Stevie17

27 minutes ago, mtnesterz said:

While I have not been to the Bahamas, I have been to Princess Cays twice. If you haven't been there, you will not be missing much. We walked around for maybe an hour, had a burger and then back to the ship. The second time, just stayed on the ship. Costa Maya has interesting history and Belize has a lot of natural beauty and history.  We all have different tastes, but to my preferences, the changes sound like an improvement. Search for, "Things to do in..."

 

I've been to both Princess Cays and Nassau, the latter many times. Nassau is one of my least favorite port stops. We were looking forward to a relaxing beach day in Princess Cays. With such a short time in Nassau (7am - 1pm), it would be hard to even make that into a decent beach day. I agree with different tastes, but for us, this is a major downgrade. 

So I awoke to an email from Princess announcing yet another itinerary change for our January 2nd sailing on the Caribbean Princess. They announced a couple of months ago that we would not be calling on Grand Cayman (makes sense...no ships are stopping there at the moment) or Jamaica (okay...kind of a bummer) but instead, we would be stopping in Costa Maya and Belize. All good, still cruising and those are nice ports.  

Today's email announced that they would be replacing Princess Cays with...wait for it...Nassau, and that we would only be there from 7am - 1pm. Look, I truly am a glass is always at least half full kinda gal, but this one really bummed me out. I'm assuming that there are too many other ships (Carnival) calling on Princess Cays and we got bumped, but just UGH. 

Okay, enough complaining. I am thrilled beyond belief to be cruising again and am grateful to be able to take this trip with my two teenager daughters and my husband. Here's to sailing the high seas with a pina colada in one hand and sunscreen in the other. Even if neither will happen on Princess Cays.

I just bought the Binax Now with AG Card from Emed yesterday (the Six Pack), and their site said that these are now good AT LEAST through February 1, 2022, perhaps longer. We have a January 2nd cruise, so I was very happy to see that they are now selling tests with extended expiration dates.

I just ordered our Six Pack testing kits from Emed yesterday for our January 2nd cruise. The expiration date is now February 2022 at the earliest, so this option is now a "safe" one for those with early 2022 cruises. 

On 10/27/2021 at 6:29 PM, Bgwest said:

Between wife and I, we’ve now had a total of 10 antigen tests from CVS for various trips. 
no out of pocket thus far. 
we always get our results back in under two hours. Often under an hour. 
I bought 6 BinoxNow proctored home tests as a final backstop. Just in case. Haven’t needed them yet. The tests and the box they came in sit next to my desk at home in the event we must break them out in an emergency. 
I really do like to have contingency plans. 

This is exactly what I'm going to do for our family of four cruise on January 2nd. CVS rapid antigen tests are our first "line of defense" and we will have the Binax Now with AG Card kits standing by as back up. Redundancy is good! 🙂

Just now, fluffybunny22 said:

I clicked the link that Princess provides for the supervised home tests and it says the FDA allowed a 3 month extension on the expiration date.

That's correct, but even with that three month extension, many of the Binax tests expire at the end of December. It's a crap shoot at this point in time. Maybe I would get a batch with an expiration date after January 2nd...but maybe I wouldn't. I even called Binax, and they couldn't guarantee that test I order for January 2nd would be valid. 

On 10/8/2021 at 7:52 PM, memoak said:

We  can only hope. Scheduled to sail in mid January 

We cruise on January 2nd. I sure hope that this happens! 

14 hours ago, joepeka said:

I agree. Vaccination is no problem for us (getting the booster in fact very soon) but the 2-day lead time for testing is stressful and costly if you want to go the home test route a few times in the 7-10 days ahead of your "real" test in a lab/pharmacy/etc. to have any peace of mind.

Our cruise is on January 2nd, and we will test at CVS with a rapid antigen test on the morning of 12/31. I would love to have some of the home tests on hand, but given their expiration dates, I don't feel like I can order them at this point in time. Having the option of the Binax Now with AG Card option would be outstanding, but I'm hesitant to spend that money (there are four of us on the cruise) only to find out that they will expire before January 2nd. I would love for the testing requirement to fall by the wayside, at least for those of us who are fully vaccinated. I think this will all depend upon the trajectory of infection in the coming months.

14 hours ago, Ombud said:

Right now I am safer on a cruise ship than almost anywhere in the USA. Our county's positivity rate at 2.0% is much MUCH lower than most locals but still higher than ships. We are 87.8% fully vaxed / 4.6% with 1 shot and yet significantly lower than the ships. Yeah, I'm safer onboard (and we still mask indoors)

 

Hoping they keep vax / testing / masks in some settings. 

This! I keep telling people that I am safer on a cruise ship these days than I am eating in a local, crowded restaurant. 

We sail on January 2nd, and I'm just prepared for the same protocols to be in place. Unless Covid cases drop precipitously in the next couple of months, I would expect them to extend what is currently in place.

3 minutes ago, AlaskainJuly said:

Hi Stevie17, I'm on that Princess cruise, too. I'm disappointed not to stop at Jamaica--I haven't been yet--but I understand any cruising during Covid will require flexibility!

I love Jamaica too, but I've been to Belize, that that will be a wonderful port stop. I feel like so much is out of our hands at this point in time. I'm just going with the flow and practicing gratitude everywhere I can these days. We had a March 2020 cruise planned on the Regal which was cancelled, so I'm just so happy that our January cruise appears to be on track. Hell, we could just sail around the Caribbean and I'd be happy! 

Regina

I just got an email from Princess on an itinerary change for our January 2nd Caribbean Princess cruise. They are replacing Grand Cayman and Jamaica with Costa Maya and Belize. So we will stop at Princess Cays, Costa Maya, Belize, and Cozumel with two sea days. 

I just received an email from Princess on a pretty substantial itinerary change for our upcoming Caribbean Princess cruise on January 2nd. They omitted both Jamaica and Grand Cayman and replaced them with Costa Maya and Belize. Just kind of going with the flow on all of this...happy to be able to cruise at all.  Mexico and Belize, here we come!

Regina

21 hours ago, florence11 said:

I like a frozen pina colada mmmm I know my holiday has started 🍹

Me too. This is always my first drink! We're cruising on January 2nd (fingers crossed), and I'm already planning on that first Pina Colada!

On 9/17/2021 at 10:01 AM, seacruise9 said:

Hi, 

 

I am in the US and have the exact same problem. I entered all of my information in the app and was fine (green lane) until yesterday. The system now won't accept my passport issue date (I have a new passport that was issued in May). I called Princess yesterday and learned that they are having a technical problem with the app. Other people are experiencing the same problem. Hopefully this will be resolved soon.

 

Chuck

Thanks for posting this, Chuck. I was having the exact same issue with my daughter's passport, which was recently issued. I will just keep an eye on it and hope they get it sorted out soon. 

5 minutes ago, Shelly97060 said:

Or go to Optum  and order in sets of two.  Here’s the link from Princess FAQ (hopefully link works).   https://store.optum.com/shop/products/abbott-binaxNOW-COVID-19-ag-at-home-test-kit-2-pack/?utm_source=carnival&utm_medium=referral&utm_term=&utm_content=2-pack&utm_campaign=travel_ready_covid_test&utm_nooverride=1

I just went to Optum's site, and here's what it is saying about expiration dates. If this is truly the case, this won't work for us at all. 

Due to nationwide test supply shortages, the test you receive may expire by December 15, 2021. Abbott BinaxNOW™ COVID-19 Ag Card Home Test is FDA Emergency Use Authorized. This test combined with eMed telehealth services, and eMed lab's result, meets conditions of proof of negative COVID-19 test by the CDC. This is accepted by airlines and cruise lines for individuals whose trip originates from the U.S. and are returning to the U.S. from a trip abroad. Check with your airline or cruise line for details (There is currently no similar requirement for air travel within the continental U.S.). 

On 9/12/2021 at 4:31 PM, cruzin4us said:

If you are opting to purchase the Abbott’s BinaxNOW™ Home Testing Kit for your upcoming cruise(s) please beware of a couple of things:

 

I have 3 cruises booked:  October 2021, April 2022 and November 2022.  I thought "Cool", I can use these for all 3 cruises....NOPE.    The company is very vague when it comes to telling you how long the tests are good for.  In their FAQ's, they have a letter from the FDA stating the kits have been approved for a 12 month shelf life from the date of manufacture.  WHAT THEY DON'T TELL YOU is the kits were manufactured in January 2021.  Meaning any cruise planned for after January 5, 2022 the kits won't work.

 

I purchased my 6 kits on Sept. 2nd, and the kits arrived a few days later.  Upon opening the kits I saw the expiration date was Oct. 5, 2021 so I called EMED and was told that all their kits were made in the first part of 2021 and all the kits are expiring January 5, 2022.  So, if you are planning a trip anytime after that date, the current supply of the Abbott’s BinaxNOW™ Home Testing Kit won't be valid.  Of course if you are cruising before that date, then you are all good.

 

The 2nd thing:  They only allow you to put 3 names down to use the kits.  There are 4 of us cruising (not all are going every cruise).  So, I just put my name down thinking I could add the other people when we took the test.... That's a big fat NO.   So, don't assume you can buy 6 of the kits and use them willy nilly, or for whomever you want, whenever you want.   They were VERY unclear about this when you order.    Again, I called about this and was told that if I didn't sign everyone up when I purchased, then no one else could use them but me.

 

Let me add too:   I tried calling BEFORE I purchased the kits because I had questions but I was put on hold for 45 minutes so I hung up.   So, I'll take ownership on this part.

 

Just be informed before you buy.

Geez, we were going to use this for our family of four for our January 2nd, 2022 cruise. We were planning on testing in December 31st. Juuust getting in under the wire. It also sounds like I will need two sets of kits since they only allow you to enter three names when you order. Ugh.

Here's a good thread from the Celebrity board from someone who used the BinaxNow Ag Card test (the one that will be accepted by Princess). It answered a lot of my questions and was helpful:

1 hour ago, foodcruiser said:

Question about the eMed package. Can the 6 tests be split between me and my wife or do I have order two packages?  Do we have to set up a login for each of us?

Yes, you can split those six tests among you and your wife (you could actually split them among six people if you needed to). You and your wife should each download the Navica app and each set up your own accounts. When you're actually ready to do the test, you use the app to connect directly with the proctor who will administer (watch you) take the test. I'm going to be ordering the six pack for my family of four, and we will each have our own Navica accounts.

Sailing to the Caribbean on January 2nd and will be watching those first November cruises closely. 

13 hours ago, Crown Cruiser said:

We’re flying into Fort Lauderdale 3 days prior to our cruise.  Will bring our own test kit and log in to have it monitored at the hotel.  I think that will be the easiest way for us.

This is exactly what our family of four will be doing for our January 2nd cruise (assuming that testing will still be required). We will bring several of the BinaxNow COVID AG Card tests with us and use the telehealth proctoring feature. We are flying down on the morning of December 31st and will test at our hotel later that day from Fort Lauderdale. Good to know that Princess will have back up testing available if needed.

I thought that this was interesting new information and comforting news for those who may be traveling prior to their embarkation date:

ALL guests must produce a negative viral COVID-19 test (PCR or antigen) taken within 2 days of their embarkation on all Princess sailings.

We understand that it may be difficult for some of our guests to find testing that can provide results within a 2-day turnaround. Accordingly, for guests who did not receive their test results within 2 days prior to their embarkation, we are working to set up mobile testing sites near our embarkation ports to conduct COVID-19 testing the day before, or day of, your cruise departure.

The company providing the testing will charge a per-person fee (to be established; please check back on this page). Providers will not accept insurance, but you will be provided a receipt should you wish to submit the cost to your insurance carrier. Please consider this as a back-up alternative should you not be able to make arrangements prior to leaving home.

4 minutes ago, PaperSniper4 said:

So it's settled. Princes cruises outside of Alaska/Canada will require passengers to be vaccinated....or they won't.🤔

 

Our next cruise is from NOLA in December 2021; not on Princess, but on Carnival. Our next Princess cruise isn't until February 2022. Hopefully things will at least be decided by then; one way or the other! I'm hoping that cruises operating prior to December will have indicated things have turned a corner and we can start getting back to "normal".....whatever the new "normal" is........😳

 

Doug

Yep. We are scheduled to sail on Caribbean Princess on January 2nd. I'm just sitting back and watching this all unfold at this point. I'm sure that it will become clearer over time. 

Royal Caribbean just announced that vaccines will be required for all of their sailing for everyone 18+. Those under 18 who have not been vaccinated will be required to have a COVID test. I'm sure the other major lines will follow suit.

We were supposed to sale on Regal on 3/29 and canceled two days ago. I’ve never been happier about canceling a cruise in my life.