DaveA

Maybe they are just a bit behind schedule? I would wait a day or two and try again.

That's very encouraging news for those of us joining Quest later this month. Thank you labonnevie.

If you read through this topic you will see that kjbacon and at least one other poster have had meetings with management on board Quest to discuss the issues. The posts seem to me to have been very balanced (and remained impressively positive during their Covid quarantine period on board).

Hard to understand how that avocado was allowed to leave the kitchen. I hope these issue are addressed promptly and decisively. Is it possible there are staff quarantined with COVID and that is affecting the service?

We will be in the same position. I found a company covidtestexpress dot ca that seems to let us bring our own antigen test kits and they'll supervise us taking the tests and email a certificate. $59 for two.

I have a different point of view, that doesn't seem at all bizarre to me. Getting a test is indeed a small ask. Risking being denied boarding after flying half way across the world when you have no symptoms is a bigger ask, as is risking being confined to a cabin for several days. We don't test for colds, flu or norovirus - we take common sense precautions to reduce the risks of catching and spreading them. Covid isn't going away. At some point (and the CDC has now pretty well reached that point) we need to accept it is endemic and treat is as we we do flu.

No need to drive 40 miles for a test. Do a video-supervised one. We have used tests from DocHQ (dot co dot uk) - very convenient and inexpensive.

Oops, sorry, I misremembered. I'm sure I'm right about the lack of menus and shorex though.

Onward has a pretty useless interactive TV system - no account or menu viewing and no shore excursion viewing or booking.

At the captain's Q&A earlier this month it was reported that the bar is proving generally popular and generating useful revenue. It is therefore likely to be rolled out to other ships in due course.

On Onward around Greece earlier this month outdoor seating for dinner was available every evening. Usually both at the Patio and Windows, although the Windows outdoor area was closed due to high winds a couple of times.

At the Captain's Q&A session on Onward earlier this month we were told Azamara are hoping to resume AzAmazing Evening's in November.

We had our video-supervised tests this morning. A single appointment at 8am for the two of us and the certificates were in our Inbox at 8.19. Very straightforward. The certificates make clear the tests were supervised. More importantly, we are both negative so we're off to join Onward!

I always use a TA. You can get a useful discount. I don't think I am allowed to recommend any specific companies on here.

There's been quite a bit of discussion of these topics in other threads, e.g. Pre cruise testing If you are leaving home 2 or more days before boarding then you could get a proctored antigen test to complete in your hotel the day before boarding or you can pay $59 each for a test at the pier. You can of course also do a self test before setting off to give confidence you are not traveling in vain. My cruise tickets say that tests before disembarkation are also available for $59 (antigen) or $89 (PCR) on the ship.

We’ll be on Onward in two weeks time. I have ordered video-supervised lateral flow tests from DocHQ dot co dot uk. They seem to have good reviews and we have a video appointment at 8am before we leave for Heathrow. Costs GBP 21 each with an easily locatable discount code. I’ll report back when we get onboard.

There has been much discussion about this in a thread "Will pre cruise testing end on Azamara soon?" and there are inconsistencies between what Azamara is saying on its website versus its emails versus its cruise tickets. I have just done my online check-in for a July cruise on Onward and got another different message, this time stating that at home tests are OK only if they are proctored. For those of us speaking British English this means a test supervised by a health professional.

The 15 June email from Azamara does say "A COVID-19 recovery letter does not negate our vaccination requirements as stated above" but that's the only mention. One might think it implies that a recovery letter DOES negate the testing requirements - but the email is silent on that point so we can only guess. Here's the email in full: June 15, 2022 Dear Travel Partner, Hope you are doing well and staying safe. As we prepare to welcome your clients onboard, we'd like to keep you both of you up to date on the latest health protocols. As of June 12, 2022, U.S. CDC will no longer require air passengers traveling from a foreign country to the United States to show a negative COVID-19 viral test, making travel easier for our U.S. guests returning from cruises outside the country, and international guests cruising from U.S. homeports. Important Note: Many governments and certain airlines require proof of a negative SARS-CoV-2 test before entry or flight departure. Please check with have your client check with their airline, local health authority or government travel agency regarding any requirements they may have when exiting or entering the countries they will visit. Azamara Testing Requirements To strive for a COVID-19 free environment, guests will be required to provide a negative COVID-19 test upon embarkation. The COVID-19 test can either be: PCR: Test date no older than three days prior to embarkation; OR Antigen: Test date must be within one day of embarkation For Guests that cannot present a negative COVID-19 test upon embarkation testing is available in the terminal or on the boarding deck for $59 USD. Boarding will be denied to those guests who test positive or cannot provide a negative COVID-19 test. Prior to Disembarking: Guests who are required to take a COVID-19 test before returning home can do so onboard for $59 USD for Antigen and $85 USD for PCR. For more information, please contact Guest Relations while onboard. Although some of our guests are COVID-19 tested as a prerequisite to travel to the ship, for those guests that do not have this requirement (for instance US domestic travel, inter-EU travel, or those driving to the port), we strongly recommend all guests take a COVID-19 self-test at home prior to traveling. Vaccination Requirements To ensure the safety and health of our guests and crew members, all guests 12 years and older must be fully vaccinated at least 14 days before sailing with all required COVID-19 vaccine doses. Children under 12 will not need to be vaccinated. All our crew members are fully vaccinated, have received booster shots when eligible, and are tested frequently. All guests are required to bring proof of vaccination, such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) COVID-19 vaccination record card, with the final dose of the vaccine completed at least 14 days before sailing. All vaccinated guests eligible for a booster, are required to have their booster dose in order to sail with Azamara. However, a second booster is not required. Azamara currently only accepts guests that are vaccinated with WHO approved vaccines. A COVID-19 recovery letter does not negate our vaccination requirements as stated above. Check out our Explore Well At Sea page for the latest Covid-19 Vaccine and Booster guidelines. Please note that vaccine requirements may vary on the country they are visiting. Although, we are continually adding, monitoring and adjusting information on vaccination requirements as public health conditions evolve, we suggest visiting the countries government site for the most up to date information. Face Masks Following the guidelines as per the CDC's COVID-19 Voluntary Program, and the EU Healthy Gateways guidelines, indoor mask wearing is optional but recommended. Masks might be required in the terminals of the ports of call we visit and within cities and touristic sites. Certain countries we visit (such as Greece) require that masks are worn by cruise ship guests and crew members when indoors onboard the ship under certain circumstances. We will keep them informed during the voyage when masking is optional, and when masking is required. Thank you for your understanding. We take great pride in bringing every Azamara guest unforgettable experiences both onboard our ships and within our destinations. We can assure them that their future Azamara vacation will deliver the highest standards of service and quality for which we are known. We will continue to update you as other countries' requirements become available. If you have any further questions, please visit our Explore Well At Sea FAQs page for answers to our most recent frequently asked questions. We look forward to welcoming your clients onboard. Sincerely, AZAMARA®

One change is that there's no longer any mention of at-home or self-testing kits not being accepted, or results needing to be from a test laboratory or licensed testing site.

We can't risk a PCR either but plan to take Randox Lateral Flow tests at home the morning before our cruise. Azamara's wording "At home or self-testing kits without a test certificate are not accepted" tells we they will accept at home or self-testing kits with a test certificate.