PCR Test 72 hours before departure...

[NavyCruiser]

Just received email from Viking for our upcoming Grand European river cruise.  It said:

"Viking is now strongly recommending that all our guests get a COVID-19 PCR test 72 hours prior to departure, even if it is not required by the country for entry. This reduces your likelihood of being delayed, denied entry due to changing regulations, or positive (asymptomatic) test results on arrival. Testing sites are available here. Should you have a positive test result, you will not be able to travel as scheduled; please contact your Travel Advisor or Viking, so we can reschedule you."

Great.

We have a group of friends who've just returned from an ocean cruise in Greece.  The group of 10 couples didn't take the test until arrival in Greece, 2 couples tested positive.  While the 8 couples who tested negative went on the cruise, the 2 positive couples stayed in quarantine hotel ashore for almost 2 weeks.  Not fun.  

Lessons learned is that everyone should take the test before leaving home, so that if you're positive, you can stay in the comfort of home, before wasting entire day traveling overseas to be quarantine in hotel for a week or two.

Thus our group of 6 will plan on taking the PCR test. Since we're spending 2 days before cruise in Amsterdam, should we plan on taking the PCR test 72 hours before flying into Amsterdam?  or 72 hours before boarding the ship date (ie: One day before flying)?

 

 

[Roz]

The ocean cruise lines are saying 72 hrs. (or sometimes 3 days) before boarding the ship.  I'm leaving home on Dec. 3, arriving in Amsterdam on Dec. 4, and boarding my ship the afternoon of Dec. 6.  

 

I've already scoped out places in Amsterdam that offer the test to travelers.  The test is expensive, I don't know if the test sites are open on weekends, and I would need assurance I would have the results back in time if Tauck decides to require pre-testing.

[Geosez]

Be sure to check and read all of the information about pre-Cruise tests.  The first info we had about testing was that Viking strongly recommended it.  Then it became a requirement by our destination country (Hungary) to get the test 72 hourse before departure.  Then, 7 days before we are to go, it became 72 hours before arrival at our destination.  If we were flying, say, on a Thursday or Friday that would have been no problem.  But we leave on Sunday, arriving on Monday, which meant testing on Friday and hoping our results are back Saturday.  And hoping we’re both negative!  

[Roz]

That's why I've already started scoping out testing sites in Amsterdam for my upcoming December cruise.  Right now I don't need a test prior to boarding but I know that could change at any time. 

[terry&mike]

We depart for Portugal on August 31. We scheduled PCR tests with same day results for the day before we leave. The facility is just over an hour from our home, and it is a bit pricey at $179 pp, but will get us through our international flight, including our transit and layover in London.

 We will be boarding Ama Douro on Sept 4 for a week cruise, then fly from Portugal to France on Sept 11, and board Scenic Diamond on Sept 12. Then return to U.S. 

We hope to find local test providers along the way, or use testing facilitated by Ama and Scenic to move forward.  We purchased the Abbott BinaxNOW that we will be bringing along with us, in case local testing is difficult to acquire, as a backup plan; 6 tests for $150.  

[explorette]

We are booked on a Viking Rhine cruise beginning September 10 in Amsterdam, with two day pre-cruise extension. So we fly out September 7 to arrive in Amsterdam September 8. I took Viking's 72 hour PCR testing recommendation to mean 72 hours before we get on the plane. If we were tested in Amsterdam, I doubt we'd have results in time for embarkation on the cruise. And, Viking is doing testing on board, although not the PCR tests. 

[NavyCruiser]

 

 

 

On 8/22/2021 at 12:09 PM, explorette said:

We are booked on a Viking Rhine cruise beginning September 10 in Amsterdam, with two day pre-cruise extension. So we fly out September 7 to arrive in Amsterdam September 8. I took Viking's 72 hour PCR testing recommendation to mean 72 hours before we get on the plane. If we were tested in Amsterdam, I doubt we'd have results in time for embarkation on the cruise. And, Viking is doing testing on board, although not the PCR tests. 

 

Agreed.

Just finished chat with Viking rep & he confirm that for our Nov 14 cruise, & Nov 11 flight from US to Amsterdam, we can/should do PCR test on Nov 8, which is 72 hours before Nov 11 flight.

 

Here's the Viking link:

https://docs.vikingcruises.com/pdf/210816_PreCruiseRequirement_Grand Euro_US.pdf

 

 

 

 

[Roz]

@NavyCruiser, so is it the airline, The Netherlands, or Viking that's requiring the test?  I'm confused. 

Edited August 23, 2021 by Roz

[angela miller]

57 minutes ago, Roz said:

@NavyCruiser, so is it the airline, The Netherlands, or Viking that's requiring the test?  I'm confused. 

From what I understand now,a strong suggestion from Viking. Could change.

[NavyCruiser]

3 hours ago, Roz said:

@NavyCruiser, so is it the airline, The Netherlands, or Viking that's requiring the test?  I'm confused. 

 

Not required from airlines nor the Netherlands, but just for my/our peace of mind to know that we're tested 3 days before flight from US to Amsterdam, have time for test results to come back, hopefully within 1 - 2 days for PCR, or a few hours for quick test, so that if we're positive, we stay in the comfort of home, instead of waiting to take test once landed in Amsterdam, then take test, & in the small chance it comes up positive, Viking won't let us onboard & we have to stay in Amsterdam hotel for 2 weeks...

[Wings55]

For our own peace of mind we got a PCR test at our local CVS pharmacy before we flew to Paris . That was on Friday, August 12th. Jane got her results the following morning. We are on the AmaLyra right now and I received a voicemail last night, August 23rd, from CVS saying my test was negative. So much for a the 72 hour idea. LOL! 🤦‍♂️

 

Paul

[mapsd]

Just got word from Scenic that prior to the end of the trip, they will provide PCR test onboard for all that want it at no charge. 

Not required to board, just a vaccine card & completed health quiz. 

[F19810]

13 hours ago, Wings55 said:

For our own peace of mind we got a PCR test at our local CVS pharmacy before we flew to Paris . That was on Friday, August 12th. Jane got her results the following morning. We are on the AmaLyra right now and I received a voicemail last night, August 23rd, from CVS saying my test was negative. So much for a the 72 hour idea. LOL! 🤦‍♂️

 

Paul

That's why I'm getting a quick PCR test( 4 hr turn around time).  I need a neg test 72 hrs before boarding my flight to Jordan and 72 hrs is cutting it close if it is late.

Judy

[TFree]

13 hours ago, Wings55 said:

For our own peace of mind we got a PCR test at our local CVS pharmacy before we flew to Paris . That was on Friday, August 12th. Jane got her results the following morning. We are on the AmaLyra right now and I received a voicemail last night, August 23rd, from CVS saying my test was negative. So much for a the 72 hour idea. LOL! 🤦‍♂️

 

Paul

 

7 minutes ago, F19810 said:

That's why I'm getting a quick PCR test( 4 hr turn around time).  I need a neg test 72 hrs before boarding my flight to Jordan and 72 hrs is cutting it close if it is late.

Judy

@Wings55and @F19810:

I have seen a report elsewhere (pretty sure it was on the Celebrity boards) that people were finding that the CVS test results have one problem: the negative results you receive do not show that it was a PCR test, in other words, nowhere on the results form or email are the initials "PCR" used.  I don't know if that was a problem with some local lab or if this is CVS-wide issue.  Since one of you just got a CVS test, @Wings55 do you mind checking and posting whether it says PCR on it?  And @F19810, when you get yours, do you mind letting us know where you get it and whether it says PCR on it?

 

Tom & Judy

[F19810]

4 hours ago, TFree said:

 

@Wings55and @F19810:

I have seen a report elsewhere (pretty sure it was on the Celebrity boards) that people were finding that the CVS test results have one problem: the negative results you receive do not show that it was a PCR test, in other words, nowhere on the results form or email are the initials "PCR" used.  I don't know if that was a problem with some local lab or if this is CVS-wide issue.  Since one of you just got a CVS test, @Wings55 do you mind checking and posting whether it says PCR on it?  And @F19810, when you get yours, do you mind letting us know where you get it and whether it says PCR on it?

 

Tom & Judy

I'll try to remember to let you know, I don't fly out until the end of Oct.  I plan on getting tested at the Philadelphia airport.  I drive by it every day so it is no big deal for me to go the day before and get tested.  I did contact them and they did say that the test type was on the result, but it does not say what type of sample (saliva or swab) was taken. I don't need that info.  It also doesn't have the time the sample was taken, just the date.  I'm supposed to have the time, but the date will be within 72 hrs, even if the test was taken at 0000.Judy

[Wings55]

@TFree I never received an email, only the phone call that arrived waaaaay late. I'll ask Jane to check her mail to see exactly what it said.

 

 

[terry&mike]

14 hours ago, F19810 said:

That's why I'm getting a quick PCR test( 4 hr turn around time).  I need a neg test 72 hrs before boarding my flight to Jordan and 72 hrs is cutting it close if it is late.

Judy

We are doing the same type of test, PCR with results in 2-4 hours.  Costs a little bit, but safer option, we think. 

[PhD-iva]

I’m looking at my negative test results from CVS. It’s a lot of words on the page but yes, it does specify PCR under test type.

14 hours ago, TFree said:

 

@Wings55and @F19810:

I have seen a report elsewhere (pretty sure it was on the Celebrity boards) that people were finding that the CVS test results have one problem: the negative results you receive do not show that it was a PCR test, in other words, nowhere on the results form or email are the initials "PCR" used.  I don't know if that was a problem with some local lab or if this is CVS-wide issue.  Since one of you just got a CVS test, @Wings55 do you mind checking and posting whether it says PCR on it?  And @F19810, when you get yours, do you mind letting us know where you get it and whether it says PCR on it?

 

Tom & Judy

I am looking at my negative test results from CVS, and yes it does say the test is a PCR test. Under test type it’s listed SARS COV 2 RNA, QL, RT-PCR COVID-19.

[Wings55]

I'm glad PhD-va still had her copy. Once we received our Passe Sanitaire, Jane deleted the email from her file. 

[explorette]

Sounds like everyone is at least trying to do the right thing to meet the recommendations. I have a feeling we'll be able to find testing places if we need to as we go along.