RCL Denies vaccinated and negative tested couple boarding

[smokeybandit]

4 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Yes, I believe Royal should be able to accommodate some travelers who show up at the cruise terminal without test results, but at the same time, if word got out that you could do that then everyone would do that!    

RC was doing tests at the pier for those w/o test results. Maybe too many people were relying on that mulligan and RC said "enough"

[Sunshine3601]

1 hour ago, Threedrones said:

Couldn’t RCL test them at the dock (for a fee)? They test children under 12 at the dock so the tests must be available. 

the problem is as soon as you hear they are able to test you at the cruise terminal, then everyone will start to show up without tests results and want that option.    then you end up with a 1000+ people to test before boarding and they have to adhere to time schedule with the Harbor pilot, etc. 

[rj59]

Right now I can't Cruise with Confidence for my Ovation sailing on Sept 3, because I have no recourse if I don't have test results back in time, and with Delta-breakthrough stress high and experiences like this couple's that would give me a heart attack, I don't want to add test anxiety when I can fly to the ocean somewhere without a test. It's the same as flying in the day of a cruise--if something happens, I'm out of luck, so the stress and risks aren't worth it. On the other hand, I could cruise with confidence on Princess, which if you don't have your test results in time, they'll give you a FCC, rebook you, or give you a refund if you've purchased their insurance. RCL also, along with the other lines, aren't adapting to the realities of Delta by prohibiting unvaccinated passengers and requiring mask wearing everywhere inside even if vaccinated, since we now know everyone can spread and catch the virus and at a 1000x viral load. Every line is also putting a priority on cleaning and not-touching things, living in 2020 science, since we now know that Covid spreads through the air, not on menus or tongs, so you're more likely to get infected by the person serving you at a buffet, and we saw on Carnival how quickly Covid can spread among vaccinated crew. 

[Sunshine3601]

1 hour ago, Floater4life said:

I am cruising 9/12 and have started getting intel on testing locally (PA). PCR testing is available everywhere HOWEVER every place I went said testing demand has risen and lab work load as well. they said PCR results back in 3-7 days no guarantees. So......that eliminates PCR testing.  For rapid testing the earliest for me would be 9/9 and have to wait for appointments to open up that far out.  Does anyone need more stress...no. Frankly RCCL should get with the program and have a covid test hot line that can help people if there is an issue and are cruising with the 3 day window.

Could you imagine that phone line, no one would ever get thru and what are they going to tell you.    check with your county dept of health for testing locations?    

they are also allowing certain brand(s) of home test kits as acceptable as long as it done thru online video with a medical professional.     read here for details:

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/if-need-an-rt-pcr-test-before-i-cruise-where-should-i-go

check out options and order a test kit online now so you have it when you travel but at the same time set up plan b for setting up an antigen test at your local CVS or urgi care center.    

[ryano]

12 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

the problem is as soon as you hear they are able to test you at the cruise terminal, then everyone will start to show up without tests results and want that option.    then you end up with a 1000+ people to test before boarding and they have to adhere to time schedule with the Harbor pilot, etc. 

 

Then they need to increase their hideous 3 day rule to at least 5 days, give more time for results to return.   Imagine testing on a Tuesday afternoon via PCR and having to fly out early Thursday morning for a Friday cruise and not having your results back yet.  Do you board the plane anyway and hope they come in the day you cruise out?  Stay home and lose everything if a negative test finally comes back?     This is way more stressful than it needs to be and there HAS to be a better solution.   Sure, 99% of the people made it onboard but I guarantee it wasnt without unneeded and unwanted stress.  There is no excuse for any of it.      

Edited August 23, 2021 by ryano

[Sunshine3601]

1 minute ago, rj59 said:

On the other hand, I could cruise with confidence on Princess, which if you don't have your test results in time, they'll give you a FCC, rebook you, or give you a refund if you've purchased their insurance. RCL also, along with the other lines, aren't adapting to the realities of Delta by prohibiting unvaccinated passengers and requiring mask wearing everywhere inside even if vaccinated, 

Royal will give these people a refund or a FCC, if they want.      I don't understand your reference to Princess.     

Royal does require everyone 12 or older to be fully vaccinated as of 9/03 for all Sailings, even out of Florida.    And they have been requiring masks for several weeks in many indoor venues.

[Floater4life]

3 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Could you imagine that phone line, no one would ever get thru and what are they going to tell you.    check with your county dept of health for testing locations?    

they are also allowing certain brand(s) of home test kits as acceptable as long as it done thru online video with a medical professional.     read here for details:

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/if-need-an-rt-pcr-test-before-i-cruise-where-should-i-go

check out options and order a test kit online now so you have it when you travel but at the same time set up plan b for setting up an antigen test at your local CVS or urgi care center.    

Home test kit is not accepted. Can't set up appointments this far ahead....tried. Have to wait until 9/9 is available. Yeah I know what to do but many do not...clearly. 

[Sunshine3601]

2 minutes ago, ryano said:

 

Then they need to increase their hideous 3 day rule to at least 5 days, give more time for results to return.   Imagine testing on a Tuesday afternoon via PCR and having to fly out early Thursday morning for a Friday cruise and not having your results back yet.  Do you board the plane anyway and hope they come in the day you cruise out?  Stay home and lose everything if a negative test finally comes back?     This is way more stressful than it needs to be and there HAS to be a better solution.   Sure, 99% of the people made it onboard but I guarantee it wasnt without unneeded stress.  There is NO excuse for any of it.  

personally I think the test 3 days out is ridiculous as alot of exposure can and will happen to travelers within those 3 days, 5 days out makes no sense at all, why even bother. 

Let's remember the 3 day rule is not something set by royal, majority of the world has this 3 day rule (heck some are more stringent and say 72 hours).   

[Baron Barracuda]

10 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

the problem is as soon as you hear they are able to test you at the cruise terminal, then everyone will start to show up without tests results and want that option.    then you end up with a 1000+ people to test before boarding and they have to adhere to time schedule with the Harbor pilot, etc. 

If Royal can't or won't provide testing at the pier they should allow a third party to do it for a fee.  Great business opportunity for a drugstore or urgent care center to set up a kiosk and charge nosebleed rates for rapid test.  Cash or charge only, no insurance accepted.  The high fee will discourage passengers from using the service as anything other than a last resort.

[ryano]

Just now, Floater4life said:

Home test kit is not accepted. 

 

This one is accepted because it uses an online proctor via video

 

https://www.emed.com/products/covid-at-home-testkit-six-pack?hsLang=en

[toddcruise01]

48 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Not exactly sure what you are showing me here, you received this email? Doesn't mean the couple from Utah ever received it from Royal.

Never said that, just sharing what I did to make sure we don't mess it up.

[Threedrones]

14 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

the problem is as soon as you hear they are able to test you at the cruise terminal, then everyone will start to show up without tests results and want that option.    then you end up with a 1000+ people to test before boarding and they have to adhere to time schedule with the Harbor pilot, etc. 

I agree. But they could make the fee high enough to discourage that.

[Sunshine3601]

Just now, Floater4life said:

Home test kit is not accepted. Can't set up appointments this far ahead....tried. Have to wait until 9/9 is available. Yeah I know what to do but many do not...clearly. 

If you Read the link  I provided,   Home Testing is acceptable just has to be the right one.       I know someone on board a ship right now that did the home test last thursday or Friday and boarded the ship on Saturday.   All was fine as they did the proper at home testing.   As simple as follow the instructions.

[toddcruise01]

3 minutes ago, Floater4life said:

Home test kit is not accepted. Can't set up appointments this far ahead....tried. Have to wait until 9/9 is available. Yeah I know what to do but many do not...clearly. 

We are just lucky we're not in a very populated area and they seem to have plenty of tests and slots available here.

[ryano]

1 minute ago, Sunshine3601 said:

personally I think the test 3 days out is ridiculous as alot of exposure can and will happen to travelers within those 3 days, 5 days out makes no sense at all, why even bother. 

Let's remember the 3 day rule is not something set by royal, majority of the world has this 3 day rule (heck some are more stringent and say 72 hours).   

 

I think ANY test for ANY vaccinated guest is ridiculous, unless RC wants to perform said test at the port.  Prepare to read many more stories about this.   

[ryano]

Just now, toddcruise01 said:

We are just lucky we're not in a very populated area and they seem to have plenty of tests and slots available here.

 

Thats what Im banking on.   I can schedule my appointment online as soon as this Wednesday for a September 7th test.  There appears to be three different CVS locations within a reasonable distance that have the rapid test and plenty of timeslots. I plan on having a PCR done as well.  

[Mapleleafforever]

3 hours ago, cscurlock said:

They just need to make the vaccine mandatory for now and remove the tests and the masks.  That's about the only way we are going to get to as close to normal as possible.  If you get it and your vaccinated the effects should be minimal.

The only way they can safely do that is to also exclude anyone in the high risk categories. 

[Floater4life]

8 minutes ago, ryano said:

 

This one is accepted because it uses an online proctor via video

 

https://www.emed.com/products/covid-at-home-testkit-six-pack?hsLang=en

yes a proctor with video validation but if you tell people a home test is good....bad things happen like waving at the dock as your ship sails. 

[bobmacliberty]

6 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

I know someone on board a ship right now that did the home test last thursday or Friday and boarded the ship on Saturday. 

 

Good to hear this.  It's hard to get CVS or Walgreens appointments for PCR testing around me, and rapid testing is nearly impossible.  I'm thinking of using the Abbott BinaxNOW test at home with monitoring.  It's $150 for a 6 pack of tests.  Acceptable when monitored per Royal's website.  Although we only need 2 tests, it would be nice to have both my wife and I test ourselves a few weeks before our cruise, in addition to 3 days before.

[LouChamp]

5 hours ago, Georgeny said:

Unbelievable, feel so bad for this Utah couple who planned to celebrate their 44th wedding anniversary. Change the rules at last minute and despite all their efforts and THREE negative tests they were left at pier after getting third test but results 15 minutes after ship closed doors. Make me very hesitate about our Oct 3rd sailing coming up on RCL Oasis. Their interview all over the news not hard to find. Their luggage sailed off, they did not PLUS they say there were 20 other couples left at pier but don't know what those circumstances were. Note they did not accept home test, and first pharmacy results were not emailed in time. Third test was local near pier but  they missed boarding by minutes!

 

George in NY 

Exactly why i will not cruise now.  Its nuts plus the aggravation is not worth it. We can afford to wait 

[davekathy]

3 hours ago, cscurlock said:

they just need to make the vaccine mandatory for now

Agree. No matter their age, medical condition(s) or excuse(s). 

Edited August 23, 2021 by davekathy

[toddcruise01]

34 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

 

Actually that's not a rapid antigen test. That's a PCR test.

That is incorrect as they offered the pcr and I chose the other one for faster result.  Here is the definition from the CDC, but maybe you understand it better than they do 😆 and I quote;

 

 

PCR tests detect viral RNA. Antigen tests, also called rapid diagnostic tests, detect specific proteins on the surface of the coronavirus. Antigen test results may come back in as little as 15 to 45 minutes; you may wait several days or longer for PCR test result

 

This was not a PCR test, results were back in a couple hrs.  That's why there is so much confusion about these tests.  That definition is straight out of the CDC information page.

 

 

[Jkaczanowski]

2 minutes ago, bobmacliberty said:

 

Good to hear this.  It's hard to get CVS or Walgreens appointments for PCR testing around me, and rapid testing is nearly impossible.  I'm thinking of using the Abbott BinaxNOW test at home with monitoring.  It's $150 for a 6 pack of tests.  Acceptable when monitored per Royal's website.  Although we only need 2 tests, it would be nice to have both my wife and I test ourselves a few weeks before our cruise, in addition to 3 days before.

 

2 and 3 packs are also available here

 

https://store.optum.com/shop/products/abbott-binaxNOW-COVID-19-ag-at-home-test-kit-3-pack

[Alibaster McGillicutty]

20 minutes ago, Baron Barracuda said:

If Royal can't or won't provide testing at the pier they should allow a third party to do it for a fee.  Great business opportunity for a drugstore or urgent care center to set up a kiosk and charge nosebleed rates for rapid test.  Cash or charge only, no insurance accepted.  The high fee will discourage passengers from using the service as anything other than a last resort.

Are there enough labs or lab personnel to do this?

Royal (or any cruise line or ANY industry) doing this is just fighting for resources.  And about the only way to get yours to the front of the line is....well, $$$.

 

[toddcruise01]

16 minutes ago, ryano said:

 

I think ANY test for ANY vaccinated guest is ridiculous, unless RC wants to perform said test at the port.  Prepare to read many more stories about this.   

I agree it's all rediculous, but it's the ony way to have fairly accurate idea of whether the virus is onboard at time of sailing...and even that is iffy.  But vaccinated people can still contract and  spread this desease before stepping on the ship.  They might not get sick at all because the vaccine is doing it's job, but the body can still shed virus while the body fights it, there by spreading the Covid.  So I can certainly understand why they want the testing of everyone, doing all they can to prevent sickness which will most certainly be attributed to the cruiseline by all the "well educated and motivated" press.

 

And I imagine the vaccinated woman who died just recently from Covid on board Carnival Vista might understand also, if she could.