International RE-Entry Test Change

[melbur]

I'm even more confused now. MIA website states testing in the South Terminal is done by Nomi. (South Terminal is Air Canada, Westjet) Called Nomi Health, no they only test arrivals, not departures!

Port of Miami they have testing at Terminals E & J, isn't Royal Terminal A ??

Wish someone  (RC) would add some clarity to this mess

[kimlet]

My question is can you still get on a flight home the same day you arrive back to port getting that test done now. My flight is at 11:40

[sellwingri]

I wonder what will happen when ships are again in Europe and we need to fly back to the US?

[swoopy2110]

3 minutes ago, sellwingri said:

I wonder what will happen when ships are again in Europe and we need to fly back to the US?

 

Live chat told me the change has only been made for US / Puerto Rico sailings. Sailings in other markets you can still get a test onboard if you need to fly home!

[Sunshine3601]

4 hours ago, 38anchor said:

 

Also, as a non us resident trying to get a test isn’t as easy as you would think and damn expensive. We are staying in NY a few days prior to the cruise and it’s not been straightforward finding a private company to take the pre departure test. 

It will be difficult to find a pre boarding test in NYC due to high level of covid cases in NYC residents are having lots of problem trying to find testing.

If you are sailing on anthem out of cape liberty you may want to book testing at the cruise terminal, expensive but I have heard airports and other places in NYC are charging alot more than $100 pp

Check this out

https://www.solvhealth.com/book-online/gJXWYA

[Sunshine3601]

14 minutes ago, sellwingri said:

I wonder what will happen when ships are again in Europe and we need to fly back to the US?

Too early to know for sure since royal doesnt have ships sailing in europe right now.

Edited December 21, 2021 by Sunshine3601

[Sunshine3601]

21 minutes ago, kimlet said:

My question is can you still get on a flight home the same day you arrive back to port getting that test done now. My flight is at 11:40

It could be tight to get results back that quick if a lot of others are doing tests that morning.  Can you buy the proctored at home test kits and bring with you to do onboard yourself the last day of the cruise?

[Sunshine3601]

4 hours ago, h20skibum said:

I would hate to have to wait until disembarking the ship to get the test and results back.  Royal should have followed the same policy that they implemented at Celebrity over a month ago. 
 

 

 

 

Not really sure why royal is making this change all I can assume is they need to reserve their rapid test kits for possible positive cases onboard as well as the weekly testing of their crew.

[PatMunits]

38 minutes ago, melbur said:

I'm even more confused now. MIA website states testing in the South Terminal is done by Nomi. (South Terminal is Air Canada, Westjet) Called Nomi Health, no they only test arrivals, not departures!

Port of Miami they have testing at Terminals E & J, isn't Royal Terminal A ??

Wish someone  (RC) would add some clarity to this mess

Also, the Nomi website doesn't clearly spell out the costs, and their MIA airport location is not listed on the website. There's an article in a local paper from months ago that mentions that rapid 15-minute tests at MIA by Nomi are USD$229. That's almost CAD$1,800 in extra cost for my party of three adults and three kids. This is not an amount I'm willing to dish out.

Edited December 21, 2021 by PatMunits

[misstamster]

11 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

It will be difficult to find a pre boarding test in NYC due to high level of covid cases in NYC residents are having lots of problem trying to find testing.

If you are sailing on anthem out of cape liberty you may want to book testing at the cruise terminal, expensive but I have heard airports and other places in NYC are charging alot more than $100 pp

Check this out

https://www.solvhealth.com/book-online/gJXWYA

Wow, $150 each for this test. Are you aware that Walgreens offer tests for free. Just need to book a drive thru appointment and fill out the online form. Hire a taxi to drive you thru...Way cheaper than at the pier. Also, there are quite a few Walgreens near Bayonne.

[PatMunits]

2 minutes ago, misstamster said:

Wow, $150 each for this test. Are you aware that Walgreens offer tests for free. Just need to book a drive thru appointment and fill out the online form. Hire a taxi to drive you thru...Way cheaper than at the pier. Also, there are quite a few Walgreens near Bayonne.

As per Wallgreens website there are no locations in downtown Miami that offer a rapid 15-minute test. The other tier that offers results in under 24-hours is available. However, I'm not comfortable with having to rely that such a test will deliver email with results before the end of my boarding time. A bit too much of a gamble.

[JessyCruises]

Apparently we cannot get information about the terminal testing until we are onboard…

[swoopy2110]

This is very poor from RCI I have to say. After being told only a few days ago that a test would be provided onboard.

[Sunshine3601]

34 minutes ago, misstamster said:

Wow, $150 each for this test. Are you aware that Walgreens offer tests for free. Just need to book a drive thru appointment and fill out the online form. Hire a taxi to drive you thru...Way cheaper than at the pier. Also, there are quite a few Walgreens near Bayonne.

Yes I am fully aware but do you know if non us citizens can schedule the free test at our pharmacies?  And it is extremely difficult to get an appt. At walgreens and cvs right now.  Have to book 7 to 14 days in advance depending on the pharmacy.  Not sure that someone traveling from europe can do that.

  I was merely suggesting to the person traveling overseas to NYC they can test at cruise terminal.

[Jimbo]

2 hours ago, smally said:

I wonder if they actually are wanting us to cancel. That way they keep our cruise fare (if we get a FCC), and they avoid what may well be a huge number of people testing positive on board and needing to be quarantined before flying home (and the associated expense, which is supposed to be covered by them).

 

Or could it be that if we test positive at the airport they will deem us to no longer be their responsibility (as we have left the ship) in terms of quarantine costs. It's not what they agreed to when we booked, but I'm beginning to think it might be a possibility......

I think the latter, great post. People will be SOL and on their Own.

[Jimbo]

1 hour ago, swoopy2110 said:

 

Live chat told me the change has only been made for US / Puerto Rico sailings. Sailings in other markets you can still get a test onboard if you need to fly home!

That's the rule today how about tomorrow?

[Sunshine3601]

2 hours ago, smally said:

I wonder if they actually are wanting us to cancel. That way they keep our cruise fare (if we get a FCC), and they avoid what may well be a huge number of people testing positive on board and needing to be quarantined before flying home (and the associated expense, which is supposed to be covered by them).

 

Or could it be that if we test positive at the airport they will deem us to no longer be their responsibility (as we have left the ship) in terms of quarantine costs. It's not what they agreed to when we booked, but I'm beginning to think it might be a possibility......

I'm not sure that royal would charter a private jet to get someone back home to europe.  I think they would place you in a quarantine hotel and assist you with changing your flight home.

Yes, I agree with you that once you are off the ship and test positive they are no longer responsible to house and feed you during quarantine.  

Exactly why anyone traveling internationally needs to have travel insurance that will cover covid quarantine or medical expenses.

[allwyn]

No point in non us citizens cruising if they cannot be tested by Royal free on last day of cruise.

To re enter USA they will need a pcr test not more than 24 hrs before arrival anyway as they do now  with the flight to the USA.  i think there may be a lot of merit in the point made  in this link that by not giving the test to non us citizens they absolve themselves of any responsibility if they test positive once they have left the ship  whereas currently if tested positive onboard on  the last day of the cruise it would be their responsibility... It will also potentially mean that they can show higher numbers of passengers cov free when leaving the ship...    

[RFerrington]

3 hours ago, smally said:

I wonder if they actually are wanting us to cancel. That way they keep our cruise fare (if we get a FCC), and they avoid what may well be a huge number of people testing positive on board and needing to be quarantined before flying home (and the associated expense, which is supposed to be covered by them).

 

Or could it be that if we test positive at the airport they will deem us to no longer be their responsibility (as we have left the ship) in terms of quarantine costs. It's not what they agreed to when we booked, but I'm beginning to think it might be a possibility......

Yes and yes

[38anchor]

44 minutes ago, allwyn said:

No point in non us citizens cruising if they cannot be tested by Royal free on last day of cruise.

To re enter USA they will need a pcr test not more than 24 hrs before arrival anyway as they do now  with the flight to the USA.  i think there may be a lot of merit in the point made  in this link that by not giving the test to non us citizens they absolve themselves of any responsibility if they test positive once they have left the ship  whereas currently if tested positive onboard on  the last day of the cruise it would be their responsibility... It will also potentially mean that they can show higher numbers of passengers cov free when leaving the ship...    

 Not true -  to enter the USA all UK citizens must have a LATERAL / ANTIGEN test the day before flying, not a pcr test.
 

Not sure, however what the test requirements are for re- entering the USA after a cruise. I wasn’t sure there were any. Whatever those requirements are I would think it would be irrespective of nationality and in place already. It Would almost certainly be up to RCI to provide these as you wouldn’t be allowed to disembark without.

Edited December 21, 2021 by 38anchor

[Sunshine3601]

25 minutes ago, 38anchor said:

 Not sure, however what the test requirements are for re- entering the USA after a cruise. I wasn’t sure there were any. Whatever those requirements are I would think it would be irrespective of nationality and in place already. It Would almost certainly be up to RCI to provide these as you wouldn’t be allowed to disembark without.

You do Not need a test to reenter the US after a cruise that departs from a US port.  Only required when flying into the US.

Edited December 21, 2021 by Sunshine3601

[little britain]

7 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

Shouldn't be to hard to find one. From the link provided above from Royal's website.

• 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.

So you are kicked off the ship in a foreign country and told 'you're on your own kid' to try and find a facility to test in, with no knowledge of how to get there, guidance re timeline or cost, or assistance from RCI?!   

 

I would expect a list of RCI preferred suppliers and the costs at each port as a bare minimum.

 

Very poor decision by RCI.

[Starry Eyes]

2 hours ago, PatMunits said:

As per Wallgreens website there are no locations in downtown Miami that offer a rapid 15-minute test. The other tier that offers results in under 24-hours is available. However, I'm not comfortable with having to rely that such a test will deliver email with results before the end of my boarding time. A bit too much of a gamble.

We had results via email from Walgreens IDnow, the “under 24 hour” test, in less than 40 minutes.  Many others on CC have posted 20-60 minute result times.  So far I have not seen reports nearing 24 hours.  Perhaps they are claiming “under 24 hours” in case a store’s machine breaks down; that gives them time to fix it or to transport samples to another location.

[Scotty G]

9 hours ago, 38anchor said:

As a uk resident who is meant to be sailing on anthem 9th January I find this really poor. We have to have a test in order to fly home, and like do many others will be flying on the day we disembark. Now, we have to try and find somewhere to test and have the worry waiting for our results on the same day we fly. 

 

Currently we ‘should’ be able to take a test with us (as currently only needs lateral flow) but who knows if that will change over the next few weeks.
 

With less than 3 weeks before we are supposed to be going, this has made an already stressful situation even more worrying.

 

I totally appreciate things have to be fluid whilst travelling during covid times, but come on Royal… making this decision only benefits Royal and not the costumer. 
 

 

 

 

 

Getting tested at the Port is easy. We had to do it prior to our Thanksgiving weekend cruise. Our usual Pharmacy was closed for the weekend holiday. Prior to the change in policy RCI was providing a service gratis which I'm sure was not a planned expense. After all. Business is business!

[Sunshine3601]

52 minutes ago, little britain said:

So you are kicked off the ship in a foreign country and told 'you're on your own kid' to try and find a facility to test in, with no knowledge of how to get there, guidance re timeline or cost, or assistance from RCI?!   

 

I would expect a list of RCI preferred suppliers and the costs at each port as a bare minimum.

 

Very poor decision by RCI.

If I flew to Europe I would have to find my own place to get a test to fly back home - right ?   And I am sure I would have to pay for it too. 

 

Royal just made this announcement to go into effect Jan 5th I would hope they will provide resources before boarding the ship but we all know that isn't always the case in this ever changing world we live in.     

 

Based on the fact the pre boarding testing being offered at cruise terminal is a cost of $100 to $150 pp depending on the port I suspect the price will be the same for those disembarking a ship in the US.    Remember it is Not Royal that is charging this it is the independent lab that has set up their shop at the cruise terminal.    

 

Can Europeans or UK residents purchase their own test kits like we can thru optum or emed and bring with them?