Southampton round trip - Testing for return

[watsonbeau]

Hopefully doing Southampton round trip January so last port before Uk return to Southampton is Tenerife.

 

As I understand presently the new rules (from I think today) are that you will only have to do a purchased lateral flow within 2 days of return and complete a PLF.

 

Does that sound correct ? In which case is the PLF done onboard during the last few days at sea or can it be done before you actually embark at start of cruise (notwithstanding rules might change again) as don’t you have to put the test kit code on it?

 

I would likely buy the lateral flows end November to avoid any chance of not arriving for our return as wouldn’t be sure if I ordered later on to arrive in post whilst away if they would fit through letterbox as have heard elsewhere! Though understand the code arrives by email at time of purchase. 

 

Any thoughts if my thoughts currently seem about right as to procedure? Thank you 

[Joy R]

I think it’s too early to know what to do.  We’re cruising on 18th October, and we’re waiting for Government guidelines to be issued, hopefully tomorrow. I’m reluctant to order and pay for a PCR test when it may well be unnecessary.  Cunard keep sending emails and hopefully they will update their advice as the rules become clearer.

 

 

 

 

[majortom10]

From 4am on Monday 4 October 2021, there will be a new, simple system for international travel. The current traffic light system which lists countries as green, amber and red will be replaced. The previous green and amber lists will become the ‘rest of the world’ or ‘non-red list’ countries and a single ‘red list’ of countries and territories will remain. 

There will also be changes to the testing requirements when returning from a non-red list country, if you are fully vaccinated:

From 4am on Monday 4 October, you will no longer need to take a pre-departure test in the three days before you return to the UK.
From the end of October, you will no longer need to take a PCR test on day two of your arrival in England or Scotland – instead you will need to take a lateral flow test (which is cheaper). If the lateral flow test is positive, you will need to isolate and take a confirmatory PCR test at no additional cost. The aim is for this to be in place when people return from their holidays this October half-term. Wales and Northern Ireland have not yet announced if PCR tests will be replaced with lateral flow tests. 
In the UK, ‘fully vaccinated’ means it has been at least 14 days since you received the full course of an approved vaccine such as Pfizer, AstraZeneca or Janssen. You can show proof of vaccination in England and Wales using the NHS COVID Pass (which you can get via the free NHS App in England), by getting a record of your COVID-19 vaccination status in Scotland, or through the NI COVID certification service in Northern Ireland. Make sure you check what proof of vaccination your destination accepts, or if you’ll need to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test, by checking the entry requirements for the country you’re visiting at www.gov.uk/foreigntraveladvice. Visit the Government’s website for more information on demonstrating your COVID-19 vaccination status when travelling abroad.

If you’re unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated, there are currently no changes to the testing or quarantine requirements. This means, if you’re arriving into the UK from a non-red list country, you will still need to take a pre-departure test, a PCR test on day two and day eight, and quarantine at home for 10 days. If you’re arriving in England, you do still have the option to use the Test to Release scheme on day five. 

Arrivals into the UK from red list countries remain the same. You will still have to take a pre-departure test and pre-book a mandatory 11-night quarantine hotel package, which will include two PCR tests, taken on day two and day eight, regardless of your vaccination status.

All travellers, regardless of their vaccination status and the country they are travelling from, will still need to complete a passenger locator form any time in the 48 hours before they arrive in the UK.

[seasickphil]

We are ourselves on Queen Elizabeth 1st /13th Dec 2021, if Cunard are selling Antigen/PCR Tests onboard for $25/$35  why can't you purchase these onboard , after all you do not have to complete the Passenger Locator Form until up to 48 hours before your arrival back in UK, as you are on the ship this would be not be a problem.Then you just have to take the test within 2 days of arriving back in the UK. 

[majortom10]

53 minutes ago, seasickphil said:

We are ourselves on Queen Elizabeth 1st /13th Dec 2021, if Cunard are selling Antigen/PCR Tests onboard for $25/$35  why can't you purchase these onboard , after all you do not have to complete the Passenger Locator Form until up to 48 hours before your arrival back in UK, as you are on the ship this would be not be a problem.Then you just have to take the test within 2 days of arriving back in the UK. 

Not sure whether the purchase of Antigen LFT test at $25 onboard will be applicable and be able to take away to self test on Day 2 of your arrival in the UK or if these are just available to purchase for entry into foreign ports if applicable. Our cruise departs on 1st November and returns on 15th November and we will have to do a Antigen LFT test by the 17th.

[seasickphil]

Major 

Why do you think they would not be ok?, airlines and tui sell to their customers tests to get in and out of the UK. You will be on the ship so you will be able to fill in the Locator form on board before you arrive back in the UK, then take the test when back home. I know taking the free NHS test is not accepted for travel but i can't see Cunard selling those on the ship can you. So i don't see the ones Cunard will sell you could not be accepted, and why could they not provide them to their customers at a cost anyway.

[watsonbeau]

I don’t see an issue in buying two antigen tests before I sail to get the codes.  However if the PLF has to be done in the 48 hrs or so window before arrival then are Cunard going to provide internet access FOC to do that and will the ships satellite connection cope with everyone logged on at same time - it’s well known it’s flaky and very slow ! Or do we all wait till there is a 4G mobile signal as the ship nears the Uk coast or is even actually alongside in Southampton? Think one of the Fred ships on their forum had that problem and had to go near enough the coast/port for passengers to get mobile coverage.

 

 Also can you part complete the PLF in advance of departure from UK and save it and then fill in the rest and submit it within the 48 hr window ? That wouldn’t be so bad maybe.
 

Nothing I can see on Cunard site only what’s on Gov.uk - the proviso being that this is on assumption that entry rules into UK will be as they are now so with some sort of day 2 test and 48 hr PLF window.

Edited October 3, 2021 by watsonbeau
Add text re Fred

[jimbo1683]

You need to know the confirmed plans for what the process will be when the PCR requirement goes away later in October first surely? It doesnt sound set in stone to me - there's no precise date yet and so you can't know exactly what you'll be requires to do.

[seasickphil]

Cunard's site say you can fill in the PLF prior to boarding then complete it later while onboard using your smartphone, for people who do not have access to one, there will be computers onboard available to use to complete the form, so i don't see what the problem would be.

[watsonbeau]

The Cunard satellite internet as I recollect is very slow at best of times and given that the number of people using it would be likely more than normal it maybe wouldn’t cope very well. Plus it cannot be assumed everyone is tech savvy or has a device - so guess they will have to provide some alternative somehow.

[seasickphil]

We were on the ill fated Queen Mary 2020 world cruise ( only 2 segments ) we and a great many others had to change our flights back to the UK not once but twice from  Hong Kong to Singapore to the UK then Singapore to Perth to the UK, Cunard's satellite internet coped perfectly well then, not to mention all of us who also had to apply for visas to gain entry in to Australia as well, all on their satellite internet.Surely not everyone would be trying at the same time to fill in the required form, as once you have purchased whatever test is needed, you would have plenty of time then to fill in the code before disembarking.

 

[seapals2]

For cruises the PLF can be submitted 21 days before arriving back to UK.  So no problem with a two week cruise.  We leave on the 18th Oct.  So once we know what type of test kit to purchase we will be able to finish and submit the form.  It will be chaos onboard if passengers leave it to the last 48 hours.  Or worse leave it until they arrive back into Southampton and delay departures.