Changes to Cunard covid pre cruise testing - U.K. departures.

[ballroom-cruisers]

16 hours ago, Lanky Lad said:

This is good news, even if I have already bought a teste with Certificate for my August trip.

 

Many have paid for tests in advance, including us. However we are moving now to the era of post Covid normality and I guess we'll see various changes in the coming months.

[3rdGenCunarder]

On 7/21/2022 at 1:06 PM, Bell Boy said:

 Either way, if it's free or payable  how many folks are going to honest🤔  ( if it's positive ) After they have travelled all the way from overseas and looking forward to their cruise 😉   

 

On 7/21/2022 at 1:15 PM, hrhdhd said:

Well, sure, but people have been lying about symptoms on health questionnaires for years.

 

This was my first response to the change. I don't like it. Testing within 2 days of embarkation isn't perfect, but I think it's better than nothing. Waiting for my observed test to be over last month was a VERY long and tense 10 minutes, even though I had no symptoms and had been careful. Knowing that everyone boarding had been vaccinated and tested negative was comforting. I know that some of the negative tests were people who were "presymptomatic" and not yet testing positive, but it was fewer infected people than if the cruise line just takes people's word as true. 

[ballroom-cruisers]

Inevitably some people will be dishonest no doubt. But as more and more people have had Covid as well as high vaccination rates, then getting Covid again is less of a big deal. Of course some will be more vulnerable, but it is becoming more like the seasonal viruses like flu, and even though some get serious illness from flu every year we don't worry about it in daily life. I guess we will be moving to that kind of situation with Covid too.

[Cruise NH]

57 minutes ago, ballroom-cruisers said:

Inevitably some people will be dishonest no doubt. But as more and more people have had Covid as well as high vaccination rates, then getting Covid again is less of a big deal. Of course some will be more vulnerable, but it is becoming more like the seasonal viruses like flu, and even though some get serious illness from flu every year we don't worry about it in daily life. I guess we will be moving to that kind of situation with Covid too.

Exactly!

[njpln]

Just commenting…..We are Americans departing from Fort Lauderdale on QE on Aug 9.  We received an email about a week ago, telling us the same, that we must test ourselves but not a monitored test, prior to boarding.   
 

Americans have been a given the opportunity to get free self-tests for the past couple months. So it’s great for us, since the monitored tests may or may not be covered, depending on one’s insurance.

 

Glad to hear this change in requirement is becoming more common, especially since they require vaccination in order to sail.
 

Looking forward to putting Covid behind us all!

[High C's]

12 minutes ago, njpln said:

Just commenting…..We are Americans departing from Fort Lauderdale on QE on Aug 9.  We received an email about a week ago, telling us the same, that we must test ourselves but not a monitored test, prior to boarding.   
 

Americans have been a given the opportunity to get free self-tests for the past couple months. So it’s great for us, since the monitored tests may or may not be covered, depending on one’s insurance.

 

Glad to hear this change in requirement is becoming more common, especially since they require vaccination in order to sail.
 

Looking forward to putting Covid behind us all!

Thats very interesting.  We are leaving next Friday on the QM2 out of NYC on an eastern crossing, and have not received such an email.  Our docs still say we need to present proof of a negative antigen test taken up to 2 days before we board.

 

Its so difficult to understand how leaving from FLL would differ from leaving from NYC.  And we have ZERO ports between embarking and disembarking, so an off shore country isn't demanding the test!

[High C's]

17 minutes ago, High C's said:

Thats very interesting.  We are leaving next Friday on the QM2 out of NYC on an eastern crossing, and have not received such an email.  Our docs still say we need to present proof of a negative antigen test taken up to 2 days before we board.

 

Its so difficult to understand how leaving from FLL would differ from leaving from NYC.  And we have ZERO ports between embarking and disembarking, so an off shore country isn't demanding the test!

 

32 minutes ago, njpln said:

Just commenting…..We are Americans departing from Fort Lauderdale on QE on Aug 9.  We received an email about a week ago, telling us the same, that we must test ourselves but not a monitored test, prior to boarding.   
 

Americans have been a given the opportunity to get free self-tests for the past couple months. So it’s great for us, since the monitored tests may or may not be covered, depending on one’s insurance.

 

Glad to hear this change in requirement is becoming more common, especially since they require vaccination in order to sail.
 

Looking forward to putting Covid behind us all!

I just grabbed this directly from the website and it indicates it is correct as of "July 21":

 

Pre-cruise testing for voyages departing from the USA.

All fully vaccinated guests will need to organize and purchase an antigen test to be taken two days prior to arrival at the embarkation terminal. This can be at any time two days before or on the day of embarkation. You can order your antigen test kit through any government-approved testing provider. Guests will need to present their negative antigen test certificate at the ship's terminal.

[bluemarble]

1 hour ago, njpln said:

Just commenting…..We are Americans departing from Fort Lauderdale on QE on Aug 9.  We received an email about a week ago, telling us the same, that we must test ourselves but not a monitored test, prior to boarding.   
 

Americans have been a given the opportunity to get free self-tests for the past couple months. So it’s great for us, since the monitored tests may or may not be covered, depending on one’s insurance.

 

Glad to hear this change in requirement is becoming more common, especially since they require vaccination in order to sail.
 

Looking forward to putting Covid behind us all!

 

Yes, that's very interesting indeed. Would it be possible for you to provide the exact wording from your email, @njpln? The reason I'm asking is what you have been told seems to contradict what the Cunard website has to say about pre-cruise testing requirements for departures from the US.

 

As @High C's has pointed out, the Cunard website is still saying for US departures "Guests will need to present their negative antigen test certificate at the ship's terminal." Of course the Cunard website could be incorrect (wouldn't be the first time), the policy could be changing by August, or the rules could be different for Florida. But this is too important a detail to get wrong if what the website says does still apply to your cruise.

Edited July 27, 2022 by bluemarble

[EuropeanAmericanTraveler]

9 hours ago, High C's said:

 

I just grabbed this directly from the website and it indicates it is correct as of "July 21":

 

Pre-cruise testing for voyages departing from the USA.

All fully vaccinated guests will need to organize and purchase an antigen test to be taken two days prior to arrival at the embarkation terminal. This can be at any time two days before or on the day of embarkation. You can order your antigen test kit through any government-approved testing provider. Guests will need to present their negative antigen test certificate at the ship's terminal.

 

Are you sure you're looking at the US Cunard website and not the UK one? 

[High C's]

2 minutes ago, EuropeanAmericanTraveler said:

 

Are you sure you're looking at the US Cunard website and not the UK one? 

Yep.  If you see the line "Pre-cruise testing for voyages departing from the USA" on my post above, that is part of the cut and paste.  

 

But you make a good point - with so many different policies it is very difficult to keep track of it.  I don't understand why the rules can't be applied across all departures.  For example, if you are doing a western TA, you do NOT need a supervised test, but if you are doing an eastern TA you do.  Talk about "things that make you go hmmmmmm" LOL

[njpln]

In response to the requests, I received the email on July 21.  Here’s the excerpt.

 

“we’re letting you know that we’ve updated our pre-sailing testing requirements. These will apply to your voyage, Q226A, departing on 08/22/2022.

For your embarkation port, all guests aged five years and over must still take a Covid‑19 antigen test and receive a negative result within two days of departure. You will no longer need to provide a test certificate, however, you will be asked to confirm the test has been taken, with a negative result, for you and each member of your party as part of your pre‑boarding health declaration at the cruise terminal. Adequate tests include over the counter tests, providing they fall within our list of accepted Covid-19 antigen tests. “
 

It’s my belief that Cunard is dealing with every cruise on a case by case basis. I had called Cunard to ask a couple questions about a week before this email came, and the agent told me that how many ports a particular voyage goes to can make a difference in the requirements.

 

And yes, I’m not sure that the website even matches what came in my email…

Edited July 27, 2022 by njpln
Added last sentence

[bluemarble]

36 minutes ago, njpln said:

In response to the requests, I received the email on July 21.  Here’s the excerpt.

 

“we’re letting you know that we’ve updated our pre-sailing testing requirements. These will apply to your voyage, Q226A, departing on 08/22/2022.

For your embarkation port, all guests aged five years and over must still take a Covid‑19 antigen test and receive a negative result within two days of departure. You will no longer need to provide a test certificate, however, you will be asked to confirm the test has been taken, with a negative result, for you and each member of your party as part of your pre‑boarding health declaration at the cruise terminal. Adequate tests include over the counter tests, providing they fall within our list of accepted Covid-19 antigen tests. “
 

It’s my belief that Cunard is dealing with every cruise on a case by case basis. I had called Cunard to ask a couple questions about a week before this email came, and the agent told me that how many ports a particular voyage goes to can make a difference in the requirements.

 

And yes, I’m not sure that the website even matches what came in my email…

 

Ah, thank you very much for that additional detail. Please note the voyage number and departure date mentioned in that email. That's the voyage departing Barcelona on August 22, 2022. That's not the voyage departing Fort Lauderdale on August 9, 2022 which you mentioned in your previous post.

 

The rules for pre-voyage tests have indeed changed for departures from both the UK and the EU. Passengers boarding in Barcelona on August 22, 2022 will no longer need to provide proof of their negative test results.

 

But if you are boarding voyage Q225 in Fort Lauderdale on August 9, 2022 (sailing to Barcelona), my understanding is that you will still need to provide proof of a negative test result from a monitored test at the terminal in Fort Lauderdale.

 

I'm not sure if you are on both voyage Q225 out of Fort Lauderdale and voyage Q226A out of Barcelona. Perhaps you are on the 20-night voyage Q225A which combines those two voyages. But from what I'm reading, the email you received does not apply to voyages Q225 or Q225A departing Fort Lauderdale on August 9, 2022.

Edited July 27, 2022 by bluemarble

[High C's]

Ah ok.  So if you are on voyage Q226A, departing from Barcelona, it is indeed a different set of rules, as bluemarble pointed out.  But if your voyage departs on Aug 9 from FLL, I think perhaps you have received that email in error and you may want to double check directly with Cunard.

Edited to add:  perhaps you are doing a b2b?  If so, the requirements to board in FLL will still require testing (according to the website), but you received the email because you are on their manifest as also boarding in Barcelona.  Just a thought.

Edited July 27, 2022 by High C's

[Poole Boy]

2 hours ago, High C's said:

Yep.  If you see the line "Pre-cruise testing for voyages departing from the USA" on my post above, that is part of the cut and paste.  

 

But you make a good point - with so many different policies it is very difficult to keep track of it.  I don't understand why the rules can't be applied across all departures.  For example, if you are doing a western TA, you do NOT need a supervised test, but if you are doing an eastern TA you do.  Talk about "things that make you go hmmmmmm" LOL

 

Different countries have different rules, UK / European rules are almost certain to be  different from USA rules. Cunard can only do what Governments allow them to do.

 

Edited July 27, 2022 by Poole Boy
spelling

[bluemarble]

10 minutes ago, Poole Boy said:

Different countries have different rules, UK / European rules are almost certain to be  different from USA rules. Cunard can only do what Governments allow them to do.

 

Absolutely. However, the US CDC ended their COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships on July 18th. There was at least some expectation that might signal the end of the requirement for observed pre-voyage testing for US departures to align with the new policies for UK/EU departures Cunard announced on July 21st.

 

The new guidance from the CDC includes the following recommendations. Note the use of the word "consider" in this guidance.

 

 "Pre-embarkation COVID-19 Testing

 

• To reduce likelihood of onboard transmission, cruise ship operators should consider requiring travelers to get tested for current infection with a viral test as close to the time of departure as possible (no more than 3 days before travel) and present their negative test result prior to boarding. Testing within 1 day of embarkation is highly recommended. ..."

 

Now we know Cunard has chosen to follow this updated guidance from the CDC by continuing the policy of requiring pre-embarkation testing with proof of a negative test result for US departures. They have not chosen to follow the recommendation to tighten the testing window from 2 days to 1 day prior to embarkation at US ports though.

[njpln]

Oh wow.  Thanks for catching.  I’m getting old and clearly not reading everything as well as I should. .  Yes we are B2Bing. Now I need to revisit my emails and make sure I have it correct.  DH would kill me if we showed up without the correct docs…or I might commit HariKari if I couldn’t board after all the packing.😬

[david,Mississauga]

12 hours ago, Poole Boy said:

 

Different countries have different rules, UK / European rules are almost certain to be  different from USA rules. Cunard can only do what Governments allow them to do.

 

 

Cunard sometimes goes one step further. For ports in Canada, the Canadian government requires proof of full vaccination. Cunard requires at least one booster shot. The government permits a rapid antigen test to be taken no more than two days before boarding. Cunard requires it no more than one day before.

 

I'm not complaining. It is Cunard's ship so it is their rules. We were so pleased to be able to take the Alaska cruise we were happy to comply.

 

Now that the Alaska season has finished, that leaves only the Québec - New York voyage of 30th Sept. for Canadian departures this year. Of course, the rules could change in two months.

[IB2]

On 7/21/2022 at 3:53 PM, richard_london said:

It's annoying because I had booked a pre-departure Covid test to get the certificate but there is an "admin fee" to cancel.  Typical!

 

The "fee" is less than the amount I would still have to pay out, and since I still have some NHS test kits I shall do one of those before leaving home and one before I get on the ship to be sure.

 

I do hope people will be honest and to a test, but it does open the system to abuse.  A dishonest person who tested positive but didn't want to forfeit their cruise could easily lie and just say they caught if from someone else on board.

 

 

I would expect most people will do a test, but how many would declare a positive result, knowing that it would sabotage an expensive and long-planned trip, is another matter.  I guess in some cases it will depend on whether people feel ill, or not?

[DrGonzo]

I was speaking with someone at Cunard today and she said that there will be another announcement regarding pre-cruise testing on August 1st. She wouldn’t elaborate but I’m guessing it will be about departures from the USA, since all the other cruise lines have started to make USA-specific announcements recently.

[bluemarble]

1 hour ago, DrGonzo said:

I was speaking with someone at Cunard today and she said that there will be another announcement regarding pre-cruise testing on August 1st. She wouldn’t elaborate but I’m guessing it will be about departures from the USA, since all the other cruise lines have started to make USA-specific announcements recently.

 

It will be interesting to learn what changes, if any, Cunard will be announcing for US departures. I see Carnival has announced pre-embarkation testing will no longer be required for fully vaccinated guests for US departures on voyages of 5 days or less. Since there are no Cunard itineraries of 5 days or less departing from US ports it wouldn't be relevant for Cunard to adopt that policy. The other testing change Carnival has announced is to expand the testing window for US departures from 2 days to 3 days before boarding.

[exlondoner]

On 7/28/2022 at 9:05 AM, IB2 said:

I would expect most people will do a test, but how many would declare a positive result, knowing that it would sabotage an expensive and long-planned trip, is another matter.  I guess in some cases it will depend on whether people feel ill, or not?

 

I'm sure most people would declare a positive result, if only because being ill on board is no fun at all, believe me. However, it would be very difficult for people who had flown in from the US and were hoping to catch the ship back from Soton.

[2BACRUISER]

A week or so ago we received an email saying we no longer needed to provide proof of a negative test for out forthcoming cruise on QV to the Fjords. Yesterday an obviously generic produced nearly time for your holiday email popped in to the inbox and yep you guessed it 😀 it says we do need to test. 

We will test prior as I already bought the kits but FJS can they just get their act together. The website is not upto date either. 

No wonder people are confused. 🙄🤔

 

[WestonOne]

As I understand it, you are still supposed to take a test, but it does not need to be independently observed.   So, for example, I have cancelled my test at Lloyd's Pharmacy but will still take a lateral flow test bought over the counter.

[Host Hattie]

3 hours ago, 2BACRUISER said:

A week or so ago we received an email saying we no longer needed to provide proof of a negative test for out forthcoming cruise on QV to the Fjords. Yesterday an obviously generic produced nearly time for your holiday email popped in to the inbox and yep you guessed it 😀 it says we do need to test. 

We will test prior as I already bought the kits but FJS can they just get their act together. The website is not upto date either. 

No wonder people are confused. 🙄🤔

 

Can you post the text of your email ? Ours was as posted here, that you still need to test but you don't need a certificate.

[2BACRUISER]

@Host Hattie it's exactly as you say they say still test two days prior but you don't need to prove it with a cert, which is what my post says so in theory what's the point?? People can say oh yeah we done a test and it was negative then its up to Cunard to prove otherwise. 

I would hope the majority of people like ourselves will still test for our/their own peace of mind 😌