HERE IT IS. TESTING 2 days before

[Bwana Tom]

1 minute ago, waltd said:

I find it a bit funny that the Quest labs are so limited on the map.   There is a Quest lab within a few steps of the Princess Headquarters  in Valencia.   Talk about making things difficult.   I'm glad my cruise was canceled and the next one isn't till next March.   Maybe they will have things sorted out by then.  Maybe......

Wishful thinker, huh? I certainly hope you are right for all of our sakes.

Hope you have a good cruise. 

[cruzin4us]

Save yourself a lot of grief and just do the home test.  Watch the video posted earlier in this thread, it explains it well and will help curb any fears on how to do it.   Trying to schedule an appt at any location you are potentially setting yourself up for disappointment.   They could run out of tests, cancel your appt or any other numerous things could happen.   Unfortunately, we just have to add this to our cruise budget and just suck it up buttercup.   The tests are good for up to a year.    I for one am not driving an hour each way to get a test.    I was going to do a test locally, but the change from 3 days to 2 makes it not worth trying to schedule and all the anxiety that goes along with it.   Home test it is.

 

[hughesthedaddy]

11 hours ago, Alcairns said:

This is only for US sailings - the current arrangement of testing at the terminal prior to embarkation has not changed.

Yes I am aware of that. I know the current protocol. Things are due to be changed, so I have been told by Princess. I am awaiting the new changes.

[Alcairns]

1 hour ago, hughesthedaddy said:

Yes I am aware of that. I know the current protocol. Things are due to be changed, so I have been told by Princess. I am awaiting the new changes.

Did Princess give you any idea as to why things were due to change. The protocol was last updated on 30th August and I wonder why the need the change things already? As far as I can see the protocol has been very successful on the U.K. cruises to date.

[Jadn13]

Here’s another article about home testing

 

**note the time table has changed to 2 days since this article was published.

 

It specifically mentions cruise travel for the USA

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2021/09/02/self-test-at-home-covid-test-travel/5639077001/

 

 

 

[Steelers36]

14 hours ago, rj59 said:

If you want to get tested at the terminal, if Princess gets it set up, you'll be paying more money and sitting in a room with other people waiting an hour or more while people who showed up with test results are on board. 

No thanks.

[Steelers36]

13 hours ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

I did mock bookings this morning after clicking the link Princess sent me in my email for my upcoming sail. For a point if reference I live in Modesto Ca.

1. The map on the link showed sites that actually do not test so just looking at the map was misleading (in particular it shows Mountain View Ca and this did not come up as possible test site in the booking process) 

 

2. I picked 5 other sites Suisen, Sacramento, Fresno, Bakersfield and Corona.  The closest to me is Sacramento at well over an hour away.  Corona is the closest site to San Pedro pier which is 50 miles and in LA traffic lord knows how long it takes. The others I thought I might stop at on the drive down to port and get a rapid antigen test.  
 

3. None of the sites offered the rapid antigen test.  I’m driving down to LA for the cruise Tuesday so that means I’d have to spend pretty much all day Monday getting to Sacramento for the test. Not going to happen. 
 

4. Thus is Sept 3rd.  All sites let me book as far out as Oct 8th so that part is good. 
 

I emailed my PVP to let him know that Quest is not the answer for this issue. I can pay $129 for a rapid (1 hour) antigen test at Covid Clinic a couple of miles from my house. There’s also one within 5 or so miles of San Pedro port. You can make reservations now for any day, any time. 
 

I asked him to get me OBC to cover the cost. He said he try. 

This appears to be another ill-conceived rush by Princess to put a band-aid on a problem without thoroughly understanding the actual real testing process and availability of Quest.  My initial impression when announced is that it was not a great idea.  I am more convinced of that since.

[Buckeye10640]

IMHO...If the CDC requires a 2 day testing window, I think the Cruise Lines are doing the right thing to make rapid testing available at the port. Passengers are smart to do everything within their power to test before flying/arriving at the port. But....if all else fails/testing appt gets cancelled/results are delayed...this is a reliable backup. The cruise lines cannot reasonably make free  testing available to everyone, in the US and globally. But they can provide this backup for those who need it....

Edited September 4, 2021 by Buckeye10640

[SargassoPirate]

1 minute ago, Buckeye10640 said:

IMHO...If the CDC requires a 2 day testing window, I think the Cruise Lines are doing the right thing to make rapid testing available at the port. Passengers are smart to do everything within their power to test before flying/arriving at the port. But....if all else fails/testing appt gets cancelled/results are delayed...this is a reliable backup. The cruise lines cannot reasonably make free  testing available to everyone, in the US and globally. But they can provide this backup for those who need it....

 

I agree, Buckeye, and who's to say when the next CDC reversal or recommendation change will occur?  I wonder what happened to temperature checks?

[manunia]

this is a posting on Royal Caribbean website:

 The Abbott BinaxNow COVID-19 Ag Card Test, which is taken at home and supervised by a telemedicine professional, is accepted. It must be taken under live video supervision.

 

Additionally, the BinaxNOW™ Home Test is available in select neighborhood pharmacies, like Walgreens, and pharmacies participating in our retailer program through Cardinal Health.

To learn more, visit our Order section.

 

Pick up an at-home COVID test at Walgreens

Get one test for $34.99 or two tests for $69.99

(Pick-up available at pharmacy counter only.)

 

 

Find a participating Walgreens

Find a participating Walgreens near you by using our store locator tool below.
Participating stores now in California, New Jersey, and New York.

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, manunia said:

Get one test for $34.99 or two tests for $69.99

LOL.  The two test package costs a penny more than buying two single tests.

 

[JF - retired RRT]

On 9/3/2021 at 6:59 AM, Westsail32 said:

I'm still planning on driving 80 miles to the closest CVS with the rapid test available once I get close enough to schedule it. 

What city?

[Cruise Raider]

22 hours ago, memoak said:

Yes but if you are flying in the day before the cruise you may not have results before you fly.  I am hoping that they have testing at the pier as we are leaving 2 days before out next cruise and our health provider has told us results will take 2-3 days

 

Are the rapid tests not available for you where you live?  Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid all have rapid testing options, as does my local airport.  Results are within a few hours.  

[LACruiser88]

3 hours ago, manunia said:

 The Abbott BinaxNow COVID-19 Ag Card Test, which is taken at home and supervised by a telemedicine professional, is accepted. It must be taken under live video supervision.

Don't you still need to make an appointment for the live video supervision?  Has anyone encountered any issues with doing the live video or scheduling it? 

[Jadn13]

12 minutes ago, LACruiser88 said:

Don't you still need to make an appointment for the live video supervision?  Has anyone encountered any issues with doing the live video or scheduling it? 

Wait times vary, i shared an article earlier in this thread that showed an increase but it wasn’t experienced by everyone.

[Jadn13]

30 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

 

Are the rapid tests not available for you where you live?  Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid all have rapid testing options, as does my local airport.  Results are within a few hours.  

They all offer testing for PCR in my area but rapid tests are few and far and it seems that is the case in a lot of  areas. 

Edited September 4, 2021 by Jadn13

[memoak]

42 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

 

Are the rapid tests not available for you where you live?  Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid all have rapid testing options, as does my local airport.  Results are within a few hours.  

I am taking Amtrak down to SF to see friends prior to sailing. I will be on train 2 days before the cruise 

[cr8tiv1]

2 minutes ago, memoak said:

I am taking Amtrak down to SF to see friends prior to sailing. I will be on train 2 days before the cruise 

 

Make an appointment with a CVS in San Francisco for a rapid test.  Start looking 2 weeks before your cruise.  

[memoak]

7 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

Make an appointment with a CVS in San Francisco for a rapid test.  Start looking 2 weeks before your cruise.  

My cruise is not until January so I am hoping the testing mandate is history by then. Otherwise I will look into tests in Oakland. I was born and raised there. Plus trains do not go to SF

[manunia]

1 hour ago, Cruise Raider said:

 

Are the rapid tests not available for you where you live?  Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid all have rapid testing options, as does my local airport.  Results are within a few hours.  

i live in LA: closest Rapid Antigen Tests thru Walgreens are in WA and NV, Rapid Antigen Tests thru CVS are done only in Minute Clinics with only out of packet pay starting from $129 (both chains have regular PCR tests available with 48-72 h turnaround timeframe to get results).

closest Palmdale location offered from Princess is 60 ml away one way, Corona location is 67 ml away - it will be about 2-2.5 h one way with traffic - it is much easier for me to drive to LAX 

[LoriPhil]

Have had multiple tests at Walgreens, which has “living in an area with high community transmission” as justification for the test, and have never been denied insurance coverage.  But the Abbot at-home test sounds like a good way to go as a contingency, as we typically fly in two days prior to the cruise.  I’m guessing we’ll also need test results to fly back to the US from Vancouver after our B2B, so Abbot may be the way to go for that as well.  I can see it now - in Ketchikan sitting on our balcony with the laptop, cocktail in one hand and the other holding a swab stuffed up my nose.  Ah, travel-tales to tell the grandkids..

[pris993]

On 9/3/2021 at 4:36 AM, lx200gps said:

That's our thinking as well, our late November trip almost certainly won't happen if all this is still in place, particularly since we Canadians also have to test flying to and from the US. Q: Where in Canada can you get tested for $40-60 and are those tests acceptable to both Princess and Air Canada? Thx

I have a cruise leaving on a Monday, concerned about getting results on time if going to free pharmacies - Quest in my area is not open on weekends as far as I know,  do have an urgent care that specializing in travel clearances 7 days a week for a fee.  Prefer to pay vs not in this circumstance.  

[ebeluga]

57 minutes ago, manunia said:

i live in LA: closest Rapid Antigen Tests thru Walgreens are in WA and NV, Rapid Antigen Tests thru CVS are done only in Minute Clinics with only out of packet pay starting from $129 (both chains have regular PCR tests available with 48-72 h turnaround timeframe to get results).

closest Palmdale location offered from Princess is 60 ml away one way, Corona location is 67 ml away - it will be about 2-2.5 h one way with traffic - it is much easier for me to drive to LAX 

Also in LA and planning to take test for pre- boarding.  On the CVS site, it says no cost - if insurance denied coverage of test, the government would cover the cost.  Not true in reality?? Or is it true for PCR test but not for Rapid test?

[CruiseMrB]

Has this change from 3 days to 2 days affected your view on cruising right now?

 

When we received the previous notice of 3 calendar days testing, we thought that was fine. It was clear and doable. But changing to 2 days, in concurrence with international air travel closures and severe restrictions, and CDC changing most of the Caribbean to Level 4 status, we are now reconsidering our cruise. 

 

Fortunately, we do not have any flight involvement.

 

If one follows the normal advice of travelling in by air the previous day, that limits when you can get an off-dock test to something like 24 hours. You might end of getting one test within the airline's test window to make absolutely sure you can get on the plane and then take another one the day of the flight for the cruise itself. That's sounding pretty ugly.

 

Our final payment date is 25 September 2021. If there is not a great improvement in the situation by then, we will be pulling the plug.

 

 

Edited September 4, 2021 by CruiseMrB

[Jadn13]

1 hour ago, manunia said:

i live in LA: closest Rapid Antigen Tests thru Walgreens are in WA and NV, Rapid Antigen Tests thru CVS are done only in Minute Clinics with only out of packet pay starting from $129 (both chains have regular PCR tests available with 48-72 h turnaround timeframe to get results).

closest Palmdale location offered from Princess is 60 ml away one way, Corona location is 67 ml away - it will be about 2-2.5 h one way with traffic - it is much easier for me to drive to LAX 

If you are traveling soon look into the home test, considerably cheaper option.