Questions related to all things Covid testing relating to Princess Cruises

[memoak]

24 minutes ago, SargassoPirate said:

My most recent cruise on Princess was in January out of Fort Lauderdale.  Because of the hassle of trying to fly in a day ahead and the testing requirements, I opted for the testing at the pier. Worked like a champ.

 

I think testing will slowly disappear as the CDC and the cruise lines figure out that covid is here to stay and with the vaccines and therapeutics available it makes no sense to test and quarantine people who are not sick.

If you are positive without symptoms you can still infect others who may not be as lucky

[Expo67]

12 hours ago, insidecabin said:

Each country can make it own rules there are EU heathy gateway guidelines that cover most but the cruise lines are not following all the recommendations

https://www.healthygateways.eu/Portals/0/plcdocs/EUHG_Operational_guidelines_CoV_June2022.pdf?ver=2022-06-10-140149-413

 

Might explain why some are sticking with upto 5% unvaccinated as the testing requirement if they go over(7.5) are much more stringent.

Thanks for the link. 👍 Very interesting reading and just like in the US the rules are changing constantly and being skirted. For instance I have yet to read or hear that any cruise lines in Europe are doing the following for back 2 back cruisers … .ie. passengers who will stay on board for another cruise) should be tested by RADT or NAAT every 4 days starting from the third or fourth day of the first cruise. An additional RADT or NAAT test may be performed on passengers before disembarkation if the country of disembarkation requires it. 🤔

[Snate]

Quick question as I can’t seem to find a definitive answer.  We leave on the Majestic  in a few weeks which departs on a Saturday.  Can we do our Covid (rapid antigen) test on Wednesday?  The Princess website says 3 days if you are up to date on vaccine and boosted so I am thinking that means Wednesday is fine but wanted to be sure.

[Buckeye10640]

On 6/29/2022 at 1:22 PM, nini said:

We used our IPhones at our London hotel. We just propped the IPhone up against some books next to the wall behind the desk. The test was on the desk in front of the phone (Facetime)

This is similar to what we did as well, worked fine. 

[takemeaway2008]

If you had Covid and recovered within 90 days of cruise, does it matter which test you tested positive with as long as it was medically observed? I have print outs of our positive antigen tests. 

 

Also, did you have the positive test results AND a Dr. note? 

 

Princess guidelines are unclear and it sounds like you only need the positive test paper. 

 

Thanks. 

[insidecabin]

3 hours ago, takemeaway2008 said:

If you had Covid and recovered within 90 days of cruise, does it matter which test you tested positive with as long as it was medically observed? I have print outs of our positive antigen tests. 

 

Also, did you have the positive test results AND a Dr. note? 

 

Princess guidelines are unclear and it sounds like you only need the positive test paper. 

 

Thanks. 

In the UK we pretty much have to get private(paid) dr recovery notes unless you get sick enough for treatment and get PRC by the NHS.
Those providers say check if it needs to be a PCR(NAAT) test for your destination.
I did not look into it further as we have no visible requirement to test and any cruise which may require the note/test is going to be 60+ days and we can go with the antigens if required(cheaper than getting a note).

 

Might be cruise lines will accept a positive letter from the NHS for a registered (self administered) antigen (wide open to abuse to get round testing costs) 
Not going to try,  maybe someone could take one and ask at the terminal. 

[SargassoPirate]

16 hours ago, memoak said:

If you are positive without symptoms you can still infect others who may not be as lucky

To be honest with you, I don't worry about other people's vaccination status and whether they may be vulnerable.  If I were, I'd be wearing a mask the rest of my life because the covid virus is here to stay.  It will never be eradicated.  My intention is to stay vaccinated and boosted.

 

Here is some information from the CDC regarding so-called breakthrough transmissions.  Notice which groups caused the spikes.  

 

CDC COVID Data Tracker: Rates of COVID-19 Cases and Deaths by Vaccination Status

[WEGL81]

2 minutes ago, SargassoPirate said:

To be honest with you, I don't worry about other people's vaccination status and whether they may be vulnerable.  If I were, I'd be wearing a mask the rest of my life because the covid virus is here to stay.  It will never be eradicated.  My intention is to stay vaccinated and boosted.

 

Here is some information from the CDC regarding so-called breakthrough transmissions.  Notice which groups caused the spikes.  

 

CDC COVID Data Tracker: Rates of COVID-19 Cases and Deaths by Vaccination Status

 

I agree with this.  However, what I am worried about is passing a Covid test in order to be able to board a cruise ship.  For this reason alone I am wearing a mask until I pass that test.  Another reason to scrap the test since people are getting it on cruise ships anyway (and everywhere else) and not having any serious issues.

[Tedferg]

16 hours ago, Snate said:

Quick question as I can’t seem to find a definitive answer.  We leave on the Majestic  in a few weeks which departs on a Saturday.  Can we do our Covid (rapid antigen) test on Wednesday?  The Princess website says 3 days if you are up to date on vaccine and boosted so I am thinking that means Wednesday is fine but wanted to be sure.

Correct sail day is NOT counted as one of the three days, so Fri, Thu, Wed. Think of it this way. sail at 4:00 Sat, minus 24 - 4:00 Fri; Minus 48 - 4:00 Thus; minus 72 is 4:00 Wed. However, it is 3 days not 72 hours, so the 4:00 Wed translates to 'anytime Wed'

[memoak]

24 minutes ago, Tedferg said:

Correct sail day is NOT counted as one of the three days, so Fri, Thu, Wed. Think of it this way. sail at 4:00 Sat, minus 24 - 4:00 Fri; Minus 48 - 4:00 Thus; minus 72 is 4:00 Wed. However, it is 3 days not 72 hours, so the 4:00 Wed translates to 'anytime Wed'

For any cruise leaving from Canada rather than the US it is 72 hours for PCR not 3 days

[Coupe]

I just checked on the Walgreenns site regarding covid testing. You now have to pay if it is not medically necessary.

[Coupe]

23 minutes ago, Coupe said:

I just checked on the Walgreenns site regarding covid testing. You now have to pay if it is not medically necessary.

Does anyone know what the cost is for a non-medically needed covid teat at Walgreens? It's impossible to get past their robot answering machine.

[PacnGoNow]

5 minutes ago, Coupe said:

Does anyone know what the cost is for a non-medically needed covid teat at Walgreens? It's impossible to get past their robot answering machine.

Maybe call the pharmacy and ask what the out of pocket price is before you schedule a test?  You can just push the option  to talk to the pharmacist.

Let us know.

[Snowball109]

Can anyone recommend a place for covid testing near the cruise terminal in Vancouver?  Our cruise leaves on Wednesday and we had booked with CVM medical but they are now shut down until Wednesday and no guarantees they will be open that morning.

[Coupe]

16 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

Maybe call the pharmacy and ask what the out of pocket price is before you schedule a test?  You can just push the option  to talk to the pharmacist.

Let us know.

$129 per person!

[Sunwanabe]

27 minutes ago, Snowball109 said:

Can anyone recommend a place for covid testing near the cruise terminal in Vancouver?  Our cruise leaves on Wednesday and we had booked with CVM medical but they are now shut down until Wednesday and no guarantees they will be open that morning.

Try Covidtravelvancouver.ca

Location at Canada Place.

[nini]

3 hours ago, Tedferg said:

Correct sail day is NOT counted as one of the three days, so Fri, Thu, Wed. Think of it this way. sail at 4:00 Sat, minus 24 - 4:00 Fri; Minus 48 - 4:00 Thus; minus 72 is 4:00 Wed. However, it is 3 days not 72 hours, so the 4:00 Wed translates to 'anytime Wed'

Actually, @Snate is correct. There was an example on the Princess website. If you board on a Saturday, you can test on Wednesday. We boarded on a Monday and tested on Friday.

[cr8tiv1]

1 hour ago, nini said:

Actually, @Snate is correct. There was an example on the Princess website. If you board on a Saturday, you can test on Wednesday. We boarded on a Monday and tested on Friday.

 

Did you test with a PCR or Rapid Antigen Test?  I have the same timeline and am looking at my options.  Thanks.

 

[MixerDave]

2 hours ago, Coupe said:

$129 per person!

I spoke to my local Medexpress walk in clinic - the do the test and bill your medical insurance.

[PacnGoNow]

2 hours ago, Coupe said:

$129 per person!

Call your insurance company and ask if they will cover it.  Some still do.

[Coupe]

4 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

Call your insurance company and ask if they will cover it.  Some still do.

I'm wondering if Medicare still covers the test. I haven't been able to find the info online.

[stevenr597]

1 minute ago, Coupe said:

I'm wondering if Medicare still covers the test. I haven't been able to find the info online.

I believe if you are ill, they will cover it.  For travel....no. 

[Snowball109]

15 hours ago, Sunwanabe said:

Try Covidtravelvancouver.ca

Location at Canada Place.

Thanks.

[kml246]

22 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

To be honest with you, I don't worry about other people's vaccination status and whether they may be vulnerable.  If I were, I'd be wearing a mask the rest of my life because the covid virus is here to stay.  It will never be eradicated.  My intention is to stay vaccinated and boosted.

 

Here is some information from the CDC regarding so-called breakthrough transmissions.  Notice which groups caused the spikes.  

 

CDC COVID Data Tracker: Rates of COVID-19 Cases and Deaths by Vaccination Status

 

It's time to stop testing and treat this as any other respiratory illness. Here's a report published this week: 

With breakthrough COVID cases commonplace, experts set expectations about 'vaccine efficacy' - ABC News (go.com)

[travelhound]

19 hours ago, Coupe said:

I just checked on the Walgreenns site regarding covid testing. You now have to pay if it is not medically necessary.

Yup, if the cruise lines are going to impose these ridiculous protocols, they should be paying for this.