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CVS Canceled Test night before I was scheduled. Thank Goodness I had backup

cindivan

By cindivan,
in Royal Caribbean International

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cindivan

cindivan

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Both my husband and I (Charlotte, NC) received a canceled appointment notification last night 9pm - we were scheduled for today.  Thankfully we had the Binax Now Ag card which I just completed and am negative so Allure here we come!

 

If anyone is in the (north) Charlotte area and had the same thing happen (10/29) PM me if you need an Binax Now Ag card test.  I have a couple extras you could buy for what I paid for them - about $28.  

 

So glad we had the backup of the Binax!  Not sure what we would have done otherwise.

 

For those of you who are relying on local places to test, you might want to consider a backup.  I have read several others have the same experience.

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cindivan

cindivan

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10 minutes ago, WindinmySails said:

Where can you get these and are they monitored, as the cruise line needs that.

RC policy:  https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/is-there-a-telemedicine-option-for-pre-cruise-covid-19-test

 

link to order testing kit: https://store.optum.com/royal-caribbean/

 

Yes, they are monitored.  The links I provided are straight from the RC site.

 

 

 

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De Colores

De Colores

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2 hours ago, cindivan said:

Both my husband and I (Charlotte, NC) received a canceled appointment notification last night 9pm - we were scheduled for today.  Thankfully we had the Binax Now Ag card which I just completed and am negative so Allure here we come!

 

If anyone is in the (north) Charlotte area and had the same thing happen (10/29) PM me if you need an Binax Now Ag card test.  I have a couple extras you could buy for what I paid for them - about $28.  

 

So glad we had the backup of the Binax!  Not sure what we would have done otherwise.

 

For those of you who are relying on local places to test, you might want to consider a backup.  I have read several others have the same experience.

I thought. the only home test accepted was the one through RCL? We paid $35 each for our test. 

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crzndeb

crzndeb

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3 minutes ago, De Colores said:

I thought. the only home test accepted was the one through RCL? We paid $35 each for our test. 

You don’t have to go through RCL. You can go directly to Optum or Emed. Depending on number you purchase,  and if you paid shipping, will determine price per pack.

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GTO-Girl

GTO-Girl

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3 hours ago, cindivan said:

Both my husband and I (Charlotte, NC) received a canceled appointment notification last night 9pm - we were scheduled for today.  Thankfully we had the Binax Now Ag card which I just completed and am negative so Allure here we come!


The same thing happened to us!!!  CVS cancelled us at the last minute but thankfully we also had the home telehealth tests!!!

 

We have another cruise next month and will be doing just the home tests.  We find it’s way to stressful to worry about cancelled appointments!

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LorraineP

LorraineP

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42 minutes ago, pasodancer said:

So glad you had the back-up plan - that must have been so stressful, then relief knowing you had Plan B if needed

 

Yes but only because I had been reading where CVS had been cancelling appointments at last minute. For me at least I had a few days but read others were cancelled hours before or were not even told until they arrived for their appointment. 

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palmettostatecruiser

palmettostatecruiser

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I hate you had that happen to you. We had our tests done at CVS last week with no issues. We scheduled two weeks before and two days before our scheduled test I did go on to Walgreens site to see if any appointments were available in case CVS cancelled as we had heard could happen.  There were plenty available but we didn't need it as our test went as planned.  We both went into the little hut at the same time, swabbed ourselves with the nurse watching and had results within 30 minutes.  We're planning on go to the same location for our Dec. Oasis cruise.

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LorraineP

LorraineP

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17 minutes ago, palmettostatecruiser said:

I hate you had that happen to you. We had our tests done at CVS last week with no issues. We scheduled two weeks before and two days before our scheduled test I did go on to Walgreens site to see if any appointments were available in case CVS cancelled as we had heard could happen.  There were plenty available but we didn't need it as our test went as planned.  We both went into the little hut at the same time, swabbed ourselves with the nurse watching and had results within 30 minutes.  We're planning on go to the same location for our Dec. Oasis cruise.

Guess it depends on where you live. Our CVS appointment was in Lancaster PA. 

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cindivan

cindivan

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6 minutes ago, mpdog42 said:

So the ones offered by Sam's Club are not good for RCL??.Just saw them priced at Sam's for around $18.00 for 2....

Unless they come with the telehealth portion RC won't accept them.  From what others have said I think the telehealth ones are only available via mail order.

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Oceansaway17 Holiday Sharing Rare

Oceansaway17

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I tried to find out how the CVS location I had reserved for next Fri the 5th, and the manager of the store had no idea.  He could not tell me how often they cancel.  Now I know minuteClinic is separate from the store, but when they use the name CVS as an identifier, to me that store's manager should at least know how things are going.

Then I called the phone number for MinuteClinic, and the lady at the call center was unaware of lots of cancels nation wide.  I found that hard to believe too.  To me CVS should step in a help more or stop.

 

I changed my appointment to another CVS and I will also get a Walgreens appointment because they do use their own drive through and employees.  Lastly, the few urgent care places told me while they do walkups, that I should call 2 days before to see how supplies are going.

Seems like so many schools and businesses are having many folks test a lot more, they use the quick test instead of the PCR tests.  So Urgent care will have supply issues.  I have the tele med test too but now I worry something could go wrong if liquid is empty.  And by then the 48 hours to cancel is mute.

In fact I think RCI should allow us to call if all of our plans went belly up and we need CWC.

And the answer is not their at the pier testing which could land us in 14 day lockup if we test negative.

I can see why it is taking so darn long to get our certificates.

 

And in conclusion, I wish the cruise lines would go back to the 3 day schedule.   And I wish all this damn stress of testing for us vaxxed folks would stop too.  I have been to theme parks and on airplanes with less stress. I was surprised to learn RCI will extend CWC to next spring.

Guess that means they expect more issues which makes me just down right sad.

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mpdog42

mpdog42

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2 hours ago, cindivan said:

Unless they come with the telehealth portion RC won't accept them.  From what others have said I think the telehealth ones are only available via mail order.

Thanks for the info..Just saw them at Sam's and wondered...Looked at the box and didn't see anything about Telehealth!!

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mpdog42

mpdog42

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41 minutes ago, Oceansaway17 said:

I tried to find out how the CVS location I had reserved for next Fri the 5th, and the manager of the store had no idea.  He could not tell me how often they cancel.  Now I know minuteClinic is separate from the store, but when they use the name CVS as an identifier, to me that store's manager should at least know how things are going.

Then I called the phone number for MinuteClinic, and the lady at the call center was unaware of lots of cancels nation wide.  I found that hard to believe too.  To me CVS should step in a help more or stop.

 

I changed my appointment to another CVS and I will also get a Walgreens appointment because they do use their own drive through and employees.  Lastly, the few urgent care places told me while they do walkups, that I should call 2 days before to see how supplies are going.

Seems like so many schools and businesses are having many folks test a lot more, they use the quick test instead of the PCR tests.  So Urgent care will have supply issues.  I have the tele med test too but now I worry something could go wrong if liquid is empty.  And by then the 48 hours to cancel is mute.

In fact I think RCI should allow us to call if all of our plans went belly up and we need CWC.

And the answer is not their at the pier testing which could land us in 14 day lockup if we test negative.

I can see why it is taking so darn long to get our certificates.

 

And in conclusion, I wish the cruise lines would go back to the 3 day schedule.   And I wish all this damn stress of testing for us vaxxed folks would stop too.  I have been to theme parks and on airplanes with less stress. I was surprised to learn RCI will extend CWC to next spring.

Guess that means they expect more issues which makes me just down right sad.

100% agree and if the Cruise lines require these test they provide them at their cost not ours!!Personally if your 100%  Vac you should not have to test....As i have told many people it's time to get on with life and learn to live with this this

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GTO-Girl

GTO-Girl

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3 hours ago, cruisin from florida said:

We ordered two of the kits from emed, but have a bunch extra from walmart. Pretty sure it's the same test, exactly. Binax now, Abbott Labs. I'm wondering if we have a whoopsie with one of our emed tests, if the proctor will let us use an unopened test from another vendor.

I don’t think so because the proctor has to scan the QR code from your box to verify you have purchased the telehealth type of test.  
 

They are very firm on the rules and doing the test exactly right…

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travelhound

travelhound

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1 hour ago, mpdog42 said:

100% agree and if the Cruise lines require these test they provide them at their cost not ours!!Personally if your 100%  Vac you should not have to test....As i have told many people it's time to get on with life and learn to live with this this

Good point 👍 

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cruising teacher

cruising teacher

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1 hour ago, mpdog42 said:

100% agree and if the Cruise lines require these test they provide them at their cost not ours!!Personally if your 100%  Vac you should not have to test....As i have told many people it's time to get on with life and learn to live with this this

I agree. This testing is very stressful. With capacity limited, numbers going down, and being fully vaccinated we are good to go! If Celebrity requires a 

test they should be providing testing at the port at their expense.

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