What if Celebrity’s kits don’t show up?

[cruisestitch]

I just got an email from Optom that my kit was shipped on the 10th and should arrive on the ninth. How can that happen. There is a button for “track your package.”   When I push it, it goes to FedEx which says that the tracking number does not exist.

 

Now what?

[citruscruiser]

I’m still waiting for the shipped email🥴

[bikerunner]

Probably call optum.  That’s who you bought it from but most likely not shipped yet or they sent invalid link.  I have gotten that a few times from different sites 

[citruscruiser]

It appears they just sent out a batch of emails at 11 PM. Advises due to a delay it will be delivered on Monday. If it’s not in time for the cruise they’ll offer a refund. 

[Alakegirl]

A full refund of the missed cruise, I presume?

[jelayne]

If my cruise was in the next week I would be looking for a local testing facility that does rapid tests.  Even if there was a huge supply and they were shipped promptly, where we live at least 3-4 times a week someone is posting on our local Nextdoor  

looking for a package that was delivered , likely to the wrong house  and they hadn’t received it.

[goofysmom99]

Plan B.  Find a local testing facility.  I bought the kits from eMed and am sharing with another cruiser.  I'm good for next 2 cruises with a spare.  

[Alakegirl]

Not so easy if you don’t live in a large metro area 

[cruisestitch]

Since I was counting on getting the Celebrity test, I am now scrambling to try to get an appointment for an in person test.  Appointments are are fully booked at every place that I have checked so far. Also,I keep seeing that Results are taking 24 to 72 hours.  
 

Celebrity’s vendor has really put us in a bind.

[twins_to_alaska]

Optum's tracking is a little funky. I got my kit from them on the 3rd and on the 10th I got an 'it's on the way' email but when I hit the tracking info in yesterday's email it showed it had been delivered on the 3rd.

 

Also keep an eye out for extra Optum charges. They're trying to figure out where a separate $21.93 charge they have no record of but made it to my credit card came from.

[Ipeeinthepools]

17 minutes ago, twins_to_alaska said:

Optum's tracking is a little funky. I got my kit from them on the 3rd and on the 10th I got an 'it's on the way' email but when I hit the tracking info in yesterday's email it showed it had been delivered on the 3rd.

 

Also keep an eye out for extra Optum charges. They're trying to figure out where a separate $21.93 charge they have no record of but made it to my credit card came from.

 

Is it a real charge or only a pending authorization?

[citruscruiser]

I believe many of us were relying on what Celebrity (and Royal) relayed on numerous emails:

"These test kits will be delivered anywhere in the United States and Puerto Rico, within two business days and you will receive validated results in 15 minutes."  This should of been predicted by the both the source of the test and the cruise lines.

 

For cruises next week, as cruisestitch mentioned, pharmacy sites book up quickly and anyone planning on heading to the area of the cruise port were planning on taking their test with them to complete them in the  2 day period. I was heading out Monday, and am now delayed and fingers crossed I can get an opening at one of the pharmacies for next Thursday departure.

 

[Big_G]

On a side note, DW and I did a test run on our local state run testing site (Rhode Island) to see how quick we'd get our results. In the past they automatically did both PCR and rapid antigen. Apparently they're cutting back because they only offer rapid antigen if you're experiencing symptoms. The PCR takes '24 to 48' to receive results but we know that's not necessarily true. We ordered the test kit as a backup plan.

[goofysmom99]

Also check your local doc-in-a-box walk-in emergency clinics.  There are a couple in my little town and where you can go in, sign up, and wait in your car.   They didn't show up online but I called one and walked into another to ask. 

 

 

Edited September 11, 2021 by goofysmom99

[twins_to_alaska]

26 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

Is it a real charge or only a pending authorization?

Unfortunately a real charge and I didn't see it until my health care FSA paid it. I've got a contact at Optum that is working the issue trying to figure out why they don't see the charge on their end.

[qoap24]

Our cruise is on Friday and we didn't even get the email regarding the test until yesterday. Luckily someone here posted a link so we were able to order Wednesday. We too got an email saying Monday and hopefully that is the case, but luckily we booked appointments just in case.

[LGW59]

16 minutes ago, qoap24 said:

Our cruise is on Friday and we didn't even get the email regarding the test until yesterday. Luckily someone here posted a link so we were able to order Wednesday. We too got an email saying Monday and hopefully that is the case, but luckily we booked appointments just in case.

Having a plan B is better than being kit out of luck.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

We plan on booking at a local site and also ordering the test kits. For anyone who received them how long are they good for?

[qoap24]

Also, if you have to fly to get to your cruise or maybe even if you don't have to fly, check with the airport I know many of them are doing rapid test. Their test are more on the expensive side, but it might be another option. 

[jelayne]

8 hours ago, Alakegirl said:

Not so easy if you don’t live in a large metro area 

We don’t live in a metro  either but we can get to a CVS , Walgreens and some labs that  do rapid tests within a 90 min drive.  If that’s what it takes we can do that or test at the airport the evening before our flight.

[LGW59]

4 minutes ago, jelayne said:

We don’t live in a metro  either but we can get to a CVS , Walgreens and some labs that  do rapid tests within a 90 min drive.  If that’s what it takes we can do that or test at the airport the evening before our flight.

Good on you…it’s called having a plan.

[sanger727]

When is your cruise? It’s normal for fedex to not show your package within 24-48 hours of it shipping. I wouldn’t worry about that yet. 
 

we used to have optumrx for our prescriptions. I typically had a prescription less than a week from my doctor sending it. And about 48 hours of that was waiting for them to ship it. If it shipped the 10th, you should have it beginning/middle of next week.

Edited September 11, 2021 by sanger727

[Missymo]

Fortunately, I ordered the Celebrity test from Opiumrx as a backup in case the place I plan to get my covid test in Miami  has an issue.   If not needed, it will be used for when I get back home for  self testing. I actually did get  a notification today that fed ex has pickedt up the package  so should arrive on Monday. 

Edited September 11, 2021 by Missymo

[TourDeCruise]

20 hours ago, cruisestitch said:

I just got an email from Optom that my kit was shipped on the 10th and should arrive on the ninth. How can that happen. There is a button for “track your package.”   When I push it, it goes to FedEx which says that the tracking number does not exist.

 

Now what?

 

We are experiencing exactly the same. No package today; hopefully by Monday but cannot track it.

[m8zenblue]

I ordered from eMed on Wednesday before X started advertising Optum and I received my 6 tests the next day on Thursday.

It will only get worse as more people turn to the online testing, I foresee shortages in test kits form both companies.