Binaxnow Home Test

[vllygrrl]

I can't find a definitive answer on the MSC website but does anyone know if MSC will accept the Binaxnow Home Test?  It's proctored through a telehealth appointment and FDA approved for travel.  Both Royal and Celebrity have said that it meets their testing requirement.  I have a feeling that tests for travel are no longer covered by insurance, and at $150 for 6 tests through eMed it's reasonable.  I'm also concerned with finding testing in the window before our cruise.  Thanks for any and all information!

 

 

[Lisichka]

Just do the ID Now test at Walgreens.  Free and results back within a few hours or less.  Accepted by MSC if you have been vaccinated.

[dexddd]

6 hours ago, Lisichka said:

Just do the ID Now test at Walgreens.  Free and results back within a few hours or less.  Accepted by MSC if you have been vaccinated.

Simpler said then done.  I checked online at Walgreens and they have three tests.  Put in zip code and nearest options change to Virginia for next ten days for that option.  Lots of locations there but nothing within 500 miles of home.

 

Back to OP.  I have seen other lines accept witnessed at home testing but from my reading of MSC language it appears to me no.

[MarkusToe]

Easy answer, give your home test you a certificate?

If you do not have it, no cruise

[styles27]

11 hours ago, vllygrrl said:

I can't find a definitive answer on the MSC website but does anyone know if MSC will accept the Binaxnow Home Test?  It's proctored through a telehealth appointment and FDA approved for travel.  Both Royal and Celebrity have said that it meets their testing requirement.  I have a feeling that tests for travel are no longer covered by insurance, and at $150 for 6 tests through eMed it's reasonable.  I'm also concerned with finding testing in the window before our cruise.  Thanks for any and all information!

 

 

This is from the MSC site. It does state it must be taken with an accredited test provider such as a drugstore chain or lab so I’m thinking it’s a gray area and I wouldn’t take the chance of having it be a problem at the pier. 
 

Is your local Dept of Health still offering testing at sites in your area? 
I have had to be tested every week for work and the last couple of weeks it’s becoming more difficult to get an appt at the drugstores around me.

This week I had to go to a DOH site and make an appt with them. They have a lot more availability than Walgreens or CVS

[vllygrrl]

1 hour ago, MarkusToe said:

Easy answer, give your home test you a certificate?

If you do not have it, no cruise

Yes... the test issues a lab results certificate, which is the reason I asked the question in the first place.  Although it is self administered, it is live proctored during a telehealth video appointment.

[abqkjh]

When I called and asked them they said no. But that was a little while ago (before the other cruise lines started accepting it). 

 

Does anyone know if the results even say they are from a home test anywhere?

[SeaDayLvr]

There is a thread on the Celebrity board about testing and people have posted that this is okay.  The other cruise lines have said this is okay, per the boards, (if it is administered during a tele-health appointment and there is a certificate of results.  I was going to buy this also, the pack of 6 through e-med.  I have the issue also where nothing for many miles around me, not even CVS or Walgreens has testing.  Walgreens near me is only releasing appointments for day of and next day, and many are doing standard PCR tests (results could be 72 hours), because there is a shortage of the rapid test, which is the same Binaxnow.  

 

I am very interested to know if the Binaxnow purchased through e-med would work with MSC.  This would be the perfect solution for us.

 

We are doing a B2B 9/6 & 9/10.   MSC told me over the phone that we would be required to have a covid test prior to the second cruise and they would do it on board and charge us $120 each!  If we had these self tests, and were able to do it the morning we got back to port on our phone (stream tele-med appt) then we would save a lot of money.  I am curious how fast you get the certificate though.  

[lakelorain]

Sure hope MSC will accept the Binax test.  Closest rapid testing site is 75 miles away.  PCR is taking 3 - 7 days right now in my area.  

 

[abqkjh]

On 8/23/2021 at 11:04 AM, abqkjh said:

When I called and asked them they said no. But that was a little while ago (before the other cruise lines started accepting it). 

 

Does anyone know if the results even say they are from a home test anywhere?

 

Update: I just talked to a different MSC rep (about a different cruise) and she also said that they only accept tests done "at a facility." / Also, someone on a different topic posted a copy of their Binax results and although it doesn't specifically say "home" or "self-administered" test it does say it is a Binax Now test.

[9876]

Is it everyone's understanding that they are now working off of calendar days and not hours now?

[phissy]

On 8/23/2021 at 7:30 AM, vllygrrl said:

Yes... the test issues a lab results certificate, which is the reason I asked the question in the first place.  Although it is self administered, it is live proctored during a telehealth video appointment.

I am looking into the BinaxNOW AG card Covid test. This is the one that has to be approved by medical staff before being sent out. You need  to have a TeleMed appt via video when test is taken. They send out certificate by email with result. 
Thinking of ordering this as we are on B2B cruise and need to do second rapid test onboard between cruises. We are fully vaccinated and we have some time to hear if this type of test will be OK. Since we will be on the ship, seems like we could just do it in front of infirmary staff and they could see the results.

MSC is charging $120 (currently) to do rapid test onboard.

[phissy]

1 hour ago, 9876 said:

Is it everyone's understanding that they are now working off of calendar days and not hours now?

Yes, 3 days. They have chart on site with earliest day to test for cruise day.

For Saturday cruise, Wednesday is earliest day to take test.

[phissy]

On 8/23/2021 at 3:57 PM, lakelorain said:

Sure hope MSC will accept the Binax test.  Closest rapid testing site is 75 miles away.  PCR is taking 3 - 7 days right now in my area.  

 

They should specify the type of Binax Now test. There are two kinds.

one is self test at home and not monitored.

Binax Now AG Card is the one that is monitored and certificate issued with result. 
MSC language “ test must be taken with an accredited test provider “ .

 

Whether eMed is considered an accredited test provider is the question. 
Other cruise lines are approving this one.  We will see…….

[phissy]

On 8/23/2021 at 10:36 AM, Pirokp2 said:

There is a thread on the Celebrity board about testing and people have posted that this is okay.  The other cruise lines have said this is okay, per the boards, (if it is administered during a tele-health appointment and there is a certificate of results.  I was going to buy this also, the pack of 6 through e-med.  I have the issue also where nothing for many miles around me, not even CVS or Walgreens has testing.  Walgreens near me is only releasing appointments for day of and next day, and many are doing standard PCR tests (results could be 72 hours), because there is a shortage of the rapid test, which is the same Binaxnow.  

 

I am very interested to know if the Binaxnow purchased through e-med would work with MSC.  This would be the perfect solution for us.

 

We are doing a B2B 9/6 & 9/10.   MSC told me over the phone that we would be required to have a covid test prior to the second cruise and they would do it on board and charge us $120 each!  If we had these self tests, and were able to do it the morning we got back to port on our phone (stream tele-med appt) then we would save a lot of money.  I am curious how fast you get the certificate though.  

This is exactly what we are thinking of doing😄

[9876]

1 hour ago, phissy said:

I am looking into the BinaxNOW AG card Covid test. This is the one that has to be approved by medical staff before being sent out. You need  to have a TeleMed appt via video when test is taken. They send out certificate by email with result. 
Thinking of ordering this as we are on B2B cruise and need to do second rapid test onboard between cruises. We are fully vaccinated and we have some time to hear if this type of test will be OK. Since we will be on the ship, seems like we could just do it in front of infirmary staff and they could see the results.

MSC is charging $120 (currently) to do rapid test onboard.

I still can't believe they are charging for testing back to back cruisers.

[maureencruiser]

I don't know if they accept it, but, here is how it works.  

 

[phissy]

12 hours ago, maureencruiser said:

I don't know if they accept it, but, here is how it works.  

 

Since other cruise lines are accepting the “medically supervised “ Binax NOW Rapid AG Covid test,  hoping MSC updates their accepted Covid test guidelines.

RCL and others include language that is specific for home tests supervised by telemed medical staff which supervise the testing .

This test has CDC and FDA approval for travel testing.

 

Edited August 27, 2021 by phissy

[Shippy]

On 8/25/2021 at 3:55 PM, phissy said:

I am looking into the BinaxNOW AG card Covid test. This is the one that has to be approved by medical staff before being sent out. You need  to have a TeleMed appt via video when test is taken. They send out certificate by email with result. 
Thinking of ordering this as we are on B2B cruise and need to do second rapid test onboard between cruises. We are fully vaccinated and we have some time to hear if this type of test will be OK. Since we will be on the ship, seems like we could just do it in front of infirmary staff and they could see the results.

MSC is charging $120 (currently) to do rapid test onboard.

   If for some reason they do not accept your proof of testing,...

do you know if you can request them (MSC) to do a test right there at the pier ?

I would not care about the cost.

[abqkjh]

41 minutes ago, Shippy said:

   If for some reason they do not accept your proof of testing,...

do you know if you can request them (MSC) to do a test right there at the pier ?

I would not care about the cost.

 

I don't know about MSC, but I heard about a couple on another cruise line who missed the cruise because their test wasn't accepted.

[gadaboutgal]

   I just went to MSC's website, to the bottom of their homepage, and to "Contact" and pleaded with MSC to accept the Binax Now AG test.                                                 Maybe if enough of us request this they will agree to accept this test.

It took less time to send the request than to post here!

[phissy]

1 hour ago, abqkjh said:

 

I don't know about MSC, but I heard about a couple on another cruise line who missed the cruise because their test wasn't accepted.

The couple who were denied boarding on RCL did home self test.

  Many may get confused, Binax NOW is home self test. For personal use. No official certificate or results printed.

BinaxNOW Ag Card test is Rx item, registered with lab and telemedicine monitored during testing . Certificate issued with all information required for Antigen Covid test.

[phissy]

1 hour ago, gadaboutgal said:

   I just went to MSC's website, to the bottom of their homepage, and to "Contact" and pleaded with MSC to accept the Binax Now AG test.                                                 Maybe if enough of us request this they will agree to accept this test.

It took less time to send the request than to post here!

I will do the same.  This test is approved for use by other cruise lines. It is CDC and FDA approved for travel. It is a Rx test with Diagnosis code, CPT Code, Lab NPI and Lab EIN. I will look up cruise lines who approve it and submit list with request.👍

[phissy]

I submitted suggestion for MSC to approve this test.

Princess, HAL, RCL, Celebrity and Carnival all approve this type of test.

NCL does not  as they provide rapid test at pier. (Currently)  

Many still think MSC is doing test at pier.   Hopefully they will get emails re: new protocols for cruising.

We do not cruise until November. Hopefully there will be updates before then.

[phissy]

On 8/25/2021 at 4:59 PM, 9876 said:

I still can't believe they are charging for testing back to back cruisers.

I did notice that other cruise lines are not charging to test B2B cruisers. Seems like MSC is the only one, so far.  RCL had to backtrack when they released news to B2B passengers-  they must  pack all bags and go through embarkation again. BIG UPROAR.

They quickly updated it to "You do not need to pack and remove luggage" between cruises.