RCCL - No more onboard tests for Canadians

[snoope]

Starts January 5th. I guess that makes cancelling my January cruise much easier.

 

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2021/12/20/royal-caribbean-will-stop-offering-onboard-covid-19-tests-international-passengers

[snoope]

For Guests Sailing before January 5, 2022 

You can schedule a COVID-19 test onboard prior to debarkation day to complete your International Re-Entry Testing requirement. Details on scheduling your test will be provided once onboard. 

For Guests Sailing on or after January 5, 2022 

Optional onboard testing to satisfy your International Re-Entry Testing requirement will no longer be available. However, if your country requires a COVID-19 test, you have various ways to complete this testing requirement nearby upon debarking the ship. Note that Royal Caribbean is not affiliated with these providers in any way. Testing costs vary by location and should be paid directly to the provider. These options will be communicated to you once onboard in greater detail. 

• At the Terminal — For your convenience, you can take a rapid PCR or antigen COVID-19 test right at the terminal upon debarking the ship and depart. Results will be emailed to you shortly after. 
• At the Airport — Guests traveling directly to the airport can schedule their rapid PCR or antigen COVID-19 test to be taken on-site with a test provider at the airport.  
• Local Testing Sites — If you’re staying in the area, there are various locations close to the terminal, the airport and hotels in the area where you can complete PCR or antigen COVID-19 testing.  

Pricing for these tests varies by test type and location.

[A&L_Ont]

I was reading about this earlier today as well.

 

 

[ALD18]

No surprising, reduce the lines costs.  Will significantly increase bureaucratic and financial mess for returning passengers.  Especially needing the PCR test in a timely manner.

[A&L_Ont]

If we go in March we fly from MIA to DTW and land cross the boarder in Port Huron.  As of now there is no testing or vaccine required to fly within the states. If we go we'd schedule our PCR for Port Huron or somewhere between there and Detroit and upload to the App before we drive across.  

 

It doesn't say if we need any type of test to get off the ship in Florida to go about the general population.  Would we still be getting an Antigen test the day before we get off the ship?  One would think that is a requirement to enter the states?  Perhaps this is just "regular" poor communication by RC.🤷‍♂️  That's my thoughts, antigen into the US, but after that you are on your own.

[Fouremco]

2 minutes ago, A&L_Ont said:

If we go in March we fly from MIA to DTW and land cross the boarder in Port Huron.  As of now there is no testing or vaccine required to fly within the states. If we go we'd schedule our PCR for Port Huron or somewhere between there and Detroit and upload to the App before we drive across.  

 

It doesn't say if we need any type of test to get off the ship in Florida to go about the general population.  Would we still be getting an Antigen test the day before we get off the ship?  One would think that is a requirement to enter the states?  Perhaps this is just "regular" poor communication by RC.🤷‍♂️  That's my thoughts, antigen into the US, but after that you are on your own.

There is no requirement for antigen test to be taken pre-disembarkation. IMO, RCI shouldn't be accused of poor communications for not mentioning a requirement that doesn't exist and never has.

[Britchip]

So I am now on the fence as to whether I cancel my February/March cruises. I am travelling solo (meeting a US buddy in FLL for 4 cruises) I do have the Switch Health Lamp Test that I can use but I purchased it as a back up plan. The Cruise with Confidence policy is slowly eroding as RC will likely not be arranging for you to return home either once you test off the ship if you are positive. Hmm what to do what to do

[bigtony22127]

Hmmm this is frustrating since most of us book a return flight only a few hours after we disembark. I wonder if Celebrity will make the same change. That would he diseuptful and a huge source of stress that might lead me to cancel the cruise. We board Jan 3 (so hopefully we are covered regardless).

[melbrook]

7 minutes ago, bigtony22127 said:

Hmmm this is frustrating since most of us book a return flight only a few hours after we disembark. I wonder if Celebrity will make the same change. That would he diseuptful and a huge source of stress that might lead me to cancel the cruise. We board Jan 3 (so hopefully we are covered regardless).

I know my Celebrity update from last month was that bookings before Nov.16th still got the required tests on board and bookings after did not.  I understand that things change - but to your point, many of us booked flights based on having this test in hand.  Honour the items in place at time of booking and change the rules for new ones...is that unreasonable??

[Fouremco]

4 minutes ago, melbrook said:

Honour the items in place at time of booking and change the rules for new ones...is that unreasonable??

Not at all unreasonable, but Celebrity is known to make changes on the fly and to provide no relief to passengers already booked. Unfortunately, the very one-sided cruise contract that we all agree to allows them to do so.

[A&L_Ont]

1 hour ago, Fouremco said:

There is no requirement for antigen test to be taken pre-disembarkation.

 

Meaning all onboard can walk of the ship in their US disembarkation port with no testing required?  That is, as of today?  So, as I noted above, I could just head home in whatever form so long as we have the proper testing completed and submitted to cross the border.  

 

1 hour ago, Fouremco said:

IMO, RCI shouldn't be accused of poor communications for not mentioning a requirement that doesn't exist and never has.

 I think I confused the antigen testing for cruises from Nassau and St Martin etc to be applied to sailing from the states. That part is my mistake. 

Edited December 20, 2021 by A&L_Ont

[Fouremco]

5 minutes ago, A&L_Ont said:

Meaning all onboard can walk of the ship in their US disembarkation port with no testing required?  That is, as of today?  So, as I noted above, I could just head home in whatever form so long as we have the proper testing completed and submitted to cross the border.  

Correct. Walk off, grab your bags, clear CBP and away you go. The only people who need to get a post-cruise test are international passenger requiring one to go home. A Canadian driving home can clear Florida, and take it anywhere along the route home.

[Liverpoolfan181]

This just keeps adding to the frustration of planning and stress on debarkation day which is always a gloomy day to begin with after vacay. Knew it was too good to be true for onboard testing. We board on the 8th and have 12 noon flight. Are Rapid PCR's acceptable for return to Canada? @Fouremco I feel like you are the source of info to know this. LOL. Thank you in advance. 

 

I guest now have to factor in how long this would all take to test then clear the area, head to airport and pray for test results. 

[snoope]

13 minutes ago, Liverpoolfan181 said:

This just keeps adding to the frustration of planning and stress on debarkation day which is always a gloomy day to begin with after vacay. Knew it was too good to be true for onboard testing. We board on the 8th and have 12 noon flight. Are Rapid PCR's acceptable for return to Canada? @Fouremco I feel like you are the source of info to know this. LOL. Thank you in advance. 

 

I guest now have to factor in how long this would all take to test then clear the area, head to airport and pray for test results. 

We are in the exact same position. Symphony on January 8-15. Westjet flight at noon out of FLL.

[Liverpoolfan181]

5 minutes ago, snoope said:

We are in the exact same position. Symphony on January 8-15. Westjet flight at noon out of FLL.

Identical travel plans and westjet but we are on Allure- what do you think you would for plan b now?

[snoope]

7 minutes ago, Liverpoolfan181 said:

Identical travel plans and westjet but we are on Allure- what do you think you would for plan b now?

Havent got one yet. I am still looking for plan B's. 😞

[Fouremco]

43 minutes ago, Liverpoolfan181 said:

This just keeps adding to the frustration of planning and stress on debarkation day which is always a gloomy day to begin with after vacay. Knew it was too good to be true for onboard testing. We board on the 8th and have 12 noon flight. Are Rapid PCR's acceptable for return to Canada? @Fouremco I feel like you are the source of info to know this. LOL. Thank you in advance. 

 

I guest now have to factor in how long this would all take to test then clear the area, head to airport and pray for test results. 

Yes, Rapid PCR tests are acceptable and are offered at many airports and other testing facilities. They also cost more than the slower variety.

 

Here's an example of price difference from the Fast Test Now facility at FLL. In USD, of course! Note that all tests, no matter how quick, are approved for international travel.

 

Closer to home, at an Ottawa testing facility, look at the price difference between their same-day results ($159) and 1-2 hour results ($299).

 

[Liverpoolfan181]

24 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

Yes, Rapid PCR tests are acceptable and are offered at many airports and other testing facilities. They also cost more than the slower variety.

 

Here's an example of price difference from the Fast Test Now facility at FLL. In USD, of course! Note that all tests, no matter how quick, are approved for international travel.

 

Closer to home, at an Ottawa testing facility, look at the price difference between their same-day results ($159) and 1-2 hour results ($299).

 

 

Thank you So much for the great updates. Holy expensive!!!! I wish there was more info provided about the pier testing to learn how quick for results and how much. 

 

Thank you again!

[Magicat]

It would be interesting to see what happens, if testing is still a requirement in May, when the Alaska cruises start landing in Vancouver. 

[karebare22]

Disappointed to hear this, the onboard testing is a huge convenience for us. Maybe with the increase in international travellers, and increase in cases recently, Royal needs to offload some of this responsibility. For our cruise in Feb, I think our best option will be the Switch Health tests, which we can bring with us to San Juan, so that we can do the test right on the ship the night before or early morning of disembarkation. Usually we only get the VOOM surf package, wondering if we can switch to stream just for the last day.

[karebare22]

40 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

Yes, Rapid PCR tests are acceptable and are offered at many airports and other testing facilities. They also cost more than the slower variety.

 

Here's an example of price difference from the Fast Test Now facility at FLL. In USD, of course! Note that all tests, no matter how quick, are approved for international travel.

The Switch Health Rapid PCR tests are $149 CDN.

[MsDolly]

It is a sad day, there goes our family vacation for 7.

So my question is this, if a member of the family tests positive how long do they quarantine before testing again to come home.  My son’s family of four will take quite the hit if this happens to them!  Not sure we are up for that risk.

[peacefrogdog]

14 minutes ago, karebare22 said:

The Switch Health Rapid PCR tests are $149 CDN.

 

On the Switch webpage it says rapid PCR tests are $159, and these are the ones that you apparently have to send in the swabs. Are you referring to the RT-LAMP tests? And if so, do those fit the current criteria for entry within Canada?

[Fouremco]

14 minutes ago, peacefrogdog said:

 

On the Switch webpage it says rapid PCR tests are $159, and these are the ones that you apparently have to send in the swabs. Are you referring to the RT-LAMP tests? And if so, do those fit the current criteria for entry within Canada?

Yes, it's the RT-LAMP test kit that costs $149. And RT-LAMP tests are a perfectly acceptable alternative to a PCR test for entry to Canada. Here's the full range of accepted tests:

 

Accepted types of molecular tests

• PCR - Polymerase chain reaction
• Nucleic acid test (NAT) or Nucleic acid amplification test (NAATs)
• Reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP)

These tests use methods such as a nasopharyngeal (NP) swab, nose swab, or saliva sample.

• Rapid antigen tests aren't accepted.

Other acceptable types of tests

• RT-PCR – reverse transcription real time PCR
• Quantitative PCR (qPCR)
• Isothermal amplification
• Droplet digital PCR or digital droplet PCR (ddPCR)
• Transcription-mediated amplification (TMA)
• RNA (Ribonucleic acid)
• Ct (cycle threshold)
• CRISPR
• Sequencing
• Next generational sequencing (NGS) or whole genome sequencing (WGS)
• Oxford Nanopore sequencing (LamPORE)
• Detection of the N gene
• Detection of Orf1a/b
• Detection of the S gene
• Detection of the E gene
• Detection of the RdRp gene

[edrussell]

Definitely sad to hear this.  We had to pay for our tests when visiting Las Vegas (both ways) and Mexico (one way) and were quite pleased to believe that the test would be taken care of by RCCL.  Not a whole lot of advanced notice either.  We are driving back so that does make the process a 'little' simpler but this is now something else we have to deal with on the return trip.  I suppose in one way we are ensured to be 'off the ship' without test results.  Since we are driving and can cross via land (for now) even with a positive result I guess all we have to do is decide where to get the test done.  Does anyone have a link to testing facilities near the Baltimore terminal?