P&O Testing

[davecttr]

I did notice that the test strips on my Randox tests have a code printed on the strip but the ones from the chemist did not.

[Sarah1974]

My parents are going on a cruise with Fred Olsen on 1st August.  The requirements since 8th July are for them to do a lateral flow test the day before they go and take the test cassette with them to show they are negative.  There is a charge at Southampton of £25 if anyone forgets to take their test with them and has to be provided with a kit.  Random testing at the port will be done 

 

Would people take someone else's test so they could board?!

[jeanlyon]

yes of course they might!

[Billish]

26 minutes ago, Sarah1974 said:

My parents are going on a cruise with Fred Olsen on 1st August.  The requirements since 8th July are for them to do a lateral flow test the day before they go and take the test cassette with them to show they are negative.  There is a charge at Southampton of £25 if anyone forgets to take their test with them and has to be provided with a kit.  Random testing at the port will be done 

 

Would people take someone else's test so they could board?!

I thought the test result was only valid shortly after the test was taken. Showing it 24 hours later is meaningless. 

[davecttr]

15 minutes ago, Billish said:

I thought the test result was only valid shortly after the test was taken. Showing it 24 hours later is meaningless. 

I think once the red line(s) are there they don't fade away. Last year I looked at a negative test cassette from the day before and a red positive line had appeared. I checked online and it would not have counted because it was more than 30 minutes from the test start. Another test then proved negative.

 

So the red positive line can appear days later resulting in an interesting discussion at the terminal as you can't prove at what time you took the test

[Sarah1974]

25 minutes ago, Billish said:

I thought the test result was only valid shortly after the test was taken. Showing it 24 hours later is meaningless. 

 

4 minutes ago, davecttr said:

I think once the red line(s) are there they don't fade away. Last year I looked at a negative test cassette from the day before and a red positive line had appeared. I checked online and it would not have counted because it was more than 30 minutes from the test start. Another test then proved negative.

 

So the red positive line can appear days later resulting in an interesting discussion at the terminal as you can't prove at what time you took the test

I got Covid last month after attending a festival and that positive line seemed to be permanently on the the test cassette!

Fred Olsen rules say "the day before you sail"

[Billish]

1 minute ago, Sarah1974 said:

 

I got Covid last month after attending a festival and that positive line seemed to be permanently on the the test cassette!

Fred Olsen rules say "the day before you sail"

So, a positive result stays positive, but a negative result will turn positive. 

Basically therefore,  no one can show a negative result after 24 hours. As Dave says, there could be some arguments at the port !

[Trevor Fountain]

4 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

Exactly!  Why would you bother to test at all?  

Me and the other 2500+ cruisers on the 2nd October sailing of Britannia are all definately going to do the test.

So there you are Mr P and Ms O, you don't need to worry about our cruise.

As for Jeanlyons next trip, maybe you need to look closer. 😉

[jeanlyon]

But they won't all do it.  If you have to do a test at home and then just confirm you did it,. half the ship won't bother.  They will just say they did.  It's human nature.

[jeanlyon]

1 hour ago, Billish said:

So, a positive result stays positive, but a negative result will turn positive. 

Basically therefore,  no one can show a negative result after 24 hours. As Dave says, there could be some arguments at the port !

I did a test yesterday morning.  It was negative.  It is still in my bin 36 hours later and still negative.

[yorkshirephil]

2 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

I did a test yesterday morning.  It was negative.  It is still in my bin 36 hours later and still negative.

Are you positive about that Jean?

[Fionboard]

You can get a false positive. I had one on Ventura and a negative four hours later, thank heavens! 

[Britboys]

22 hours ago, Bill Y said:

Before Medallions Princess had paper labels on cabin doors colour coded to reflect loyalty status. evidently the Americans like this

Yes, that rings a bell from my last Princess Cruise in 2019.

[davecttr]

2 hours ago, Billish said:

So, a positive result stays positive, but a negative result will turn positive. 

Basically therefore,  no one can show a negative result after 24 hours. As Dave says, there could be some arguments at the port !

No, a negative test may indicate a positive but not valid because of extended time from test

[davecttr]

1 hour ago, jeanlyon said:

I did a test yesterday morning.  It was negative.  It is still in my bin 36 hours later and still negative.

Thats OK but a positive line might have appeared in a small number of cases, at least it did with me and the government would consider it a negative test as it was then a day later than the test itself

[davecttr]

1 hour ago, Fionboard said:

You can get a false positive. I had one on Ventura and a negative four hours later, thank heavens! 

That's what I should have said, it was a false positive

[davecttr]

9 minutes ago, Britboys said:

Yes, that rings a bell from my last Princess Cruise in 2019.

I wonder why they are keen on this

[Britboys]

24 minutes ago, davecttr said:

I wonder why they are keen on this

Not sure Dave but quite a few do. They love getting badges or cards that clearly show their 'status'. On that cruise we were checked in for the ship en-route on the Princess train. The lady who checked us in looked at her computer and said very loudly "oh my, I can see you have travelled with us an awful lot. Two very important passengers". I just wanted to sink into the seat - especially as most of the loyalty status was courtesy of P&O rather than Princess... 🤭

[Son of Anarchy]

On 7/22/2022 at 5:14 PM, Britboys said:

Not sure Dave but quite a few do. They love getting badges or cards that clearly show their 'status'. On that cruise we were checked in for the ship en-route on the Princess train. The lady who checked us in looked at her computer and said very loudly "oh my, I can see you have travelled with us an awful lot. Two very important passengers". I just wanted to sink into the seat - especially as most of the loyalty status was courtesy of P&O rather than Princess... 🤭

I was in the queue at the Peninsula Club embarkation buffet last year and earwigged a couple of passengers in the queue.  A chap remarked that there must a lot of suites on the ship as there were quite a lot of people at the buffet.  The chap next to him explained that depending where you are in the loyalty scheme, you get access to the same embarkation buffet as suite passengers.  Followed by a comment "You don't have to doff your cap to me, but I'm Baltic"!  🥴

[Britboys]

20 minutes ago, Son of Anarchy said:

I was in the queue at the Peninsula Club embarkation buffet last year and earwigged a couple of passengers in the queue.  A chap remarked that there must a lot of suites on the ship as there were quite a lot of people at the buffet.  The chap next to him explained that depending where you are in the loyalty scheme, you get access to the same embarkation buffet as suite passengers.  Followed by a comment "You don't have to doff your cap to me, but I'm Baltic"!  🥴

I hope the suite passenger replied "it's not that cold on here"...

[Gettingwarmer]

On 7/21/2022 at 11:46 PM, Ardennais said:

Oh I completely agree, as long as passengers aren’t turned away for using the NHS ones! 

From P&O Q&A

 

Adequate tests include over the counter tests, providing they meet the criteria below. NHS tests are now only issued for those in medical need. However, if guests have any remaining NHS tests, these would be accepted. Accepted antigen tests include:

• Rapid antigen test
• Viral antigen test
• Antigen Lateral Flow Fluorescence

What is acceptable proof of my negative COVID-19 test result?
Guests will no longer need to provide a test certificate, however, they will be asked to confirm the test has been taken, with a negative result, for them and each member of their party as part of their pre-boarding health declaration at the terminal.

[Megabear2]

1 hour ago, Gettingwarmer said:

NHS tests are now only issued for those in medical need. However, if guests have any remaining NHS tests, these would be accepted

Good. I can't bear the waste of all those stock piled tests no one needed or takes.

[Billish]

34 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Good. I can't bear the waste of all those stock piled tests no one needed or takes.

Exactly. If people have an NHS test kit, why not use it ? If, in the future, they need another test, they will have to buy one. 

The overall effect is the same.

[Britboys]

15 hours ago, Gettingwarmer said:

From P&O Q&A

 

Adequate tests include over the counter tests, providing they meet the criteria below. NHS tests are now only issued for those in medical need. However, if guests have any remaining NHS tests, these would be accepted. Accepted antigen tests include:

• Rapid antigen test
• Viral antigen test
• Antigen Lateral Flow Fluorescence

What is acceptable proof of my negative COVID-19 test result?
Guests will no longer need to provide a test certificate, however, they will be asked to confirm the test has been taken, with a negative result, for them and each member of their party as part of their pre-boarding health declaration at the terminal.

Good to know - I still have one box of 7 test kits.

[Britboys]

This isn't actually P&O but of general interest. I've just read a post about testing on another line's board. The poster was on two back-to-back 7-night cruises and said that they suspected they had caught Covid at the beginning of week 2 but just carried on like everyone else...