Request Royal to stop negative Covid test to board

[Project-College]

I just read  on the CDC site:  "A person with COVID-19 is considered infectious starting two days before they develop symptoms, or two days before the date of their positive test if they do not have symptoms,".  They also noted the number of asymptomatic cases is much higher now.

Not sure what is the best way to protect passengers or what a passenger should agree to give up.

 

[ReneeFLL]

On 7/7/2022 at 11:24 AM, Tatka said:

 

Is this serious? Everywhere everyone is dropping requirements and only cruise industry suffers? I have been on 7 cruises since restart... maybe during January there was a bit more COVID on board, but no sighs of it in March and June

Because you didn’t see it doesn’t mean it wasn’t there. I am on my 19 cruise since the restart and it finally caught up with me on my last one. I was doing a b4b on the Allure and they did away with testing the b2b people on the 4th cruise. Had they been doing the testing I would have tested positive. The evening of the first day I started having a little bit of a sore throat and a cough. I self tested and was positive and then medical tested me and I was still positive. Pre-testing does work. Oh, and by the way they do reserve rooms for covid positive people. They wouldn’t do this if there wasn’t any on board. As they say ignorance is bliss. Also, it doesn’t matter how many cruises someone has done. Someone can get it even on their first cruise back. Another thing, “everywhere” wasn’t impacted as bad as the cruise industry.

[rudeney]

29 minutes ago, Project-College said:

I just read  on the CDC site:  "A person with COVID-19 is considered infectious starting two days before they develop symptoms, or two days before the date of their positive test if they do not have symptoms,".  They also noted the number of asymptomatic cases is much higher now.

Not sure what is the best way to protect passengers or what a passenger should agree to give up.

 

 

It makes me wonder how they know this.  Unless they took a valid ransom sample of the population and tested them every day AND checked their "droplets", there is no way to scientifically figure this out.  And they could take a purely random valid sample, because they people have to consent to daily testing, which negates its randomness.

 

As others have said, I am waiting to see what happens in Europe with their suspension of testing requirements.  I suspect that if they have no increase in on-board serious illness requiring treatment, it won't be long before the entire industry suspends testing worldwide.  

[Itried4498]

We got off the Navigator of the Seas on a Friday.  Late yesterday I began feeling like crap, to the point that it kept me up all night.  We each took two of our government-paid at-home tests and both came back positive.  Covid is definitely here…

[lovesthebeach2]

Mr. Bayley mentioned in a call with the CDC two weeks ago, the CDC shared an amazing statistic, "the cruise industry sailing out of the US ports over the past 12 months and how many people have been hospitalized with Covid and how many deaths occurred from Covid from people who'd sailed on the industry's ships, which is in the millions.

"And the number of people who died from COVID who'd sailed on ships over the past year was two."

"Two is terrible. But but but against the context of everything we've seen, that's it's truly been a remarkable success."

 

In 2020 and even 2021 I agreed with masking and testing. But I’m over it now. We are responsible for our own health in everything we do. If you feel apprehensive then  wear a mask everywhere you go or choose not to cruise, or attend a concert, or fly or take a bus…. I could go on. 
 

Cruise lines shouldn’t be the ones responsible for your health. 
if you all are truly frightened, then don’t cruise for awhile and see how it works out. And hope you don’t get sick from a relative, or your grandkids, or your best friend or in church or getting your haircut…

I could go on.

 

 

[rudeney]

5 minutes ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

Mr. Bayley mentioned in a call with the CDC two weeks ago, the CDC shared an amazing statistic, "the cruise industry sailing out of the US ports over the past 12 months and how many people have been hospitalized with Covid and how many deaths occurred from Covid from people who'd sailed on the industry's ships, which is in the millions.

"And the number of people who died from COVID who'd sailed on ships over the past year was two."

"Two is terrible. But but but against the context of everything we've seen, that's it's truly been a remarkable success."

 

In 2020 and even 2021 I agreed with masking and testing. But I’m over it now. We are responsible for our own health in everything we do. If you feel apprehensive then  wear a mask everywhere you go or choose not to cruise, or attend a concert, or fly or take a bus…. I could go on. 
 

Cruise lines shouldn’t be the ones responsible for your health. 
if you all are truly frightened, then don’t cruise for awhile and see how it works out. And hope you don’t get sick from a relative, or your grandkids, or your best friend or in church or getting your haircut…

I could go on.

 

 

 

I totally agree.  I think the risk of death or requiring priority medical care on a cruise ship is far greater from accidents, food, angry spouses, etc. than COVID.  As much as I want all COVID restrictions removed, I do realize that part of this was because of the ship's limited ability to treat serious illness.  Now that COVID current infections seem to be mostly mild and need little if any treatment, these restrictions are just not needed. 

[JimVB]

Testing before the cruise is a bother, but it may have helped keep ships from going from orange to red in the CDC reporting.  Whenever the testing ends, the media will be keen to report on any major outbreaks that might follow--publicity the cruise lines can ill afford.  The cruise lines know how many folks are denied boarding due to a positive test.  As long as that is a significant number, they may be reluctant to risk ending testing.

[exm]

39 minutes ago, JimVB said:

Testing before the cruise is a bother, but it may have helped keep ships from going from orange to red in the CDC reporting.  Whenever the testing ends, the media will be keen to report on any major outbreaks that might follow--publicity the cruise lines can ill afford.  The cruise lines know how many folks are denied boarding due to a positive test.  As long as that is a significant number, they may be reluctant to risk ending testing.

 

The problem is that it really doesn't help THAT much. Plenty of folks are infected, but the tests don't show it yet when boarding. Does it catch some? Sure. But if it hardly helps, is it worth it?

[JimVB]

1 hour ago, exm said:

 

 But if it hardly helps, is it worth it?

It's not worth it if it isn't helping, but we don't know how much it helps.  The cruise lines do know, since they know how many positive results come from pre-departure testing and whether that number is rising or falling.  

[pyrateslife4me84]

21 minutes ago, JimVB said:

It's not worth it if it isn't helping, but we don't know how much it helps.  The cruise lines do know, since they know how many positive results come from pre-departure testing and whether that number is rising or falling.  

I suspect they care more about 1) the requirements of the countries they sail to and 2) whether bookings will increase or fall if testing is removed. 
 

Their statements suggest their statisticians report bookings will rise. 

[CRUISEFOUR]

5 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

Because you didn’t see it doesn’t mean it wasn’t there. I am on my 19 cruise since the restart and it finally caught up with me on my last one. I was doing a b4b on the Allure and they did away with testing the b2b people on the 4th cruise. Had they been doing the testing I would have tested positive. The evening of the first day I started having a little bit of a sore throat and a cough. I self tested and was positive and then medical tested me and I was still positive. Pre-testing does work. Oh, and by the way they do reserve rooms for covid positive people. They wouldn’t do this if there wasn’t any on board. As they say ignorance is bliss. Also, it doesn’t matter how many cruises someone has done. Someone can get it even on their first cruise back. Another thing, “everywhere” wasn’t impacted as bad as the cruise industry.

So has RCI eliminated testing the b2b people prior to the second cruise for all ships?

[not-enough-cruising]

16 minutes ago, CRUISEFOUR said:

So has RCI eliminated testing the b2b people prior to the second cruise for all ships?

Yes

[ReneeFLL]

10 hours ago, Project-College said:

I guess for me is that term 'REPORTED'.  Since at home tests are so prevalent,  and since so many people do NOT report results... how accurate are the numbers?  Plus, there was a poster on that other site of a person who felt they had COVID on Carnival (and they did) but said there was no way he would let the Ship know since he was vaccinated  and the symptoms were mild (I think his comment was "I'll be damned if I am staying in my room and eating tuna sandwiches, I am on vacation".  Yes this is very self-centered but considering the cost of cruises for most... probably not uncommon! 

I’m not sure if they are doing it anymore, but I know they were back in May. Royal was reimbursing people for their share of the fare for the days they were in the covid rooms. Maybe Carnival feeds them tuna sandwiches, but on Royal you order room service.

 

9 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

You seem to have missed the whole point.  If people can WORK in a hospital with a positive Covid test, they certainly do not need a negative test to cruise.

We have proven on land that everything will be just fine.

 

Agree, disagree, but the facts are the facts.

People working in hospitals testing positive have to wear masks, correct? Do you really think everyone on a cruise that tests positive is going to mask up, not go to shows, not go on tenders, not eat away from other people, etc? Not happening if people are making fake tests.
 

3 hours ago, CRUISEFOUR said:

So has RCI eliminated testing the b2b people prior to the second cruise for all ships?

Yes, at least in the US. I’m not sure about other countries.

[lovesthebeach2]

This virus has thankfully morphed from a deadly pandemic, to an endemic, which can and will make some very sick and possibly succumb to it.

But for most who get it (and I know plenty who have had it), it’s mostly like a cold. So logic says at this point, if we’re being tested for Covid, then we should also be tested for all the other viruses that are around at a given time and could make some very sick and possibly die, like flu, strep, norovirus, bronchitis, pneumonia, monkey pox….etc.

 

Rightfully so, some of us were so full of fear that they can’t see beyond that fear to where we are now, and let go. 

[BecciBoo]

19 hours ago, joeyancho said:

Excellent response.    Or course nothing is foolproof.   It's all about the numbers.  Less people boarding without covid equals less covid on board.  It's amazing how some people cannot grasp the concept.   Of course the test is a pain and no one wants to take it, but it is for the common good and in the long it benefits everyone.   Some people don't want to comfort to anything.  

.

I disagree entirely.  If it were working why are there outbreaks happening in increasing numbers on many ships.  People who boarded all tested negative 2 days before.  Nope, it is definitely NOT working.  You can test negative show no symptoms and still spread it and catch it, that is proving true every cruise.  I do not mind taking it, but not because I feel it does any good at all.  Just because I am required to.

[latserrof]

20 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

If people can WORK in a hospital with a positive Covid test, they certainly do not need a negative test to cruise.

We have proven on land that everything will be just fine.

 

 

On land. Cruise ships go to sea. A hospital is not a cruise ship. A cruise ship is not a hospital. Or an airplane, a train, or a Walmart. 

Edited July 11, 2022 by latserrof

[Tatka]

20 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

Because you didn’t see it doesn’t mean it wasn’t there. I am on my 19 cruise since the restart and it finally caught up with me on my last one. I was doing a b4b on the Allure and they did away with testing the b2b people on the 4th cruise. Had they been doing the testing I would have tested positive. The evening of the first day I started having a little bit of a sore throat and a cough. I self tested and was positive and then medical tested me and I was still positive. Pre-testing does work. Oh, and by the way they do reserve rooms for covid positive people. They wouldn’t do this if there wasn’t any on board. As they say ignorance is bliss. Also, it doesn’t matter how many cruises someone has done. Someone can get it even on their first cruise back. Another thing, “everywhere” wasn’t impacted as bad as the cruise industry.

 

Any rooms for flu? Other illnesses? Tests? Yes, COVID exists and it it transmitted. Just like other illnesses. So what? I got it on one of winter cruises. I got flu on one of winter cruises before. What is a difference?

Edited July 11, 2022 by Tatka

[ace2542]

21 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

You seem to have missed the whole point.  If people can WORK in a hospital with a positive Covid test, they certainly do not need a negative test to cruise

Why don't you?

[jerseygirl3]

23 hours ago, ace2542 said:

Someone must have boarded with Flu at some point?

Im sure there was. Or he could have picked up in one of the ports. 

[Shorewalk Holmes]

1 hour ago, BecciBoo said:

If it were working why are there outbreaks happening in increasing numbers on many ships. 

It's because there are other sources of Covid.  People can get exposed after the test, they can have Covid and not yet be positive, they can get Covid from shore excursions, etc.

 

But each valid positive test eliminates a possible Covid source.

 

So people can talk about missed cases, other diseases, cruises vs. Walmart, whatever.  None of that gets around the fact that halting testing would mean more Covid sources aboard ships.

 

More Covid sources could mean more quarantining and disruption.

 

How much more?  Wish we had those numbers.  

 

[BecciBoo]

1 hour ago, Shorewalk Holmes said:

People can get exposed after the test, they can have Covid and not yet be positive,

You prove my point exactly.  Ain't workin.  Maybe testing at pier before you walk up the boarding thing!  But the two days before boarding allows for transfer.  That's my point.  Tests are bogus.

[mpdog42]

23 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

Because you didn’t see it doesn’t mean it wasn’t there. I am on my 19 cruise since the restart and it finally caught up with me on my last one. I was doing a b4b on the Allure and they did away with testing the b2b people on the 4th cruise. Had they been doing the testing I would have tested positive. The evening of the first day I started having a little bit of a sore throat and a cough. I self tested and was positive and then medical tested me and I was still positive. Pre-testing does work. Oh, and by the way they do reserve rooms for covid positive people. They wouldn’t do this if there wasn’t any on board. As they say ignorance is bliss. Also, it doesn’t matter how many cruises someone has done. Someone can get it even on their first cruise back. Another thing, “everywhere” wasn’t impacted as bad as the cruise industry.

Are they currently testing on B2B?

[Tatka]

21 minutes ago, mpdog42 said:

Are they currently testing on B2B?

No.

[Shorewalk Holmes]

14 minutes ago, BecciBoo said:

But the two days before boarding allows for transfer.  That's my point.  Tests are bogus.

 

Yes, I already agreed that the tests will miss some cases.  I also agree that testing at boarding would miss fewer cases, although it would be even more of a pain for those who test positive.

 

But your second point, that tests are bogus, doesn't follow at all. 

 

Tests find positive cases.  Those people don't board.  So there are fewer initial sources of Covid than if they all got on the ship.

[Gary1960]

On 7/7/2022 at 3:37 AM, ace2542 said:

So they don't check the QR codes on the test result printout or on the I Phone? A QR code which would be near impossible to fake wouldn't it.

Cvs test results do not have a QR code