Flying back to USA from cruise.

[samplecd02]

Hi I am hoping  you guys can help. I am doing a British Isles cruise from that the disembarkation port is Amsterdam (I dont get why either). I talked with the cruise line and they say that I only need the test to get on the ship (Im fully vaccinated and boosted). When I ask they say I do NOT need a test to be able to fly from Amsterdam back to the USA. Last thing I need is to get to the airport and find out that I cant fly home. I am only with taking the test on the ship if it provides it the day before the cruise end or whatever is needed to be done but I just want to be sure that I dont need the test to get home. Any advice is appreciated.

[mom says]

Of course you need a test before returning.

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/ea/requirements-for-air-travelers-to-the-us.html

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, samplecd02 said:

Hi I am hoping  you guys can help. I am doing a British Isles cruise from that the disembarkation port is Amsterdam (I dont get why either). I talked with the cruise line and they say that I only need the test to get on the ship (Im fully vaccinated and boosted). When I ask they say I do NOT need a test to be able to fly from Amsterdam back to the USA. Last thing I need is to get to the airport and find out that I cant fly home. I am only with taking the test on the ship if it provides it the day before the cruise end or whatever is needed to be done but I just want to be sure that I dont need the test to get home. Any advice is appreciated.

Whoever told you that should be terminated (with prejudice)!   The current US rules require a COVID Test that is done within 1 day of your flight.  This is true for any flight into the USA from any other country.  Like many things based on science (that would be "political" science) the rule may change at any time.  

 

So yes, you need at least a negative antigen test (other molecular tests are also fine but cost more and take longer) and if you do a self test it most be proctored (supervised).  You will be asked for proof of that negative test at the airport before you can board the plane.  

 

Hank

[samplecd02]

32 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

Whoever told you that should be terminated (with prejudice)!   The current US rules require a COVID Test that is done within 1 day of your flight.  This is true for any flight into the USA from any other country.  Like many things based on science (that would be "political" science) the rule may change at any time.  

 

So yes, you need at least a negative antigen test (other molecular tests are also fine but cost more and take longer) and if you do a self test it most be proctored (supervised).  You will be asked for proof of that negative test at the airport before you can board the plane.  

 

Hank

Thanks Hank! How do I get a test whether proctored or not. Will the cruise line provide?

 

[klfrodo]

Agree with all the above. The current federal regulations are that anyone entering the US by plane must present proof of a negative antigen test. The test must have been taken at least 1 day prior.

 

Requirement for Proof of Negative COVID-19 Test or Documentation of Recovery from COVID-19 | CDC

[klfrodo]

1 minute ago, samplecd02 said:

Thanks Hank! How do I get a test whether proctored or not. Will the cruise line provide?

 

Maybe but doubt it.

Buy a couple of the Binox AG Card Antigen tests which are proctored and take the tests your self.

You can buy them here

eMed™ Enabled COVID-19 At-Home Test and Lab Report Bundle

 

You can watch how to do it for familiarity purposes here

 

[klfrodo]

Or, if nothing else, get one at the Amsterdam airport.

 

KLM-Amsterdam-Airport-Schiphol-Test-Center-EN-FINAL-4_tcm494-1075057.pdf

[samplecd02]

Thank you guys! I just ordered the Binax now test (MAN THEY ARE EXPENSIVE) to take on my cruise in September. (just in case I cant find them when its time). Hopefully with my "streaming wifi" that I paid for on the cruise it will work.

 

[Lois R]

Depends on the cruise line........I have taken 4 cruises in the past 6 months and the cruise line tested on every one of them.

As for where you are disembarking from? There are many cruises that start in one city and end in a different city. 

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, samplecd02 said:

Thanks Hank! How do I get a test whether proctored or not. Will the cruise line provide?

 

Many cruise lines provide antigen tests free of charge for their disembarking passengers who need to be tested in order to fly home. What cruise line are you on?

[lissie]

3 hours ago, samplecd02 said:

Thank you guys! I just ordered the Binax now test (MAN THEY ARE EXPENSIVE) to take on my cruise in September. (just in case I cant find them when its time). Hopefully with my "streaming wifi" that I paid for on the cruise it will work.

 

You may well have wasted your money - many countries are dropping the testing requirement - who knows what the rules will be in Sept 

[gerryuk]

Wait closer to the time of cruise and then check your countries official rules, re testing and flying. 

[samplecd02]

Thank you guys for all of your advice I greatly appreciate.
I went ahead and bought  the tests just to be safe, there is a shortage (or was last time I checked) in America of these tests and I would rather have them in hand than play the gamble they will be available when its time to cruise. 

[samplecd02]

7 hours ago, njhorseman said:

Many cruise lines provide antigen tests free of charge for their disembarking passengers who need to be tested in order to fly home. What cruise line are you on?

Celebrity

[njhorseman]

3 hours ago, samplecd02 said:

Celebrity

As is the case with every cruise line I'm familiar with Celebrity's website has the answer to whether testing is provided for passengers who need it in order to return to their home country. This is from the FAQ section of this web page:

https://www.celebritycruises.com/healthy-at-sea/faqs

Will COVID-19 testing be available for guests required to present a negative test result to re-enter their home country?

All fully vaccinated guests requiring a COVID-19 test to return to their home country will be provided the opportunity to receive testing in the cruise port during disembarkation. Proof of return travel scheduled within 24 hours of disembarkation will be required. Details on testing registration will be provided onboard. Testing will be complimentary for guests with cruise reservations booked prior to November 16, 2021.  For new bookings made on or after November 16, 2021, testing will be available for a per person fee. The cost for onsite cruise port testing starts at $99* per person.  Prices vary by port and test type.

*Test prices are set by each vendor and not by Celebrity Cruises. Payments will be made directly to the vendor providing the service. Celebrity Cruises will not collect or retain any portion of this payment.

[Mary229]

I fly back from Amsterdam this spring and I am opting into the cruise line testing.  Why? because by time I am ready to fly the rule may be lifted.  It is a gamble, pay a little more then or maybe pay nothing.

[cruisemom42]

10 hours ago, samplecd02 said:

I went ahead and bought  the tests just to be safe

 

Just be sure to check the expiration date. For a while, the BINAX tests were shipping out with very little time left before they expired.

[Hlitner]

On 3/13/2022 at 7:41 PM, samplecd02 said:

Thanks Hank! How do I get a test whether proctored or not. Will the cruise line provide?

 

That depends on your particular cruise line.  Since COVID became an issue we have only had to fly back to the USA from a few Seabourn cruises and that line provides free onboard testing the day before debarkation.  Each line has their own policy but many do provide or arrange for the necessary testing.  On a December Princess cruise that was round trip from Port Everglades, Princess brought in a local medical testing outfit that set-up right outside the cruise terminal.  They were there for those who were flying to destinations that required testing (i.e. Canada and Europe).    

 

There is one other idea.  Most International airports have a testing facility at the airport.  They can usually provide antigen test results (what is needed to fly to the USA) within 15-30 min although you would need to pay for the test.  For those needing PCR tests it is a mixed bag since many of these tests take hours or even days to get results.

 

Hank

 

 

[Elaine5715]

On 3/14/2022 at 4:47 AM, samplecd02 said:

Thank you guys for all of your advice I greatly appreciate.
I went ahead and bought  the tests just to be safe, there is a shortage (or was last time I checked) in America of these tests and I would rather have them in hand than play the gamble they will be available when its time to cruise. 

Check the expiration date.

[samplecd02]

2 hours ago, Elaine5715 said:

Check the expiration date.

I checked, its May of 2023 and my cruise is Sept of 2022. Im good to go 🙂

[Turtles06]

On 3/14/2022 at 3:39 PM, cruisemom42 said:

 

Just be sure to check the expiration date. For a while, the BINAX tests were shipping out with very little time left before they expired.

 

Fortunately, that hasn't been the case for some time now (but it was good to flag this).

[Turtles06]

On 3/13/2022 at 7:42 PM, klfrodo said:

Agree with all the above. The current federal regulations are that anyone entering the US by plane must present proof of a negative antigen test. The test must have been taken at least 1 day prior.

 

Requirement for Proof of Negative COVID-19 Test or Documentation of Recovery from COVID-19 | CDC

 

Sorry, but your language in bold is not correct.  As the CDC page to which you have linked states, "you will need to get a COVID-19 viral test (regardless of vaccination status or citizenship) no more than 1 day before you travel by air into the United States."