**** CARNIVAL COVID TESTING THREAD #2 **** JANUARY 6, 2002

[CeleBrat]

Total stress.

 

Upcoming cruise leaves Jan 2, which puts my Covid testing window squarely in the NY holiday time frame of 12/31-1/1.  CVS not offering tests then.  Walgreens seems to only be offering the "rapid diagnostic test--ID NOW", instead of the rapid antigen/Binax Now.  Description as follows:

 

Rapid Diagnostic Test (ID NOW): The Rapid Point-of-Care (POC) - NAAT (ID NOW) test also detects genetic material of the virus. The test is performed on site with results available within 24 hours.

 

Does that meet the Carnival requirements?

[Knights on the Beach]

YES, we've used it three times for cruises this year.  It's a NAAT test and that's clearly listed on Carnival's website as acceptable for vaccinated guests.

[cellfree]

Yes, we used it as well, on gulf coast of Florida, got results in two hours.

[cmp03]

Just FYI, you should receive an email with results in 1-3 hours normally.  If you don’t, reach out to pharmacy you did test to get results because sometimes you just don’t ever get the email. 
 

My daughter and I tested at same time.  I received her results an hour later in my email.  Never ended up receiving mine.  Called the pharmacy later that evening and they were able to print me the negative test results for the cruise.
 

 

[mama0413]

I will be on the same cuise as CeleBrat and trying to schedule my covid test.  I'm not seeing an option on the Walgreens website to book a covid test for a future date??  I'm sure it's user error, but can someone assist?

[Oceansaway17]

4 hours ago, mama0413 said:

I will be on the same cuise as CeleBrat and trying to schedule my covid test.  I'm not seeing an option on the Walgreens website to book a covid test for a future date??  I'm sure it's user error, but can someone assist?

 

 

most only schedule 4-5 days and usually are booked 1 day before.

 

good luck especially given the holiday season.  Do not forget CVS Minute clinic or urgent cares that do the 1 hours also.

[Host Carolyn]

Other thread getting a bit long so......

[sharon&family]

Does anyone ever sigh up and actually take two covid tests?  We are signed up at 

Walgreens and CVS.  We plan to test at both of them just in case we dont receive

one back in time.  We go to one in the early morning and then go straight to the

other location.  I just feel safer having two tests.  We also did that when we sailed

on the Mardi gras back in October.  We gave our insurance info to both of them and

never had any problems with payment.

[groundloop]

I can see having a backup plan, but in our experience with CVS they've always had test results emailed to us very fast.  In my most humble opinion the thing to do would be to book a backup appointment later in the day and then cancel that once everything comes through from the primary appointment (so that someone else might be able to get a much needed Covid test).

[matymil]

Yes. We didnt in Sept but kinda wish we had because there was a screw up with my wives bday but we got it resolved at the port. We are going to do a CVS one and we already have a BiNax now one as back up. Im more worried about our son because he has to get a PCR test. We are going to get him tested twice for sure.

[Saint Greg]

I did the time CVS changed my rapid to a pcr. Walmart came back in time, cvs did not. Last two cruises I’ve had Walgreens come back within a half hour but I’ve had an at home test as a backup. 

[Guest BasicSailor]

CVS Rapid test, 3 different cruises, each time came back within the hour all three.

[csm5986142]

I just received an email from our doctor's office explaining that due to short supply, they will no longer do covid tests for travel.  I can't find any place locally that will administer the test unless you have symptoms.  So, I just ordered 6 more from of the proctored home tests from EMED.  We don't cruise until February, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

For those of you who are able to find two (let alone one) appointment for covid tests locally, I'm jealous! 🙂

[circuitrider]

All I'm going to say is, if you take both and only one gives results in time...what do you do if you get an email notification halfway through the cruise (because you didn't purchase wifi on the ship and had to wait for a port day) that the other test was positive? Could very well happen if you have one PCR and one antigen test.

 

Personally, I'd schedule a rapid test with CVS as early as possible, and have a backup plan just in case. Maybe it's a secondary test for the afternoon (you'd want that to be a rapid test as well). Maybe you have an emed test (proctored at-home test you can do anywhere with an internet connection). Maybe you run around all the urgent care centers waving a fistful of cash (please don't do that). Check the test result carefully and make sure it has all the necessary info provided and correct (correct name, correct DOB, shows the type of test, shows the result, etc.). Have a printout AND a digital copy ready to show on the phone. I'm thinking of ordering enough emed tests for the whole family plus a spare; if there's a problem getting a test done in time OR they have an issue with the paperwork at the port, we're covered (I don't recommend relying on taking the emed test at the port on embarkation day, but as an emergency backup it should be ok).

[Virga]

We book a local test and have our eMed tests as a backup plan.  If I didn't have those, I'd absolutely book one for the morning of T-2 and one for the afternoon of T-1 and cancel the second one once I got my results.  Trust me, there will be some desperate soul sooo grateful when a same day appointment appears!!

[sanger727]

No. I would not get two. The way I look at pre-trip testing is that you are entering the false positive lottery every time. The fewer tests you take the better. Think ahead about what you would do if one came back positive and one came back negative. I wouldn't get on a plane and then a cruise ship. No way to know at that point which result was correct. Not to mention you would have to lie when they asked if you had tested positive in the last two weeks.

[PittsburghGirlee]

So I take it from reading these posts, that Carnival will accept the IN HOME testing???  If so, which one is the best to get?

 

Much thanks!!

PG

[sharon&family]

So I did a rapid test at CVS and it is negative which is great!!  When I signed up for it, it said 

"not suitable for most travel" but everyone on here said is was fine.  I am looking at my test

results and this is what it reads for the type of test:

 

Lumiradx sars-cov-2 AG test

 

Is this ok?  I looked on the Carnival website for the approved tests and I dont see anything listed

that looks exactly like that.  I guess the AG means antigen.

[CruiseBro16]

That test is fine. I took that same test a couple of months ago.

Edited January 7, 2022 by CruiseBro16

[Guest BasicSailor]

Cvs worked for us no problem. I had it on my phone as well as requested a printout. CVS printed the test with no problems.

[day-day]

My CVS printout from October says "LumiraDX SARS-COV-2 Rapid Result Antigen Test" in a couple of locations including in large, bold letters at the top.  At the very bottom of the printout it has" Lumiradx Sars-Cov-2 AG Test" under the Test Brand Name.

[K_e_short]

The reason it says "not suitable for travel" is that the U.S. is the only country that uses an antigen test for entry into that country.

 

Most other countries require a PCR test.

 

So if you were getting the test you got and try to enter Canada or the U.K. you would not be allowed.

 

But to get on a cruise ship in the country you currently are in isn't really travelling 🙂

[sharon&family]

Thank you everyone for all the information!!  I feel better now.  I'm glad the testing is over.  We also woke up this morning to find out our nonstop flight was canceled.  They rebooked us on 3 flights to get there.  We immediately canceled and got a flight on Delta instead of Southwest.  We had to pay an additional $235.00 each but will get 90 back.  We still have one stop in Atlanta.  My elderly parents are going and my daughter and her 1 year old so we had booked that for them to be comfortable and definitely couldn't do 3 flights.  

[day-day]

2 hours ago, K_e_short said:

The reason it says "not suitable for travel" is that the U.S. is the only country that uses an antigen test for entry into that country.

 

Most other countries require a PCR test.

 

So if you were getting the test you got and try to enter Canada or the U.K. you would not be allowed.

 

But to get on a cruise ship in the country you currently are in isn't really travelling 🙂

Many countries allow rapid antigen test for entry including the UK.

[clginal]

I basically lurk but want to say thanks for all the info on this board!! 

I have a couple of questions about the at home test.  Our cruise isn't until Feb 26th.  Last cruise was March 2020 right when covid started so, new to the testing requirements.   I'm looking at ordering soon just to not have to worry about finding a testing apptment.

My questions....

1) anyone have any issues with expiration dates? Should I wait to order my kits closer to date?  or order now to be on safe side since they are getting hard to come by right now?

2) Are there certain times of the day they do the live test?  

 

TIA,

Christie

Edited January 8, 2022 by clginal