For Canadians - just boarded Allure with new Rapid Antigen test offered by Air Canada/Switch Health

[JessyCruises]

I just boarded Allure of the Seas.  Air Canada started selling at home Rapid Antigen tests with telehealth this past week through Switch Health and there was a question about whether they would be accepted by RCL. We ordered the tests the day they were announced and got them Wednesday.  It was 2 tests with for $79.99 CAD.  Took them Friday morning.  We had booked a backup at the port in case there was an issue as the site does not say they are FDA approved.  We were able to use these for our flight and with RCL with no issues.

[JessyCruises]

Edited October 31, 2021 by JessyCruises

[kellyco]

You might want to scratch your address off of the form as well.

[JessyCruises]

5 minutes ago, kellyco said:

You might want to scratch your address off of the form as well.

Thanks - I had not noticed it was on there! I fixed it now 🙂

[kellyco]

Happy to help! Have a great trip!

[marktwothousand]

1 hour ago, JessyCruises said:

I just boarded Allure of the Seas.  Air Canada started selling at home Rapid Antigen tests with telehealth this past week through Switch Health and there was a question about whether they would be accepted by RCL. We ordered the tests the day they were announced and got them Wednesday.  It was 2 tests with for $79.99 CAD.  Took them Friday morning.  We had booked a backup at the port in case there was an issue as the site does not say they are FDA approved.  We were able to use these for our flight and with RCL with no issues.

What is RCCL doing for your PCR test for getting back home? Do you have to pay for it, what day of the cruise is it done, how does it work work etc.  let us know. 

[JessyCruises]

1 hour ago, marktwothousand said:

What is RCCL doing for your PCR test for getting back home? Do you have to pay for it, what day of the cruise is it done, how does it work work etc.  let us know. 

They provide it at no cost. They have us come down on the last full day of the cruise. Results are back in 30 minutes or so.  We sailed on Odyssey in Aug/Sept and the process has not changed.

[marktwothousand]

1 minute ago, JessyCruises said:

They provide it at no cost. They have us come down on the last full day of the cruise. Results are back in 30 minutes or so.  We sailed on Odyssey in Aug/Sept and the process has not changed.

😱wow! That is amazingly convenient. Thank you 

[StanleyandGus]

Thank you @JessyCruises! We will definitely get these.

[MsDolly]

1 hour ago, JessyCruises said:

They provide it at no cost. They have us come down on the last full day of the cruise. Results are back in 30 minutes or so.  We sailed on Odyssey in Aug/Sept and the process has not changed.

Thank for confirming this, just got off the Emerald Princess and they too provided it but it was done after clearing customs.  Prefer doing it on the ship!

[JR_Angus]

Thanks for this info. Ordered the Rapid Antigen test kit as well. Awaiting response to email sent to Royal's President M Bayley Oct 28 enquirying if Royal would accepts these test.

Enjoy your cruise.

[cruiseamm]

23 hours ago, JessyCruises said:

They provide it at no cost. They have us come down on the last full day of the cruise. Results are back in 30 minutes or so.  We sailed on Odyssey in Aug/Sept and the process has not changed.

How do you receive your covid test results from RCCL on the ship.  Is it emailed or paper copy?  Do you need WIFI if emailed?  Thank you.

Edited November 1, 2021 by cruiseamm

[melbur]

19 hours ago, cruiseamm said:

How do you receive your covid test results from RCCL on the ship.  Is it emailed or paper copy?  Do you need WIFI if emailed?  Thank you.

They are supposed to email you, but I asked for a paper copy from Guest Services and it was no problem.

[A&L_Ont]

On 10/31/2021 at 12:20 PM, JessyCruises said:

Are these a supervised test, like the others? I haven’t read up on them even though AC has emailed me about their availability.

[Liverpoolfan181]

8 minutes ago, A&L_Ont said:

Are these a supervised test, like the others? I haven’t read up on them even though AC has emailed me about their availability.

They are through telehealth 

[A&L_Ont]

17 minutes ago, Liverpoolfan181 said:

They are through telehealth 

Perfect. I’ll keep them as a backup if needed. I’m thinking Shoppers will be my first  choice. 

[Welly9]

1 hour ago, A&L_Ont said:

Perfect. I’ll keep them as a backup if needed. I’m thinking Shoppers will be my first  choice. 

Yes Shoppers is $40 each, 20 min results, booked ahead for your tests.

[JessyCruises]

Pharmacies in New Brunswick do not offer testing, unfortunately.  Our options are PCR tests through the province, or there are some private labs in Moncton and Fredericton that do rapid antigen tests that are $80 each.  Our airport also just started offering rapid antigens, but they are $150.

[JessyCruises]

On 11/1/2021 at 12:06 PM, JR_Angus said:

Thanks for this info. Ordered the Rapid Antigen test kit as well. Awaiting response to email sent to Royal's President M Bayley Oct 28 enquirying if Royal would accepts these test.

Enjoy your cruise.

I had reached out to Bayley on Facebook but did not get a very satisfying answer.  At first they said they only accept the home test that they sell, which I pointed out was not what the website said.  Then they said as long as the test meets all of the bullet points on the website, that it would be accepted.  My concern was the FDA Emergency use piece as I could not get a straight answer from Switch on that.

 

As backups, I took a last minute PCR test with the province of NB on Friday morning hoping the results would get back before boarding and then I also booked antigen tests at the pier in case 1) they did not accept the switch test and 2) the PCR test did not come back in time.  Luckily the PCR test did come back Sunday so I was good to go if they would not accept the Switch.  The paperwork was checked several times throughout the check in process and there were no issues with the Switch paperwork.  They never even batted an eye so I did not have to whip out my PCR test.

 

[JessyCruises]

3 hours ago, A&L_Ont said:

Are these a supervised test, like the others? I haven’t read up on them even though AC has emailed me about their availability.

Yes, hubby and I were able to take the test in the same session. They walk you through taking the test and watch you do it.  They do not watch you as the test develops though.  They get you to upload a photo of the test result to the website and then verify the result and issue the result document. 

[JR_Angus]

Received the following reply from the Executive Office of Royal today, "I have reviewed your request for clarification regarding the Canadian company “Switch Health" available test. I can confirm that this test is not acceptable as the self-administered tests must have FDA/EUA approval.  If the test does not meet this requirement, it cannot be accepted. Understandably, things change as this is a very dynamic situation. However, as of now, this test cannot be used to embark."

I responded without naming names or ships, that someone presently sailing with Royal presented the test results from Switch Health at the pier and it was accepted. I enclosed a copy of the test results and pointed out that at the bottom of the page is the statement "This test has been authorized by Health Canada for Emergency Use Access (EUA).

Will see if this makes any difference and advise. 

[JR_Angus]

Update to this posting. Just received this reply to my second email. “We do accept any test that is FDA or EUA approved. If this is the test you intend to use, you will be able to board the ship with a COVID negative result.”

This clarifies the issue, Switch Health Rapid Antigen Home Test kits are good to go.

Enjoy your cruises and stay safe

[karebare22]

@JessyCruises Thanks for the info about the Switch Health tests being accepted by Royal, that’s good news. A couple questions. 1) Do you need to have a flight booked with Air Canada to take the test? 2) could I use this test/telehealth while in the US? We are flying early morning via Delta to Fort Lauderdale on Dec 24, so we will get rapid antigen tests for the flight  at our Costco (only $16.99) on the 23rd.  Since our cruise doesn’t leave until the 26th, the Costco test won’t be valid and I’m trying to find the easiest and cheapest (family of 4 here!) option for a second test we can do in Fort Lauderdale on the 24 or 25th (when things might be closed). The Switch test sounds like a good option. We didn’t have this problem in Aug when we cruised on Ovation because at the time 3 days was acceptable for being tested.

[IAMGPW]

I thought you needed a pcr test to board cruise ship from Canada. Please confirm.  I’m so confused. 
 

thanks so much 

Edited November 3, 2021 by IAMGPW

[Biker19]

1 minute ago, IAMGPW said:

I thought you needed a pvr test to board cruise ship from Canada. Please confirm.  I’m so confused. 

There are no sailings from Canada - perhaps that's one source of confusion. You need a test to get on a plane to the US and one to get on a ship from the US - if the timing is right, one test (either antigen or PCR) could satisfy both of those requirements.