P&O LATERAL FLOW -BEFORE YOU GO

[Dermotsgirl]

1 hour ago, molecrochip said:

It doesn’t matter from a numbers perspective. Sounds crass but always true.

 

Restrictions were always about insuring that the medical centre was not overloaded with serious cases and could keep those onboard alive until outside assistance was available to look after them.

 

We’ve now moved past the point where significant numbers of vaccinated people end up as serious cases on board ship.

You can’t really be implying that P&O don’t really care if there’s mass infection on their ships? 
 

 

[kruzseeka]

From P&O: Preparing to Sail info - obviously updated.

No reference to NHS tests not being ok - I guess a lot of people will use them not having molecrochip's more detailed knowledge.   

 

Accepted pre-cruise tests:

All guests aged five years and over must use an antigen self-test that meets the criteria below. This test doesn’t need to be medically observed and over the counter COVID-19 lateral flow/antigen tests will be accepted.

Accepted antigen tests include:

• Rapid antigen test
• Viral antigen test
• Antigen Lateral Flow Fluorescence

 

[Fionboard]

Bought a spare Randox test this morning just before email came in.  Now trying to cancel and get a refund! 

[Dermotsgirl]

I can understand why P&O are taking this action, as ‘getting the certificate’ seems to cause a lot of angst, and could be seen as a barrier to people wanting to cruise.

 

However, it relies on people’s honesty. I have to hope most people will be honest about this, but I do have doubts ……

 

 

[FangedRose]

19 minutes ago, Ranchi said:

Wow! Could you supply the data source, please. 

Me, on board, joining the ship long queue for isolation disembarkation. Being in cabin for a week listening to people walking by coughing exactly the way I did.

[Fionboard]

Reports of hundreds on Arcadia in isolation are worrying (if true). Am on her in two weeks time.

 

[Cathygh]

2 hours ago, molecrochip said:

 

2 hours ago, molecrochip said:

Restrictions were always about insuring that the medical centre was not overloaded with serious cases and could keep those onboard alive until outside assistance was available to look after them.

 

We’ve now moved past the point where significant numbers of vaccinated people end up as serious cases on board ship.

But what about the passenger experience? I am referring to those in isolation.. by removing restrictions of course there will be more cases on the ship. Isolation is no fun so why not just get rid of the requirement to isolate? 

[Fionboard]

2 minutes ago, Cathygh said:

But what about the passenger experience? I am referring to those in isolation.. by removing restrictions of course there will be more cases on the ship. Isolation is no fun so why not just get rid of the requirement to isolate? 

Yes, just request people with covid symptoms to remain in their cabins for a few days until feeling better, as with noro virus in the past. Have had covid and noro, and the latter was much worse!

[Billish]

23 minutes ago, FangedRose said:

Me, on board, joining the ship long queue for isolation disembarkation. Being in cabin for a week listening to people walking by coughing exactly the way I did.

I'm not disputing the fact that there were a lot of cases onboard, but your figure of 400/500 is basically an estimated guess, not an official figure.

[arlowood]

Just got the email about the testing policy change.

We're on Arcadia departing 30th August. Was on the point of booking a couple of walk-in LFT's at the Randox site at East Midlands Airport for 29th but thankfully that's no longer necessary with this change of policy. Was a bit concerned about having to test on 29th August as that's a bank holiday although Randox did confirm that they still operate on that date.

 

Will now look to purchase a couple of kits from the local pharmacy and do the tests on the Sunday or Monday.

 

I believe P&O set up a no testing trial for their Iona 7 day cruises. Perhaps they have analysed the data from that to allow this relaxation in policy. Our cruise is also a 7 day one so maybe they have extened the Iona trial to other 7 day sailings.

Edited July 20, 2022 by arlowood

[paulatsea]

48 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

No wonder P&O and the other cruise lines keep the figures a closely guarded secret. 
 

As I said elsewhere, now no doubt deleted, will there become a tipping point when people decide that the risk of getting Covid is too great, and decide to do other sorts of holidays.  The replies to my previous post suggested that this point is no where near being reached, but you’d think that, at some point, people will notice what’s happening, especially if people catch Covid on one cruise, then catch it again on another cruise! 

Same risk as a flight or hotel.

[zap99]

4 minutes ago, paulatsea said:

Same risk as a flight or hotel.

At our hotel in Lanzarote in April you sign to say that you will stay away from folk if you have symptoms until you feel better.

[FangedRose]

1 minute ago, zap99 said:

At our hotel in Lanzarote in April you sign to say that you will stay away from folk if you have symptoms until you feel better.

I never felt "ill". Others did, I just had a tickly, annoying cough.

Edited July 20, 2022 by FangedRose

[Billish]

1 minute ago, zap99 said:

At our hotel in Lanzarote in April you sign to say that you will stay away from folk if you have symptoms until you feel better.

That would work !!!

[FangedRose]

21 minutes ago, Billish said:

I'm not disputing the fact that there were a lot of cases onboard, but your figure of 400/500 is basically an estimated guess, not an official figure.

Yes, of course, but backed up by other comments, both on here and fb. P&O will never publish official figure.

[zap99]

4 minutes ago, Billish said:

That would work !!!

As I didn't catch anything, I suppose you are right.🤣

[Billish]

11 minutes ago, FangedRose said:

Yes, of course, but backed up by other comments, both on here and fb. P&O will never publish official figure.

As I said, I was just pointing out that your figure was a guess, so the numbers could be less or more than the figure you quoted.

[davecttr]

Maybe they are getting desperate. Apparently they are offering solo occupancy without solo supplements.

[davecttr]

If they did publish an official figure it would be too low as they are only testing those that come forward

[Eglesbrech]

For those who have done them do the tests from a pharmacy look any different or test in a different way from the NHS ones?

 

The cruises we have been on we needed proctored tests and they looked very much like the NHS ones, little white boxes.

 

I don’t have NHS ones left anyway (as I suspect most folks don’t unless they work somewhere where they are still issued for free). Just curious.

[crazy cat lady 83]

On our local south coast radio station the other day, it was reported that P&O bookings are up and are the busiest since before COVID. They claimed this was due to the disruptions at airports and people were looking to cruises instead.

[Jill85]

I have four boxes left all in date.

[paulatsea]

4 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

For those who have done them do the tests from a pharmacy look any different or test in a different way from the NHS ones?

 

The cruises we have been on we needed proctored tests and they looked very much like the NHS ones, little white boxes.

 

I don’t have NHS ones left anyway (as I suspect most folks don’t unless they work somewhere where they are still issued for free). Just curious.

The ones I ordered through NHS when they were available are exactly the same as the ones I just got from Tesco.

nostril only - 5 times each one - 2/3 drops onto white plastic test strip.

£2 a pop.

 

 

[Britboys]

13 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

For those who have done them do the tests from a pharmacy look any different or test in a different way from the NHS ones?

 

The cruises we have been on we needed proctored tests and they looked very much like the NHS ones, little white boxes.

 

I don’t have NHS ones left anyway (as I suspect most folks don’t unless they work somewhere where they are still issued for free). Just curious.

They are all pretty standardised. The ones I bought when out in Spain from a pharmacy were identical to the NHS ones here. And of course, they are all made in China. Not that I'm a conspiracy theorist...😂

[Eglesbrech]

4 minutes ago, crazy cat lady 83 said:

On our local south coast radio station the other day, it was reported that P&O bookings are up and are the busiest since before COVID. They claimed this was due to the disruptions at airports and people were looking to cruises instead.

Having been at an airport in June I can understand why. Horrific experience.

 

That said our first Princess cruise this year had a very long wait for embarkation but that an exception rather than the rule.

 

While there is still some faff around testing for cruise lines it is as nothing when compared to the queues, crowds and general grumpiness at an airport at the moment.

 

Lines may even get some of the younger families they are all marketing for, how good the experience is once they get onboard is will determine if they keep those new, shiny, younger customers.