COVID test for UK traveller in Orlando

[Notts1964]

I have been trying to research pre embarkation COVID testing for our Harmony cruise from Port Canaveral in November. We will be in Orlando for a week prior to the cruise. Our travel agent sent a query to RCI and she sent me the following “guests do need to source, book, and pay for their own PCR tests 2 days prior to departure - I asked if they are recommending any provider but they are not able to assist and advised it has to be down to guest to research”.  Not helpful at all, and incorrect, as I know we are able to have a lateral flow antigen test.
A lot of US COVID test websites don’t allow access from the UK. Additionally others don’t give prices and/or mention insurance etc. Our travel insurance won’t cover tests in the US.

For our two recent cruises in Europe, RCI just gave everyone free antigen tests, at the port before boarding. It was very slick. So accessing a test in a foreign country gives us something else to worry about. I’m sorry if these appear stupid questions, but I need to know we can access tests in the US before we travel there.

If we buy the Royal Caribbean supervised Abbot Binax tests, will we be able to download the Navica APP on UK devices once in the US? We are not able to download the APP in the UK. Also is it normal to have things like the COVID tests, delivered to a hotel? (Rosen Plaza, International Drive).

I see there is testing at MCO airport, can you access the test site without going through security? If so, we could have the test at the airport before catching the GoPort bus to Port Canaveral.

Does anyone have any other good advice please.

Thanks

 

[Biker19]

22 minutes ago, Notts1964 said:

If we buy the Royal Caribbean supervised Abbot Binax tests, will we be able to download the Navica APP on UK devices once in the US? We are not able to download the APP in the UK. Also is it normal to have things like the COVID tests, delivered to a hotel? (Rosen Plaza, International Drive).

Yes, that should work and delivery to hotels is normal.

[gumshoe958]

Alternatively - buy a self-test kit in the UK and take it with you.
 

Make sure it’s video supervised and provides an emailed certificate that you’ll need to show at check-in.

 

Qured sell one for £32 but I’m sure there are others. Similar tests in the US for non-residents seem to be a lot more expensive.

[Notts1964]

18 minutes ago, gumshoe958 said:

Alternatively - buy a self-test kit in the UK and take it with you.
 

Make sure it’s video supervised and provides an emailed certificate that you’ll need to show at check-in.

 

Qured sell one for £32 but I’m sure there are others. Similar tests in the US for non-residents seem to be a lot more expensive.

Thanks, I wondered if we could take tests from the UK with us. “Testing for All”  do a supervised test for £29. Would hate to do that and not be accepted at the port though. I have sent an enquiry to RCI to see if UK supervised tests are acceptable. Hopefully that will sort it.

[Mim Lloyd]

We're flying in to Orlando from Manchester in January, the day before our Harmony cruise from Port Canaveral. I rang RCI about the testing requirements and they weren't very helpful to be honest. But they did say we could use the testing at Walgreens who supervise your test and issue your certificate or CVS also do them. Paramount Urgent Care clinic near your hotel on International Drive also do testing.

 

I wouldn't chance having any delivered to your hotel. We once arranged for a parcel to be delivered to us at an Orlando hotel. It arrived okay but was shoved on a shelf somewhere and it was 2 days before it was found.

 

Please report back on what you do. I didn't expect planning a holiday to be so stressful!

Edited October 28, 2021 by Mim Lloyd

[John&LaLa]

I got a covid test for free at Kiwanis Park on Merrit Island a few days ago. Results in under an hour. Hours are 9-5, 7 days a week.

 

No line whatsoever. Facility is about 10-15 minutes south and west of Pt Canaveral 

Edited October 28, 2021 by John&LaLa

[IndyCapt]

3 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

I got a covid test for free at Kiwanis Park on Merrit Island a few days ago. Results in under an hour. Hours are 9-5, 7 days a week.

 

No line whatsoever. Facility is about 10-15 minutes south and west of Pt Canaveral 

Good info to know! And no appointment required? We leave out of PC on Dec 4th but will be staying near the port for a couple days pre-cruise and want to have a Plan B if any issues with the “at home” proctored test. Thanks!

[swoopy2110]

12 hours ago, Mim Lloyd said:

We're flying in to Orlando from Manchester in January, the day before our Harmony cruise from Port Canaveral. I rang RCI about the testing requirements and they weren't very helpful to be honest. But they did say we could use the testing at Walgreens who supervise your test and issue your certificate or CVS also do them. Paramount Urgent Care clinic near your hotel on International Drive also do testing.

 

I wouldn't chance having any delivered to your hotel. We once arranged for a parcel to be delivered to us at an Orlando hotel. It arrived okay but was shoved on a shelf somewhere and it was 2 days before it was found.

 

Please report back on what you do. I didn't expect planning a holiday to be so stressful!

Can you not do a UK lateral flow test for a US cruise ?

 

My plan was to get it done at Heathrow on the Friday. Fly out to Miami on the Saturday. Cruise Sunday. Meeting the 2 day requirement.

[Pencruise]

23 hours ago, Notts1964 said:

I have been trying to research pre embarkation COVID testing for our Harmony cruise from Port Canaveral in November. We will be in Orlando for a week prior to the cruise. Our travel agent sent a query to RCI and she sent me the following “guests do need to source, book, and pay for their own PCR tests 2 days prior to departure - I asked if they are recommending any provider but they are not able to assist and advised it has to be down to guest to research”.  Not helpful at all, and incorrect, as I know we are able to have a lateral flow antigen test.
A lot of US COVID test websites don’t allow access from the UK. Additionally others don’t give prices and/or mention insurance etc. Our travel insurance won’t cover tests in the US.

For our two recent cruises in Europe, RCI just gave everyone free antigen tests, at the port before boarding. It was very slick. So accessing a test in a foreign country gives us something else to worry about. I’m sorry if these appear stupid questions, but I need to know we can access tests in the US before we travel there.

If we buy the Royal Caribbean supervised Abbot Binax tests, will we be able to download the Navica APP on UK devices once in the US? We are not able to download the APP in the UK. Also is it normal to have things like the COVID tests, delivered to a hotel? (Rosen Plaza, International Drive).

I see there is testing at MCO airport, can you access the test site without going through security? If so, we could have the test at the airport before catching the GoPort bus to Port Canaveral.

Does anyone have any other good advice please.

Thanks

 

Try finding a CVS pharmacy near your hotel (google it) and give them a call.  We have UK friends who managed to get theirs done there for return to the UK and I believe it was free. 

[little britain]

Cannot even access the cvs site !

[little britain]

Cannot even access the cvs site !

Edited October 29, 2021 by little britain

[BND]

13 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

I got a covid test for free at Kiwanis Park on Merrit Island a few days ago. Results in under an hour. Hours are 9-5, 7 days a week.

 

No line whatsoever. Facility is about 10-15 minutes south and west of Pt Canaveral 

Thanks for that.  We leave VA on Thanksgiving day and arrive in FL the next day on the auto train so we can't test at home for a Sunday cruise.  We do have the self-test, but I'd rather have someone else do it.  Saturday we have plans with friends who live on Merritt Island so that would be very convenient on the way to their house from Canaveral (they're more north on the island, but still close enough).  Did they email you the results?

[BND]

Are they doing testing at the airport (MCO)?  I know a lot are doing that.  It could be another option.

Edited October 29, 2021 by BND

[GEORGIEGIRL]

31 minutes ago, BND said:

Are they doing testing at the airport (MCO)?  I know a lot are doing that.  It could be another option.

Yes they are. Not free. (last time I checked it was $65.00 USD (antigen) and $175.00 USD (PCR).

It is being done by "Advent Health Care" and according to their website: You can make an appointment ahead of time or just take a chance and walk-in (first come, first served based on availability).

The COVID-19 testing site from Centra Care is located before the security checkpoint on the third level of Orlando International Airport.

Our Hours:

Monday - Friday: 7:30 am to 5 pm
Saturday and Sunday: 7:30 am to 7 pm

[John&LaLa]

1 hour ago, BND said:

Are they doing testing at the airport (MCO)?  I know a lot are doing that.  It could be another option.

 

Yes, but not free. 

[John&LaLa]

1 hour ago, BND said:

Thanks for that.  We leave VA on Thanksgiving day and arrive in FL the next day on the auto train so we can't test at home for a Sunday cruise.  We do have the self-test, but I'd rather have someone else do it.  Saturday we have plans with friends who live on Merritt Island so that would be very convenient on the way to their house from Canaveral (they're more north on the island, but still close enough).  Did they email you the results?

 

Link to a website

[BND]

22 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Yes, but not free. 

We don't really care whether it's free or not, but we'll prob try Kiwanis Park if we decide to not do the emed abbott tests.

[Mim Lloyd]

8 hours ago, swoopy2110 said:

Can you not do a UK lateral flow test for a US cruise ?

 

My plan was to get it done at Heathrow on the Friday. Fly out to Miami on the Saturday. Cruise Sunday. Meeting the 2 day requirement.

I asked this as it would be the easiest thing to do, but the operator didn't know 🙄.

[Notts1964]

Thanks for all the help.

We are in Orlando for a week before the cruise and so our pre flight one will not work. It obviously would do if we were going straight to the cruise.

 

We don’t mind paying, but access to US sites about COVID testing do not generally work from the UK, and so I can’t research properly beforehand, except by asking here.

 

We are not able to use the UK supervised “Testing for All” tests. I have asked them.

 

Again thank you for your assistance, once in Orlando I’ll try and organise tests at CVS, Walgreens or MCO airport, or Kiwanis Park (we won’t have a car so this one may be more difficult).

[38anchor]

Hi, we are 

27 minutes ago, Notts1964 said:

Thanks for all the help.

We are in Orlando for a week before the cruise and so our pre flight one will not work. It obviously would do if we were going straight to the cruise.

 

We don’t mind paying, but access to US sites about COVID testing do not generally work from the UK, and so I can’t research properly beforehand, except by asking here.

 

We are not able to use the UK supervised “Testing for All” tests. I have asked them.

 

Again thank you for your assistance, once in Orlando I’ll try and organise tests at CVS, Walgreens or MCO airport, or Kiwanis Park (we won’t have a car so this one may be more difficult).

 

We are cruising out of NY on Anthem  in Jnuary and face the same problem. We are flying in a few days early so the test to enter the US will be longer than the stated 2 days out.

 

Can I ask what you mean by 'We are not able to use the UK supervised “Testing for All” tests. I have asked them.'

 

We were hoping to buy a UK supervised kit, take it with us and take the test supervised by video link  at our NY hotel - is Royal saying this is not allowed?

[Liverpoolfan181]

12 minutes ago, 38anchor said:

Hi, we are 

 

We are cruising out of NY on Anthem  in Jnuary and face the same problem. We are flying in a few days early so the test to enter the US will be longer than the stated 2 days out.

 

Can I ask what you mean by 'We are not able to use the UK supervised “Testing for All” tests. I have asked them.'

 

 

We were hoping to buy a UK supervised kit, take it with us and take the test supervised by video link  at our NY hotel - is Royal saying this is not allowed?

In Canada but also facing similar situation. will be in Orlando for 1 week and then driving to fort Lauderdale to hop on the Allure. We either have to order the specific Abbott/Binax/Emed tests that Royal has listed on their website or to test on our own near the hotel. I too would rather not have to worry and ship to the hotel in fear it gets lost.  If you look at the RCCL website, it mentions the specific take home tests they will approve for boarding. You will need a US address to ship (hotel)

 

We also now have through Air Canada take home tests which are proctored but they are not yet approved for RCCL, I don't think- so again.... same situation. 

 

Lastly there is a fall back to test at the pier thru RCCL and book an appt online. Space is limited and you need to arrive about 30 mins before your assigned boarding time. 

[Notts1964]

18 minutes ago, 38anchor said:

Hi, we are 

 

We are cruising out of NY on Anthem  in Jnuary and face the same problem. We are flying in a few days early so the test to enter the US will be longer than the stated 2 days out.

 

Can I ask what you mean by 'We are not able to use the UK supervised “Testing for All” tests. I have asked them.'

 

 

We were hoping to buy a UK supervised kit, take it with us and take the test supervised by video link  at our NY hotel - is Royal saying this is not allowed?

I asked “Testing for All” if we could buy their supervised tests and do them over Zoom from the US. I thought it would be a lot less stressful to be organised before leaving for the US. They commented as follows:

“Thanks for reaching out.

You can only use our tests for arrival to and departure from the U.K.

Our tests are not suitable for use outside U.K.”

 

 

[cindivan]

I think this is the exception rather than the rule, but we had a test scheduled at CVS today for our cruise on Sunday. And they canceled it last night at 9 PM.
 

We had a back up plan with the binax now at telehealth card, otherwise we would’ve been scrambling two days before our cruise to figure it out. It probably would be worth your time and to have less stress do you have a back up plan, either an appointment or knowledge of somewhere else you could get it.

[Notts1964]

1 hour ago, cindivan said:

I think this is the exception rather than the rule, but we had a test scheduled at CVS today for our cruise on Sunday. And they canceled it last night at 9 PM.
 

We had a back up plan with the binax now at telehealth card, otherwise we would’ve been scrambling two days before our cruise to figure it out. It probably would be worth your time and to have less stress do you have a back up plan, either an appointment or knowledge of somewhere else you could get it.

Unfortunately I don’t even have one plan yet, but thank you for the warning. 
I really wish the tests were done foc at the port pre boarding, like they have for our previous 2 cruises with RCI, and also our cruise with NCL.

A lot less stress all around. And safer, as the tests are done immediately before boarding rather than 48 hours before.

[TheMiz]

Is there a guide line for the test

 

Is one better than others ?

 

My local Health Dept was giving these away today I figure by the time I cruise guide lines will change again