Testing?

[Redtravel]

How often do they Covid test on the ship?  PCR or antigen?  Is it mandatory?  Cost?  

[r&rd]

Testing is somewhat determined by the countries you are visiting. We were on the Wind Star at New Year’s and were tested at the pier and on day three we were “invited to a mandatory covid test”. Both were antigen but they are supposedly moving to PCR tests.

[6rugrats]

There is a lot of information on Windstar's webpage.  Go to the top of the page and click on "Travel Advisory/COVID-19 Vaccine" banner.

[Redtravel]

Did you pay for the tests?  

[6rugrats]

Except for the one you get when boarding.  Again, all this information is on their webpage.

[Nearpost345]

Isn’t the rule of thumb that involuntary testing is free, like the quayside pcr test , or some additional test that Windstar require during the cruise, but if one of the ports requires a test before you disembark you would pay that yourself ($69 antigen $135 pcr, max out of pocket $249) as you have the choice of remaining on board for the day.

 

I see Windstar have edited their January 3rd update to state that a negative PCR MUST be taken up to two days before leaving on your flight to Tahiti so that you may qualify to take their quayside pcr test. Previously the update strongly recommended taking a test before leaving on your flight for Tahiti. Since my party will be in Tahiti five days before our actual embarkation date I wonder if that test plus the one that is taken upon landing at Fa’a will be sufficient. I don’t want to borrow trouble by asking Windstar, but Paul Gauguin have an unequivocal requirement that you take a pcr test no more that three days before embarkation. I should add that Paul Gauguin don’t appear to do a quayside pcr test.

 

 

Edited January 25, 2022 by Nearpost345

[RemPuck]

Per Windstar's website:https://www.windstarcruises.com/health-safety/overview/

 

On some cruises additional COVID tests may be needed in select ports of call during the cruise to meet local regulatory requirements. PCR tests must be administered by an accredited facility. Home test kits will not be accepted.

Beginning January 1, 2022 Windstar will provide these tests for our guests’ convenience, and this cost will be added to each guest’s shipboard account, $69 per antigen test and $135 per PCR test. In order to provide peace of mind to our guests, the maximum charge per guest will be $249 per person, per sailing (or $199 per person, per segment on Collectors and back to back sailings) to comply with these local testing requirements even if the number of tests required exceeds this pricing.

 

Many ports have mandatory testing for all aboard vessels before allowing them to dock.  If there's covid on board, there may be limits around docking and/or ability for self exploration. Some ports are very strict (one case and no docking allowed); others have thresholds (% of infected pax/crew, etc). It doesn't matter if one is planning to disembark or stay on board.

 

We were on the ill-fated Dec 18 Wind Surf sailing.  Prior to the first infections, we were told that we would all need to be tested prior to our arrival in the BVIs as per local ordinance.  This would have been in December, prior to the new fees for testing, and it would have been free.  However, we were told that had this been in January, we would have been charged for the test.  We'd also pre-registered for the departure test which we would have used to fly home (and would have paid for).   (In the end, once covid was found on board, we were all tested, daily, through the end of the trip and were not charged for any of the tests.) 

 

Keep in mind that the rules/policies are changing all the time, driven by local ports.  This includes how passengers who test positive may be managed (quarantined on board, off-loaded, etc). 

[Nearpost345]

Thanks for the correction Rem Puck.

[cherdon]

We are sailing next week in Tahiti.  We received an email today from Windstar with the latest updates.  Have you been getting updates? We didn’t read any thing new that stood out. We read the Tahiti tourism page and Windstar frequently! We have our PCR test booked & a hotel to stay in while we wait the 24 hrs. 

[Nearpost345]

1 hour ago, cherdon said:

We are sailing next week in Tahiti.  We received an email today from Windstar with the latest updates.  Have you been getting updates? We didn’t read any thing new that stood out. We read the Tahiti tourism page and Windstar frequently! We have our PCR test booked & a hotel to stay in while we wait the 24 hrs. 

Yes I check the  Windstar website frequently, and between my partner and myself we receive all the updates. Can you please clarify your last sentence cherdon? Are you saying you have booked a pcr test in Papeete (24 hour turnaround) the day before you head to the ship?

 

Our  intent is to take a rapid (24 hr turn around)  pcr test before boarding our flight to Papeete. Once there we expect to be tested to the authorities satisfaction with an antigen only or an antigen and 72 hour turnaround pcr test. Five days later we plan on showing up quayside for the mandatory Windstar rapid pcr test. In this way we will have satisfied Windstars updated requirement that a pcr test MUST be taken within 48 hours of flight time. Currently I am unaware of any other requirements from Windstar. However I am aware that this would be unacceptable to Paul Gauguin cruises who demand a pcr negative test less than 72 hours old before you show up quayside.

 

edit:

Ah, I just read one of your earlier posts and I now realize that you are testing in SFO the day before as you of course should.

Edited January 25, 2022 by Nearpost345

[cherdon]

12 minutes ago, Nearpost345 said:

Yes I check the  Windstar website frequently, and between my partner and myself we receive all the updates. Can you please clarify your last sentence cherdon? Are you saying you have booked a pcr test in Papeete (24 hour turnaround) the day before you head to the ship?

 

Our  intent is to take a rapid (24 hr turn around)  pcr test before boarding our flight to Papeete. Once there we expect to be tested to the authorities satisfaction with an antigen only or an antigen and 72 hour turnaround pcr test. Five days later we plan on showing up quayside for the mandatory Windstar rapid pcr test. In this way we will have satisfied Windstars updated requirement that a pcr test MUST be taken within 48 hours of flight time. Currently I am unaware of any other requirements from Windstar. However I am aware that this would be unacceptable to Paul Gauguin cruises who demand a pcr negative test less than 72 hours old before you show up quayside.

Our PCR test is before boarding to Papeete. Once we arrive.  We are staying 2 nights pre cruise cruise in Papeete. 
this was in the email today. 

Option 1 (recommended): Presentation of a negative PCR test taken within the previous 24 hours

o   Option 2: Presentation of a negative antigen test taken within the previous 24 hours and a negative PCR test taken within the previous 2 days

i have read so many things it gets confusing. When are you going?

[Nearpost345]

7 minutes ago, cherdon said:

Our PCR test is before boarding to Papeete. Once we arrive.  We are staying 2 nights pre cruise cruise in Papeete. 
this was in the email today. 

Option 1 (recommended): Presentation of a negative PCR test taken within the previous 24 hours

o   Option 2: Presentation of a negative antigen test taken within the previous 24 hours and a negative PCR test taken within the previous 2 days

i have read so many things it gets confusing. When are you going?

 

We are not traveling till March 12th, so I admit I’m obsessing a little here as so much can change. This is the first I have heard of these recommendations. So are you going to get tested again in Papeete? Or as they are merely recommendations, just go quayside and show them your SFO results?
 

None of what you received is on Windstars website, maybe they only sent this update to people whose cruise is imminent.

Thank you for your input, it’s highly appreciated.

[Nearpost345]

Actually what you wrote is verbatim what French Polynesian authorities demand before flying to Papeete. Is it possible that Windstar have sent you French Polynesian entry requirements rather than Windstars recommendations? Apologies for the second guessing.