RC just announced vaxxed passengers on AoS must get rapid test at checkin

[harkinmr]

19 minutes ago, mek said:

 I mean will they do a second test to see if that also comes back positive?

I “think” they said at various points that if an antigen test at the port comes up positive, they retest with a PCR to confirm. 

[jrapps]

1 minute ago, harkinmr said:

If he is being this cautious, last minute, with an essentially fully vaccinated cruise, I predict his commitment to not requiring vaccines for US sailings out of anywhere in the US goes bye bye next week. 

They are going to start as locked down as possible...even the vaccinated people get tests! Once all goes well, they lighten up a little (tests only for non-vaccinated). Once all goes well they lighten up more, and more...until the if/when something goes wrong they tighten up again.

[jules815]

38 minutes ago, ArthurUSCG said:

MSC requires testing prior to boarding, another before boarding and then a 3rd during the cruise.

Do we know if this is for vaccinated guests?

[smokeybandit]

5 minutes ago, Goodtime Cruizin said:

I'm still not understanding the logic of vaccinated cruisers. A person that is vaccinated can contract the covid virus.

And you have a much much higher chance of taking a test and getting a false positive than you do getting covid while vaccinated.

[smokeybandit]

1 minute ago, jules815 said:

Do we know if this is for vaccinated guests?

MSC has no vaccine requirement.

[mek]

10 minutes ago, Goodtime Cruizin said:

I'm still not understanding the logic of vaccinated cruisers. A person that is vaccinated can contract the covid virus.  RCL can require vaccines until they are blue in the face, but once they pull into a port and let people off, covid can (and most likely will) be brought onto the ship. 

 

Vaxed or Non-Vaxed, testing should be a major part of any cruise from any port going on any itenerary. At least for the time being. 

I totally agree with you on this.  As a vaccinated person, I have no problem at all being tested in order for cruises to successfully start back up and avoid Covid cases onboard.

Edited June 10, 2021 by mek

[PolytheneGirl]

1 minute ago, smokeybandit said:

And you have a much much higher chance of taking a test and getting a false positive than you do getting covid while vaccinated.

 

Do you have a source for that? Its the first I've seen that

[PolytheneGirl]

9 minutes ago, Goodtime Cruizin said:

I'm still not understanding the logic of vaccinated cruisers. A person that is vaccinated can contract the covid virus.  RCL can require vaccines until they are blue in the face, but once they pull into a port and let people off, covid can (and most likely will) be brought onto the ship. 

 

Vaxed or Non-Vaxed, testing should be a major part of any cruise from any port going on any itenerary. At least for the time being. 

 

Not *quite* cruising but all of the test events in the UK are like this. Vaccination status is irrelevant for the most part, but testing is key. A combo of PCR and Lateral Flow tests. Makes sense to me!

[Jimbo]

21 minutes ago, ramja96 said:

 

If they administer a 2nd test that then comes back negative, do you assume the positive was a false positive? Or was the negative a false negative??? OY VEY!

No, they then take a third  test to confirm..........It's Best out of 3?

[ramja96]

1 minute ago, Jimbo said:

No, they then take a third  test to confirm..........It's Best out of 3?

 

Rock, paper, Covid ....?

[smokeybandit]

2 minutes ago, PolytheneGirl said:

 

Do you have a source for that? Its the first I've seen that

 CDC says you have a 0.01% chance of getting covid while vaccinated.

 

Meanwhile the FDA warned of false positives with antigen tests

 

https://dfw.cbslocal.com/2020/11/17/fda-covid-19-rapid-antigen-tests-can-give-false-positive-results/

 

Antigen tests are NOT supposed to be used in asymptomatic people and that using them on asymptomatic people has a much higher chance at false positives

[Babr]

6 minutes ago, jrapps said:

They are going to start as locked down as possible...even the vaccinated people get tests! Once all goes well, they lighten up a little (tests only for non-vaccinated). Once all goes well they lighten up more, and more...until the if/when something goes wrong they tighten up again.

 

That has been my understanding all along. These first sailings have to be restricted to prove that the protocols and training in place will allow a successful restart. Everyone will not be able to participate at first.
 

It was never about discrimination or punishing people out of fear, as has been argued here. It is about ensuring everyone a safe and enjoyable experience going forward.

[harkinmr]

47 minutes ago, mek said:

IMO, that is totally different - those people have done everything possible to make sure they don't have Covid.  They should not be allowed to board, but I definitely would feel sorry for them.

DELETED.

Edited June 10, 2021 by harkinmr

[jcarter4551]

58 minutes ago, Babr said:

I don’t know. An earlier post said that Royal “would take care of you if you test positive” without being specific about what that means - maybe quarantine costs?

The email I received today from RC advising of the new protocol to test vaccinated passengers at check in just stated in the end of the email, ""If your result is positive or inconclusive, a pier agent will share next steps with you. Rest assured, we will take care of you." 

 

However, no details on what these next steps entail or what taking care of you means. I am trying to avoid the unknown and just get a rapid antigen before boarding my flight just in case. If the CVS test is positive then I won't go. As someone said, in the rare instance there is a false positive, that will suck.

 

Also, as another gentlemen said, you can test positive days after contact with it (Jon Rahm on PGA Tour) so interesting they don't do testing every other day or just random test passengers. I could be negative tomorrow and positive Saturday or negative tomorrow and positive on Day 6 when they test us to come back to US. I took this risk so accept any issues that arise. I just wanted to let yall know that I don't think the protocols for vaxxed passengers is defined yet.

 

[3kidsncats]

46 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

That was if you tested positive mid journey.  If you never make it onto the ship, you are not Royal's responsibility

This is where the insurance policy incorporated into the Bahamian Health Visa should come in. I haven’t read the coverages yet, since we can’t do that process for several weeks, but thinking between my own travel insurance we already have, and that policy, we should be good.  
 

Anyone without Covid related travel insurance should consider careful review of the Bahamian policy

[not-enough-cruising]

Just now, 3kidsncats said:

This is where the insurance policy incorporated into the Bahamian Health Visa should come in. I haven’t read the coverages yet, since we can’t do that process for several weeks, but thinking between my own travel insurance we already have, and that policy, we should be good.  
 

Anyone without Covid related travel insurance should consider careful review of the Bahamian policy

Excellent advice 

[Babr]

36 minutes ago, Goodtime Cruizin said:

I'm still not understanding the logic of vaccinated cruisers. A person that is vaccinated can contract the covid virus.  RCL can require vaccines until they are blue in the face, but once they pull into a port and let people off, covid can (and most likely will) be brought onto the ship. 

 

Vaxed or Non-Vaxed, testing should be a major part of any cruise from any port going on any itenerary. At least for the time being. 

The part about exposure in port has always been true and is especially of concern to unvaccinated guests. Once exposed, if the person becomes infected, incubation is ongoing. Not only can it be brought back on the ship, it can be taken back home. It keeps the virus in circulation. That is another complication that others anticipated.

 

So, yes, testing should be in place. It is already a part of some cruise line’s policies. As we have seen, guests have been disembarked as well as their close contacts. In addition, port entry has been denied.

 

Are you beginning to see the problems that can arise when all passengers are not vaccinated?

[BecciBoo]

46 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

CDC says you have a 0.01% chance of getting covid while vaccinated.

 

Apparently, nobody pays the slightest bit of attention to what they say.

[BecciBoo]

11 minutes ago, Babr said:

Are you beginning to see the problems that can arise when all passengers are not vaccinated?

Sure, but then there's DeSantis............

[seabeew]

Celebrity pulled a similar stunt on the fully vaccinated sailing out of St. Marten. The Millennium set sail on June 5. No vaccinations we’re supposedly needed except for a pcr test required by St. Marten within 5 days of sailing. Four days before the ship was to set sail, passengers were notified that Celebrity required a pcr test 72 hours before boarding. Some people were already in route, others were already there. Many could not use the St. Marten test results because of the timing of the tests.

 

I’m on the June 19 sailing on Adventure. I fully expect Royal will require our group to need a pcr test, instead of the antigen test. Otherwise why weren’t we notified about the antigen test, too. 

 

[Babr]

16 minutes ago, jcarter4551 said:

The email I received today from RC advising of the new protocol to test vaccinated passengers at check in just stated in the end of the email, ""If your result is positive or inconclusive, a pier agent will share next steps with you. Rest assured, we will take care of you." 

 

However, no details on what these next steps entail or what taking care of you means. I am trying to avoid the unknown and just get a rapid antigen before boarding my flight just in case. If the CVS test is positive then I won't go. As someone said, in the rare instance there is a false positive, that will suck.

 

Also, as another gentlemen said, you can test positive days after contact with it (Jon Rahm on PGA Tour) so interesting they don't do testing every other day or just random test passengers. I could be negative tomorrow and positive Saturday or negative tomorrow and positive on Day 6 when they test us to come back to US. I took this risk so accept any issues that arise. I just wanted to let yall know that I don't think the protocols for vaxxed passengers is defined yet.

 

Thank you for doing so.

 

Testing before you leave is the smart thing to do. I hope all goes well for you and you are able to enjoy your trip.

[smokeybandit]

9 minutes ago, seabeew said:

Celebrity pulled a similar stunt on the fully vaccinated sailing out of St. Marten. The Millennium set sail on June 5. No vaccinations we’re supposedly needed except for a pcr test required by St. Marten within 5 days of sailing. Four days before the ship was to set sail, passengers were notified that Celebrity required a pcr test 72 hours before boarding. Some people were already in route, others were already there. Many could not use the St. Marten test results because of the timing of the tests.

 

I’m on the June 19 sailing on Adventure. I fully expect Royal will require our group to need a pcr test, instead of the antigen test. Otherwise why weren’t we notified about the antigen test, too. 

 

 

Honestly it could be in response to the MSC tests, especially with Michael Bayley's "update" that only mentioned kids testing). It may well be a "first cruise blues" decision that isn't extended. 

[DirtyDawg]

1 hour ago, A&L_Ont said:

 

I am happy to be watching for a while too.  I am a bit jealous though of my 2 friends boarding Saturday. 

I'm also going to let others be the early adopters for post pandemic cruising just like I do for new techie products. I let the early adopters deal with any bugs and once those are sorted out, I'll buy.  

 

Over the past year I've have to do the rapid Covid test probably 50 times in order to visit my 90+ year old mom in her old age home. These tests are no problem at all, a quick scrape up the nose and in about 15 minutes and your done. 😁

 

RC is likely listening very carefully to their lawyers on this issue. I'm sure they are trying to bulletproof themselves against any possible Covid lawsuits. So likely not a waste of money at all.

 

 

 

Edited June 10, 2021 by DirtyDawg

[MonaCK]

This is what is currently on the website for these sailings. They are doing PCR tests, NOT antigen tests. This way they have one set of tests for both vaccinated and not vaccinated.

 

Will I have to take a SARS-CoV-2 test before or during my cruise? | Royal Caribbean Cruises

[ReneeFLL]

2 hours ago, B113 said:

My wife is an RN and said you can have a false positive test. I hate to see some families vacation ruined. What a waste of time and money.

If you have a false positive test do you know how long before you won’t have one?