NCL Support if you test positive?

[topaz2314]

If we test positive at the pier testing, NCL policy on website states that NCL will cover expenses of quarantine that are not covered by the travel insurance. Does this mean without a travel insurance, there is no coverage from NCL at all? 

[ChiefMateJRK]

30 minutes ago, Lou33 said:

But starting Jan 17 they stop testing at the pier, you have to test at home.

You make this sound like a bad thing.  For many of us, it is not.

[Lou33]

14 minutes ago, topaz2314 said:

If we test positive at the pier testing, NCL policy on website states that NCL will cover expenses of quarantine that are not covered by the travel insurance. Does this mean without a travel insurance, there is no coverage from NCL at all? 

See post #6.  A good question.  To me it is not clear, but after reading the statement, my interpretation is that if you have travel insurance, they want you to use that first, then they pay the rest.  And if you don't have travel insurance they don't explicitly say that they will not cover it.  But to qualify, you have to present a negative self test taken within 96 hours, and then test positive at the pier.  

 

But after Jan 17, they stop testing at the pier, so in turn, there is no circumstance where they agree to pay for your quarantine expenses.  Unless they make an exception, like in NOLA.  

[Lou33]

29 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

You make this sound like a bad thing.  For many of us, it is not.

From a convenience standpoint, it's a good thing, but from a safety standpoint, it's a bad thing.  They're using a rapid PCR test at the pier, but the home antigen tests have many more false negatives   The new protocol may allow more COVID cases on the ship.  

[ChiefMateJRK]

25 minutes ago, Lou33 said:

They're using a rapid PCR test at the pier, but the home antigen tests have many more false negatives 

I believe that you are mistaken.  They have been using a rapid Antigen test at the pier, which is what many have taken before getting on that airplane.

[Lou33]

9 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

I believe that you are mistaken.  They have been using a rapid Antigen test at the pier, which is what many have taken before getting on that airplane.

Yes, I see that it is an antigen test.  If so, then it makes sense to just test at home two days before embarkation.  If I were to test positive, I would want to know before I fly to the port city.  

[ChiefMateJRK]

37 minutes ago, Lou33 said:

Yes, I see that it is an antigen test.  If so, then it makes sense to just test at home two days before embarkation.  If I were to test positive, I would want to know before I fly to the port city.  

Bingo!!

[Lou33]

I haven't seen any additional discussions here.  But apparently, NCL listened to me, and they had a change of heart regarding their COVID support policy.  It appears that they will now coordinate and pay for all of your COVID related expenses if you test positive "while on board".  Previously, it was only if you test positive at the pier.   Their policy now seems to be inline with Royal Caribbean.   We will have insurance anyway, but this gives us peace of mind that everything will be covered and they will coordinate and pay upfront.  The updated policy also give guests an incentive to report symptoms while on board.  We were considering cancelling our cruise because of the old policy.  But we now plan to make our final payment next week.  Great news!

 

https://www.ncl.com/faq#!#-79-58

 

If a guest tests positive for COVID-19 while on board, what costs are covered?

Complimentary onboard consultations and treatments are provided for respiratory illnesses as well as dedicated isolation accommodations should the need arise.

If a guest follows health and safety protocols and tests positive during their cruise, the Cruise Line will coordinate and cover the costs related to necessary onboard COVID-19 related medical treatment, required land-based quarantine and travel arrangements to get the guest safely back home. We will also cover the same costs for identified close contacts if they are required to quarantine onboard or are removed or denied re-boarding due to being in close contact to a guest who tests positive.

Edited December 15, 2021 by Lou33

[CarolinaMamma]

I would still like to know more about the “dedicated isolation accommodations.

 

Under what circumstances do they move you from your cabin? Is it only if you test positive, or if you are a close contact of someone who tested positive?

 

Do they move everyone in the cabin if the others have not tested positive? We are a family of 4 staying in a Hacen 2-bedroom.

[Lou33]

3 minutes ago, CarolinaMamma said:

Under what circumstances do they move you from your cabin? Is it only if you test positive, or if you are a close contact of someone who tested positive?

From what I have read, they will isolate people who test positive "and" close contacts.  But you can always ask NCL.  

[BirdTravels]

9 minutes ago, CarolinaMamma said:

I would still like to know more about the “dedicated isolation accommodations.

 

Under what circumstances do they move you from your cabin? Is it only if you test positive, or if you are a close contact of someone who tested positive?

 

Do they move everyone in the cabin if the others have not tested positive? We are a family of 4 staying in a Haven 2-bedroom.

You would be moved to isolation if you test positive. You get your comfy quarantine room and your boxed meals left outside your room (your days in the Haven dining room are over). Close contacts are isolated until they are cleared by the ship's medical team (probably a couple of days of negative tests). 

 

I return to my position that 10's of thousands of people cruise every week and there have been 1500ish total cases (include those who never make it onboard) since restart. Folks fret over "what if" situations which are very, very, very, very, very rare. 

[CarolinaMamma]

3 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

You would be moved to isolation if you test positive. You get your comfy quarantine room and your boxed meals left outside your room (your days in the Haven dining room are over). Close contacts are isolated until they are cleared by the ship's medical team (probably a couple of days of negative tests). 

 

I return to my position that 10's of thousands of people cruise every week and there have been 1500ish total cases (include those who never make it onboard) since restart. Folks fret over "what if" situations which are very, very, very, very, very rare. 

I think we are just going to be very very careful the two weeks before our cruise. Sure, there is always some risk, but we have waited too long for this vacation to spend it in quarantine, so we’ll be as cautious as we can. 

[BirdTravels]

2 minutes ago, CarolinaMamma said:

I think we are just going to be very very careful the two weeks before our cruise. Sure, there is always some risk, but we have waited too long for this vacation to spend it in quarantine, so we’ll be as cautious as we can. 

We always do exactly the same. Been on 3 cruises this year. We try to minimize any trips away from home. Always have a N95 mask on when out during the 14-day pre-cruise period. And keep that mask on while traveling to our cruise vacation. 

[LouChamp]

My own opinion, and I love cruises and have been blessed to see the world by ship many times, is that right now all of this is not worth the hassle and risk to my family. I don't want to be quarantined should the dreaded covid strike and eat box meals or thrown into a 1 star hotel.  I still believe the cruise lines are not being transparent enough and that is not to say hotels airlines etc also may be not transparent but i'm not putting my family at risk because FDR wants to make a few million more.  I will not subject my family to the stress of testing, testing again, and the unknowns. That said i wish all my fellow cc’s smooth sailing and good health! 

[Lou33]

3 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Folks fret over "what if" situations which are very, very, very, very, very rare. 

But that may not be the case in 2 or 3 months because of Omicron.  Preliminary reports say that Pfizer is only 33% effective.  Reports say it may be milder, but they will still quarantine you anyway.

 

But the point here is that the new NCL policy says that they will take care of you, where the old policy was that you're on your own.  For me, I'm much more comfortable with the new policy.  Especially knowing that things can change with Omicron.  

[ChiefMateJRK]

5 hours ago, LouChamp said:

I don't want to be quarantined should the dreaded covid strike and eat box meals or thrown into a 1 star hotel.

Don't believe everything that you read on the internet.  The same person who told us that they lock you in a room also said that they leave your "box meals" outside your door.  Do you consume it with a very long straw??

[Karaboudjan]

10 hours ago, Lou33 said:

But that may not be the case in 2 or 3 months because of Omicron.  Preliminary reports say that Pfizer is only 33% effective.  Reports say it may be milder, but they will still quarantine you anyway.

 

But the point here is that the new NCL policy says that they will take care of you, where the old policy was that you're on your own.  For me, I'm much more comfortable with the new policy.  Especially knowing that things can change with Omicron.  

It might happen occasionally, but quarantining/repatriating dozens of people regularly is probably not going to be sustainable for long for several reasons, so I think if Omicron gets out of hand something is going to have to change.  Probably at least required boosters if the preliminary research on them is accurate.

[thepla]

Please do not trust anything ncl says or publishes.

 

In Nov 21 breakaway my 13 year old son and me tested negative in Chicago 48 hours prior to departure. I have insurance through insuremytrip.

 

At Pier I tested positive. Went to another part of hotel.

 

Test one, their machine not working, told day one, need to get system fixed.

 

Test two, still issues with machine.

 

Test three, they took swab. Inconclusive.

 

Test four, in machine at 11:47am, on cvs site. They tell me positive, I test home at 12:05, 18 minutes later, not long enough for a PCR result.

 

They take my minor son and me to hotel. Out in small room where it is impossible to stay distanced from my son.

 

I call number in letter, Medco. They know nothing about my case. I called them three times in two days, ncl never told them.

 

My doctor does not 100 percent believe I'm positive. I get test while in new Orleans two hours after in hotel, results negative. Both my doctor and medco feel better to drive home, 13 hours to Chicago. If I am positive I'd likely give to my son or worse I end up in hospital, what happens to my 13 year old.

 

We drive home, hey pcr test next day, results are negative.

 

Ok so their contractor is bad, so be it, I don't blame them for not letting us in ship.

 

I file claim for food, car, gas with insuremytrip. Ncl only refunds 700 out of 2172. Rest a credit that expires in January.

 

So don't believe them a refund. It's a big lie. I can't tell you stress involved being in a hotel with a minor child where only way we social distance was for one of us to be in bathroom and other by window. Than 13 hours drive using bathroom on side of road.

 

Like I said DO NOT TRUST NCL, EVER, THRY ARE LIARS.

[LouChamp]

1 hour ago, thepla said:

Please do not trust anything ncl says or publishes.

 

In Nov 21 breakaway my 13 year old son and me tested negative in Chicago 48 hours prior to departure. I have insurance through insuremytrip.

 

At Pier I tested positive. Went to another part of hotel.

 

Test one, their machine not working, told day one, need to get system fixed.

 

Test two, still issues with machine.

 

Test three, they took swab. Inconclusive.

 

Test four, in machine at 11:47am, on cvs site. They tell me positive, I test home at 12:05, 18 minutes later, not long enough for a PCR result.

 

They take my minor son and me to hotel. Out in small room where it is impossible to stay distanced from my son.

 

I call number in letter, Medco. They know nothing about my case. I called them three times in two days, ncl never told them.

 

My doctor does not 100 percent believe I'm positive. I get test while in new Orleans two hours after in hotel, results negative. Both my doctor and medco feel better to drive home, 13 hours to Chicago. If I am positive I'd likely give to my son or worse I end up in hospital, what happens to my 13 year old.

 

We drive home, hey pcr test next day, results are negative.

 

Ok so their contractor is bad, so be it, I don't blame them for not letting us in ship.

 

I file claim for food, car, gas with insuremytrip. Ncl only refunds 700 out of 2172. Rest a credit that expires in January.

 

So don't believe them a refund. It's a big lie. I can't tell you stress involved being in a hotel with a minor child where only way we social distance was for one of us to be in bathroom and other by window. Than 13 hours drive using bathroom on side of road.

 

Like I said DO NOT TRUST NCL, EVER, THRY ARE LIARS.

totally agree with you. they are disgusting as are the other cruise lines. my bucket list is full and will not be a fool for sailing. i wish you and your son good health and your family 

[Lou33]

3 hours ago, thepla said:

I file claim for food, car, gas with insuremytrip. Ncl only refunds 700 out of 2172. Rest a credit that expires in January.

Thanks for sharing your experience and I'm sorry that you trip didn't go well.

 

Please help us understand exactly what happened.   Did NCL refund 100% of your cruise fare?  You had travel expenses to rent a car and drive 13 hours home.  I know that the cost of gas is high, but did that cost a total of $2172?  The "old" NCL policy was that you need to claim expenses on your insurance first, then get reimbursed from NCL for the rest later.  How much did you get from your insurance?  Does the total from insurance and NCL cover the total cost of the trip back home?   You have a credit that expires in January, but is that January 2022 or 2023?  What was the credit for?

[ChiefMateJRK]

3 hours ago, thepla said:

Ncl only refunds 700 out of 2172. Rest a credit that expires in January.

Did you pay for the cruise with FCC?

[mpk218]

Oh dear God help us all 😳   This nonsense it out of control .. Right Henny Penny 

 

 

 

[Lou33]

5 hours ago, thepla said:

Please do not trust anything ncl says or publishes.

 

I file claim for food, car, gas with insuremytrip. Ncl only refunds 700 out of 2172. Rest a credit that expires in January.

 

Like I said DO NOT TRUST NCL, EVER, THRY ARE LIARS.

It's very difficult to follow and interpret the details of your post.  But if your insurance covered your food, car, gas 100%.  And NCL gave you a refund and FCC for your cruise fare, but you used FCC to pay for part of the fare.  Wouldn't that be exactly according to NCL's policy at the time?

[thepla]

9 hours ago, Robin122 said:

Technically, they have more boats than ships…. (Life boats) 🤣🤣🤣

 

4 hours ago, Lou33 said:

Thanks for sharing your experience and I'm sorry that you trip didn't go well.

 

Please help us understand exactly what happened.   Did NCL refund 100% of your cruise fare?  You had travel expenses to rent a car and drive 13 hours home.  I know that the cost of gas is high, but did that cost a total of $2172?  The "old" NCL policy was that you need to claim expenses on your insurance first, then get reimbursed from NCL for the rest later.  How much did you get from your insurance?  Does the total from insurance and NCL cover the total cost of the trip back home?   You have a credit that expires in January, but is that January 2022 or 2023?  What was the credit for?

2172 was cruise fare, one excursion, etc.

 

Car, gas, food was about six hundred. One way car rental is always expensive.

[thepla]

4 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Did you pay for the cruise with FCC?

Some was fcc. No extra fcc was ever given. 2172 is all 100 percent cash put out of my funds.