P&O LATERAL FLOW -BEFORE YOU GO

[Megabear2]

20 hours ago, cublet said:

Hello,

 

I've never sailed with Fred. so do not know - are there no computer/IT lounges or terminals for general use on their ships?

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

Fred instituted this requirement last year. My travel agent friend went shopping with one of her elderly clients to pick a phone that would do the job. She couldn't stand the idea this lady who was in her late 80s would miss her long booked cruise for want of technology. Apparently the young lady in the phone shop spent a couple of her own hours creating an easy to follow system of keys and wrote the instructions in big letters.  Fabulous service from Vodaphone I thought.

[davecttr]

1 hour ago, Waju said:

Can I ask why you wouldn't consider a DIY test?  I am using Randox, I went on their website yesterday and I was already registered from last year so I ordered the tests and collected them from the local newsagents straight after.  They are just the same as the Government ones we have all been using for months.  When the time comes just do the test, scan/photograph the result and send to Randox and then they will send your Fit To Fly certificate.  Its really easy to do - I have to add my Iphone is too old to download the app but my husbands is OK so we just added both of us to the app on his phone - you can add up to four people.

Let me clarify the matter. By 'do it yourself' approach i was referring to the idea of using test kits you already had at home. See post #36

[Waju]

33 minutes ago, davecttr said:

Let me clarify the matter. By 'do it yourself' approach i was referring to the idea of using test kits you already had at home. See post #36

Thanks for that, I had the wrong end of the stick - as usual!

[ShelaghL]

1 hour ago, Megabear2 said:

Fred instituted this requirement last year. My travel agent friend went shopping with one of her elderly clients to pick a phone that would do the job. She couldn't stand the idea this lady who was in her late 80s would miss her long booked cruise for want of technology. Apparently the young lady in the phone shop spent a couple of her own hours creating an easy to follow system of keys and wrote the instructions in big letters.  Fabulous service from Vodaphone I thought.

Hi - we did a cruise with Fred last year - in December - and we certainly didn't need a smartphone.  I did take my old mobile but didn't switch it on at all - the cruise was only a short one, so don't know if that makes a difference.  We didn't need it for test results as Fred did the Covid test in groups and the whole group was released in one go when the results were complete.

[Megabear2]

1 hour ago, ShelaghL said:

Hi - we did a cruise with Fred last year - in December - and we certainly didn't need a smartphone.  I did take my old mobile but didn't switch it on at all - the cruise was only a short one, so don't know if that makes a difference.  We didn't need it for test results as Fred did the Covid test in groups and the whole group was released in one go when the results were complete.

As I said I've never cruised with them but know the smartphone was a requirement.  I cannot recall exact date but it was towards the end of the year because I was organising my December cruise on Britannia.

[emam]

What sort of tests are they? Nose? Throat? Blood? 

[kalos]

Vaccine requirements  for P&O Cruises 

You would have thought with the changes P&O are about to make, they 
would have put a simple link to the requirements needed on their website.
Not even a "pop up" like they had to tell us they are not a ferry company .

 

Well the good news is they can be found on their site  Simply <click> on the
 tab at the top of the page (The brown thingy) that reads <COVID HUB>
Now in the new page  click< want to book a holiday >
A little down the page you will see  ..    <For full details please click here.>
Click it ...  And now the page should read     < 1. Before you board  >
Now srcoll down to < Vaccine and testing requirements > and from the 
drop down menu's  select   < All Other Holidays  > 
And you have finally found them . Nothing to it really 

 

Here you will find handy links to help you such as ..
Prenetics: www.projectscreen.co.uk
Collinsons: www.collinsongroup.com/en/covid-19-testing
Randox: www.covid.randox.com
Express Test: www.expresstest.co.uk/book-a-test/
 

[kalos]

53 minutes ago, emam said:

What sort of tests are they? Nose? Throat? Blood? 

 They are nose swabs  The film below will show you all you need to know for home testing .

Walk in centres should be the same . Hope this helps 

 

 

[jeanlyon]

14 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

As I said I've never cruised with them but know the smartphone was a requirement.  I cannot recall exact date but it was towards the end of the year because I was organising my December cruise on Britannia.

It's really unfair on those without any form of smartphone/tablet.

[kalos]

1 minute ago, jeanlyon said:

It's really unfair on those without any form of smartphone/tablet.

 

Life has been unfair for the last two years to us all . I'm sure that Moley was the one

who posted that "although P&O are not advertising the fact ,they will still be testing 

at the port for people who have no smart phone ."So you would still get tested as you 

would have before these changes come in .

People in your situation need a good chat with P&O or your travel agent and possibly 

arrange a walk in centre , if not at Southampton port itself.

Not going to be easy without a smart phone and I appreciate that Jean .

Hope you get sorted 

[jeanlyon]

13 minutes ago, kalos said:

 

Life has been unfair for the last two years to us all . I'm sure that Moley was the one

who posted that "although P&O are not advertising the fact ,they will still be testing 

at the port for people who have no smart phone ."So you would still get tested as you 

would have before these changes come in .

People in your situation need a good chat with P&O or your travel agent and possibly 

arrange a walk in centre , if not at Southampton port itself.

Not going to be easy without a smart phone and I appreciate that Jean .

Hope you get sorted 

It's not for me, I have all the technology, but my friend who travels on her own sometimes doesn't.

[kalos]

1 minute ago, jeanlyon said:

It's not for me, I have all the technology, but my friend who travels on her own sometimes doesn't.

 

I think I remember you saying she lived 200 mile away from you ? 

It may be a good idea to research a walk in centre that is reasonably nearby for her ,

that could assist and help her . Hope she gets sorted 

[darknightsdespiser]

On 4/14/2022 at 7:02 PM, davecttr said:

P&O have clarified that and it is now the day before your embarkation day

 

From the P&O site - Southampton departures

 

From 29 April 2022 onwards:

All guests aged five years and over will need to organise and pay for a private lateral flow/antigen test, to be taken one day prior to embarkation of the ship (NHS tests will not be accepted). Guests will need to present their valid negative antigen test certificate, often referred to as a ‘fit to fly’ certificate, at the ship's terminal.

 

this is useful as well

Organising your pre-cruise lateral flow/antigen test:

As mentioned above, guests aged five years and over will need to organise and pay for a private lateral flow/antigen test. You can order your lateral flow/antigen test kit online through any government approved testing provider in advance. You will need to take the test at home one day prior to embarkation of the ship. This test doesn’t need to be medically observed. Guests will need to submit their negative result online to their chosen testing provider and will then be sent a ‘fit to fly’ certificate within a couple of hours. Please note, NHS tests will not be accepted. To help, we’ve listed a few suppliers below (subject to availability).

 

So they think everyone is at home the day before they sail? So they don't want business from Scotland or the North; will remember that in future.

[Windsurfboy]

7 minutes ago, darknightsdespiser said:

So they think everyone is at home the day before they sail? So they don't want business from Scotland or the North; will remember that in future.

 

Just get a video supervised LFT  and do it in hotel night before.

[kalos]

8 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

Just get a video supervised LFT  and do it in hotel night before.

 

In one of the post above it states  This test doesn’t need to be medically observed.

 but as you say it could still be done .

 

[darknightsdespiser]

30 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

Just get a video supervised LFT  and do it in hotel night before.

Just difficult to get printed confirmation then; I am thinking of booking a slot at a test centre the night before but that would rule out any chance of cheating!

[terrierjohn]

2 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

It's really unfair on those without any form of smartphone/tablet.

It's unfair on those not vaccinated either, but the remedy in both cases is with the passenger. I always said I did not want a smart phone, but after taking the plunge 2/3 years ago I would not want to be without one now, I use it for virtually all my online activity.

[howmuch!]

31 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

It's unfair on those not vaccinated either, but the remedy in both cases is with the passenger. I always said I did not want a smart phone, but after taking the plunge 2/3 years ago I would not want to be without one now, I use it for virtually all my online activity.

When you think back to the seventies, programming a video recorder was infinitely more difficult than operating a smart phone today - and in comparison terms, infinitely more expensive to purchase (Apple being a possible exception)

[ShelaghL]

17 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

As I said I've never cruised with them but know the smartphone was a requirement.  I cannot recall exact date but it was towards the end of the year because I was organising my December cruise on Britannia.

Hi - this is from Fred Olsen's website about proving your vaccine If you don’t have access to a smartphone or tablet, you can download a printable version from the NHS website. Alternatively, you can call 119 and request that a paper version is sent to you in the post. So they do acknowledge that some passengers don't have a smartphone.  They do say in another section that some countries they visit may require a QR code so passengers would need access to emails (which can be done on board on public computers) if you want to visit those ports. My interpretation of this is that it is not compulsory to have a smartphone to travel with FOCL, but it would be helpful if you do, which is the information I was given when I phoned FOCL direct..

[ShelaghL]

8 minutes ago, howmuch! said:

When you think back to the seventies, programming a video recorder was infinitely more difficult than operating a smart phone today - and in comparison terms, infinitely more expensive to purchase (Apple being a possible exception)

Hi - it isn't about operating it - I'm perfectly capable of doing that and used one alot when I worked as I travelled and it was invaluable to keep in touch with the office.  However, I don't want one of my own and would not use it as I have no need to. I have a desktop computer and a landline and they serve me more than adequately. Surely I'm not alone in not wanting/needing the latest technology?!  I have no one that I need to contact whilst I'm on holiday and in the unlikely event that I should need to look at emails I can use the public pcs on board.

[Megabear2]

36 minutes ago, ShelaghL said:

Hi - this is from Fred Olsen's website about proving your vaccine If you don’t have access to a smartphone or tablet, you can download a printable version from the NHS website. Alternatively, you can call 119 and request that a paper version is sent to you in the post. So they do acknowledge that some passengers don't have a smartphone.  They do say in another section that some countries they visit may require a QR code so passengers would need access to emails (which can be done on board on public computers) if you want to visit those ports. My interpretation of this is that it is not compulsory to have a smartphone to travel with FOCL, but it would be helpful if you do, which is the information I was given when I phoned FOCL direct..

As I say I've never cruised with them and doubt I ever will. I do know for a fact that my travel agent helped the lady as described.  I believe Jean was actually referring to the need for her friend to take a test online and it was Shelagh's  friend who was under the impression you were required to have a smartphone or tablet.  I do not doubt what you say at all but was merely confirming the experience of the lady last year.  I hope you have a great trip.

Edited April 16, 2022 by Megabear2

[kalos]

38 minutes ago, ShelaghL said:

I have a desktop computer and a landline and they serve me more than adequately. Surely I'm not alone in not wanting/needing the latest technology?

 So with what you have got, you should be able to book a walk in centre ,get tested and 

be given a certificate to take on your P&O cruise ... Sorted  

[terrierjohn]

3 hours ago, ShelaghL said:

Hi - it isn't about operating it - I'm perfectly capable of doing that and used one alot when I worked as I travelled and it was invaluable to keep in touch with the office.  However, I don't want one of my own and would not use it as I have no need to. I have a desktop computer and a landline and they serve me more than adequately. Surely I'm not alone in not wanting/needing the latest technology?!  I have no one that I need to contact whilst I'm on holiday and in the unlikely event that I should need to look at emails I can use the public pcs on board.

That was the view I took, but once I did I realised its benefits, and it can work equally well with a PAYG option , as well as a contract. I now have a cheap SIM  contract, but for 18 months I only had a PAYG one, I rarely use any mobile data, just use it at home with  my own wi fi.

[davecttr]

I have a Samsung tablet which replaced my old Kindle and a cheap Nokia smartphone which is very slow but works the P&O app and NHS site plus email, it does not have a sim. So i need free WiFi to get online. Relieved to see that Premier Inn have free Wifi and West Quay shopping centre as well, should i need them. The NHS App needed an upgrade since i last used it last August.

 

I like the look of the Randox video as it looks a straight forward process.

 

Now to order some more LFT tests for when I go into 'semi lock down' in a couple of weeks.

[emam]

7 hours ago, kalos said:

 They are nose swabs  The film below will show you all you need to know for home testing .

Walk in centres should be the same . Hope this helps 

 

 

 

That's a good video Kalos. It might help some people if the mods would pin it to the start menu for a while or until the rules change again (@ Host Sharon). It would save having to hunt for it as threads progress.