hal2008

Former is for free/discounted admission to various attractions along with free travel on city transit Latter is for transit part only.

Thank you all for excellent help/summary. Single journey ticket (39 NOK) - are they still available for sale from 7-11 stores or everything has shifted to Ruter app? (it is annoying to install app for one day visit and just to find that it is having technical glitches just for that day while struggling with roaming data) If you are using transfer(s), one has to get off the bus before time expires or it is ok as far as ticket was valid when got on board? Thanks

Greg started a separate thread for his experience and I added my experience from last night. Spent 10 usd just to check out the service. Didnt need test for any reason. It is amazing how people spend thousands on cruise, hundreds on excursions, scores on dinning and then try to save couple of bucks on such things!! If you are stressed, just use EMED kits that thousands have used and have proven to work. With USA dropping entry testing, all these companies suddenly have lots of open slots but in few weeks they will reduce staffing and some may even stop providing this service. (EMED is more likely to be around One must have backup (easier if cruising from US port and not so much if cruising out of European post and are counting on test here at home and then fly) in case this (or similar) company is having trouble when your need to test come around. If you are cruising next week, this might be ok.

Thanks, OP for creating this thread. Since they are so many tests provided by our insurance, thought this would be good use of them without paying 70 usd for two EMED tests. With US dropping testing for entry, these companies suddenly have lots of appointments available. But some these businesses will readjust (reduce number of agents or simply stop this proctoring service) So, it is possible that some of these options may not be available later this summer. Since it was just 9.99. I did a trail run last night. Notes (this is sample size o one, your mileage may vary) 1. Like everything online nowadays, everything seem to work smoothly unless there is an issue. 2. They are almost impossible to reach on phone irrespective of time of day and hold period. (800-960-0553 - press 2) 3. They use a totally different company (HealthRX or something) to provide pdf of results. That company is easy to reach who very promptly says that OnPoint is just using our letterherad and we do not have anything to do with their testing!! 4. The pdf report provided does not list any identifying information (such as driver licence or passport number) although they did ask for it (as well as "booking number") during the telemed session The portal screen printout does list CLIA number but it also has ("TBD" for test and results in middle as shown by screenshot posted by OP) which can potentially confusing for RCCL agent (potentially - most likely no) 5. Buying telemed visit and making appointment was easy. 6. Rescheduling was easy through the link provided ion email. Calling them for help was impossible *(gave up after hold of 30 minutes on 2 occassions) 7. They need ZOOM to install on phone. 8. They also need "registration" with HealthRx 9. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PROVIDE FOR INSURANCE INFORMATION. "CLient Billing radio button" will work. Your insurance company is NOT billed. 10. Actual test was easy but quite ineffective. What a useless charade - They waited only 5 minutes for the results. - Never checked what test I am using (I used an old expired test as purpose was to test out the process) - They didnt even make sure that results are from the test I used. - You can keep a negative test ready (taken by anyone) on the table nearby and use it to show them after undertaking your test. (After months of being supporter of this pre-boarding testing process, I have lost all faith. Summary: 1. If my sample size is typical then the process works. 2. If you need to contact someone, impossible to reach them 3. Totally useless as a screening test. 4. If you have some backup available, it is cheap test. 5. Personally, I would just spend 70 used on 2 EMED tests (now that return test is not required, more economical 6 for 150 alternative is not viable) Hope above datapoint helps someone. 5.

Have to be prepared to take Bolt taxi back if shuttles have long lines. How much would they cost approximately to the ship? (presume lot cheaper than Copenhagen or Stockholm hopefully)

Heads-up about pilot strike starting June 29 creating disruptions. Most star alliance tickets to ARN/CPH have been rebooked through non SAS carriers such as Swiss, Lufthansa, LOT. Even without this strike, most European airports including CPH and ARN are huge mess this summer Arrive at airport 4 hours before flight and still miss the flight!!! Google to stay on top of this evolving irritation.

Thank you for the clarification. Considering air/hotel/excursions purchased independently before/after cruise costs more than cruise fare, private third party insurance is what we normaly buy. But in this COVID world, if there was any advantage of buying it from cruise line, was willing to consider it. Thanks. (Was somehow under impression that this would at least help with direct billing)

Insurance purchased through cruise lines are naturally always expensive or offer inferior coverage. This has been known for many years. But there has to be some advantages for so many people buying it from cruise lines? What are they (other than convenience of getting them while booking it and not have to do research on travel portal)? Do they offer direct billing? (so that one does not have to pay on board medical charges and then deal with reimbursement)?

If you buy insurance from RCL, are medical charges billed directly? or you have to pay out of pocket first and then submit for reimbursement like other policies?

Riga - Royal SO far it has been confirmed with certainty that Voyager docks an industrial port 12 km (30-40 mim away on the other side of river) 1. With only 2 rivers, traffic can get backed up 2. Local transport (Bolt taxi?) is good (but require yet another app on the phone) 3. RC shuttle if offered can have long lines. Questions 1) Are there RC shuttles this summer? How much they cost? 2) Bolt taxi can be used to return from city to ship but are they allowed to enter port area to pick you up? (@SimplyMarvie)

There is no denying that number of people catching covid NOW on cruise ships is significantly higher than it was during the last Fall even when ships had similar occupancy. (most were not full but some did sail with current levels in Europe) On the other social media group Roll Calls are sharing datapoints with symptoms showing up towards the end of the week long cruise or after going home. Overall symptoms as well as long lasting effects are different than "common cold". One of course can make their own risk/reward decisions but taking trouble here to post that "covid is like common cold" is like saying that Wonder of Sea is just like small boat.

Why are you trying to make common sense point on THIS thread to THIS crowd?

OP started thread about current sitting policy in view of ongoing covid spread on cruise ships (at rate exponentially higher than similar places landside) Can you please abide by CC policy (it's in RED banner above)? Or at least stop posting incorrect information? You are welcome to opt to do or believe whatever you like to do but please don't insult others with lies. OP had a reasonable question about current on board policy

why is it silly? Even "mild" cases are no fun. If you avoid things on cruise ships which are easily available on the land (theater, bars, fine dinning, bus trips, hot tubs, elevators), probability is greatly reduced and you can still enjoy parts of cruising not available on land.

Masking up (correctly) of course have been quite successful against this and other contagiois respiratory diseases for decades all around the world. What does not work is indoor dinning, bars, hot tubs, theaters, etc. Friends are lover of ocean brezze/sound and use ship as floating hotel and custom ordered room service dinning - have been cruising since restart last year (almost as much time on sailings as on land) No covid so far. Cruise ships dont give you covid, people do (couldnt resist with the last sentence :)) )

How does daily test ruin cruise vacation? Actually, it is mental peace to enjoy your vacation. (i.e more fun)

Depends on your approach (or none) to this elephant in the room. Lots of long time cruisers who love to cruise, have been extremely responsible are finding such datapoints useful in weighing risk/rewards for making plans. Certainly lot more useful then zillion posts about towels on chair or tonic used in drink or free drink for elite status. You are welcome to ignore the thread. OP, thanks for posting it.

NY Times chart is correct. Your interpretation is not. No one claimed that data is inaccurate, did anyone?

Glad to know that your particular sailing has not been ravaged by Covid. Hopefully, it will stay that way.

Didnt ask that question because usually those questions are suppose to be post somewhere else on CC. But that was pre-covid and considering that most travel policies now exclude covid, referal on good policy wil save others hours of research on online insurance portals

Plus what is the point of putting up percentages of the general population? Which ethnic group has highest disposal income? Which ethnic group has seen most increase in cruising? Cruise lines that adapted did better. If current supply chain issues affect all cruise lines equally then it is not a competitive issues. But if one cruise line continue to cater to these lucrative sensitive client group (word of moth referral is 90% deciding factor for this group) than others then you know where this business is going to flow. Thanks, OP for the heads up.

Rest assured, he is not correct. In order for a positive case to be reported, you need to test.

first day of being symptomatic: Negative test could be wrong Positive tests are very reliable.

If you have total flexibility (like retired and live in or near port city) opposite is true. Friends live in Manhattan during warmer months and between FLL and MIA during colder months. They usually wait until few hours before sailing needs to shutdown to hand over manifesto to DHS. (they make a call 36 to 48 hours before sailing) Getting base cruise fare at peanut price were not unheard of. (of course one has to pay full port fees and taxes) If ship is full or cruise line is not in mood of bargain basement price, there is always next week (or if open to different ship, even more possibilities) When it comes to upgrade, one would think that cruise line will give preference to guests who paid the most or to guests with most points. So it was really surprising when 199 base fare for 7 day Bermuda got upgraded to mid ship balcony. Go figure!!

Many fellow CC-ers have already posted their first hand experience (usually these threads get out of hand with acrimonious posts and get locked). Since season is "young" TA sailings were the first ones to report such cases. HAL's Rotterdam actually had a huge spike and had to enforce mask rule. Unfortunately, these are considered "negativity" posts here and the famous social media (where roll calls seem to have shifted recently) will give you lot more first hand experience details and more honest picture of reality.