It looks like Celebrity is now requiring negative COVID test before boarding

[verizon]

On 8/3/2021 at 12:21 PM, markeb said:

A lot of the US testing is pharmacy based and ideally performed onsite. PCR is generally sent out. Many pharmacies aren’t performing the onsite antigen tests. That may be state to state legal requirements. Don’t know. 
 

If you go on Walgreens, for instance, and search for antigen tests centered on Miami, the first locations I saw were in Virginia. Haven’t tried CVS. 

3

1.41mi

Pompano Beach - 1501 S Federal Hwy Poct Covid - 19 Testing Site,

1501 S Federal Hwy, Pompano Beach, FL 33062

Directions

Test type: Rapid-result test (antigen)

Not accepted for all purposes, so be sure to check with venue, destination or airline.

Results within hours

I found the above address do Antigen test results within hours?

[kearney]

4 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

And if we test positive pre-cruise after getting to Seattle- then what?  

I am sorry, I thought you were looking for a place to get a test done...once you got to Seattle

[TeeRick]

Just now, kearney said:

I am sorry, I thought you were looking for a place to get a test done...once you got to Seattle

Yes I am looking for a test arriving in Seattle.   But concerned about what happens after we get there and if we test positive for some reason.  We could not board the ship.  We would need to quarantine somewhere.  How would we arrange that last minute?

[Arzeena]

53 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Found the same.  Same issue as you….I click the link to confirm having read the notice and it says it’s expired.  Not sure what happens if they don’t have my acknowledgement of having read the notice.

They will send you another email. Happened to us.

[bigbeergut]

19 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

Yes I am looking for a test arriving in Seattle.   But concerned about what happens after we get there and if we test positive for some reason.  We could not board the ship.  We would need to quarantine somewhere.  How would we arrange that last minute?

 

Or you just get back on the airplane and fly home if you are not showing any symptoms

[jcpc]

1 hour ago, Cruising is my passion said:

I have received this same email 3 times. Apparently the “please click here”is time-sensitive. Because when I click to acknowledge it says the time has expired for this. Do they think the only thing we have to do is wait my our devices to receive their emails?

I have also received it 3 times (actually 4 times because my travel agent also forwarded it to me!).  Plus in my case my traveling companion has never received the email.  Celebrity has both of our email addresses yet they only send this email to me (the first person listed on the reservation).  I, of course, have forwarded to my friend but she has yet to receive this notification directly from Celebrity

[graphicguy]

27 minutes ago, Arzeena said:

They will send you another email. Happened to us.

You're right.  Just got another one just now.  This time, I was able to click the link in time.  So, I guess they know...that I know...I have to have the COVID test 72 hours before embarkation.

Edited August 5, 2021 by graphicguy

[cantstopingcruising]

44 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

And if we test positive pre-cruise after getting to Seattle- then what?  

Exactly

[cantstopingcruising]

16 minutes ago, bigbeergut said:

 

Or you just get back on the airplane and fly home if you are not showing any symptoms

What? And spread it to all the other passengers?

[markeb]

53 minutes ago, verizon said:

 

3

1.41mi

Pompano Beach - 1501 S Federal Hwy Poct Covid - 19 Testing Site,

1501 S Federal Hwy, Pompano Beach, FL 33062

Directions

Test type: Rapid-result test (antigen)

Not accepted for all purposes, so be sure to check with venue, destination or airline.

Results within hours

I found the above address do Antigen test results within hours?

 

Hadn't come back to this for a couple of days. Yes, CVS, through their Minute Clinics, does offer Rapid Antigen testing on site. And with pretty good availability, but if I were counting on them in and around a Florida cruise port, I'd book as early as possible!

 

My suspicion/theory is that locations like Minute Clinic that might also perform rapid influenza testing, for instance,  have basic biosafety precautions in place and can run the test on site. Most of the PCR looks like it's drive thru, you sample yourself, and they never have to handle anything that's not already sealed. That's a guess, but it fits what you see at a lot of the pharmacy based sites. 

 

EDITED TO ADD: Since some are looking at Seattle cruises, just checked Minute Clinics in that area. Four show up, all outside of Seattle, and none are offering Rapid Antigen. So it's still takes work to find a site.

Edited August 5, 2021 by markeb

[jgmorgan]

21 hours ago, Real NHDOC said:

The OP and I aren't flying in within the 3 day window so for us it would mean taking a cab back out to the airport ($65 each way) and two tests - $400 so a mere $530 extra or more than the airfare to get there was just to get tested.

I understand your point.  The test cost is what it is, so if you want to cruise there is no choice.  That will likely be true until the vaccine is more ubiquitous.  However, you can save quite a bit of money by using LINK to get from the downtown to the airport and back.  I think it costs $3 each way.  If you are over 65 (like us) the cost is only $1 each way.  The LINK terminal connects to the airport and is very easy and a stress-free way to travel.

[graphicguy]

@jgmorgan....curious....do you know if the Link goes from the FLL airport to the cruise terminal?

[markeb]

3 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

@jgmorgan....curious....do you know if the Link goes from the FLL airport to the cruise terminal?

 

LINK is the Seattle area light rail. They were discussing Alaska cruises, not FLL.

[jgmorgan]

3 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

@jgmorgan....curious....do you know if the Link goes from the FLL airport to the cruise terminal?

https://www.seattle.gov/transportation/getting-around/transit

 

They have a route planner so you can see what's available. 🙂

 

(I believe Real NHDOC was travelling from Seattle).

[graphicguy]

8 minutes ago, markeb said:

 

LINK is the Seattle area light rail. They were discussing Alaska cruises, not FLL.

Ooooops!  Thanks!

[TeeRick]

19 minutes ago, markeb said:

EDITED TO ADD: Since some are looking at Seattle cruises, just checked Minute Clinics in that area. Four show up, all outside of Seattle, and none are offering Rapid Antigen. So it's still takes work to find a site.

Mark,

Yes this is the issue.  No local sites for rapid testing if you are staying within the city of Seattle pre-cruise.  I wonder if the cruise lines leaving Seattle for Alaska understand this?

[silkismom]

Our county health does testing on Mon & Wed, one too early for Fri cruise, other possibly too late--no promises for results. Then I checked CVS, none in CO who test. So I guess it'll have to be Walgreens and drive 50 miles and hope I can get an appointment. This is just getting too complicated.

[bigbeergut]

1 hour ago, cantstopingcruising said:

What? And spread it to all the other passengers?

 

If you do not have symptoms, it's unlikely you will infect anyone.  Even for the Delta variant, its unlikely you will have enough of the virus to harm anyone.  If you have symptoms, you will need another plan for a few days.

[Jeremiah1212]

50 minutes ago, silkismom said:

Our county health does testing on Mon & Wed, one too early for Fri cruise, other possibly too late--no promises for results. Then I checked CVS, none in CO who test. So I guess it'll have to be Walgreens and drive 50 miles and hope I can get an appointment. This is just getting too complicated.

 

https://covid19.colorado.gov/testing

[Fouremco]

55 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

Mark,

Yes this is the issue.  No local sites for rapid testing if you are staying within the city of Seattle pre-cruise.  I wonder if the cruise lines leaving Seattle for Alaska understand this?

Understand? Maybe, assuming that they are even aware of the issue.

 

Care? Not really. You need to have a negative test, but how and where they leave to you. Too bad if it's hard to find somewhere relatively convenient.

 

The sad reality of cruising for the time being.

[Jim_Iain]

3 hours ago, Cruising is my passion said:

I have received this same email 3 times. Apparently the “please click here”is time-sensitive. Because when I click to acknowledge it says the time has expired for this. Do they think the only thing we have to do is wait my our devices to receive their emails?

I had same results when verifying 2 of the 3 emails.     On the last one I clicked the link immediately upon receipt and it said --- Thanks for Verifying. 

 

I think the other two times I waited while reading it before verifying so may time out.   

[terrydtx]

1 minute ago, Jim_Iain said:

I had same results when verifying 2 of the 3 emails.     On the last one I clicked the link immediately upon receipt and it said --- Thanks for Verifying. 

 

I think the other two times I waited while reading it before verifying so may time out.   

We had that link on a couple of previous emails, but it is not easy to spot and we just overlooked it.

[CalTexCruiser]

Question:  why bother clicking the "please click here" to verify?

 

I don't think there is any downside to not verifying, and us clicking to verify just allows Celebrity to document we've read the email and use it against us later if needed.

[bEwAbG]

^ reason why it's not wise to travel right now

[TexSea]

Here's a new wrinkle I didn't anticipate. Scheduled a curbside CVS rapid test a few days ago for this morning for my Edge cruise on Saturday. CVS leaves a voicemail about one hour before my scheduled time that all the tests have been postponed because of the weather. My traveling companion who is scheduled at a different CVS didn't get a message like that. It had been raining quite hard here in San Antonio, but at the time of the call it had pretty much stopped. About 30 minutes before my appointment I decided to just drive up to CVS and ask about getting the test since the weather had improved. The tech said he would call the manager who postponed the tests and call me back. Five minutes later he called back and said he was given the go-ahead to resume testing. So I'm good to go. And as I'm typing this I received my negative test results.

 

Today's test was my Plan B. I'll be cancelling my Plan C in FLL. Since I had a Plan C I guess I did anticipate it after all.

Edited August 5, 2021 by TexSea