Change in PCR Test Process - Celebrity Equinox

[AlbertaCruisers]

Today is the last day of the Oct 29 sailing of the Celebrity Equinox. We are staying on for the next sailing, so we got our antigen test yesterday during the back to back meeting. In August when we were on the ship they gave us our PCR test on the ship to go home. This trip, we have Canadian friends on the ship, that are flying home today and they had to sign up a few days ago for appointments for this morning to get their PCR tests in the terminal after they get off the ship. They were told the results would take about 1.5 hours and the results would be emailed to them. It was suggested to them to head to the airport after the test and wait for the results there. They are going to let me know how it goes and I will provide an update once I hear further. I will have to deal with this on Nov 19 as well and will provide a further update. 

 

My thought is that in August there were so few of us that needed a PCR test (likely under 20). We were told in August that their machine can run 5 tests at a time and takes 1.5 hours each time. I’m guessing with more international travellers on board now they can’t manage them all on the ship and have contracted with a third party to do the tests. I would not be surprised if this was now for all their ships. 

Edited November 7, 2021 by AlbertaCruisers

[hancogran]

Thank you so much for this info!   You're right that there are likely many more international cruisers onboard now so the process for the PCR tests must change to accommodate the extra passengers.  Another thought of mine is that perhaps if there are any "positive" tests, people are off the ship so it's no longer Celebrity's problem to deal with it?  

 

Hope the second half of your B2B is fantastic with great weather and smooth seas. 

[If only]

This is very disheartening, we booked our Nov cruise on the premise that Celebrity would look after us if we got Covid onboard their ship, now to find out that we will not be given the PCR test until after we disembark.  We do have insurance that covers Covid but not Trip Interruption which is what this would be if positive as we would not be allowed to fly home.

Edited November 7, 2021 by If only

[cruzincanuck]

Oh...phooey.  I do not like this additional stress.   Disembark, get tested,  head to airport and crossed our fingers we get the results to be able to check-in for our flight.  No recourse if the results do not arrive for some odd reason, rushing to the airport testing centers to pay a premium for a rapid pcr test.   We already have a few hoops to go thru to cruise.  We cruise in January so we have to add weather as one of the issues too.

[Fouremco]

What terrible news. Two of the main reasons we felt Celebrity was a best choice for cruises at the current time have now gone out the window.

 

As @If only points out, the protection afforded by Celebrity's Safe Passage Home program is suddenly gone for the most part, making a positive test now a very expensive end to your holiday. Hopefully the GOC will drop the cruise advisory very soon and travel insurance will start to cover such losses. The only glimmer of hope would be that anyone testing positive at the terminal immediately upon disembarkation would be offered the same protection.

 

Given the number of European and other foreign passengers who will start to board after tomorrow, I wonder how long the lineups will be to get tested, and how many tests they can run per hour. We will definitely need to rethink our flight home to allow for that extra time waiting for the results before being able to check in. @AlbertaCruisers was told results would take about 1.5 hours to be emailed, but that doesn't take into account the time waiting in line to be tested, or the number of swabs that they can analyse per hour.  Again, it would be nice to see the GOC abandon the PCR requirement and allow the speedier and less costly antigen testing.

 

My inner cynic wonders whether the logistics of conducting a higher number of onboard tests was the only reason for abandoning the process. If the testing is done ashore after the cruise is finished, I imagine that Celebrity would no longer have to report any positive cases from such testing to the CDC.

[Bearsthatsail]

We were on the Celebrity Equinox cruise that ended Oct. 29 and the PCR test was done free 2 days before, on the ship, and the results were in a letter in our cabin that afternoon.  We were told that was the last time they were doing that.  It was a great relief to be able to complete ArriveCAN.

[jy_cruisefan]

This is a game changer. If this is this case, Celebrity can no longer honour their so called "Healthy at Sea" pledge, which continues to state that tests required for home country will be provided on board. As a result, unless the Canadian Govt removes their requirement for a negative PCR test for fully vaccinated returning travellers, I will be cancelling our Dec 3rd sailing on the Silhouette, as we cannot get insurance for quarantine and return transportation in the event of a positive test post cruise.
https://www.celebritycruises.com/health-and-safety

[If only]

I totally agree we have only a couple of days to decide as our cruise is on Nov 15 but it is definitely very disappointing.  

Edited November 7, 2021 by If only

[If only]

25 minutes ago, jy_cruisefan said:

This is a game changer. If this is this case, Celebrity can no longer honour their so called "Healthy at Sea" pledge, which continues to state that tests required for home country will be provided on board. As a result, unless the Canadian Govt removes their requirement for a negative PCR test for fully vaccinated returning travellers, I will be cancelling our Dec 3rd sailing on the Silhouette, as we cannot get insurance for quarantine and return transportation in the event of a positive test post cruise.
https://www.celebritycruises.com/health-and-safety

It looks like Celebrity changed their wordings on Nov 5, on the website.

[Fouremco]

38 minutes ago, If only said:

It looks like Celebrity changed their wordings on Nov 5, on the website.

I've looked at both the Canadian and US sites and see no change to the Healthy at Sea pages. Could you provide us with a link?

[If only]

10 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

I've looked at both the Canadian and US sites and see no change to the Healthy at Sea pages. Could you provide us with a link?

If you click Healthy at Sea, then Country Testing Requirements, US requirements as of Nov 5, scroll all the way down to the bottom, the wording here has changed.  It’s not exactly Cruise with Confidence if you don’t know going in what to expect.

Edited November 7, 2021 by If only

[Fouremco]

Thanks. Strange that they've changed that, which doesn't say where the test will be given, but leave the original wording on the main Healthy at Sea page:

 

Additional test will be administered onboard, free of charge if required for homeport, or home country re-entry. 

[Dr. Cocktail]

3 hours ago, Fouremco said:

What terrible news. Two of the main reasons we felt Celebrity was a best choice for cruises at the current time have now gone out the window.

 

As @If only points out, the protection afforded by Celebrity's Safe Passage Home program is suddenly gone for the most part, making a positive test now a very expensive end to your holiday. Hopefully the GOC will drop the cruise advisory very soon and travel insurance will start to cover such losses. The only glimmer of hope would be that anyone testing positive at the terminal immediately upon disembarkation would be offered the same protection.

 

Given the number of European and other foreign passengers who will start to board after tomorrow, I wonder how long the lineups will be to get tested, and how many tests they can run per hour. We will definitely need to rethink our flight home to allow for that extra time waiting for the results before being able to check in. @AlbertaCruisers was told results would take about 1.5 hours to be emailed, but that doesn't take into account the time waiting in line to be tested, or the number of swabs that they can analyse per hour.  Again, it would be nice to see the GOC abandon the PCR requirement and allow the speedier and less costly antigen testing.

 

My inner cynic wonders whether the logistics of conducting a higher number of onboard tests was the only reason for abandoning the process. If the testing is done ashore after the cruise is finished, I imagine that Celebrity would no longer have to report any positive cases from such testing to the CDC.

I agree with everything you say!!!

 

I literally canceled my cruise on Regent last week because their debarkation scenarios were way too vague and opaque. Celebrity was very clear on what they would provide.

 

Of course, my noon flight back to Toronto that I booked this week is out the window - waaaaaayyyy too tight, if not impossible.

 

From what I've read recently, the GOC is in absolutely no hurry to abandon the PCR requirement unless it's for a trip to the States for a few days. They recognize the fact that it's a bit crazy to let you take your PCR in Canada before your trip and use that to come back if it's within 72 hours!

 

As you know, I have already stated my feelings on exit testing - by doing it off the ship, you hide how many cases there actually are. While you pointed out that b2b's are tested, I really don't think the number are statistically significant. I think that they're rethinking what it would cost to start quarantining and flying back more than a few Canadians or Brits!

[Barwick Cruiser]

This is definitely disappointing news. The promise of onboard testing before disembarking and secure flights back to Canada is the primary reason we felt comfortable booking our January cruise. Now this puts a real dilemma on our plate. I plan to check with our CVP on Tuesday when she’s back to work to verify that this wasn’t an anomaly on the current Equinox sailing but if it’s going to be standard practice going forward then I’m afraid we’ll be canceling our cruise. At this point we’ve paid for flights which we can get a voucher for as well as our deposit which will come with a FCC, hopefully much if this rigmarole will be resolved before we have to use it. Just when you think you’ve got all the bases covered….sigh

[lx200gps]

8 hours ago, AlbertaCruisers said:

Today is the last day of the Oct 29 sailing of the Celebrity Equinox. We are staying on for the next sailing, so we got our antigen test yesterday during the back to back meeting. In August when we were on the ship they gave us our PCR test on the ship to go home. This trip, we have Canadian friends on the ship, that are flying home today and they had to sign up a few days ago for appointments for this morning to get their PCR tests in the terminal after they get off the ship. They were told the results would take about 1.5 hours and the results would be emailed to them. It was suggested to them to head to the airport after the test and wait for the results there. They are going to let me know how it goes and I will provide an update once I hear further. I will have to deal with this on Nov 19 as well and will provide a further update. 

 

My thought is that in August there were so few of us that needed a PCR test (likely under 20). We were told in August that their machine can run 5 tests at a time and takes 1.5 hours each time. I’m guessing with more international travellers on board now they can’t manage them all on the ship and have contracted with a third party to do the tests. I would not be surprised if this was now for all their ships. 

Unfortunately, it looks like Celebrity is emulating how Princess have decided to do their testing, on the pier post-disembarkation. We're going to face this very scenario in three weeks when we get off the Sky Princess, but we're going to wait at the pier for our test results rather than head to FLL in case there's an issue with the results. We have the luxury of a 14:00 flight back to Montreal, and will be doing early walk-off as we always do, so we have some time to kill waiting for the Emailed results right at the pier. I keep thinking about Youtuber Don from Ottawa who famously got stuck in Florida for four days because X lost his test results.  CAN'T WAIT for this idiotic requirement to disappear.

[If only]

David talked to the Engagement desk @ Celebrity, who we were amazed actually new all about Healthy at Sea.  She was sending an email directly to the ship in our case the Millennium to see what their reaction is  & then she will advise us.  Going forward it doesn’t look good as the Cruise with Confidence is gone.

[GeriatricNurse]

And so, if one travels with NO electronic devices; Laptop, Smartphone, Tablet; HOW would he/she/they be expected to receive the results of their post cruise RT-PCR Test, by email?

[Barwick Cruiser]

11 minutes ago, If only said:

David talked to the Engagement desk @ Celebrity, who we were amazed actually new all about Healthy at Sea.  She was sending an email directly to the ship in our case the Millennium to see what their reaction is  & then she will advise us.  Going forward it doesn’t look good as the Cruise with Confidence is gone.

Please post back here when you get a response? 

[canloan]

While I cannot comment on what is happening on other Celebrity ships, we are currently on the Millennium 15 day Panama Canal cruise that left San Diego on Oct 27 and arrives into FLL on November 11. Our PCR tests are here on board  and are scheduled for the morning of the 10th.

Edited November 7, 2021 by canloan
Edit

[If only]

39 minutes ago, Barwick Cruiser said:

Please post back here when you get a response? 

You mean if we get a response, lol.

[If only]

23 minutes ago, canloan said:

While I cannot comment on what is happening on other Celebrity ships, we are currently on the Millennium 15 day Panama Canal cruise that left San Diego on Oct 27 and arrives into FLL on November 11. Our PCR tests are here on board  and are scheduled for the morning of the 10th.

That’s a good sign, at least gives us renewed hope but I still want to hear from the powers that be what is the ruling going forward. 

[Barwick Cruiser]

29 minutes ago, canloan said:

While I cannot comment on what is happening on other Celebrity ships, we are currently on the Millennium 15 day Panama Canal cruise that left San Diego on Oct 27 and arrives into FLL on November 11. Our PCR tests are here on board  and are scheduled for the morning of the 10th.

Hopefully they don’t get changed before then 🤞

[Fouremco]

2 hours ago, If only said:

David talked to the Engagement desk @ Celebrity, who we were amazed actually new all about Healthy at Sea.  She was sending an email directly to the ship in our case the Millennium to see what their reaction is  & then she will advise us.  Going forward it doesn’t look good as the Cruise with Confidence is gone.

It always concerns me when I hear that an HQ unit like the Engagement Desk is going to check with a ship to see what they are thinking of doing instead of determining from the HQ policy makers what the corporate policy is. I recognize that ships' captains have a certain amount of independence, but surely on an issue like, this there has to be a clear, unified policy. 

 

I'm looking forward to hearing what she has to say. 

[If only]

25 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

It always concerns me when I hear that an HQ unit like the Engagement Desk is going to check with a ship to see what they are thinking of doing instead of determining from the HQ policy makers what the corporate policy is. I recognize that ships' captains have a certain amount of independence, but surely on an issue like, this there has to be a clear, unified policy. 

 

I'm looking forward to hearing what she has to say. 

Totally agree, I think the answer will be as vague as their website, meaning it is determined by how many require the PCR test on that particular ship.   I will let you know if we hear back at all.

[loupana]

I'm very concerned since I booked a January cruise (Royal Caribbean) but if Celebrity is doing it I'm sure Royal will follow. I truly hope they would not leave you stranded on your own if you test positive. As long as the cruise line still honors the Cruise with Confidence program even though you are taking that final test off the ship. But have my doubts.