Bermuda cruises- Info and questions

[shof515]

3 minutes ago, NYcruzzer said:

Did NCL send you this link via e-mail for an upcoming cruise ? We are on the 9/26 sailing and haven't received any e-mails regarding registering for CVS test at the pier.

This is for the Miami sailings. Within 21 days from your cruise, you should be getting a notification about NCL for your cruise. I am on the October 31 sailing, i am wondering how they are going to do the testing at the NYC cruise terminal. Lucky they can use the other pier(pier 90) for additional crowd control if needed

[NYcruzzer]

Just now, shof515 said:

This is for the Miami sailings. Within 21 days from your cruise, you should be getting a notification about NCL for your cruise. I am on the October 31 sailing, i am wondering how they are going to do the testing at the NYC cruise terminal. Lucky they can use the other pier(pier 90) for additional crowd control if needed

Great. Thanks or the quick response. I know NCL is covering the cost. However did you have to give health insurance info when registering on CVS site ?

[JamieLogical]

I spent a long time on the phone last night with my parents trying to figure out their testing situation. They are going to go to CVS today and get their insurance info on file, so hopefully they can bypass uploading photos of their insurance cards when they make their testing appointments. My dad was told by someone (unfortunately he does not remember who) that CVS tests in their area are taking as much as five days! When I go to the CVS site to try to make an appointment at their local store, it still says "Results in 1-2 days", so hopefully the web site is right and whoever my dad talked to is wrong. I also searched around for other PCR testing in their area. I found and urgent care that does PCR testing specifically for the purposes of travel, but their turnaround time is 2-3 days. I found a private lab that does PCR tests with results within 24 hours, but they are $200/test. No way are my parents going to pony up $400.

 

This is definitely stressing me out big time! My husband and I are getting our own CVS tests on Wednesday for our trip to Toronto, so at least I should have an idea of what he and I can look forward to the week of our cruise. I am going to see if I can poke the people over on the Crystal forums for more info from the people who sailed yesterday.

[roger001]

19 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

I spent a long time on the phone last night with my parents trying to figure out their testing situation. They are going to go to CVS today and get their insurance info on file, so hopefully they can bypass uploading photos of their insurance cards when they make their testing appointments. My dad was told by someone (unfortunately he does not remember who) that CVS tests in their area are taking as much as five days! When I go to the CVS site to try to make an appointment at their local store, it still says "Results in 1-2 days", so hopefully the web site is right and whoever my dad talked to is wrong. I also searched around for other PCR testing in their area. I found and urgent care that does PCR testing specifically for the purposes of travel, but their turnaround time is 2-3 days. I found a private lab that does PCR tests with results within 24 hours, but they are $200/test. No way are my parents going to pony up $400.

 

This is definitely stressing me out big time! My husband and I are getting our own CVS tests on Wednesday for our trip to Toronto, so at least I should have an idea of what he and I can look forward to the week of our cruise. I am going to see if I can poke the people over on the Crystal forums for more info from the people who sailed yesterday.

I just read today's Nashville paper that this area is tryin to set up more testing stations.  Apparently testing is suddenly  in great demand and appointments are limited and results slow returning.  

[JamieLogical]

4 minutes ago, roger001 said:

I just read today's Nashville paper that this area is tryin to set up more testing stations.  Apparently testing is suddenly  in great demand and appointments are limited and results slow returning.  

 

Yeah, around here, they transitioned most of the mass testing sites to vaccination sites. Then they slowly phased those out as well. Now, with case counts rising rapidly with Delta, there does not seem to be enough testing to meet demand.

[EllieinNJ]

On the Walgreens website some locations give both the PCR test and some give only a ID Now test (Rapid POC NAAT).  Would the latter be accepted?

 

[shof515]

1 minute ago, EllieinNJ said:

On the Walgreens website some locations give both the PCR test and some give only a ID Now test (Rapid POC NAAT).  Would the latter be accepted?

 

Bermuda requirements say the following:

The test result must state the words “PCR” i.e. RT-PCR, Rapid PCR.

Of the 3 options, the PCR test is the only one valid for Bermuda

[SwimmingDragon]

On 8/28/2021 at 8:28 PM, surfcitygirl said:

I don't know where in NJ you live, but we are in central jersey and drove about an hour and a half to a lab in Malvern PA (west of Philly, called Test Now andGo which promised results within 24 hours but we got them in about 12. We were going on a Viking Ocean cruise in Bermuda and the results were accepted no problem by Bermuda. We will be using the same lab again for our upcoming Crystal Cruise from NYC to Bermuda.

How much were they per test and how long out can you make a reservation? 

[njhorseman]

24 minutes ago, shof515 said:

Of the 3 options, the PCR test is the only one valid for Bermuda

This ^^^

[goldmom]

2 hours ago, JamieLogical said:

I spent a long time on the phone last night with my parents trying to figure out their testing situation. They are going to go to CVS today and get their insurance info on file, so hopefully they can bypass uploading photos of their insurance cards when they make their testing appointments. My dad was told by someone (unfortunately he does not remember who) that CVS tests in their area are taking as much as five days! When I go to the CVS site to try to make an appointment at their local store, it still says "Results in 1-2 days", so hopefully the web site is right and whoever my dad talked to is wrong. I also searched around for other PCR testing in their area. I found and urgent care that does PCR testing specifically for the purposes of travel, but their turnaround time is 2-3 days. I found a private lab that does PCR tests with results within 24 hours, but they are $200/test. No way are my parents going to pony up $400.

 

This is definitely stressing me out big time! My husband and I are getting our own CVS tests on Wednesday for our trip to Toronto, so at least I should have an idea of what he and I can look forward to the week of our cruise. I am going to see if I can poke the people over on the Crystal forums for more info from the people who sailed yesterday.

Jamie-  Did you see that post from someone in Bermuda, I think on the Crystal site or the Bermuda port of call page.  He was saying that there was an at home test listed by the Bermuda government as usable for travel to Bermuda.  Apparently you can order it from Bermuda or from Costco.  The only problem is that he saw it in the Bermuda Gazette and I haven't heard of anyone who used it so don't know how it would work.  It might be harder for your parents to use than going to CVS, but might be worth looking into.  Good luck!  Post the info below.

• #444  

Posted Saturday at 01:57 PM

  On 8/28/2021 at 12:46 PM, gwesq said:

I've been looking for a place I can get results in 24 hours, and found one that comes to house & swabs.  THey say 24 hours for the TMA-PCR test, but 48 hours for the RT-PCR test.  I looked up the TMA test, and it says it is Thermal Amplification.  The Bermuda application says Thermal Amplification is NOT ACCEPTABLE.  So while it may say PCR, it can't be used.  Unless the testing company use the wrong term?    

 

This is getting frustrating.  

 

I did some further digging in our Bermuda Government Travel Authorization ... and came across THIS ...

 

COVID-19 Testing (azova.com)

 

I sure hope this will help you - and others ....

 

Please let me know.

 

This link came from this page: Travel Testing Frequently Asked Questions | Government of Bermuda (www.gov.bm)

[bluesea777]

Yes, it was me who posted the above - in 3 places: NCL, Viking and Crystal. Maybe Jamie missed it.

 

Post #41 in THIS thread ....

 

To clarify, it's the Bermuda Government website, not Bermuda Gazette (well, it's actually the Royal Gazette that is our local daily newspaper).

 

 

Edited August 30, 2021 by bluesea777

[goldmom]

11 minutes ago, bluesea777 said:

Yes, it was me who posted the above - in 3 places: NCL, Viking and Crystal. Maybe Jamie missed it.

 

Post #41 in THIS thread ....

 

To clarify, it's the Bermuda Government website, not Bermuda Gazette (well, it's actually the Royal Gazette that is our local daily newspaper).

 

 

Thanks for the correction!  I was typing off the top of my head.  Probably not the best idea.  LOL!

[JamieLogical]

23 minutes ago, goldmom said:

Jamie-  Did you see that post from someone in Bermuda, I think on the Crystal site or the Bermuda port of call page.  He was saying that there was an at home test listed by the Bermuda government as usable for travel to Bermuda.  Apparently you can order it from Bermuda or from Costco.  The only problem is that he saw it in the Bermuda Gazette and I haven't heard of anyone who used it so don't know how it would work.  It might be harder for your parents to use than going to CVS, but might be worth looking into.  Good luck!  Post the info below.

 

• #444  

Posted Saturday at 01:57 PM

  On 8/28/2021 at 12:46 PM, gwesq said:

I've been looking for a place I can get results in 24 hours, and found one that comes to house & swabs.  THey say 24 hours for the TMA-PCR test, but 48 hours for the RT-PCR test.  I looked up the TMA test, and it says it is Thermal Amplification.  The Bermuda application says Thermal Amplification is NOT ACCEPTABLE.  So while it may say PCR, it can't be used.  Unless the testing company use the wrong term?    

 

This is getting frustrating.  

 

I did some further digging in our Bermuda Government Travel Authorization ... and came across THIS ...

 

COVID-19 Testing (azova.com)

 

I sure hope this will help you - and others ....

 

Please let me know.

 

This link came from this page: Travel Testing Frequently Asked Questions | Government of Bermuda (www.gov.bm)

 

I think both the technology involved and the cost would be big deterrents for my parents.

[bluesea777]

2 minutes ago, goldmom said:

Thanks for the correction!  I was typing off the top of my head.  Probably not the best idea.  LOL!

 

No worries. 

 

One more thing, I'm a 👩‍🦳.

 

[goldmom]

2 minutes ago, bluesea777 said:

 

No worries. 

 

One more thing, I'm a 👩‍🦳.

 

Thanks!  It's sometimes hard to tell.  Thanks again for the "on the ground" info.  Can't wait to visit your beautiful island!