Princess provide COVID testing during cruise?

[caribill]

On 1/14/2021 at 9:48 AM, richmke said:

If your cruise ends in a foreign country, then you will need a COVID test to board the plan to return to the USA.

 

https://apnews.com/article/australia-australian-open-health-media-coronavirus-pandemic-92f214760c31d212c067a71ad066d875

 

This article shows how ineffective requiring a test before boarding a flight is in preventing the virus from entering a country.

[SeaHunt]

15 minutes ago, caribill said:

 

https://apnews.com/article/australia-australian-open-health-media-coronavirus-pandemic-92f214760c31d212c067a71ad066d875

 

This article shows how ineffective requiring a test before boarding a flight is in preventing the virus from entering a country.

 

Too true - plus I just read this:

 

"On the day after Christmas, passengers on a United Airlines flight from Denver to Calgary, Alberta, were potentially exposed to COVID-19.

 

So were travelers on a Delta Air Lines flight from Detroit to Toronto, an Air Canada flight from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Montreal and 11 other international flights to Canada.

The next day, another busy holiday travel day, more of the same: 14 flights to Canada from places including Boston; Chicago; Houston; Cancun, Mexico; and the Dominican Republic, all had at least one passenger on board who tested positive for COVID-19 shortly after the flight.

 

The flights aren't outliers due to the holiday travel rush.   

 

Data from Canadian public health authorities show a near daily occurrence of flights where a passenger may have been infected while flying. From the start of the coronavirus pandemic in March through early January, the Public Health Agency of Canada has identified potential exposure on more than 1,600 international flights and more than 1,400 flights within Canada, for a total of more than 3,000 flights, including nearly 200 in the past two weeks alone.

 

On the list: U.S. carriers American, United, Delta, Alaska and Allegiant. The U.S. cities with the most affected flights on the list: Chicago, Phoenix, a magnet for Canadian visitors, and Denver.

 

The details aren't buried in some secret database. Canada has been posting public COVID-19 exposure alerts online for flights, trains and cruise ships throughout the pandemic. Flights are listed as soon as authorities receive word of a positive test of a recent traveler, regardless of where and when they might have been infected, factors that are hard to pinpoint in most COVID-19 cases. 

 

Incidents are posted as little as two days after the flight, so other recent travelers can search to see if someone on their flight tested positive and watch for symptoms. The flights fall off the list after two weeks because of Canada's mandatory 14-day quarantine upon arrival. One major Canadian airline, WestJet, keeps a running list of its affected flights (more than 700 to date) on its website for recent passengers and would-be ticket buyers to see. 

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2021/01/15/covid-flight-information-airline-passengers-exposed-coronavirus/3905053001/

 

I appreciate that you can look up Canadian flights you have taken (both domestically and internationally) and it even shows seat rows affected:

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/latest-travel-health-advice/exposure-flights-cruise-ships-mass-gatherings.html

 

I wonder how many exposures turned into cases? It all just underscores (again/still) that the cruise lines are going to have a heck of a battle keeping Covid off the ships when people are flying in constantly to board them.

[4774Papa]

On 1/14/2021 at 7:57 PM, heddyjan said:

Before flying, passengers should have a covid test and only if negative should you be able to fly.

Come to Australia and you’ll be placed into hotel quarantine for two weeks (without exemption) until you have a negative covid result even if you were negative when you commenced your journey and on arrival.

Before boarding a Princess ship, passengers should have a “travel passport” that confirms; vaccination dates, covid test results and travel history.

I think what we would all like to see is a rapid covid test kit. Then Princess could  test Passengers on a regular basis. This could be given prior to disembarkation in a foreign country. I think it would be fair if passengers contributed to the cost of regular testing or Princess could factor the costs into the fare.

 

 

I had dose one of the two Pfizer vaccines 8 days ago, so I should be ready to travel.

Wait, it appears that the airlines and cruise lines as well as foreign authorities will still require a negative COVID19 test.   No problem here in our community, I know where to go for that.

 

We have a transatlantic cruise scheduled to depart from Rome this Fall.  I wonder if the cruise lines will assist us in providing us with a location for a test that is not outrageously expensive?

[gmjc2]

In the UK and all went well with the entry requirements. The covid test came back in only 1 hr even though they said 24 hrs. Had it done at Walgreens.

 

Issue now maybe getting back. UK is implementing a new program to refuse departure to anyone not on essential travel. My going home is allowed but the airlines will probably cancel the flights as they will be very empty!!! Although my flight to Heathrow had only 24 passengers on an Airbus!!!!  It was sublime!!! But, how long can they keep that up!!

[caribill]

16 hours ago, gmjc2 said:

 My going home is allowed but the airlines will probably cancel the flights as they will be very empty!!! Although my flight to Heathrow had only 24 passengers on an Airbus!!!!  It was sublime!!! But, how long can they keep that up!!

 

The passenger compartments may have been nearly empty, but a number of planes are still flying because the cargo holds are full.

 

(A couple of decades ago I was on a 747 from Chicago to Tokyo with about 12 passengers. I also have been on a DC10 from Fort Lauderdale to Miami with 3 passengers.)

[Loki S]

On 1/16/2021 at 1:42 AM, gmjc2 said:

My father passed away on Wednesday. He is in England. I inquired from the British Embassy as to the regulations for me to go from Florida to UK for the funeral and spend some time with my Mother. I was told that even though I had received the first dose of vaccine I would have to test negative no more than 72 hrs before being allowed on the flight. Then in England travel straight to my family home and isolate for 10 days. I would have permission to attend the funeral only during that time. No mention was made of having another test afterwards to return home to Florida so that must be new information. I am sure that similar requirements will be in effect for cruising.

This pandemic has a lot to answer for.

I’m terribly sorry, please accept my condolences. I hope you find peace in your heart with the fond memories you have.

 

My Aunt passed away in May 2020 (not from COVID-19) and was living in New York for the past 30 years. There are no other family in the US. We were and are still unable to leave Australia 🇦🇺, as it wouldn’t have been seen as essential travel. Apart from the shock and after speaking with the local NYPD my Mum was told her body needed to be claimed, Mum just broke down and said we’re in Australia and can’t leave. Thankfully a family who my Aunt once worked for helped us, claimed her body and organised the cremation. Their eldest daughter organised a memorial over zoom. Took over 6 months to get her home, which this was her wish to return to Australia. She was actually planning on moving back sometime this year to be close to her family, especially Mum. It wasn’t too be 😢.

 

Nothing is easy at all during this time. We would have been on the next available flight ✈️, if we were able to leave and return. All those returning or coming in from other countries must do hotel quarantine for 14 days, except for New Zealand which is on hold at the moment.

 

We even have limits on how many can attend a funeral, wedding etc. Due to the strict numbers a month ago, I couldn’t attend a friends funeral a month ago after she lost her battle with cancer.

 

[Loki S]

19 hours ago, gmjc2 said:

Issue now maybe getting back. UK is implementing a new program to refuse departure to anyone not on essential travel. My going home is allowed but the airlines will probably cancel the flights as they will be very empty!!! Although my flight to Heathrow had only 24 passengers on an Airbus!!!!  It was sublime!!! But, how long can they keep that up!!

From a lot of news reports this is what is happening with Australians stranded overseas who wish to return, their flights are being cancelled.

[gmjc2]

39 minutes ago, Loki S said:

From a lot of news reports this is what is happening with Australians stranded overseas who wish to return, their flights are being cancelled.

Sorry about your experience, what a wonderful person to help like that. I got permission from the British Embassy to attend my father's funeral but my husband and daughter ( his granddaughter) in the US and all the cousins in lockdown have to watch on a Zoom.

 

 

[Grego]

Maybe we can all find out that we have been asleep for a year and experiencing the same nightmare and now it is time to wake up........just maybe.

[ontheweb]

3 hours ago, Grego said:

Maybe we can all find out that we have been asleep for a year and experiencing the same nightmare and now it is time to wake up........just maybe.

I saw a sign recently that said 2020 had a virus, let's uninstall it.

 

Unfortunately that seems harder said than done.😢

[voljeep]

the so called rapid test is for the benefit of the employer / cruise line / who ever ordered it to be taken

 

nothing more, nothing less

 

positive

negative

another positive

[Loki S]

12 hours ago, gmjc2 said:

Sorry about your experience, what a wonderful person to help like that. I got permission from the British Embassy to attend my father's funeral but my husband and daughter ( his granddaughter) in the US and all the cousins in lockdown have to watch on a Zoom.

 

 

Terribly sorry for those who could not attend but happy (if I can say that) that you obtained permission to attend. Due to our interstate boarder lockdowns, there were plenty of people here who couldn’t attend funerals or see those who were extremely ill to even say goodbye in person. There was 1 daughter who had to wear PPE to attend as she was living interstate at the time.

 

Thankfully 😅 now with no known COVID cases in the community all the interstate boarders are being opened up slowly. Many heart felt family reunions, watching the coverage on TV 📺 just brings a tear to by eye. Very happy tears for them.

[gmjc2]

Thanks for all the kind words.

[Daniel A]

On 1/29/2021 at 3:03 AM, caribill said:

I also have been on a DC10 from Fort Lauderdale to Miami with 3 passengers.

Just curious, why on earth would you take a full sized jet passenger airplane from Ft Lauderdale to Miami?  It's about a 30 minute drive.  It must have taken you longer than that just to navigate the two airports let alone including actual time spent in the air...  🛫

[caribill]

43 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

Just curious, why on earth would you take a full sized jet passenger airplane from Ft Lauderdale to Miami?  It's about a 30 minute drive.  It must have taken you longer than that just to navigate the two airports let alone including actual time spent in the air...  🛫

 

I had been in Fort Lauderdale and had booked a flight from FLL to EWR (Newark). So they scheduled a flight from FLL to MIA where I connected to the flight to EWR.

 

The DC-10 was a flight from New York to Miami with a stop at FLL where almost everyone got off and I was the only person to get on.

 

Flight did take about 30 minutes as it took off towards the Ocean and had to U-turn to the Everglades and, after heading south a bit, then U-turn to land at MIA

[gmjc2]

When I return to Florida I have to fly to Miami then on to Orlando because of the extra security that they have only in certain airports. Miami being the only one in Florida. 

 

[Grego]

We are glad we made the move to Florida 8 years ago.  Short drive to either West Palm Beach or FLL, a little longer to Orlando but still convenient for any transatlantic voyages.

[Loki S]

20 hours ago, Grego said:

We are glad we made the move to Florida 8 years ago.  Short drive to either West Palm Beach or FLL, a little longer to Orlando but still convenient for any transatlantic voyages.

It’s handy being near a cruise 🚢 port. I live around 30 minutes from Portside in Brisbane and about 45 minutes to the new Brisbane International Cruise Terminal.