to a private clinic where he tested negative.

i think I will use testing facility at the airport although it adds about $400CAD to the vacation for my wife and I

At both facilities, there is no age requirement but patients under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Discounts for MIA employees who present an airport ID are available. Test costs range from $79 to $179.

The Central Terminal facility, operated by Communitel and Family Rehab, Inc. and located at MIA’s Concourse E ground level median in front of Door 11,provides Antigen and Rapid PCR tests with results within 15 minutes and PCR tests with results within 40 minutes. The facility is open daily 24 hours a day for walk-ins and scheduled appointments. For testing costs or to schedule an appointment, call 305-869-1161. Customers will receive a written test result, or results can be emailed upon request.

 

MIA’s South Terminal testing facility, operated by Nomi Health and located near the Concourse H TSA Checkpoint on the departures level at Door 20,provides Antigen, PCR, and Rapid PCR tests daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. for walk-ins and scheduled appointments. PCR test results are provided within 24 hours, Rapid PCR test results within one hour with an oral swab, and Antigen results are available within 15 minutes. Notifications and results are provided to customers via text and/or email. For testing costs or to schedule an appointment, visit the Nomi Health website or call (305) 280-0694toll free at (833) 685-0700.

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12 minutes ago, Vancity Cruiser said:

I just got off the phone with Naomi Health. A rapid PCR test is $179USD per person and results are within 30 minutes.

I am not thrilled about the additional cost but it seems manageable time wise.

Imagine a family of 4.....

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1 hour ago, Rene Desmarais said:

true....  USD to CAD conversion 231.00 CAD per

 

I can  see alot of international Travel cancelling

Not me !!!! Counting down the days 🙂 the only thing that will stop me is if US shuts its doors again 

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16 minutes ago, Eggbert said:

Don't blame Royal - this is the price of your government "protecting" you.

Sorry????    I honestly don't understand your comment.                      I don't know what the reasoning behind RCL's decision to stop offering the PCR testing to return home.  But I'm pretty sure it's not our beloved Canadian federal government asking RCL to stop offering free tests for Canadians to return home

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4 minutes ago, Rene Desmarais said:

Sorry????    I honestly don't understand your comment.                      I don't know what the reasoning behind RCL's decision to stop offering the PCR testing to return home.  But I'm pretty sure it's not our beloved Canadian federal government asking RCL to stop offering free tests for Canadians to return home

Some people forget that isn't always Americans all the time😉

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