Is Celebrity Now Charging For Home Re-entry Testing?

[wendycook22]

I received an email regarding our upcoming cruise.  I was taken back by the last section referring to charges for return home testing.  We sail on December 10, 2021. Anyone else receive similar correspondance? 

 

 

[Bo1953]

Sounds like they are shedding that expense...

 

If one is not leaving day of dis-embarkation, there may be other options in/around the port city which do not cost as much or cost non-citizens anything.

 

Maybe OBC can be used to pay for the service???

 

In health and bon voyage

Edited November 11, 2021 by Bo1953

[Dr. Cocktail]

7 minutes ago, wendycook22 said:

I received an email regarding our upcoming cruise.  I was taken back by the last section referring to charges for return home testing.  We sail on December 10, 2021. Anyone else receive similar correspondance? 

 

 

MIght I suggest that you post this in the Canadian Cruisers section?  You're sure to get a lot more feedback from the target audience!!!!

[C-Dragons]

Just now, Bo1953 said:

Sounds like they are shedding that expense...

 

If one is not leaving day of dis-embarkation, there may be other options in/around the port city which do not cost as much or cost non-citizens anything.

 

In health and bon voyage

Yes, at the airports too.

And there are also the eMed Binax AG self tests that can be done anywhere. 

[Reel Love]

 I just returned to Canada from the United States last Saturday and can say that $95 for the PCR test is cheaper than any PCR test that I was able to find!

Edited November 11, 2021 by Reel Love

[Turtles06]

11 minutes ago, wendycook22 said:

Anyone else receive similar correspondance? 

The e-mail that I just received for our December 3 cruise says the same thing. 

[mom says]

That is definitely new, but with the borders now open to international pax, not surprising that they want to pass the expense to the consumer. Until now the number of pax needing the return home tests were a lot fewer. And I agree that for most of us non Americans, their price for a fast PCR test is competitive

[wendycook22]

I am not complaining.  I understand the move, I was just surprised by it, and thought others would be as well.  It was the first I had heard of it (and I am in the industry - I haven’t seen correspondence as an agent identifying the change).

[Fouremco]

33 minutes ago, wendycook22 said:

I am not complaining.  I understand the move, I was just surprised by it, and thought others would be as well.  It was the first I had heard of it (and I am in the industry - I haven’t seen correspondence as an agent identifying the change).

And the changes still aren't reflected on the Healthy at Sea web pages.

[Ken the cruiser]

I met a very nice Canadian couple onboard the Apex today who will be flying home after this cruise ends on Saturday. 
 

During our conversation they also confirmed that Celebrity no longer offers PCR tests onboard, just antigen tests. I later found out after talking with Customer Service that Celebrity has contracted a local vendor in Ft Lauderdale (in our case) to administer the PCR tests for its guests in the cruise terminal once the requiring passengers disembark the ship. But CS also said the PCR test was complimentary.
 

Now, I don’t know if this is because this new policy just started and the folks on the Apex requiring the service had no previous warning of this change by Celebrity, but that’s what I was told. I was also told the PCR test will take about 90 minutes to get the results.

[wendycook22]

Yes, I looked on their site to see if the changes were reflected in their procedures.  Nothing.  I will report back once I have heard from my contact at Celebrity Cruises. 

[WestCoastFlyer]

I would say that those costs are in line or even lower than what you will pay locally for a travel related test.   We paid $125 each for a rapid PCR test to travel from the US to a foreign destination earlier this year and many places wanted over $200.  You might be able to schedule something in advance (before you depart)  at the local CVS pharmacy but not sure how that works for a non US citizen and while you get your results by phone in about an hour we waited about 12 hours for our results to be emailed to us so it would likely require that you plan to stay over after the cruise.   If it was me, I would take advantage of the simplicity of having it done on the ship and know it will be ready before you disembark.   Wishing you safe and happy travels. 

[Turtles06]

1 hour ago, Fouremco said:

And the changes still aren't reflected on the Healthy at Sea web pages.

 

Neither is the fact that Celebrity is requiring vaccinated guests on U.S. sailings departing through December 31, 2021 to have a pre-cruise test within two days of sailing (as a letter I received today from Celebrity states); the web site still says November 30, 2021.

[Fouremco]

27 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

 

Neither is the fact that Celebrity is requiring vaccinated guests on U.S. sailings departing through December 31, 2021 to have a pre-cruise test within two days of sailing (as a letter I received today from Celebrity states); the web site still says November 30, 2021.

Yes, they seem to be experiencing a great deal of difficulty with their messaging. As it has the widest potential audience, you'd think that they would put greater effort in keeping the information there accurate and up to date. It's frequently neither. 

[Turtles06]

1 minute ago, Fouremco said:

Yes, they seem to be experiencing a great deal of difficulty with their messaging. As it has the widest potential audience, you'd think that they would put greater effort in keeping the information there accurate and up to date. It's frequently neither. 

 

I agree.  I suggested to them some time ago that they put someone in charge of their Covid-related messaging, to avoid the inconsistencies we've pointed out in their web pages, and to be sure everything they send out or publish on line is up to date and consistent.  It's such critical messaging, and not that hard to do.  

[Sabbycat]

2 hours ago, Reel Love said:

 I just returned to Canada from the United States last Saturday and can say that $95 for the PCR test is cheaper than any PCR test that I was able to find!

Remember that is 95 USD not Canadian.

[Purplsmurf]

I received the email today because we sail next month. Celebrity will charge $55 for the antigen test and $95 for PCR. Other social media sites have people in an uproar about this. Even if not cruising, as a US Citizen we are responsible for paying for our own tests when leaving and returning to the country. We have done it multiple times.  We sail from Europe in May and I fully expect to pay for my test to got to Europe, pay for the test to board the ship, and also pay for the test to return home. 

[astro57]

I have the same letter. The site used to say complimentary test when I booked,  I have it in print,  now they say they are charging. That's like saying the drinks aren't included anymore.  How can anyone be loyal to a company doing business that way.

[Reel Love]

29 minutes ago, Sabbycat said:

Remember that is 95 USD not Canadian.

Oh absolutely!  We paid $120 US for our PCR tests to return to Canada.   I was just happy for wendycook22 that her cost quoted from Celebrity was $25 less than what we paid lol

Edited November 11, 2021 by Reel Love

[Fouremco]

While the focus of most posts on this thread has been on Celebrity offloading the cost of the tests on the passengers, my greater concern is the fact that they will only test you if your flight home is within 24 hours of disembarkation. That means that the majority of those with flights booked the following day will not be allowed to be tested onboard.  

 

While having to arrange a test ashore involves a certain amount of additional inconvenience, what happens if you test positive? The Safe Passage Home program, a major reason why we have booked with Celebrity promises the following:

 

We’re with you every step of the way no matter where in the world you travel with us. If you test positive for COVID-19 onboard during your cruise, Celebrity Cruises will cover the cost of your onboard COVID-19 medical treatment, land-based isolation, and private air transfer home for you and your traveling party, if required.

 

So, if your flight is on disembarkation day and you test positive onboard, Celebrity will take care of you. But if your flight is the next day, Celebrity washes their hands of you? Clearly, if you test positive the day after disembarkation, you caught the virus during the cruise, and Celebrity should provide the same level of protection and assistance to you.

 

 

 

 

[gerelmx]

Will X charge for the 2nd leg of B2B passengers

[Dr. Cocktail]

3 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

While the focus of most posts on this thread has been on Celebrity offloading the cost of the tests on the passengers, my greater concern is the fact that they will only test you if your flight home is within 24 hours of disembarkation. That means that the majority of those with flights booked the following day will not be allowed to be tested onboard.  

 

While having to arrange a test ashore involves a certain amount of additional inconvenience, what happens if you test positive? The Safe Passage Home program, a major reason why we have booked with Celebrity promises the following:

 

We’re with you every step of the way no matter where in the world you travel with us. If you test positive for COVID-19 onboard during your cruise, Celebrity Cruises will cover the cost of your onboard COVID-19 medical treatment, land-based isolation, and private air transfer home for you and your traveling party, if required.

 

So, if your flight is on disembarkation day and you test positive onboard, Celebrity will take care of you. But if your flight is the next day, Celebrity washes their hands of you? Clearly, if you test positive the day after disembarkation, you caught the virus during the cruise, and Celebrity should provide the same level of protection and assistance to you.

 

 

 

 

Were you eavesdropping over our cocktail conversation this evening?

[Fouremco]

Just now, Dr. Cocktail said:

Were you eavesdropping over our cocktail conversation this evening?

Of course!  And I imagine there were many other similar conversations in other homes. I'll have to check the tapes! 😇

[Cg52]

We were just told by the Celebrity agent that it was no longer available on the ship but that we could line up and get it at the terminal when we first get off..no charge was mentioned. I wonder if this is an alternative to lining up. Get it onboard for a fee. 🤔

[Fouremco]

3 minutes ago, Cg52 said:

We were just told by the Celebrity agent that it was no longer available on the ship but that we could line up and get it at the terminal when we first get off..no charge was mentioned. I wonder if this is an alternative to lining up. Get it onboard for a fee. 🤔

Increasingly typical Celebrity mixed messaging. The left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing, and it may not even know that there is a right hand!