COVID Testing Europe

[stephen@stoneyard.co.uk]

Please could I ask if anybody can help. I live in the United Kingdom. I am booked on a cruise to Norway, departing from and returning to the United Kingdom. On the Carnival website I am struggling to find out information about COVID testing for my cruise. All the information I can find seems to relate to US citizens departing US ports. For example the testing companies that Carnival accept only ship to fifty states.

 

Please does anybody know how testing for UK residents will be handled for UK departures. 
 

Thank you in advance, Stephen. 

[kwokpot]

41 minutes ago, stephen@stoneyard.co.uk said:

Please could I ask if anybody can help. I live in the United Kingdom. I am booked on a cruise to Norway, departing from and returning to the United Kingdom. On the Carnival website I am struggling to find out information about COVID testing for my cruise. All the information I can find seems to relate to US citizens departing US ports. For example the testing companies that Carnival accept only ship to fifty states.

 

Please does anybody know how testing for UK residents will be handled for UK departures. 
 

Thank you in advance, Stephen. 

You still need to provide a negative Covid test

 

[M&A]

On 5/11/2022 at 6:03 PM, stephen@stoneyard.co.uk said:

Please could I ask if anybody can help. I live in the United Kingdom. I am booked on a cruise to Norway, departing from and returning to the United Kingdom. On the Carnival website I am struggling to find out information about COVID testing for my cruise. All the information I can find seems to relate to US citizens departing US ports. For example the testing companies that Carnival accept only ship to fifty states.

 

Please does anybody know how testing for UK residents will be handled for UK departures. 
 

Thank you in advance, Stephen. 

We booked the Pride out of Dover and we received an e-mail from Carnival stating that we need the covid test 72 hours before boarding.   I don't think it makes any difference where you are coming from you need the neg test to board the ship.

In our case we are flying into the UK the week befoe the cruise and we will get a test at a Boots in London, 2 days before the cruise

 

https://www.carnival.com/Legal/covid-19-legal-notices/covid-19-guest-protocols?icid=advisory_cruisehealth_072821.

[ScratchTheRat]

Hi! 

 

I double checked with John Heald and for the Europe cruises, a certified LFT is fine, just as long as you get a certificate (called a Fit to Fly in the UK) - it doesn't have to be proctored/observed unless you are flying or sailing to or from the USA.

 

I am using ExpressTest at a cost of £12 per person.

[stephen@stoneyard.co.uk]

Thank you both that is very useful. Just what I needed to know. I will probably use iMed who did it for Virgin Voyages. It was included with them but is not expensive. I had wondered if it would be done at the port. 
 

Best wishes, Stephen. 

[JimmyTheSaint]

6 hours ago, ScratchTheRat said:

Hi! 

 

I double checked with John Heald and for the Europe cruises, a certified LFT is fine, just as long as you get a certificate (called a Fit to Fly in the UK) - it doesn't have to be proctored/observed unless you are flying or sailing to or from the USA.

 

I am using ExpressTest at a cost of £12 per person.

Thank you, very useful information. You've saved me and the Mrs about £40 as we were going to use in person tests at our local airport.

 

Such a shame that a multi billion dollar company couldn't / didn't provide that information to all customers but had to rely on customers contacting one of their employees via Facebook. Very unsatisfactory situation.

[M&A]

On 5/15/2022 at 7:11 AM, ScratchTheRat said:

Hi! 

 

I double checked with John Heald and for the Europe cruises, a certified LFT is fine, just as long as you get a certificate (called a Fit to Fly in the UK) - it doesn't have to be proctored/observed unless you are flying or sailing to or from the USA.

 

I am using ExpressTest at a cost of £12 per person.

I also saw this one,  may order it and get it sent to our friends in the UK

https://www.c19testing.co.uk/rapidtravel/

[ScratchTheRat]

On 5/15/2022 at 6:57 PM, JimmyTheSaint said:

Thank you, very useful information. You've saved me and the Mrs about £40 as we were going to use in person tests at our local airport.

 

Such a shame that a multi billion dollar company couldn't / didn't provide that information to all customers but had to rely on customers contacting one of their employees via Facebook. Very unsatisfactory situation.

That's why vloggers like me exist haha 😄 Information is our thing! 😄

[lasekeye]

Just rec’d from Carnival..

[bunnyette]

17 minutes ago, lasekeye said:

Just rec’d from Carnival..

Sigh, off I go to book a booster.

Edited May 18, 2022 by bunnyette

[TFS89]

16 minutes ago, lasekeye said:

Just rec’d from Carnival..

Just seen this too. What I can’t figure out is whether we need another booster if we are beyond 6 months since our initial boosters (as UK started boosting earlier than US I believe). 
 

I’m also presuming the NHS Covid Pass app will suffice as proof of vaccines and that AstraZenica is recognised as a vaccine as it’s not mRNA (although I had Moderna as booster in November).

 

Slightly confusing to say the least!

Edited May 18, 2022 by TFS89

[stephen@stoneyard.co.uk]

1 hour ago, TFS89 said:

Just seen this too. What I can’t figure out is whether we need another booster if we are beyond 6 months since our initial boosters (as UK started boosting earlier than US I believe). 
 

I’m also presuming the NHS Covid Pass app will suffice as proof of vaccines and that AstraZenica is recognised as a vaccine as it’s not mRNA (although I had Moderna as booster in November).

 

Slightly confusing to say the least!

Same for me. I am in the United Kingdom with more than six months between my last primary (AstraZenica) and booster (Moderna). Many of us in the UK had early primary vaccines as the UK was early with the primary vaccine programme. What a mess. 

 

Best wishes, Stephen. 

[kwokpot]

3 minutes ago, stephen@stoneyard.co.uk said:

Same for me. I am in the United Kingdom with more than six months between my last primary (AstraZenica) and booster (Moderna). Many of us in the UK had early primary vaccines as the UK was early with the primary vaccine programme. What a mess. 

 

Best wishes, Stephen. 

No you do not. You're not reading it correctly. 

[kwokpot]

1 hour ago, TFS89 said:

Just seen this too. What I can’t figure out is whether we need another booster if we are beyond 6 months since our initial boosters (as UK started boosting earlier than US I believe). 
 

I’m also presuming the NHS Covid Pass app will suffice as proof of vaccines and that AstraZenica is recognised as a vaccine as it’s not mRNA (although I had Moderna as booster in November).

 

Slightly confusing to say the least!

There's no time expiration with boosters.

[Eli_6]

2 hours ago, TFS89 said:

Just seen this too. What I can’t figure out is whether we need another booster if we are beyond 6 months since our initial boosters (as UK started boosting earlier than US I believe). 
 

I’m also presuming the NHS Covid Pass app will suffice as proof of vaccines and that AstraZenica is recognised as a vaccine as it’s not mRNA (although I had Moderna as booster in November).

 

Slightly confusing to say the least!

My husband will be more than 6 months out from his booster, but he is not yet eligible for a second booster so I am assuming he would not be required to have a second booster. 

[ScratchTheRat]

8 hours ago, TFS89 said:

Just seen this too. What I can’t figure out is whether we need another booster if we are beyond 6 months since our initial boosters (as UK started boosting earlier than US I believe). 
 

I’m also presuming the NHS Covid Pass app will suffice as proof of vaccines and that AstraZenica is recognised as a vaccine as it’s not mRNA (although I had Moderna as booster in November).

 

Slightly confusing to say the least!

No, just the one booster. 

[TFS89]

Thanks all. John Heald just clarified this on his page also. No second booster needed.

[aussiepom1]

On 5/15/2022 at 9:11 PM, ScratchTheRat said:

Hi! 

 

I double checked with John Heald and for the Europe cruises, a certified LFT is fine, just as long as you get a certificate (called a Fit to Fly in the UK) - it doesn't have to be proctored/observed unless you are flying or sailing to or from the USA.

 

I am using ExpressTest at a cost of £12 per person.

Hi. I have 2 questions.  First who is this john heald you mention.  And second the email from carnival states you can have a pcr or antigen test, is the antigen the at home kit?  And if so how do you prove a negative result?  Thanks in advance for advise.  Trying to get my head around it all before flying from Australia 

[ScratchTheRat]

57 minutes ago, aussiepom1 said:

Hi. I have 2 questions.  First who is this john heald you mention.  And second the email from carnival states you can have a pcr or antigen test, is the antigen the at home kit?  And if so how do you prove a negative result?  Thanks in advance for advise.  Trying to get my head around it all before flying from Australia 

Hi! 
 

John Heald is the Brand Ambassador for Carnival.

 

Antigen tests or Lateral Flow Tests as they are also called can be in person or at home. To use for the cruise it needs to be done with a service that provides a fit fo fly certificate 

[M&A]

On 5/15/2022 at 7:11 AM, ScratchTheRat said:

Hi! 

 

I double checked with John Heald and for the Europe cruises, a certified LFT is fine, just as long as you get a certificate (called a Fit to Fly in the UK) - it doesn't have to be proctored/observed unless you are flying or sailing to or from the USA.

 

I am using ExpressTest at a cost of £12 per person.

Checked on their website but I'm not clear about the Express test "click & collect" - do you order it and pick it up and they do the test on-site?

 

Edited May 20, 2022 by M&A

[ScratchTheRat]

On 5/20/2022 at 8:03 PM, M&A said:

Checked on their website but I'm not clear about the Express test "click & collect" - do you order it and pick it up and they do the test on-site?

 

The click and collect option, you book a day to collect it and then you go there, they scan your QR code, give you the test in a box then you complete it yourself and upload your ID and test result to the website using your phone, then within2  hours you get your certificate.

 

If you're coming from the US, there are also expresstest options for on site testing at the airports as well as in lots of handy places.

 

Also, Boots (our version of Walgreens/CVS) offer bookable on site tests for £30 and there is a Boots on nearly every major street in the UK!

[TFS89]

On 5/15/2022 at 12:11 PM, ScratchTheRat said:

Hi! 

 

I double checked with John Heald and for the Europe cruises, a certified LFT is fine, just as long as you get a certificate (called a Fit to Fly in the UK) - it doesn't have to be proctored/observed unless you are flying or sailing to or from the USA.

 

I am using ExpressTest at a cost of £12 per person.

Be careful here. I just attempted to clarify this with John and he has seemingly said they do need to be observed (by being done in a pharmacy or presumably observed online) irrespective of whether you are flying or not. It’s a shame, but that £12 wouldn’t do the job it seems!