COVID Testing

[Bwana Tom]

Greetings: 

I feel like a bit of an outsider here, but out of curiosity I would like to ask a question of you folks. While we have cruised previously on Celebrity, in recent years we have mostly sailed with Princess. Princess now requires a covid test within 2 days of sailing showing negative results and when booking B2B cruises they require another test between each cruise. Understandably, that has caused some real problems for those of us booking with Princess. I was just wondering if other cruise lines including Celebrity have similar testing requirements. Any info along those lines would be great appreciated.

Happy Cruising to you all!

Tom 

[kelib]

23 minutes ago, Bwana Tom said:

Greetings: 

I feel like a bit of an outsider here, but out of curiosity I would like to ask a question of you folks. While we have cruised previously on Celebrity, in recent years we have mostly sailed with Princess. Princess now requires a covid test within 2 days of sailing showing negative results and when booking B2B cruises they require another test between each cruise. Understandably, that has caused some real problems for those of us booking with Princess. I was just wondering if other cruise lines including Celebrity have similar testing requirements. Any info along those lines would be great appreciated.

Happy Cruising to you all!

Tom 

Celebrity is the same. Pretty much all cruiselines are requiring Covid Test within 2 days and a test between b2b . 
Depending on your cruise and Itinerary,you need to find out about mask wearing on the ship. I believe all of Celebrity to the Caribbean are not requiring masks. Other lines have been requiring masks indoors, not sure what Princess is requiring. That makes a difference to some people. Also consider that things change on a frequent basis.
 

there are plenty of posts about the tests, including the home proctored test that you can do in your hotel room.

Edited November 16, 2021 by kelib

[OnTheJourney]

5 minutes ago, kelib said:

Pretty much all cruiselines are requiring Covid Test within 2 days

So how does one accomplish this if you're staying at a hotel for several days pre-cruise?  That will be our situation in March. 

Edited November 16, 2021 by OnTheJourney

[bikerunner]

9 minutes ago, OnTheJourney said:

So how does one accomplish this if you're staying at a hotel for several days pre-cruise?  That will be our situation in March. 

Find someplace to get the rest in the city yiour staying in or order the at home test that is approved by celebrity 

[OnTheJourney]

2 minutes ago, bikerunner said:

or order the at home test that is approved by celebrity 

...which could be used while staying in the hotel I assume (?).....I'd much rather do that than try to find someplace in Baltimore. 

Edited November 16, 2021 by OnTheJourney

[bikerunner]

Yep just need to use a smartphone and or computer   It’s a video visit type of test.  

[DaKahuna]

34 minutes ago, OnTheJourney said:

...which could be used while staying in the hotel I assume (?).....I'd much rather do that than try to find someplace in Baltimore. 

CVS and Walgreens in MD both offer on-site rapid COVID testing that is accepted  by Celebrity and you get your results in hours.  

[jelayne]

1 hour ago, DaKahuna said:

CVS and Walgreens in MD both offer on-site rapid COVID testing that is accepted  by Celebrity and you get your results in hours.  

That’s a option but sometimes they run out of tests or staff call in sick and tge appointments get cancelled.  We used the proctored test as our 1st option and had appointments booked as a back up.

[kelib]

2 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

CVS and Walgreens in MD both offer on-site rapid COVID testing that is accepted  by Celebrity and you get your results in hours.  

I believe the OP is from Montana, not Maryland or did I miss something.

Edited November 17, 2021 by kelib

[kelib]

2 hours ago, bikerunner said:

Yep just need to use a smartphone and or computer   It’s a video visit type of test.  

If you go onto you tube you can find people who are taping them taking the test at home or in your hotel room.

Other options are finding sites close to where you are sailing from. Keep in mind that you are looking for Rapid Tests since PCR tests are not guaranteed to come back soon enough( unless you pay to get that service) look at CVS and Walgreens in advance, see what locations do that test (only a % of these stores do the on site test) and book in advance. I believe CVS is 13-14 days out, not sure about Walgreens. Just make sure if you go that route that you get right on for the date that you want, appointments fill up fast. That actual test is easy. 
 

Whatever cruise you choose just know that this testing is pretty consistent between all cruise lines departing the US. Your cruise line will help you/ or do for you the test for the B2B so that should not be a worry. 

[mayleeman]

Not just any rapid test. Must be an antigen test, not antibody. If home test, must be proctored.

[mimbecky]

4 hours ago, bikerunner said:

Yep just need to use a smartphone and or computer   It’s a video visit type of test.  

How difficult is this from somewhere like Rome?  We will be there before our May cruise and I will have my ipad.  I imagine time zone issues?  Or internet issues?  I wish Celebrity would just do it as you board.

[kelib]

3 hours ago, mimbecky said:

How difficult is this from somewhere like Rome?  We will be there before our May cruise and I will have my ipad.  I imagine time zone issues?  Or internet issues?  I wish Celebrity would just do it as you board.

From Rome you may be better off going to your rollcall and see what others are doing.Hopefully Celebrity will update you when your trip comes up. Between now and then things can change just not with Celebrity but with Italy. 

[isdoo]

6 hours ago, mimbecky said:

How difficult is this from somewhere like Rome?  We will be there before our May cruise and I will have my ipad.  I imagine time zone issues?  Or internet issues?  I wish Celebrity would just do it as you board.

 May is a long time away - look again at the requirements in March or April!

[lorimay]

11 hours ago, mimbecky said:

How difficult is this from somewhere like Rome?  We will be there before our May cruise and I will have my ipad.  I imagine time zone issues?  Or internet issues?  I wish Celebrity would just do it as you board.

I just did the emed binaxNow tests from both Rome and Venice before and after my cruise a week ago. The proctors are in India or Philippines and are available 24 hours. No issues at all doing tests from another country. Really a simple process and results were accepted everywhere. 

[paulh84]

14 hours ago, mimbecky said:

How difficult is this from somewhere like Rome?  We will be there before our May cruise and I will have my ipad.  I imagine time zone issues?  Or internet issues?  I wish Celebrity would just do it as you board.

 

6.5 months is a long time away but today testing is very easy to locate in Rome. Just look for white tents outside of any pharmacy. They are everywhere. 

[DaKahuna]

18 hours ago, kelib said:

I believe the OP is from Montana, not Maryland or did I miss something.

They said they would be in Baltimore just prior to sailing. 

 

[DaKahuna]

16 hours ago, mimbecky said:

How difficult is this from somewhere like Rome?  We will be there before our May cruise and I will have my ipad.  I imagine time zone issues?  Or internet issues?  I wish Celebrity would just do it as you board.

The site is 24/7 from all reports that I have read so no matter where you are in the world it should work. 

[kelib]

10 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

They said they would be in Baltimore just prior to sailing. 

 

Ok, I was answering to the OP, didn’t catch that someone else mentioned Baltimore 

[Froufie]

21 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

So how does one accomplish this if you're staying at a hotel for several days pre-cruise?  That will be our situation in March. 

try BeeperMD

 

[Bwana Tom]

Thanks all! All good info. We are actually booked on Princess for a 4 way B2B beginning in 2 days (19th) and was only wondering if the other cruise lines had the same testing restrictions. It sounds like we can't get out of it by booking a different cruise line down the road. But as we all know everything can change on the drop of the hat. 

Tom