Have any Cruiselines stopped the pre testing yet?

[pattycake1939]

Hi everyone......I miss my cruising so much!  I was booked on #22 in 2020 and have done nothing much since.  We are vaccinated and twice boosted, but because of the pre testing we have hesitated to get back out there. We come a day or two ahead, fly from New England and do not rent a car, so don't know how to get tested. Plus, I have this nightmare of paying for flights, hotels, cabs, etc, only to be turned away at the last minute. I thought I saw something about Norwegian no longer needing pre test but not sure if it was true.  Does anyone have any info?  Thanks..........Patty

 

[6rugrats]

It is not difficult to get tested before boarding!  I had two vaccinations and two boosters, but I’m sitting at home today with COVID.  

Edited July 12, 2022 by 6rugrats

[GTO-Girl]

13 minutes ago, pattycake1939 said:

Hi everyone......I miss my cruising so much!  I was booked on #22 in 2020 and have done nothing much since.  We are vaccinated and twice boosted, but because of the pre testing we have hesitated to get back out there. We come a day or two ahead, fly from New England and do not rent a car, so don't know how to get tested. Plus, I have this nightmare of paying for flights, hotels, cabs, etc, only to be turned away at the last minute. I thought I saw something about Norwegian no longer needing pre test but not sure if it was true.  Does anyone have any info?  Thanks..........Patty

 

all sailings on all cruiselines from the US still require testing….

 

Don’t let these tests keep you from cruising!!!

[CruiserBruce]

NCL has dropped the requirements effective Aug 1,  EXCEPT where local countries require it. A hot topic around Cruise Critic if you look.

 

A couple of other cruise lines are rumored to also be dropping the requirements, around Aug 1. With the same key exceptions. No official statement yet.

[Hlitner]

Getting tested is really not a big problem.  If one is concerned it is a simple matter to go to the e-med web site, order some tests (as cheap as $25 per test) which includes online proctoring.  You can do the test at your home, in your hotel room, etc. as long as you have a decent Internet connection.  You will have your e-mailed results in less than a half hour and this is accepted by just about everyone who accepts an Antigen test.

 

There are also numerous places where one can get an antigen test but one does need to be careful to ascertain that you will get fast results.  Many airports also have testing centers so if flying to a place like Ft Lauderdale or Miami it is possible to arrange for testing at the airport.

 

Hank

[2wheelin]

Getting tested is not a huge problem (except that in some cities you need a car for drive-through as the only nearby testing available). Testing positive in a port city, unable to cruise and unable to fly home is a problem.

[LocoLoco1]

I thought Pre-testing was a nightmare, not knowing if all the planning and arrangements etc etc. might be wasted account a Positive test at the last minute. That and then being masked for 20+ days was barely worth the effort. More of an ordeal than a vacation. Lots of our cruisemates felt likewise. 

[pattycake1939]

Thanks to everyone for clarifying this for me. I had seen something online about Norwegian dropping the pre test but wasn't sure if it was true.  That could change too, I'm afraid. I feel like LocoLoco1 said, that it would be a nightmare to spend the time and money only to get turned away. Also, because of all the trouble with the airlines.......UGH!  Guess it may be a road trip...but then there's gas prices....double UGH!....Oh well, maybe next year, if I'm still around.  I am 83 and came to cruising late in life but love it. So many places yet to see!

 

Stay well everyone..........Patty

[cruizergal70]

2 hours ago, pattycake1939 said:

Thanks to everyone for clarifying this for me. I had seen something online about Norwegian dropping the pre test but wasn't sure if it was true.  That could change too, I'm afraid. I feel like LocoLoco1 said, that it would be a nightmare to spend the time and money only to get turned away. Also, because of all the trouble with the airlines.......UGH!  Guess it may be a road trip...but then there's gas prices....double UGH!....Oh well, maybe next year, if I'm still around.  I am 83 and came to cruising late in life but love it. So many places yet to see!

 

Stay well everyone..........Patty

If you love cruising, go on a cruise. Keep yourself healthy and safe at home, take your Covid test locally and within 48 hours per the guidelines.  You will know if you're positive before you leave home and you'll have time to change plans. 

[pris993]

I am looking forward to when pretests are dropped.  Just another headache I don't need.  I don't get tested to go to the market, bank, etc., at home.  I live in an apartment building so am sharing space with others every day.   No different than a cruise to me.  I am vaccinated and boosted and willing to take my chances.  Cruised in January, going again this December.  Hope no test by December. 

[George C]

We are vaccinated and boosted also and would like the test to end, have done 3 cruises since Covid and have two more booked.

[AKJonesy]

On 7/12/2022 at 12:42 PM, 6rugrats said:

It is not difficult to get tested before boarding!  I had two vaccinations and two boosters, but I’m sitting at home today with COVID.  

It makes you wonder.  Most of my family and friends had regular boosters and still got covid.  We got covid.  Right now, friends that are firefighters who are required to be vaccinated have a pretty good case of covid and we just helped them out giving them all of our stuff (treatments).  

[6rugrats]

49 minutes ago, AKJonesy said:

It makes you wonder.  Most of my family and friends had regular boosters and still got covid.  We got covid.  Right now, friends that are firefighters who are required to be vaccinated have a pretty good case of covid and we just helped them out giving them all of our stuff (treatments).  

Yes, because the BA.5 variant is so contagious.  And, so many people have let their guard down.  I have to work with the public, oftentimes right next to them, and hardly anyone wears a mask.  

[donaldsc]

I would not cruise on a line that does not require pre-testing.  It isn't foolproof but it helps to require it.  It isn't hard to do a pre-test.

 

DON

[Joebucks]

I'd be curious to see the actual benefit of testing. We'll probably never know. Now that people are doing their own at home, how do we know they are doing it right, or being truthful? For many the "look what we're doing about it" is good enough rather than the actual outcome. You are almost certainly going to encounter covid on a cruise.

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, Joebucks said:

I'd be curious to see the actual benefit of testing. We'll probably never know. Now that people are doing their own at home, how do we know they are doing it right, or being truthful? For many the "look what we're doing about it" is good enough rather than the actual outcome. You are almost certainly going to encounter covid on a cruise.

And if you are flying in to your cruise, you very well may contact Covid at the airport, especially in long lines.

[Tonsoffun44]

34 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

And if you are flying in to your cruise, you very well may contact Covid at the airport, especially in long lines.

At the airport, In the plane, in the taxi/ride share/shuttle or lines to get them, at restaurant, pre-cruise hotel - any number of places with plenty of people traveling to port day before embarkation.  Test negative - could be positive between test and embarkation and still get on the ship no problem.  Really hope the pre-testing goes away by December. Think how many cases have happened onboard with the pre-testing in place. Would like to see the numbers for what day of the sailings they started feeling sick- how many were more likely sick before boarding VS actually caught covid after embarkation. 

Edited July 17, 2022 by Tonsoffun44

[ontheweb]

23 hours ago, Tonsoffun44 said:

At the airport, In the plane, in the taxi/ride share/shuttle or lines to get them, at restaurant, pre-cruise hotel - any number of places with plenty of people traveling to port day before embarkation.  Test negative - could be positive between test and embarkation and still get on the ship no problem.  Really hope the pre-testing goes away by December. Think how many cases have happened onboard with the pre-testing in place. Would like to see the numbers for what day of the sailings they started feeling sick- how many were more likely sick before boarding VS actually caught covid after embarkation. 

Absolutely correct, and none of them with the same testing requirements as cruises.

[happy cruzer]

On 7/12/2022 at 4:15 PM, CruiserBruce said:

NCL has dropped the requirements effective Aug 1,  EXCEPT where local countries require it. A hot topic around Cruise Critic if you look.

 

A couple of other cruise lines are rumored to also be dropping the requirements, around Aug 1. With the same key exceptions. No official statement yet.

Can't find a discussion on this.  Wonder if other protocols will change?  Random testing?  Quarantines?  Refunds if Covid Positive from cruise line or travel insurance?  Would Covid be treated differently than a case of the flu?

 

Seems like if the cruise line is going to open up for a possible/probable uptick (minor hopefully) in cases, they may change some of the protocols.

[hallux]

On 7/17/2022 at 8:34 AM, Joebucks said:

I'd be curious to see the actual benefit of testing. We'll probably never know. Now that people are doing their own at home, how do we know they are doing it right, or being truthful? For many the "look what we're doing about it" is good enough rather than the actual outcome. You are almost certainly going to encounter covid on a cruise.

People have been doing their own at home for 8 months.  The questions you raise are mitigated by the use of proctored tests where the person verifies ID and watches the test being performed.