Pre-Boarding COVID Test at the Seattle Pier ?

[GreenValleyDogWalker]

I realize that things MANY change a couple of times - Prior to our cruise in 47 days (R/T) Seattle Alaska - NCL Sun

 

Any info on if NCL will be providing COVID testing at the pier pre-boarding ? -  If I understand correctly (?) - As part of the check-in process (21 days in advance) we should be assigned some sort of a registration number - to be used when signing up for the test ???

 

Our current plans are to fly into Seattle non-stop from home (Tucson) - to arrive in SEA-TAC at 10:30 AM - day of cruise - then take the NCL Shuttle to the Ship (did the same thing a couple of times, but that was Pre-Covid !) 

 

Thanks for any info that any one can provide

 

[phissy]

NCL is no longer requiring Covid test at pier.
Last Alaska cruise season, NCL had passengers go to Marriott Waterfront for test before boarding.

Now, adults must be fully vaccinated and have negative antigen test taken within 2 days before cruise. This test must be verified by 3rd party licensed lab or testing facility. EMed proctored tests from home are accepted. Go to  NcL site for current info.

Edited April 15, 2022 by phissy

[phissy]

We cruise in Two weeks to Alaska.

We will test Thursday before cruise for antigen test for Covid. We sail on Saturday, the 30th.

We have embarkation time of 9:30 ,which we were given at 21 day check in.

Staff will verify our vaccination information and we will show negative Covid test results. We are then free to board ship.

Edited April 15, 2022 by phissy

[GreenValleyDogWalker]

Yes - We do realize that we must be tested 2 days prior to boarding

Since we are boarding the ship on Tuesday, May 31st - 2 days prior to that is Sunday, May 29 and Monday, May 30th - which is Memorial Day - HOLIDAY - much harder to find a local testing place prior to flying to Seattle on May 31st

I was not asking if NCL is REQUIRING testing at the Pier - I was asking if NCL was PROVIDING (as a curtesy)  Testing at the Pier

 

Sorry for the confusion 

Edited April 15, 2022 by GreenValleyDogWalker
oops

[phissy]

20 minutes ago, GreenValleyDogWalker said:

Yes - We do realize that we must be testing 2 days prior to boarding

Since we are boarding the ship on Tuesday, May 31st - 2 days prior to that is Sunday, May 29 and Monday, May 30th - which is Memorial Day - HOLIDAY - much harder to find a local testing place prior to flying to Seattle on May 31st

I was not asking if NCL is REQUIRING testing at the Pier - I was asking if NCL was PROVIDING (as a curtesy Testing at the Pier

 

Sorry for the confusion 

Oh, right, got it.

I am Not sure they will provide courtesy testing at pier. Will ask my friend who works there.

Edited April 15, 2022 by phissy

[phissy]

This is in my letter from NCL for our cruise. Received today.

Testing Requirements for all guests:
Vaccinated guests:
• At time of check-in, all guests will be required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 antigen or PCR test result administered by a verified third party or via medically supervised home test within two days prior to embarkation date for cruises originating in a U.S. port and three days prior for voyages departing from a non-U.S. port. While you can use any certified facility to take this test, to facilitate, Norwegian has partnered with Inspired Diagnostics lab to ensure that guests have access to a quick, efficient, and easy way to access the required FDA-approved proctored in-home antigen test prior to embarkation from the comfort of their own home. Inspired Diagnostics is a subsidiary of Inspire Health Alliance, a leader in best-in-class health services. Testing at home is safe, simple, and convenient. Purchasing in-home testing kits is simple.
a. Sign up on the testing site https://inspirediagnostics.com/ncl/
b. Receive the test kit(s) by UPS
c. Schedule an on-line proctoring consultation
d. Receive certified results via email
      
• For vaccinated guests who are unable to provide proof of a negative result at the time of embarkation, antigen testing will be available at the terminal at the guest’s expense (cost may vary depending on the port and the vendor).

 

 

-so, sounds like it should be available at terminal.-

Hope this helps.

Edited April 15, 2022 by phissy

[GreenValleyDogWalker]

THANK YOU !!

 

Have a great cruise  😀

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, GreenValleyDogWalker said:

Yes - We do realize that we must be tested 2 days prior to boarding

Since we are boarding the ship on Tuesday, May 31st - 2 days prior to that is Sunday, May 29 and Monday, May 30th - which is Memorial Day - HOLIDAY - much harder to find a local testing place prior to flying to Seattle on May 31st

I was not asking if NCL is REQUIRING testing at the Pier - I was asking if NCL was PROVIDING (as a curtesy)  Testing at the Pier

 

Sorry for the confusion 

First and foremost, it is very important that you review the information sent to you from NCL on the specific requirements for your cruise. Rely on that before random comments on Cruise Critic which are wrong about 50% of the time when discussing testing and embarkation requirements. 

 

Random Comment: We have used eMed home tests for all of our cruises (Royal and NCL). eMed is one of the home tests recommended by NCL. Fast, Easy, done while sipping coffee at the kitchen table. You get a result within a minute of showing your proctor a negative result. Our insurance company paid 100% of the cost for the test. 

 

Random Comment: If a guest is unable to provide proof of a negative result at the time of embarkation, testing will be available at the terminal at the guest’s expense. Guests are also responsible for complying with all local health and safety requirements which may include additional testing.

Edited April 15, 2022 by BirdTravels

[GreenValleyDogWalker]

25 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

First and foremost, it is very important that you review the information sent to you from NCL on the specific requirements for your cruise. Rely on that before random comments on Cruise Critic which are wrong about 50% of the time when discussing testing and embarkation requirements. 

 

Random Comment: We have used eMed home tests for all of our cruises (Royal and NCL). eMed is one of the home tests recommended by NCL. Fast, Easy, done while sipping coffee at the kitchen table. You get a result within a minute of showing your proctor a negative result. Our insurance company paid 100% of the cost for the test. 

 

Random Comment: If a guest is unable to provide proof of a negative result at the time of embarkation, testing will be available at the terminal at the guest’s expense. Guests are also responsible for complying with all local health and safety requirements which may include additional testing.

Oh yes - we always very carefully read the letters from NCL - but thanks for the reminder !

Hoping that things will change (for the better) in the next month and a half - but -

Also - thanks for that info on the at home test - not very capable with on-line stuff - sounds like we should maybe give that a t\ry (might be our only option - because of the holiday situation) 

[FM]

2 hours ago, phissy said:

This is in my letter from NCL for our cruise. Received today.

Testing Requirements for all guests:
Vaccinated guests:
• At time of check-in, all guests will be required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 antigen or PCR test result administered by a verified third party or via medically supervised home test within two days prior to embarkation date for cruises originating in a U.S. port and three days prior for voyages departing from a non-U.S. port. While you can use any certified facility to take this test, to facilitate, Norwegian has partnered with Inspired Diagnostics lab to ensure that guests have access to a quick, efficient, and easy way to access the required FDA-approved proctored in-home antigen test prior to embarkation from the comfort of their own home. Inspired Diagnostics is a subsidiary of Inspire Health Alliance, a leader in best-in-class health services. Testing at home is safe, simple, and convenient. Purchasing in-home testing kits is simple.
a. Sign up on the testing site https://inspirediagnostics.com/ncl/
b. Receive the test kit(s) by UPS
c. Schedule an on-line proctoring consultation
d. Receive certified results via email
      
• For vaccinated guests who are unable to provide proof of a negative result at the time of embarkation, antigen testing will be available at the terminal at the guest’s expense (cost may vary depending on the port and the vendor).

 

 

-so, sounds like it should be available at terminal.-

Hope this helps.

Does NCL provide any information for travellers arriving in SEA from other countries such as Canada for their Alaskan cruises? If one is spending a few days in SEA prior to the cruise then clear instructions on how to obtain and provide a negative antigen or PCR test would be needed. Thanks. 

Edited April 15, 2022 by FM

[BirdTravels]

6 hours ago, FM said:

Does NCL provide any information for travelers arriving in SEA from other countries such as Canada for their Alaskan cruises? If one is spending a few days in SEA prior to the cruise then clear instructions on how to obtain and provide a negative antigen or PCR test would be needed. Thanks. 

On NCL's safe travel web site, they provide a link for TestForTravel which may provide assistance. 

https://www.ncl.com/sail-safe

 

If you are allowed to order a proctored home test (link to test providers on the sail-safe link above) from your home country, then that is one way of testing at your hotel in Seattle. The recommendation is to have a spare kit in case you mess one up or one test is not successful. 

[www3traveler]

Go to the Port of Seattle website and get a phone number of the Port or ask your question on their website.  There might already be information on the website.

[phissy]

11 hours ago, GreenValleyDogWalker said:

Oh yes - we always very carefully read the letters from NCL - but thanks for the reminder !

Hoping that things will change (for the better) in the next month and a half - but -

Also - thanks for that info on the at home test - not very capable with on-line stuff - sounds like we should maybe give that a t\ry (might be our only option - because of the holiday situation) 

Not sure how much will change in the next few months. My motto is plan for the worst and hope for the best.

I agree with Bird…

We have used eMed tele monitored tests for our cruises for Covid tests.

Ordered them online/ pack of 6 . We had B2B and used 4 so far. Will use last 2 in a couple of weeks.

I am also not so savvy with tech but there are videos on YouTube for Binax Now proctored test procedure. I watched them a few times before we took them .

My first time, I became disconnected and was able to get them back and continue test without an issue. Just had to show QR code for test in progress.

we were also nervous about result so , we took a test before “ the test”. Used free ones ordered from post office.

 

Also, most airports offer Covid tests. That is also an option to look into. 

[FM]

4 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

On NCL's safe travel web site, they provide a link for TestForTravel which may provide assistance. 

https://www.ncl.com/sail-safe

 

If you are allowed to order a proctored home test (link to test providers on the sail-safe link above) from your home country, then that is one way of testing at your hotel in Seattle. The recommendation is to have a spare kit in case you mess one up or one test is not successful. 

 

1 hour ago, www3traveler said:

Go to the Port of Seattle website and get a phone number of the Port or ask your question on their website.  There might already be information on the website.

 

Was able to find a link of an approved testing facility in SEA that would be able to conduct the necessary test. Not exactly cheap though. 

 

Flying in from Canada and wanting to spend more than two days in SEA (prior to boarding) it would be best to get tested in SEA.

 

However it may be better to just fly in the day before and get tested at home instead. That way if anyone tested positive, then one wouldn't have wasted the time flying and then getting caught up in a foreign destination waiting to get cleared to fly back home. Sigh. 

 

[FM]

15 minutes ago, phissy said:

Not sure how much will change in the next few months. My motto is plan for the worst and hope for the best.

I agree with Bird…

We have used eMed tele monitored tests for our cruises for Covid tests.

Ordered them online/ pack of 6 . We had B2B and used 4 so far. Will use last 2 in a couple of weeks.

I am also not so savvy with tech but there are videos on YouTube for Binax Now proctored test procedure. I watched them a few times before we took them .

My first time, I became disconnected and was able to get them back and continue test without an issue. Just had to show QR code for test in progress.

we were also nervous about result so , we took a test before “ the test”. Used free ones ordered from post office.

 

Also, most airports offer Covid tests. That is also an option to look into. 

 

Thanks. Yes, good luck in trying to decipher the instructions that comes with the home kits alright - thank goodness for YouTube!

 

See that there are a number of options available in Canada to get tested prior to travel. Just have to ascertain which one(s) would be best for the type of travel that is being planned.  Which in turn makes planning for cross-border travel more important.  

 

Sigh.