Royal just dropped testing for back to backs…hope Celebrity follows!

[AbbyCruiser45]

1 minute ago, AbbyCruiser45 said:

People on the RCL boards were reporting still needing to do S2S testing after the B2B testing was lifted. 

Somehow quoted myself while trying to edit my original post….still having my morning coffee

Edited May 6, 2022 by AbbyCruiser45

[schittenden]

1 hour ago, mfs2k said:

It seems pre-embarkation testing isn’t effective if 100 people can have Covid a few days after sailing. 
Testing 2 days before sailing only catches those with high viral load 2 days before sailing. 
What about those who are getting sicker from -48hours to 0hour?  
Those people are still boarding. 
 

Just because preembarkation testing doesn’t catch everyone who is positive doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be done. Removing some positive individuals with high viral loads is better than not removing such individuals. If 100 people can test positive with those people removed, how many do you think will test positive with those people on board?

[mfs2k]

Just now, schittenden said:

Just because preembarkation testing doesn’t catch everyone who is positive doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be done. Removing some positive individuals with high viral loads is better than not removing such individuals. If 100 people can test positive with those people removed, how many do you think will test positive with those people on board?

 

I think it makes more sense to test everyone just prior to boarding. or test at -48 hours and at embarkation.  

[mfs2k]

Someone should invent a wearable patch that turns red as soon as your Covid Viral Load reaches a contagious level. Then isolate all the red patch people.

 

I wish I were a biochemistry inventor.  I'd be rich. 

[schittenden]

33 minutes ago, mfs2k said:

 

I think it makes more sense to test everyone just prior to boarding. or test at -48 hours and at embarkation.  

I agree, but I think they’re trying to balance the desire to remove positives from the ship with how disruptive it would be for people to travel to the port (sometimes great distances) and then be denied boarding. 

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

43 minutes ago, mfs2k said:

Someone should invent a wearable patch that turns red as soon as your Covid Viral Load reaches a contagious level. Then isolate all the red patch people.

 

I wish I were a biochemistry inventor.  I'd be rich. 

 

Good idea - until some subset of people purchase the lookalike patches that will never turn! (probably the same people who would have had bogus vaccination cards)

 

Tom

[TFree]

Guest Relations here on the Apex says no B2B testing. So it looks as if this really is the new policy. Everyone here on board is pretty quiet about Covid cases. They will acknowledge, if asked, that there are a “small number” of cases on board, but I have heard no official announcements. 
 

Tom & Judy

[Ken the cruiser]

3 minutes ago, TFree said:

Guest Relations here on the Apex says no B2B testing. So it looks as if this really is the new policy. Everyone here on board is pretty quiet about Covid cases. They will acknowledge, if asked, that there are a “small number” of cases on board, but I have heard no official announcements. 
 

Tom & Judy

If I might ask are you on a Caribbean or European cruise?

[RichYak]

17 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

If I might ask are you on a Caribbean or European cruise?

Apex is currently on a transatlantic from Ft. Lauderdale to Amsterdam.

[Provence55always]

26 minutes ago, TFree said:

Guest Relations here on the Apex says no B2B testing. So it looks as if this really is the new policy. Everyone here on board is pretty quiet about Covid cases. They will acknowledge, if asked, that there are a “small number” of cases on board, but I have heard no official announcements. 
 

Tom & Judy

Can you confirm if this is the new protocol throughout the fleet…..no B2B testing.

Thanks.

[Ken the cruiser]

10 minutes ago, RichYak said:

Apex is currently on a transatlantic from Ft. Lauderdale to Amsterdam.

Thanks! We’re on an Iceland/Greenland B2B in August and hope that continues to be the case. 🤞

[TFree]

Just now, Provence55always said:

Can you confirm if this is the new protocol throughout the fleet…..no B2B testing.

Thanks.

I can’t confirm that as of now. If I find an appropriate person to ask, I will see if I can get an answer. As someone else mentioned, we are currently on the Apex transatlantic to Amsterdam. 
 

Tom & Judy

[Provence55always]

14 minutes ago, TFree said:

I can’t confirm that as of now. If I find an appropriate person to ask, I will see if I can get an answer. As someone else mentioned, we are currently on the Apex transatlantic to Amsterdam. 
 

Tom & Judy

That would be great👍. Thank you

[TFree]

3 hours ago, Provence55always said:

Can you confirm if this is the new protocol throughout the fleet…..no B2B testing.

Thanks.

I asked the retreat concierge here on the Apex transatlantic, and what he said suggests that while this is a fleet wide company policy, it still might not apply in every case. He said, for example, if there is a heavy load of Covid cases on a particular ship, they might decide to have back to back testing. Or, if local rules in the turnaround port require testing, then they would have to do testing.

 

I know that this answer is not quite as definitive as people might like, but it seems that this is the new general corporate policy. 

 

Tom & Judy

[davekathy]

Great news for B2Bers and now Celebrity needs to do away with the pre cruise covid test! Glad Celebrity did away with the mask mandate also. 

[NutsAboutGolf]

5 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Thanks! We’re on an Iceland/Greenland B2B in August and hope that continues to be the case. 🤞

 

Congrats, how did you get the "Rare" badge?  Was thinking the same with testing, may be itinerary specific 

[Provence55always]

35 minutes ago, TFree said:

I asked the retreat concierge here on the Apex transatlantic, and what he said suggests that while this is a fleet wide company policy, it still might not apply in every case. He said, for example, if there is a heavy load of Covid cases on a particular ship, they might decide to have back to back testing. Or, if local rules in the turnaround port require testing, then they would have to do testing.

 

I know that this answer is not quite as definitive as people might like, but it seems that this is the new general corporate policy. 

 

Tom & Judy

Thank you so much for your prompt reply…….and appreciate you taking time out from your cruise to seek out the information.