72 Hour covid Test

[DAVLIB007]

Does anyone know if the 72 testing before cruise is like other cruise lines that if your cruise is Saturday then you can test Wed  , Thurs or Friday

Meaning the time dosent  matter just three  days before

Edited October 10, 2021 by DAVLIB007

[OBSESSIVEWORLDTRAVELER]

Yes. Wednesday at the earliest.

Edited October 10, 2021 by OBSESSIVEWORLDTRAVELER

[washcruise13]

Just make sure you give enough time to get your test results!  most claim between 24-72 hrs for results.  If you decide to take your test Thursday or Friday, you may not get your test results in time for your cruise.

[SpainAlien]

Is this specific for sailings to Bermuda or general sailings from the US?  Don't NCL test you at the pier and if yes doesn't that count?

[shof515]

4 hours ago, SpainAlien said:

Is this specific for sailings to Bermuda or general sailings from the US?  Don't NCL test you at the pier and if yes doesn't that count?

For Bermuda cruises, you will need a 96 hour covid test that you get on your own plus the NCL required test at the pier and another test at the pier. For Bermuda sailings you will need at least 3 covid tests

 

for a regular Bahamas/Caribbean cruise, you only need the test at the pier

[Reese15233]

They test at pier but they want to know you made the best effort to know you were negative before leaving for the cruise. So no their test does not satisfy for that purpose.

[ProblemCruiser]

15 hours ago, DAVLIB007 said:

Does anyone know if the 72 testing before cruise is like other cruise lines that if your cruise is Saturday then you can test Wed  , Thurs or Friday

Meaning the time dosent  matter just three  days before

The language is "72 hours before your sail DATE."

I keep overanalyzing it wondering if they meant something else but if they said date, to me that says 12:00 AM Wednesday if you're sailing Saturday.  At least I hope that's the case.

I can't see how they'd enforce embarkation/boarding time.  Like if they have long lines you lose the quarantine protection they're offering?  That'd be bananas.

[goodmanl1975]

It is 72 hours before the date your ship leaves.  So for instance if your cruise starts on October 14, you can test any time during the 3 days prior.  The time does not matter according to the wording on the sail safe page.   The date is what matters.

Edited October 11, 2021 by goodmanl1975

[roger001]

And again, does an antigen test meet this 72 hour requirement, or must it be a PCR test?   I forgot.  Oh...and don't want to search around.  Thanks.  

[GonzoWCS]

Thanks for this thread and information

[goodmanl1975]

16 minutes ago, roger001 said:

And again, does an antigen test meet this 72 hour requirement, or must it be a PCR test?   I forgot.  Oh...and don't want to search around.  Thanks.  

Either one.  

[roger001]

I can no longer find the NCL statement about they will pick up the quarantine costs if you test positive at the pier but have a negative test yo can show that was within 72 hours of sailing.  Where is that located now?

[wacruiselover]

The letter I received from NCL prior to our 9/4 (Saturday) sailing on the Encore to Alaska stated PCR no more than 72 hours before the sail date. We got our PCR test on 9/1 (Wednesday). They gave us an antigen test at the dock. Both were negative. If we had skipped the PCR test and shown a positive test at the dock I believe we might have been on our own since we didn't follow their protocols. We had a wonderful cruise and felt totally free.

 

Then back home on 9/12 we were exposed (we think), showed minor symptoms on 9/18 and tested positive on 9/27. Our neighbor is a critical care nurse and told me that instead of just a pesky cough and some fatigue for 2 days, I'd have been in the hospital with my underlying conditions if I had not been vaccinated. Glad to have had the jab but breakthroughs do happen so I applaud NCL's requirements.

[wacruiselover]

It's under Ship Safety with the following heading. Click or tap the link and it will take you to the NCL website.

 

If one person in our party tests positive, will we all be denied boarding? Will the Company assist with travel arrangements?

Guests who test positive for COVID-19 and those travelling in the same stateroom, will be denied boarding.

If you are denied boarding due to a positive COVID-19 test at embarkation, the cruise line will coordinate and cover costs for travel arrangements for you, and those traveling in the same stateroom, if they are also denied boarding. Norwegian Cruise Line will assist with applicable expenses related to any mandatory quarantine that are not covered by a guests travel insurance only if the guest provides proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR or antigen test taken within 72-hours prior to their sail date. Proof of negative COVID-19 PCR or antigen test taken within 72-hours of sail date must show guest name, date of birth and date the test was taken in order to be eligible.

The cruise line will not be able to assist with travel arrangements if a guest is denied boarding as a result of a violating the cruise line’s health and safety protocols.

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, roger001 said:

I can no longer find the NCL statement about they will pick up the quarantine costs if you test positive at the pier but have a negative test yo can show that was within 72 hours of sailing.  Where is that located now?

ncl.com/safe

 

Will I be issued a refund if I am denied entry to the country where the voyage originates (port of embarkation)?

 

Norwegian Cruise Line will assist with applicable expenses related to any mandatory quarantine that are not covered by a guests travel insurance only if the guest provides proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR or antigen test taken within 72-hours prior to their sail date. Proof of negative COVID-19 PCR or antigen test taken within 72-hours of sail date must show guest name, date of birth and date the test was taken in order to be eligible.

[BirdTravels]

9 hours ago, shof515 said:

for a regular Bahamas/Caribbean cruise, you only need the test at the pier

Sort of.

 

If you want assistance ($$$) from NCL should you test positive at check-in, you have to test at home, at your expense, 72 hours prior to departure and bring those test results to check-in. Most people will test at home to guarantee quarantine support should they fail their pre-embarkation test done by NCL. There are fully vaccinated passengers who show up and test positive on almost every cruise. 

[cooncat_mom]

Does anyone know what tests NCL accepts for the test on our own? I'm assuming CVS and Walgreens testing are accepted, but what about the guided BinaxNow test from eMed that Royal accepts?

[jstraw89]

I would believe that the medically supervised BinaxNow test would be accepted since it is an antigen test which NCL is requiring. We may end up doing that since it appears that the CVS and Walgreens near us do not seem to have many available tests these days and worried about timing and getting results before we leave the airport. 

 

Are most people going to Walgreen's and CVS for their testing? Anyone know if the Walgreen's Rapid ID NOW tests would be able to be used for the 72 hour COVID test? It looks like a PCR test. 

[NW Pacific]

Still looking and looking for answer:  If you test positive at Pier, where does it say or not, that your cruise fare will be refunded.  Not asking about quarantine assistance.    

[lixogab]

I tried to find an answer, but the NCL website is not very clear on that.

They say: “Guests denied embarkation or reboarding, or who are disembarked or quarantined during the voyage, for failure to comply with the Norwegian COVID-19 Policies and Procedures shall not be entitled to a refund ”

But the policies and procedures link redirects you to the “Peace of mind” page.

 

 

[Back to school]

Not cleared, guaranteed nothing!

[cooncat_mom]

We did the guided BinaxNow for our Sept. Royal Cruise. It's expensive, but easy. We got through to a tech quickly and were done in about 1/2 hour with results sent immediately. We'll do that for our NCL cruise too.

Edited October 13, 2021 by cooncat_mom
... spelling (stupid iPhone app)...

[phillygwm]

On 10/10/2021 at 4:31 PM, DAVLIB007 said:

Does anyone know if the 72 testing before cruise is like other cruise lines that if your cruise is Saturday then you can test Wed  , Thurs or Friday

Meaning the time dosent  matter just three  days before

Yes.  And for a PCR the timing can get tight, especially if you need to fly into a port the day before.

 

My current plan (Sunday sailing, flying in Saturday) is to get a PCR on Thursday, since NCL expressed a preference for PCR.  There's a saliva test that United used for Hawaii travelers, and I'd probably use that.  But if I don't have results in time -- and I likely wouldn't -- I'll just get an antigen test at the airport.  I don't want to get on a plane only to test positive/need to quarantine in a strange city.  If nothing else, after my negative antigen test, perhaps the PCR results would come through before I show up at the pier.

 

I've had a lot of PCR tests prior to being vaxxed and the timing was all over the place, from 36 hours to 3 weeks.  

[BirdTravels]

10 hours ago, NW Pacific said:

Still looking and looking for answer:  If you test positive at Pier, where does it say or not, that your cruise fare will be refunded.  Not asking about quarantine assistance.    

 

https://www.ncl.com/refund-and-cancellation-policy-covid-19

 

Denial of Embarkation or Reboarding; Quarantine and/or Disembarkation

• If you, your family members, travelling companions or other close contacts are denied embarkation or reboarding, or are quarantined or disembarked during the voyage, due to a positive COVID-19 test or being suspected of having COVID-19, you and they are entitled to a prorated refund, or an optional Future Cruise Credit (“FCC”), for the amount paid to Norwegian in the event of denial at embarkation, or the unused portion of your fare in all other cases
• Guests denied embarkation or reboarding, or who are disembarked or quarantined during the voyage, for failure to comply with the Norwegian COVID-19 Policies and Procedures shall not be entitled to a refund or compensation of any kind. Please refer to the Cruise Ticket Contract issued for your cruise for complete details.

[lixogab]

12 hours ago, NW Pacific said:

Still looking and looking for answer:  If you test positive at Pier, where does it say or not, that your cruise fare will be refunded.  Not asking about quarantine assistance.    

I think I found it. Well, sort of.

 

When you check it, the last item is the "Guest ticket contract" where you can read the contract and have to accept it.  At the bottom of the contract you can find the revision. Currently is "REV 04/2021". Once you  consent, you can't access the contract anymore.

However, it is available on the web site. Go to ncl.com , search for  "Guest Ticket Contract", you will find the link at the bottom.

http://www.ncl.com/ticketcontract

If you click there, you'll be directed to the latest version of the contract which currently happens to be the same "REV 04/2021". I'm attaching it in case NCL replaces it with something newer.

Now that contract states exactly what is mean by " Norwegian COVID-19 Policies and Procedures " on the item 4(B) and (C):

"

(b) Agreement to Abide by Current COVID-19 Policies and Procedures: Carrier’s COVID-19 Policies and Procedures are subject to guidance and directives of established health authorities in the U.S. and other destinations where the Vessel visits, including the CDC and other international, national and local health agencies when the Vessel is within those agencies’ jurisdiction. Guest acknowledges that these directives may change from time to time and that Carrier’s COVID-19 Policies and Procedures may therefore change. Guest expressly agrees to comply not only with the COVID-19 Policies and Procedures as they are described herein, https://www.ncl.com/safe, at all times including pre-embarkation, while onboard, during port calls and shore excursions and/or final disembarkation. In case of any conflict between the COVID-19 Policies and Procedures described herein or on Carrier’s website, the website governs. Guest’s agreement to abide by Carrier’s COVID-19 Policies and Procedures constitutes an integral part of this Ticket Contract. Guest agrees that the COVID-19 Policies and Procedures herein will also apply to COVID-19 variants and potentially newer diseases or illnesses not yet known.

 

(c) COVID-19 Policies and Procedures: Guest understands that Carrier’s COVID-19 Policies and Procedures may or will include (but are not be limited to): (1) providing an accurate, truthful and complete health questionnaire for each Guest in a form and containing any and all health or travel-related questions as required by Carrier in its sole discretion based on advice received from relevant government or health authorities or medical experts prior to boarding; (2) pre-embarkation and/or periodic testing and temperature checks of each Guest followed by a period of isolation until test results are available; (3) modified capacity rules for activities (including but not limited to restaurants, gyms, and entertainment events onboard and for shore excursions) which may limit or eliminate the ability of Guest to participate in particular activities; (4) mandatory use by each Guest (except for children under the age of 2 years) of face coverings in most locations outside of the Guest’s cabin while onboard, during embarkation, disembarkation and shore excursions; (5) mandatory social distancing and/or cohorting of Guests at any/all times while on board and during embarkation, disembarkation, and shore excursions; (6) additional restrictions during shore excursions depending on local conditions, including but not limited to denial of disembarkation at destinations unless participating in only Carrier-approved shore excursions; (7) mandatory hand-sanitizing by Guest upon entry or exit of any public areas; (8) confinement of Guests to cabins, quarantine or emergency disembarkation of Guest if, in Carrier’s sole discretion, such steps are necessary to prevent or slow the spread of COVID-19; (9) the required completion by Guest in a timely manner of any written authorizations or consent forms required for Carrier to carry out its COVID-19 Policies and Procedures (including but not limited to medical information, medical privacy, or personal data privacy consent forms), and; (10) other policies and procedures deemed by Carrier in its sole discretion to be necessary to reduce the risk of spread of COVID-19."

 

 

Then  the 4(d) states:

(d) Mandatory Compliance with COVID-19 Policies and Procedures: Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein or in Carrier’s refund policy, any noncompliance by Guest or members of Guest’s travelling party with Carrier’s COVID-19 Policies and Procedures or this Contract shall be grounds for refusal to board, refusal to re-board after going ashore, quarantine onboard the Vessel, disembarkation, reporting to governmental or health authorities, or other steps deemed necessary in Carrier’s sole discretion under the circumstances to protect the health and well-being of others. Under these circumstances, Guest shall not be entitled to a refund or compensation of any kind. Guest will be responsible for all related costs and fines, including without limitation travel expenses and for proper travel documentation for any port, or for departure from or arrival to the U.S. Under no circumstances shall Carrier be liable for any damages or expenses whatsoever incurred by any Guest as a result of such denial of boarding, refusal to re-board, quarantine, disembarkation, or other steps taken by Carrier.

 

and 4(e):

(e) Guest Testing Positive for COVID-19 Pre-Cruise: Guest agrees that if at any time within 14 days prior to embarkation, Guest tests positive for COVID-19, exhibits signs or symptoms of COVID-19, has had close contact with a person confirmed or suspected as having COVID-19, or Carrier otherwise determines in its sole discretion that Guest is unfit to board because of any communicable illness, Carrier will deny boarding to such Guest. Under these circumstances, unless Carrier determines that Guest has failed to comply with Carrier’s COVID-19 Policies and Procedures or this Contract, any Guest denied boarding because of a known or suspected infection with COVID-19 will be entitled to a refund, or an optional future cruise credit equal in value to the amount Guest paid to Carrier, subject to Guest providing verification satisfactory to Carrier of results of tests administered by providers other than those retained by Carrier. For further details, refer to Carrier’s refund and cancellation policy at https://www.ncl.com/refund-and-cancellation-policy-covid-19. Under no circumstances shall Carrier have any other liability for any compensation or other damages whatsoever, including but not limited to compensation for lodging or travel.

 

So... 

It doesn't mention the 72 hours test, but has a pretty broad statement

"(10) other policies and procedures deemed by Carrier in its sole discretion to be necessary to reduce the risk of spread of COVID-19"

Given the fact there is no mention anywhere that the 72 hours test is mandatory, I'm assuming it's not a condition to get the refund.

 

NCL-Guest-Ticket-Contract-04-28-2021.pdf