How soon after getting Covid were you back on the ship again?

[LCWind]

I just got back on April 9 from Odyssey. I was not feeling well that evening (felt like a bad pollen allergy) so I got tested yesterday.  It turns out I have Covid.  Doctor told me to stay home for at least 5-7 days.  This gives me a lot of time to plan my next cruise.  So I ask for your advice. Assuming I’m fully recovered and no longer contagious, is going on a cruise end of April too soon as the antigen test will still detect the virus? How about you- how long after were you cruising again? Thanks!

[smokeybandit]

You could be testing negative in those 5-7 days, if not less.

[Peter D]

On October 21 2021, I had to cancel due to covid during the 2-day testing.  I was on my next cruise on November 21 2021 after a negative antigen test.

I'd say if you could/would qualify for the certificate of recovery, 11-90 days since positive testing, you could go that route without testing.  Any sooner than that, you would be relying on negative testing.  Antigen testing should not detect virus, because its more for the active infections.  It's the PCR test that could come back positive.

If you book something now, keep in mind that cruise with confidence is over.  

[Va4fam]

Everyone has a different  experience.  Some get over it quickly, others it may linger longer.  My wife tested positive the middle of January and we had to cancel our cruise.  But we made our next cruise last week of February.

[Pattycruise]

With the new allowance of Proof of a Positive Test and Document of Recovery you should be able to sail..  The antigen test is the preferred test if you recently tested positive as the PCR can still register positive up to a few months after having Covid.    The healthy sail questions asks if you tested positive within the last 14 days....so 14 days after your positive test you should be good to go. 

[Moby Dick]

My wife and I had COVID almost a year ago.  It was like a mild cold, for both of us.  However, I haven't been able to shake the runny nose issue.  My nose is runny almost all the time, especially when I exercise.  

There is a protocol for those who had COVID between 11 and 90 days of embarkation.  You can come up positive for COVID for about 90 days after you no longer have COVID, my wife came up positive for several weeks after she was over COVID.  So, if you have had COVID up to 90 days before your cruise, it's a good idea to get to know Royal's policy on that.

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/if-recovered-from-covid-19-need-to-be-vaccinated-or-take-a-test-to-sail

For Cruises Departing the U.S. ports, Puerto Rico and Canada

A Certificate of Recovery will not be accepted in lieu of a vaccination record card for guests of vaccine eligible age. All Royal Caribbean guests age 12 and older must present proof of full COVID-19 vaccination with the final dose of their vaccine administered at least 14 days before sailing. 

For all sailings departing on or after March 11, 2022, a Certificate of Recovery, for a positive COVID-19 case at least 11 days before boarding but no more than 90 days ago, may be provided in lieu of a pre-cruise COVID-19 test result to board the ship if it meets certain requirements. However, certain ports (listed below) will not permit guests to go ashore using a Certificate of Recovery. The following two documents must be presented:

1. A certified medical health certificate from a doctor stating that you have fully recovered from COVID-19. It must meet the following requirements:
   • Official letterhead from a healthcare provider, public health official or telehealth provider showing:
     • Their name
     • Their address
     • Their phone number
     • Confirmation of your recovery and completion of isolation 
   • Must be typed (not handwritten) and signed by the provider
   • Must confirm the sample collection date of the positive PCR test, which must be a minimum of 11 days and a maximum of 90 days before the departure date of your cruise
2. A positive result document for a COVID-19 PCR test taken a minimum of 11 days and a maximum of 90 days before the departure date of your cruise. An antigen test result will not be accepted with a Certificate of Recovery. The test results document from your test provider must include the name of the lab that processed the test, the lab’s CLIA Lab Number or Certification Number, the address of the lab, your name, the date the test was taken, type of test, and your positive result. This can be a printed document, email, or telehealth app notification. Fully handwritten doctor’s notes (such as those written on a prescription pad) will not be accepted. Minimal handwritten components (such as a check mark on a “positive” box) are acceptable as long as the other required information is printed on the document.

NOTE: Though Royal Caribbean will accept documentation meeting these requirements to board, many countries are not currently accepting Certificates of Recovery. In these ports, guests who provided certificates would not be allowed to debark.

The following ports are currently not accepting a Certificate of Recovery for debarkation:

• Curacao
• St. Kitts
• Panama
• Panama Canal
• Jamaica
• Bonaire
• St. Lucia
• Guatemala
• Colombia
• Trinidad & Tobago
• St. Vincent
• the Grenadines
• Haiti
• Cayman Islands
• Bermuda

[JohnK6404]

In our case (both my wife and I), we tested positive for Covid right after the New Year during the first week of JAN. My wife and I both took about 2.5 weeks to shake all lingering, annoying symptoms (no serious symptoms). Our fear of course was that we would possibly test positive for our FEB 12 sailing.

My wife went for a follow up at the local urgent care as she needed a negative test to return to work (tested negative around the 3rd week of JAN). I did not need a "formal" test as I work from home now, but I did test a couple of times with the at home tests for my own sanity and tested negative each time. We elected to take the eMed proctored rapid antigen tests for convenience and thankfully we both tested negative! I think the prevailing opinion is to take a rapid antigen test if you tested positive in the recent past as PCR tests supposedly can detect inactive/dead virus and lead to a positive test.

[jticarruthers]

I (unexpectedly) tested positive for our planned 1/29 cruise, tested negative in time to board our 2/11 cruise.

The advice i had was to definitely not take the PCR since that can register positive still for months (in rare circumstances) but that the antigen should be clear pretty quickly.

[JohnK6404]

15 hours ago, LCWind said:

I just got back on April 9 from Odyssey. I was not feeling well that evening (felt like a bad pollen allergy) so I got tested yesterday.  It turns out I have Covid.  Doctor told me to stay home for at least 5-7 days.  This gives me a lot of time to plan my next cruise.  So I ask for your advice. Assuming I’m fully recovered and no longer contagious, is going on a cruise end of April too soon as the antigen test will still detect the virus? How about you- how long after were you cruising again? Thanks!

Matt just posted this... good news is you will still get a refund if you test positive right before the cruise (separate policy from Cruise with Confidence):

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2022/04/12/royal-caribbean-will-still-refund-you-if-you-test-positive-covid-right-your-cruise