Certificate of Recovery and Testing

[pisces223]

I will post this question in the Bermuda forum too. My partner got Covid exactly 11 days prior to our cruise on Celebrity to Bermuda. She has been fully vaccinated and boosted. She got a test at Walgreens and it was positive. She has been in touch with her doctor and is going to get a Certificate of Recovery to bring to the port. We just noticed that the positive test was an antigen, not a PCR. How much of a problem might that be? By the time we realized it (today - 7 days pre-cruise), it would be too late to get a PCR test, as it has to be 11-90 days pre-cruise. Now what? Any thoughts on providing a positive supervised antigen test vs. positive PCR test to fulfill the requirements? TIA!

[wrk2cruise]

You are just out of luck unless she can test negative prior to boarding.   The requirements are CLEAR that it must be a PCR test.  Doctors office also required it to be PCR before giving CoR.

 

We had the same situation where DW tested positive exactly 11 days prior to sailing.  We rushed to get to a PCR testing site.  Even though the results were returned to us within the 11 days it's the collection date that's important.

[RichYak]

COR would be useless with Celebrity as the test wasn't a PCR. Don't test again until late the day before (or morning of) the cruise and hopefully that antigen test will be negative. I see no other options.

[cangelmd]

8 minutes ago, pisces223 said:

I will post this question in the Bermuda forum too. My partner got Covid exactly 11 days prior to our cruise on Celebrity to Bermuda. She has been fully vaccinated and boosted. She got a test at Walgreens and it was positive. She has been in touch with her doctor and is going to get a Certificate of Recovery to bring to the port. We just noticed that the positive test was an antigen, not a PCR. How much of a problem might that be? By the time we realized it (today - 7 days pre-cruise), it would be too late to get a PCR test, as it has to be 11-90 days pre-cruise. Now what? Any thoughts on providing a positive supervised antigen test vs. positive PCR test to fulfill the requirements? TIA!

This is what I would do.

1) does Bermuda require a PCR for entry? I don’t think it does, but I would check.

2) a common misconception on this board is that a COR is required to board if you’ve had Covid recently, not true. You only really need a COR if you have to produce a PCR result for some reason. Go to the store buy a bunch of rapid antigen tests, and both of you take them daily. If her Ag test turns negative, then schedule an Ag test for the day before boarding. If her Ag test is still positive when you need to fly or the evening before the boarding test - then she is still infectious and doesn’t need to be on the ship.

3) perhaps more of an issue is how are you going to answer truthfully that you have t been exposed to Covid. You should strictly separate yourselves, and mask anytime you are close to each other. With the current variants, if your living space is small, I would mask continuously and try to sleep elsewhere - seriously, unless she got it from you and you have already recovered.

Good luck

[cangelmd]

Let me add to my post that if your MD will write you a COR because you are obviously not ill, great for you, BUT if I was writing it I would insist on a negative Ag test, for the reasons I gave above.

 

[RichYak]

6 minutes ago, cangelmd said:

Go to the store buy a bunch of rapid antigen tests, and both of you take them daily.

If ANY of these are positive, they cannot truthfully answer the questionnaire and cannot board. I stand by my recommendation to avoid taking any test until as close to boarding as possible.

[TFree]

My cruises were April 30 and May 14, so I was completely up to date on Celebrity's requirements at that time, and, as I recall, at the time only a positive PCR test would suffice, along with a Certificate of Recovery.  But it appears to me as if that has changed, at least for some locations.  I understand from the OP's signature line that he or she is embarking at NJ for a cruise to Bermuda.  So the US protocols for embarkation will apply: https://www.celebritycruises.com/healthy-at-sea/us-travel-requirements

 

Beginning with sailings departing on or after March 18, 2022, guests who have recently recovered from COVID-19 may present a Certificate of Recovery and proof of the positive PCR or Antigen test result taken between 11-90 days prior to the sail date in order to board. We will not accept a Certificate of Recovery in place of a vaccination record. Additionally, please be aware that some ports of call do not accept a Certificate of Recovery for the purposes of debarking and enjoying the destination. For more details, please visit our FAQs.

*Pre-Cruise testing requirements may continue throughout 2022.

 

So somewhere along the way, it appears that Celebrity has changed the protocol so that a documented (supervised) positive Antigen test is now also accepted.  Now I know that there are special issues about Bermuda, but I have not been following that.  Maybe that is what creates the problem, but I don't know if the Bermuda problem means that you can't get off the ship in Bermuda without a negative Antigen test, or whether it means that Celebrity will not let you board in NJ for a Bermuda cruise without a negative Antigen test.

 

Tom & Judy

[Charles4515]

Bermuda does not accept Certificates of Recovery. You must have a negative test for Bermuda. 

[pisces223]

To those of you contributing, thank you so much for your thoughtful responses. For those of you saying Bermuda does not accept Certificates of Recovery, that is incorrect. Bermuda has passed off managing the Covid testing results to the cruise ships. We already completed and were approved by Bermuda for the Travel Authorization. So, Celebrity is in charge of accepting testing results and they do accept Certificates of Recovery.

 

Tom & Judy, to you I thank so much because your response is the news I was hoping for! Sometimes people offer suggestions, but they don't have any actual proof and research to back those suggestions. There are so many updates and everything is changing. I appreciate your reply, as it was thorough and researched. I didn't know they are allowing results from antigen tests for the COR.

 

I can pack now! Only 7 days to go! For those of you suggesting to keep testing and hope for a negative result - we will definitely do that, as it would make everything easier if she just tests negative! Again, to everyone - thank you! I wish you all "smooth" sailing!

[Charles4515]

19 minutes ago, pisces223 said:

To those of you contributing, thank you so much for your thoughtful responses. For those of you saying Bermuda does not accept Certificates of Recovery, that is incorrect. Bermuda has passed off managing the Covid testing results to the cruise ships. We already completed and were approved by Bermuda for the Travel Authorization. So, Celebrity is in charge of accepting testing results and they do accept Certificates of Recovery.

You will have to show a negative test result when you board. Your Bermuda approval is provisional.  Bermuda policy overrides Celebrity. Hopefully you will have negative tests by your embarkation date.

Edited July 10, 2022 by Charles4515

[lovecruzin]

I hope this is encouraging … Myself and several friends have all tested negative with antigen test around day 8 or 9.  Don't bother testing on day 5 like I did, it was disheartening to see that red line. 
Best wishes for a great cruise.

[cangelmd]

5 hours ago, RichYak said:

If ANY of these are positive, they cannot truthfully answer the questionnaire and cannot board. I stand by my recommendation to avoid taking any test until as close to boarding as possible.

I don’t want to start an argument, because your point is well taken, from a don’t ask, don’t tell POV. The problem is if the OP has to fly or otherwise travel to embarkation, do they want to fly into NY and not be able to board?. There’s also the issue of what if OP gets sick from partner after boarding and ends up having to quarantine? I think they are already in a gray zone about responding to the questions. It’s hard to know what to do when you are right around one week - 10 days out, because there’s a very good chance both will be perfectly OK to go, it’s just proving it.

[Cruisegoer]

6 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

Bermuda does not accept Certificates of Recovery. You must have a negative test for Bermuda. 

Bermuda doesn’t check on its own any more it follows the guidelines of the cruise line.  You no longer upload any results it’s just the same documentation used to get on the ship so if a CoR works there is not necessarily a way Bermuda will know what health check you’ve provided 

[Charles4515]

8 minutes ago, Cruisegoer said:

Bermuda doesn’t check on its own any more it follows the guidelines of the cruise line.  You no longer upload any results it’s just the same documentation used to get on the ship so if a CoR works there is not necessarily a way Bermuda will know what health check you’ve provided 

You don't have to upload it but the cruise line has to check for a Travel Authorization and a negative covid test at embarkation. Bermuda does not accept a certificate of recovery.  

[pisces223]

I would love to hear from someone first hand that they were able or they were not able to go to Bermuda on a cruise ship with a Certificate of Recovery. For those who don't know - you can test positive for up to 3 months after recovering from Covid, but you are not contagious. 

[Cruisegoer]

On 7/10/2022 at 6:00 PM, Charles4515 said:

You don't have to upload it but the cruise line has to check for a Travel Authorization and a negative covid test at embarkation. Bermuda does not accept a certificate of recovery.  

You can board a cruise ship with a certificate of recovery so I'm not sure what you mean.  If Bermuda now follows the cruise line and cruise line accepts it, how would Bermuda know?

[Charles4515]

1 minute ago, Cruisegoer said:

You can board a cruise ship with a certificate of recovery so I'm not sure what you mean.  If Bermuda now follows the cruise line and cruise line accepts it, how would Bermuda know?

Bermuda does not follow the cruise line. They have the cruise line check the documents at embarkation. Do think the cruise line will violate the Bermuda rules? I don’t think so. If the cruise line is not verifying the negative test as required they would go back to requiring the test results to be uploaded to Bermuda. As to how Bermuda would know certainly they would find out. 

[Cruisegoer]

1 minute ago, Charles4515 said:

Bermuda does not follow the cruise line. They have the cruise line check the documents at embarkation. Do think the cruise line will violate the Bermuda rules? I don’t think so. If the cruise line is not verifying the negative test as required they would go back to requiring the test results to be uploaded to Bermuda. As to how Bermuda would know certainly they would find out. 

I respectfully disagree, Celebrity will accept the Certificate, Bermuda no longer requires an upload of negative test and as their website states follows:

Please follow the guidelines supplied by your Cruise Ship. Note guests of Norwegian, Royal Caribbean or Carnival cruise lines do not need to upload their test result here but must show it at embarkation.

 

[Jim_Iain]

I would give either Celebrity or your agent a call and get a verified answer.    I just chatted with a contact I had verifying that a Certificate of Recovery could be used on a B2B.    On July 5th the changed the requirements and now allow either a failed Antigen or PCR test and a COR issued 11 days after verified test failure.

[Charles4515]

14 minutes ago, Cruisegoer said:

I respectfully disagree, Celebrity will accept the Certificate, Bermuda no longer requires an upload of negative test and as their website states follows:

Please follow the guidelines supplied by your Cruise Ship. Note guests of Norwegian, Royal Caribbean or Carnival cruise lines do not need to upload their test result here but must show it at embarkation.

 

Bermuda requires a negative test at embarkation. Note that it says show at embarkation.  

[Cruisegoer]

19 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

Bermuda requires a negative test at embarkation. Note that it says show at embarkation.  

I wasn't previously aware that Celebrity/Bermuda changed their rules 7/12/22, you are correct no CoR will be accepted.