Certificate of recovery to sail

[Ken Edgar]

So we are 24 days out from our Alaska cruise and I tested positive this morning on a home test.  Ironically, I am pretty sure I contracted it on my maskless flight back from a work trip in Fairbanks, Alaska on Sunday or at one of the airports I transferred through on my way back to DFW as I tested negative just prior to the flight.  

I have only mild fever and suspect will have no issue testing negative when needed in 22 or 23 days, so the timing is probably good to get it over with.   I am just wondering if I should venture out to get an official positive test and then try to figure out what I need to get a certificate of recovery from my Dr. next week just in case, maybe that is even easier so I dont have to deal with testing prior to embarkation.  

Has anyone gone this route?   Is it more of a hassle when it comes to boarding?  Right now we are waiting to see if my wife will test +.  So far she is negative but I suspect it will happen in the next day or 2, but If I wait more than that, I may not still test + and will lose that option 

I found this page that says timing is 11-90 days prior so we seem to be well within that window at 24 days.

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

[Pattycruise]

Definitely get documentation from an official source if that is the plan to use a recovery letter
.  You might get a scolding:
I had a NP yell at me for going in for testing (they practically donned haxmat suits) and she said my positive rapid test was sufficent to prove I was positive.
Well, it did NOT provide me with documentation for my employer that I was indeed positive (and her reply:  you should just show them the test!  LOL really!!???)
Anyhow, I had the PCR done and guess what, it was NEGATIVE.    Oh, and this place has done tons of Covid testing and i would expect professionals to treat everyone like they are a positive case, so shame on them.  The NP actually called me to inform me my at home test must have been inconclusive.....that was as close to an apology I would get I guess.
The reason they allow the previous Covid positive within the set time frame is you can still test positive on a PCR test up to 90 days post positive.  If you do not plan to use recovery you might consider using an antigen test-that will only pick up live active infection.

BTW-just my opinion but it's highly doublful you picked it up on Sunday and already tested positive, it's  likely it was brewing and you just did not pop positive.  There are many cases of Covid on the ships, despite everyone testing negative 2 days prior to boarding.  We are only negative at the time of the test. 

[Pattycruise]

BTW, consider testing your wife, even is asymptomatic, at the cutoff that she is "alllowed to test positive" to sail.  So if your cruise is May 21 then work backwards from there and have her tested.  If she is positive you have just "gotten it documented" in time to be able to sail.  Otherwise if she tests positive within the 10 or 14 days of sailing -whatever the rule-you are out of luck

[Ken Edgar]

So went in today to the place I usually go for travel testing.  They did an oral swab PCR test and came back negative go figure lol  Later today I took another home test from different company (Abbott Binax now non proctored) and it is still hard positive (dark line).  I think that the lab person just didnt go far enough back in my throat as supposedly PCR test is more sensitive than the at home rapid antigen.   Anyway, a waste of time to go there, maybe I will try again in a couple of days.  Just would like to have the positive test documented so that I can get a certifcate of recovery just in case I test positive when doing my pre-cruise testing in 21 days due to residual virus. 

[Pattycruise]

Wow!  Good luck!

[Cruiser4]

Hi! We had proof of recovery on our b2b. It caused some hussle at the port (needed 5 members of staff at the check-in to clear us!) because apparently these guys hadn’t seen these documents before.
 

Went to customer service the first night, they took copies of the documents and that was it, no testing between the cruises. So if possible then I would recommend this stress-free option..