So Many Questions...first cruise back since the Pandemic

[travelbug4]

So excited to hit the seas again but have a bunch of questions I can't seem to figure out.

 

Testing.  Has anyone done the emed telehealh testing through Royal?  Do you happen to know if it's easy to get an appointment after purchasing the kit?  It doesn't look like you sign up for a time when you actually purchase it and I didn't want to buy it and not be able to get an appt.

 

Insurance?  If someone in our party tests positive just before the cruise, does RCCl give a full refund or credit?  Or do we need to buy any reason cancellation insurance from a third party?  We've always purchased trip insurance for past cruises but never during covid times. 

 

Thank you for any advice!

[diana165]

Yes, we did the emed from Royal.  You don NOT have to make an appointment.  Just follow the directions on the package and make sure NOT to open the package.   We waited maybe 3 minutes for someone to come live and walk us through the testing process.  It actually was great. (only negative was that the customer service people we had were foreign and sometimes difficult to understand what they were saying)

My understanding with Royal is that when purchasing a cruise up to a certain date, they will give you a cruise credit if canceling cue to Covid    Just be sure if you see an actual doctor to diagnose you with COVID because the test taken is not enough "evidence"

[travelbug4]

Thanks Diana.  This is great info.  Glad to hear you do not have to make an appointment and you only waited 3 minutes.   This sounds perfect.  

 

Do you know if the 3-pack can test 3 people?  And do they need to be in the same location on the same call or can 2 be in one place and 1 call back from another place?

[h20skibum]

Each session is started individually. They can be from different locations.

 

It is best if you have a tripod for your phone, if you are using it for the proctored test. The test has to be in view of the proctor, for the 15 minutes it takes.  This is what we used. 

 

 

If you plan to use headphones, they need to be plugged in and working before the test starts. 
 

For the two of us, we made sure we had an extra test on hand, in case something went wrong with one.   The times we have used them for our January and March cruises, they went flawlessly. 
 

Don’t know if it is necessary, but I changed settings on my phone to make sure it did not go to sleep during the test.

[travelbug4]

This is awesome!  Thank you!  Just ordered.

[D4]

We also used the emed tests.  Be sure you order extras because some people have had faulty test kits such as vials with no liquid.  And you can’t open the box until you’re being proctored so there’s no way to know in advance if the kit has an obvious problem.

 

I watched several YouTube videos where people demonstrated the testing process. Knowing exactly what to expect was very helpful.

 

Don’t forget … if you’re in the USA, you can be reimbursed $12 per test by your health insurance company. (I don’t think Medicare is covering these yet.)