Covid positive in the last 90 days.

[Tuscany4]

Can someone whose recently boarded and was in this position shed some light on testing.

The latest email with the new health protocols states,

The certificate with the positive result and date, along with the covid recovery letter stating you were fit to end isolation and travel should be provided to the third party testing provider.

Does this mean you don’t need a test as there is a chance you will show a false positive?

Or if you still need a negative test, what is the point of showing them the above information.

Most of the online information is all out of date. I’ve become very disappointed in Azamaras pre cruise experience.

I hope the onboard reality is way better as it could not be much worse.

[uktog]

Thanks I also asked here.We have a cruise to Norway that might have to be pulled under cruise with confidence if the certificates are not accepted.  The information is so conflicting and out of date its a nightmare

 

 

[blag]

2 hours ago, uktog said:

Thanks I also asked here.We have a cruise to Norway that might have to be pulled under cruise with confidence if the certificates are not accepted.  The information is so conflicting and out of date its a nightmare

 

 

Because Azamara don't seem to have got their act together, is it possible, even likely, that the protocols vary ship-by-ship?

In that case input for all of the fleet would be invaluable! 

[Tuscany4]

So having boarded the Onward on Friday I can now say with experience that Azamaras E mail health protocols was absolute rubbish.

You do not need to show your positive test within 90 days.

You do not need a recovery certificate.

 

You DO still have to provide a negative test result along with everyone else.

We did ours on the dockside with Azamara. Even the nurse administering it said when she had it she was showing positive for nearly 60 days on a pcr.

 

We wasted £45 in recovery certificates we did not need.

An antigen test the day before is definitely the way to go. 

[blag]

16 minutes ago, Tuscany4 said:

So having boarded the Onward on Friday I can now say with experience that Azamaras E mail health protocols was absolute rubbish.

You do not need to show your positive test within 90 days.

You do not need a recovery certificate.

 

You DO still have to provide a negative test result along with everyone else.

We did ours on the dockside with Azamara. Even the nurse administering it said when she had it she was showing positive for nearly 60 days on a pcr.

 

We wasted £45 in recovery certificates we did not need.

An antigen test the day before is definitely the way to go. 

Whilst not disputing or doubting what you say, this may not necessarily be the case for each ship, or indeed, at any time in the future.

Plus what you have said about the nurse doesn't seem very clear to me. Perhaps you could elucidate? 

[travelberlin]

34 minutes ago, Tuscany4 said:

So having boarded the Onward on Friday I can now say with experience that Azamaras E mail health protocols was absolute rubbish.

You do not need to show your positive test within 90 days.

You do not need a recovery certificate.

 

You DO still have to provide a negative test result along with everyone else.

We did ours on the dockside with Azamara. Even the nurse administering it said when she had it she was showing positive for nearly 60 days on a pcr.

 

We wasted £45 in recovery certificates we did not need.

An antigen test the day before is definitely the way to go. 

Did you pay for the antigen test at the terminal or it was complimentary from Azamara?

Ivi

[soxfan1495]

According to Azamara's most recent protocol, a rapid/antigen test taken at the terminal will cost US$59.  

I recovered within the past 90 days, and have a recovery letter.  The recovery letter will be helpful when flying back to the US, since it will mean that I will not need a test then, but apparently the recovery letter will not be of any use when boarding the ship.  When I called Azamara recently, I was advised that a negative test is needed prior to boarding, even if a person has recovered within 90 days and has a recovery letter.  This is consistent with the experience reported by Tuscany4.

[uktog]

3 hours ago, soxfan1495 said:

According to Azamara's most recent protocol, a rapid/antigen test taken at the terminal will cost US$59.  

I recovered within the past 90 days, and have a recovery letter.  The recovery letter will be helpful when flying back to the US, since it will mean that I will not need a test then, but apparently the recovery letter will not be of any use when boarding the ship.  When I called Azamara recently, I was advised that a negative test is needed prior to boarding, even if a person has recovered within 90 days and has a recovery letter.  This is consistent with the experience reported by Tuscany4.

But what if you throw a false positive as is still possible? 

[soxfan1495]

27 minutes ago, uktog said:

But what if you throw a false positive as is still possible? 

It is crazy.  Plan B is a land-based vacation, that starts on the same day as the cruise...😐

[travelberlin]

6 hours ago, uktog said:

But what if you throw a false positive as is still possible? 

I guess one will habe to repeat the test. One positive test will not be enough to conclude that one has COVID.

At the moment this is all one can do …

Ivi

Edited May 15, 2022 by travelberlin

[uktog]

7 hours ago, travelberlin said:

I guess one will habe to repeat the test. One positive test will not be enough to conclude that one has COVID.

At the moment this is all one can do …

Ivi

Trouble is dead virus will still give a positive outcome on tests up to about 90 days after you have covid. Dead virus is not infectious. That’s why covid recovery certificates are issued and recognised globally (except it seems on Azamara). My husband and I have just entered the USA no problem with ours and no need to take a further test. 

Edited May 15, 2022 by uktog

[Scots Caz]

10 minutes ago, uktog said:

Trouble is dead virus will still give a positive outcome on tests up to about 90 days after you have covid. 

whilst that is possible with a PCR, it is uncommon. Average for a PCR I believe is about 3-4 weeks

Less common for a lateral flow to give a positive reading when no longer infections, should be clear in most people in 7-10 days

[Tuscany4]

Just to he clear they are not interested in any Covid recovery letter which is contrary to the email that Azamara sent us.

They insist on a negative test. Azamara did it for us at the terminal check in.

I have asked them to credit the cost of the recovery letter against the cost of the test which should leave about 11$ to pay. 
The nurse stated that if you test positive even if you had 2 weeks ago or 2 months ago you will not be allowed to board.

Tbh the chances of testing positive fir an antigen test are quite slim for previous 90 day people.

Not quite so for a pcr which is very sensitive.Good luck to all.

[soxfan1495]

22 minutes ago, Scots Caz said:

whilst that is possible with a PCR, it is uncommon. Average for a PCR I believe is about 3-4 weeks

Less common for a lateral flow to give a positive reading when no longer infections, should be clear in most people in 7-10 days

That's helpful, and based no that, I would expect to have a negative result from the lateral flow/antigen test (I tested positive on April 20 and fully recovered by May 1).  Today, I will be scheduling a PCR test to take place on May 28, three days prior to the start of a May 31 cruise.  If I test positive using the PCR test, however, I will be disregarding the PCR result since it is within 90 days of recovery.  I will still be getting on a plane to go to Spain for the start of the cruise (or if necessary, a land-based vacation), and will take an antigen test on the day of departure, to see if that one comes back negative.  I will report back to let you all know what happens... keeping my fingers crossed.

[Harrietq]

Based on our experience with Azamara dealing with positive tests on board, it’s no surprise to me a letter of recovery isn’t accepted. Azamara’s own third-party provider (medconteam) letters of recovery are rubbish. Once we got them to fix simple clerical errors, they still contained the basic untruth we had been medically supervised by medconteam. We never saw, nor spoke to, a medical professional we did not engage ourselves in our COVID recovery.
 

Also, I met people in checkin lines at the airport heading to the US, who said “we just tested until we got a negative.” (These were NOT  Azamara pax.) 

 

Passengers deserve clear, consistent messages. Yes, we are traveling in a pandemic. But, the travel providers are calling us back to resume spending our money with them. The governments across the globe are doing a fine job of throwing roadblocks to travel, then changing them on a dime. Travel providers shouldn’t add to that confusion and stress. 

[Mackdogmolly]

3 hours ago, soxfan1495 said:

That's helpful, and based no that, I would expect to have a negative result from the lateral flow/antigen test (I tested positive on April 20 and fully recovered by May 1).  Today, I will be scheduling a PCR test to take place on May 28, three days prior to the start of a May 31 cruise.  If I test positive using the PCR test, however, I will be disregarding the PCR result since it is within 90 days of recovery.  I will still be getting on a plane to go to Spain for the start of the cruise (or if necessary, a land-based vacation), and will take an antigen test on the day of departure, to see if that one comes back negative.  I will report back to let you all know what happens... keeping my fingers crossed.

We had COVID in early April and are sailing in mid June. We will take a PCR test stateside prior to flying to Europe, but will disregard if positive and take an antigen at the pier 

[les37b]

12 hours ago, Mackdogmolly said:

We had COVID in early April and are sailing in mid June. We will take a PCR test stateside prior to flying to Europe, but will disregard if positive and take an antigen at the pier 

I'm in exactly the same position and thinking of doing the same. I'm confident (bar an unlikely reinfection), that I/we would pass an antigen test  It's well documented that PCR is unforgiving and prone to false positives, it is a concern and rightly so.

 

But ..... When taking that test, if it came back positive, I'm fairly sure the boarding protocols will ask about test results. If you say you've not had a positive result, you've effectively lied and could then have implications with insurance. That would be a huge concern! (Are these results not linked to your passport number?)

 

When I tested positive (May 6th) I did so with a home antigen. 4 days later, I was negative. No PCR and no official test result or confirmation of infection or recovery.

 

When my wife tested positive in Jan on Silver moon, she too was antigen negative on day 4.... But failed the PCR to enter Ecuador on day 5. Luckily she passed the PCR on day 9 and we were both able to get one final port in before disembarking to fly home 5 days after that negative PCR to enter Chile.

 

The implications to these test unknowns and potential errors, are very real and very worrying. I'm still amazed I survived 6 antigen and 5 PCR at the same time or that she had absolutely zero symptoms during this ordeal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mackdogmolly]

5 hours ago, les37b said:

Are these results not linked to your passport number?)

No, We will be taking a test through our local health department, the results of which will be emailed to me while we are in transit. I can show them or not. There is no testing requirement to enter Portugal, only to board Azamara.

[les37b]

48 minutes ago, Mackdogmolly said:

No, We will be taking a test through our local health department, the results of which will be emailed to me while we are in transit. I can show them or not. There is no testing requirement to enter Portugal, only to board Azamara.

 

Yeh, I realise the last part. (Which is why this is all annoying)

 

The test centres in the UK require passport details  (hence why I asked)

 

 

[Mackdogmolly]

1 hour ago, les37b said:

 

Yeh, I realise the last part. (Which is why this is all annoying)

 

The test centres in the UK require passport details  (hence why I asked)

 

 

My testing site won’t, fortunately.

[soxfan1495]

9 hours ago, les37b said:

I'm in exactly the same position and thinking of doing the same. I'm confident (bar an unlikely reinfection), that I/we would pass an antigen test  It's well documented that PCR is unforgiving and prone to false positives, it is a concern and rightly so.

 

But ..... When taking that test, if it came back positive, I'm fairly sure the boarding protocols will ask about test results. If you say you've not had a positive result, you've effectively lied and could then have implications with insurance. That would be a huge concern! (Are these results not linked to your passport number?)...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The previous result would not make a difference (even though it should mean that you would be OK to board if you have a recovery letter).  It is my understanding that whether you have previously tested positive or not, and even if you have recovered, in the unlikely event of a new positive result on the day of boarding that would be a problem for Azamara.  My previous positive test result from April is not linked to a passport number, but I don't think that matters.  If I test positive on the day of embarkation, I would acknowledge the previous positive test result and recovery, and  present the recovery letter, but I don't expect it would help.  

[uktog]

Can we move on from this interminable debate!  
My bottom line is that unlike other lines Azamara does not accept valid covid recovery certificates which potentially puts my next cruise at risk. But I have to accept that anomaly and have a plan B in place