CDC should stop punishing cruisers

[oteixeira]

30 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

The rest of the world has moved on and accepts testing as a requirement. 

Are you saying the rest of the work REQUIRES testing and accepts it?  If so, I think you are misspeaking.  Much of the world has dropped testing for international flights. travel between countries, etc.  Maybe I misunderstood?

[The Shrike]

2 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

The rest of the world has moved on and accepts testing as a requirement. 

Not really.  I leave next week for the Star, going to Iceland and Greenland.  Neither require testing.  I wish the rest of the world was like them.

[Debde]

hmmm.............just sayin'-did someone say that someone probably had it before they boarded........ 🤔

:flee:

😜

Edited July 4, 2022 by Debde

[susiesan]

4 hours ago, julig22 said:

If you have the iHealth ones the government sent out, the expiration date is extended 3 months.

https://ihealthlabs.com/pages/news

Thanks for that info. I have 6 boxes of those tests all expiring 8/11/22. My cruise is 8/16/22. I sail from Stockholm and may take them with me and use the Anova service for a proctored test for $20 instead spending time tracking down a place in Stockholm to get tested. Plus $20 is less than paying for a covid test at a pharmacy inStockholm, that will cost me 295 SEK, $28 at a clinic.

 

[graphicguy]

12 hours ago, susiesan said:

Thanks for that info. I have 6 boxes of those tests all expiring 8/11/22. My cruise is 8/16/22. I sail from Stockholm and may take them with me and use the Anova service for a proctored test for $20 instead spending time tracking down a place in Stockholm to get tested. Plus $20 is less than paying for a covid test at a pharmacy inStockholm, that will cost me 295 SEK, $28 at a clinic.

 

I've got those same boxes.  

 

While Walgreens is accepting Medicare as insurance for testing, I do have an appt with OnPoint to supervise the iHealth test I'll do this coming Thursday for my Saturday cruise out of Orlando.  Test was free.  With coupon, the OnPoint service is $14.95

 

I have a Walgreens COVID test on Friday as back up in case the proctored test results are some how delayed.

Edited July 4, 2022 by graphicguy

[vpearlkc]

16 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

The rest of the world has moved on and accepts testing as a requirement. 

That's strange. We are flying into Cancun in December to spend a week in Isla Mujeres. No testing needed for entire trip.

 

BTW, Six of us celebrated my birthday on June 21. Of the six my wife and two others came down with mild cases of covid. Three of us had no symptoms and did not bother to test.

 

The three of us that did not get sick were fully vaccinated including second booster. My wife and the others who had mild cases had not had the fourth shot.

 

Was it a coincidence? Who knows, but my wife has decided to keep up with her vaccines from now on.  

 

We still have one cruise booked and hope that we don't have to cancel because of testing requirements.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PC Skier]

16 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

The rest of the world has moved on and accepts testing as a requirement. 

Not so true, the rest of the world accepts vaccinations as a requirement. No vaccination then you have to test.  

[susiesan]

3 hours ago, graphicguy said:

I've got those same boxes.  

 

While Walgreens is accepting Medicare as insurance for testing, I do have an appt with OnPoint to supervise the iHealth test I'll do this coming Thursday for my Saturday cruise out of Orlando.  Test was free.  With coupon, the OnPoint service is $14.95

 

I have a Walgreens COVID test on Friday as back up in case the proctored test results are some how delayed.

If you can, could you report here how the online test with onPoint went? I may use this service while in Stockholm the day before boarding my cruise. I's like to know if you were successful with OnPoint as this is the first time I have heard of this service. Also, would like to know if NCL gives you any grief about the format of the OnPoint test report. Thanks in advance, graphicguy.

[amyben40]

On 7/3/2022 at 12:08 AM, MoCruiseFan said:

Still free...

 

 

https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-testing.jsp?ban=covidfy21_newtestingpg_brandstory_main_01.09.2022

If you click on the TRAVELING tab it says this "Due to recent changes with federal eligibility criteria, if you don’t meet medical necessity guidelines, payment may be due at the time of your appointment. You may submit your receipt to your insurance to see if you are eligible for reimbursement."

[julig22]

On 7/2/2022 at 9:08 PM, MoCruiseFan said:

Still free...

 

 

https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-testing.jsp?ban=covidfy21_newtestingpg_brandstory_main_01.09.2022

They were free in January, the date on your link..  Lots of things can, and have, changed since then.

[DinaS]

On 7/2/2022 at 6:29 PM, debenson0723 said:

There are reports that Walgreens is going to start charging $129 in the near future.

All of the pharmacies I contacted are now charging for COVID tests for travel.  I even called my insurance company, and they no longer pay for Covid tests for travel.  

Right now, the easiest and most cost effective way is to use an at home test, with a proctor.  It's $15 or $20, and you can do it 24/7.  There are a few companies that do this now.

[OurFunHols]

That is not correct. There are now 72 countries that do NOT require vaccinations or testing. (listed here)

 

https://www.traveloffpath.com/countries-without-any-travel-restrictions-or-entry-requirements/

 

On 7/4/2022 at 4:30 PM, PC Skier said:

Not so true, the rest of the world accepts vaccinations as a requirement. No vaccination then you have to test.  

 

Edited July 5, 2022 by OurFunHols
Mistake

[BermudaBound2014]

 

 

Actually you are both wrong. Much of the world has "moved on" and have removed all covid protocols entirely. As mentioned in the above post, 72 countries are wide open today and the list grows daily. 

 

@BirdTravels and @PC Skier you may want to bookmark this page. I know it's difficult to keep up because protocols are so fluid but things are moving toward zero covid restrictions 

https://www.traveloffpath.com/countries-without-any-travel-restrictions-or-entry-requirements/

 

 

To make my point, four additional countries have been added to the list so far in July (and it's only July 5th). 

     - Australia

     -Portugal

     - Mauritius

     - Trinidad and Tobago

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BermudaBound2014]

On 7/3/2022 at 10:10 AM, graphicguy said:

As far as not cruising because of testing, I don’t think it matters much for any of the cruise lines.  They’re starting to sail at capacity even with testing still in place.

 

It matters.

 

Cruise lines are no where near 'starting to sail at capacity'. 

 

Sure there are some cruises on very popular itineraries, sailing at very popular times, which are popularly priced, from popular ports which are being reported as at capacity. For example, Carnival is reporting high occupancy on may of it's summer voyages, while it's other brands are suffering with less than 50% occupancy being reported.

 

But the reality is that the legal filings with the Securities Exchange Commission indicate that, on average, cruises are sailing at far less than capacity. CCL just hit 69% capacity in 2nd quarter. NCLH stated they 'hope' to get to 65%. We've got a long way to go.

 

I realize I'm a broken record here, but covid protocols must end if the cruise lines have any chance of tackling the debt they have racked. Testing will be the first to go, then vaccination requirements. If vaccination requirements aren't eliminated entirely, more 'work around' options will be offered for those who are unvaccinated. It's inevitable. 

[geegee1]

Hold on, I can use the iHealth COVID 19 Self Antigen and have Azova screen it and NCL will accept it?  I don't need to use BinaxNOW™ COVID-19 Ag Card Home Test with eMed Telehealth Services for Travel that is one of the options on the NCL site?

[julig22]

1 hour ago, geegee1 said:

Hold on, I can use the iHealth COVID 19 Self Antigen and have Azova screen it and NCL will accept it?  I don't need to use BinaxNOW™ COVID-19 Ag Card Home Test with eMed Telehealth Services for Travel that is one of the options on the NCL site?

I sure hope so because that's what I'm doing this weekend.

[shof515]

1 hour ago, geegee1 said:

Hold on, I can use the iHealth COVID 19 Self Antigen and have Azova screen it and NCL will accept it?  I don't need to use BinaxNOW™ COVID-19 Ag Card Home Test with eMed Telehealth Services for Travel that is one of the options on the NCL site?

Yes.

 

I do something similar and i used the Flowflex tests that i got for free from the government. i used azova telehealth service for 2 cruises on royal and carnival. tests were accepted with no issues

[geegee1]

1 hour ago, julig22 said:

I sure hope so because that's what I'm doing this weekend.

 

1 hour ago, shof515 said:

Yes.

 

I do something similar and i used the Flowflex tests that i got for free from the government. i used azova telehealth service for 2 cruises on royal and carnival. tests were accepted with no issues

Sweet!!!

[Vacationdreamer<><]

On 7/3/2022 at 12:14 PM, BermudaBound2014 said:

Islands with No Vaccine Requirement and No testing requirement:

Bonaire

All of BVI islands (Tortilla, Virgin Gorda, etc..)

Cayman islands

Curacao

Dominican Republic

Dominica

Grenada

Haiti

Jamaica

Puerto Rico

Mexico

Thank you for this!

Good grief!  What is taking cruise ships so long to catch up?  
Praying this is all over soon! 😄

 

[Vacationdreamer<><]

7 hours ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

Testing will be the first to go, then vaccination requirements. If vaccination requirements aren't eliminated entirely, more 'work around' options will be offered for those who are unvaccinated.

[Vacationdreamer<><]

it wouldn't let me type after I quoted, but I sure am waiting for this to happen @bermudabound2014  I have cruise dollars ready to go!

Edited July 7, 2022 by Vacationdreamer<><

[BermudaBound2014]

9 minutes ago, Vacationdreamer&lt;&gt;&lt; said:

What is taking cruise ships so long to catch up?  

 

The CDC, which cruise lines are volunteering to adhere to. Can't make this stuff up if I tried ;-). Have a great cruise!!

[Vacationdreamer<><]

Just now, BermudaBound2014 said:

volunteering

I know, I know - so confusing!

[milolii]

On 7/3/2022 at 5:50 AM, billslowsky said:

Though a lab in London just might be out of network.  They'll "cover it" but they might subject it to a deductible higher than the cost.

Just received the reimbursement check today for the full amount for the CoVID tests performed at a lab in London. Took about 2 weeks.  
 

Also as of today, still able to schedule a test(even for travel purposes). Tests are performed at their facilities.  Kaiser Permanente. 

Edited July 7, 2022 by milolii

[debbyfelse1963]

NCL dropped pre boarding testing on some countries.  Only have to test on their cruises from Bermuda, Greece or USA. I am glad we do Nov 1st transatlantic from Rome and I was worried having to find a place in Rome to test so this is good news forr us