Covid testing 3 days before.... counting from your arrival time or your ship departure time?

[whataboutport]

I know the difference is a few hours, but last time I flew to Hawaii and took a covid test 3 days before. I didn't get the results until 5 hours after I landed. That test would have been useless if the gate agents wanted to see it in case I did the Hawaii safe travels incorrectly.

 

What happens at the port if I don't get my results in time? Test at the port?

[Steelers36]

9 minutes ago, whataboutport said:

I know the difference is a few hours, but last time I flew to Hawaii and took a covid test 3 days before. I didn't get the results until 5 hours after I landed. That test would have been useless if the gate agents wanted to see it in case I did the Hawaii safe travels incorrectly.

 

What happens at the port if I don't get my results in time? Test at the port?

You must have taken a PCR test at the time you reference since the results took so long.  All you need now is a rapid antigen test.  You don't need to count by the hour.  It depends where sailing from/to.  You should refer to Princess.com and check the health protocols for the world sector you are cruising in.  PCL has the latest info and requirements there.

[memoak]

2 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

You must have taken a PCR test at the time you reference since the results took so long.  All you need now is a rapid antigen test.  You don't need to count by the hour.  It depends where sailing from/to.  You should refer to Princess.com and check the health protocols for the world sector you are cruising in.  PCL has the latest info and requirements there.

Yeah but for a lot of us the PCR is free

[Steelers36]

Just now, memoak said:

Yeah but for a lot of us the PCR is free

Free and possibly fret about receiving results on time, or having a lab screw up (happened to me) and needing a do-over.  Versus spend a few bucks and know you have the result almost immediately.  

 

I will take Door #2, Monty, every day.

[dog]

Yes, if you don’t get your results on time you will test at the pier and most likely have it charged to your on-board account.

[JF - retired RRT]

1 minute ago, memoak said:

Yeah but for a lot of us the PCR is free

How much if free worth to you against worry/agitation?

[JF - retired RRT]

Just now, dog said:

Yes, if you don’t get your results on time you will test at the pier and most likely have it charged to your on-board account.

And it's not cheap!!

[memoak]

2 minutes ago, JF - retired RRT said:

How much if free worth to you against worry/agitation?

All of my PCR tests have come back in under 30 hours

[PrincessLuver]

14 minutes ago, whataboutport said:

I know the difference is a few hours, but last time I flew to Hawaii and took a covid test 3 days before. I didn't get the results until 5 hours after I landed. That test would have been useless if the gate agents wanted to see it in case I did the Hawaii safe travels incorrectly.

 

What happens at the port if I don't get my results in time? Test at the port?

The Hawaii Safe Travels program was very time specific in that you had to take a test within 72 hours before final leg of departure to Hawaii.  Princess' is more flexible in that it says within 3 days of departure.

 

[sewingmolly]

I got my test on Wednesday for a Saturday May 14 cruise because I was worried about getting my results back in time.  Previously when I had gotten a PCR test, it took 48 hours before I got my results.  This time it took 24 hours.  I think more people are using at home tests and not so much the PRC tests.  It was much easier to make an appointment this time around. 

[prmssk]

Princess counts in days not hours.  So if the protocols for your sailing and vaccination status say 3 days and for example, your cruise leaves on a Saturday, you can test as early as Wednesday (any time Wednesday).

[whataboutport]

Just now, sewingmolly said:

I got my test on Wednesday for a Saturday May 14 cruise because I was worried about getting my results back in time.  Previously when I had gotten a PCR test, it took 48 hours before I got my results.  This time it took 24 hours.  I think more people are using at home tests and not so much the PRC tests.  It was much easier to make an appointment this time around. 

That's a good point. I went to Hawaii last Sept. This year in Jan my hubby got covid and got tested at Walgreens, the same place I did for Hawaii. He got his results the next day about 12 hrs later.

[whataboutport]

Just now, prmssk said:

Princess counts in days not hours.  So if the protocols for your sailing and vaccination status say 3 days and for example, your cruise leaves on a Saturday, you can test as early as Wednesday (any time Wednesday).

Ok that makes sense. Thanks

[whataboutport]

13 minutes ago, JF - retired RRT said:

And it's not cheap!!

How much is it at the port?

[RJAM3]

I believe at port is $100 each.  Walgreens is free and you get the results in 30 minutes for drive through testing.

[memoak]

44 minutes ago, PrincessLuver said:

The Hawaii Safe Travels program was very time specific in that you had to take a test within 72 hours before final leg of departure to Hawaii.  Princess' is more flexible in that it says within 3 days of departure.

 

Only for cruises leaving from the U S.  For those Alaska cruises leaving from Vancouver it is 72 hours not 3 days

[riffatsea]

The rapid antigen test is also free for many of us

Cvs has given us our results when we got back home after the test

[whataboutport]

1 hour ago, RJAM3 said:

I believe at port is $100 each.  Walgreens is free and you get the results in 30 minutes for drive through testing.

wowwww yikes

[whataboutport]

I did find this on the Princess website so that is nice. I guess the $100 may be for people who are not vaxxed and don't have a neg test ready, then you are charged $100. However I didn't see that info, but we are vaxxed.

[RJAM3]

They key is you have to show you were tested elsewhere within the time frame but did not get the answer back as you should have.  If you just get to the pier and want a test without having the proof of a test that did not report back to you. 

Edited May 23, 2022 by RJAM3

[whataboutport]

3 minutes ago, RJAM3 said:

They key is you have to show you were tested elsewhere within the time frame but did not get the answer back as you should have.  If you just get to the pier and want a test without having the proof of a test that did not report back to you. 

Yes I understood that part as well but I did not add that to my post. I will def make an appt for the free test, and if I don't get the results, at least I have proof I took one and then test at the pier.

 

Unless of course I can find a rapid test for free. Then no issue.

 

Our available appts and testing centers here in Vegas have been really a hassle. When the omicron variant was driving up numbers, many people were testing (good) but if you had symptoms many times you couldn't even get an appt for two weeks out. Most people are no longer contagious and already recovered by then.