Covid test timeline

[mkkao924]

Sorry if this question has been asked many times. I tried to search but didn’t find exact answer.

 

if my cruise is Friday 5pm embarkation, when is the earliest time I can do the test?

NCL website says 2 days before for Antigen test and 3 days before for PCR. 
 

Does that mean I can only do Antigen test after Wednesday 5pm? Or anytime on Wednesday is acceptable?

[shof515]

anytime Wednesday 

[Tura Lura]

I was overthinking the same question 😉

 

my cruise leaves Sunday, so antigen test Friday earliest or PCR Thursday earliest. Anytime on those days.   Correct? 

[goldmom]

1 hour ago, Tura Lura said:

I was overthinking the same question 😉

 

my cruise leaves Sunday, so antigen test Friday earliest or PCR Thursday earliest. Anytime on those days.   Correct? 

Yes anytime works.

[CaptainBazz]

1 hour ago, Tura Lura said:

I was overthinking the same question 😉

 

my cruise leaves Sunday, so antigen test Friday earliest or PCR Thursday earliest. Anytime on those days.   Correct? 

Correct

[roomba920]

I had a similar question. Many labs take 48 hours to provide a result, so I called NCL to verify if the antigen test needed to be Administered 48 hours prior to embarking, or do we need the Results 48 hours prior. NCL stated we needed the Results 48 hours before embarking.

Though I admit I'm still confused. The wording still seems to me that it's the test that needs to be done 48 hours, not having the results.

[cruiseny4life]

Go here: https://www.ncl.com/sail-safe

 

Read this chart: 

 

@roomba920, you are correct in that the test must be administered 2/3 days of embarkation date. Sail on Sunday, antigen test on Friday or Saturday/NAAT - Thursday, Friday, or Saturday. On this one, don't listen to NCL agents, Google, or CC'ers. Go to the Sail Safe page and read what it says. It's the only definitive guide. 

[cruiserbear55]

5 hours ago, roomba920 said:

I had a similar question. Many labs take 48 hours to provide a result, so I called NCL to verify if the antigen test needed to be Administered 48 hours prior to embarking, or do we need the Results 48 hours prior. NCL stated we needed the Results 48 hours before embarking.

Though I admit I'm still confused. The wording still seems to me that it's the test that needs to be done 48 hours, not having the results.

You need to take the antigen test two days before embarkation. Let me assume, being from Pelham NH that you are cruising on the Pearl out of Boston. The ship sets sail on Friday each week, so you would take your test on Wednesday. You have literally up to the time you arrive at the port to obtain your negative supervised/ proctored test results. As long as you can show proof of a negative test, it doesn’t matter when you receive it.

   As far as the forty eight hours go, you could take a test on Wednesday at 11:OOPM and set sail Friday at 5:00PM. That would be a window of forty two hours, and as long as you have your negative test results, you’ d be good to go. The wording, as you say, is correct. The NCL rep is wrong.

 

 

[roomba920]

12 hours ago, cruiserbear55 said:

You need to take the antigen test two days before embarkation. Let me assume, being from Pelham NH that you are cruising on the Pearl out of Boston. The ship sets sail on Friday each week, so you would take your test on Wednesday. You have literally up to the time you arrive at the port to obtain your negative supervised/ proctored test results. As long as you can show proof of a negative test, it doesn’t matter when you receive it.

   As far as the forty eight hours go, you could take a test on Wednesday at 11:OOPM and set sail Friday at 5:00PM. That would be a window of forty two hours, and as long as you have your negative test results, you’ d be good to go. The wording, as you say, is correct. The NCL rep is wrong.

 

 

No, I'm sailing on the Jade out of Pireaus. What you're telling me differs from what NCL told me.

[debdel]

I am going on the Jewel out of Vancouver on Monday. While the sailsafe info at NCL says 2 days for the antigen test, Canada requires 48 hrs. The NCL employee on chat said that means 48 hrs before embarkation time, which she said is the time the ship leaves (5:00 pm), not what time we actually board. Is there anyone who has cruised lately that can confirm this?? Thanks.

[CaptainBazz]

8 hours ago, debdel said:

I am going on the Jewel out of Vancouver on Monday. While the sailsafe info at NCL says 2 days for the antigen test, Canada requires 48 hrs. The NCL employee on chat said that means 48 hrs before embarkation time, which she said is the time the ship leaves (5:00 pm), not what time we actually board. Is there anyone who has cruised lately that can confirm this?? Thanks.

NCL Sail Safe page says "1) Negative COVID-19 antigen test result administered by a verified third party within two days of the embarkation date"  That means anytime on Saturday.

 

I have not sailed out of Canada but the wording is the same for US ports and we always test first thing in the morning 2 days before. Never had any issues. 

They never look for a time...just a negative result.

[cruiserbear55]

11 hours ago, roomba920 said:

No, I'm sailing on the Jade out of Pireaus. What you're telling me differs from what NCL told me.

Go to the NCL Sailsafe section. Go to the European sailings. There is a specific area relating to cruises out of Piraeus. I would take that info as definitive, as it’s straight from NCL.

   You could probably call three different reps and get three different answers, as, according to these boards, has happened to far too many people too many times.

 

[debdel]

47 minutes ago, CaptainBazz said:

NCL Sail Safe page says "1) Negative COVID-19 antigen test result administered by a verified third party within two days of the embarkation date"  That means anytime on Saturday.

 

I have not sailed out of Canada but the wording is the same for US ports and we always test first thing in the morning 2 days before. Never had any issues. 

They never look for a time...just a negative result.

• This is from the Canadian website:
•  
• Embarkation: all guests must provide proof of negative NAAT test (i.e. PCR) taken within 72 hours prior to embarkation, or negative antigen test taken within 48 hours of embarkation.

[CaptainBazz]

26 minutes ago, debdel said:

• This is from the Canadian website:
•  
• Embarkation: all guests must provide proof of negative NAAT test (i.e. PCR) taken within 72 hours prior to embarkation, or negative antigen test taken within 48 hours of embarkation.

That's weird...I am on the Canadian site and it shows days...clearly says when sailing from a Canadian port...here is a link to the page that comes up for me:

 

https://www.ncl.com/ca/en/sail-safe

[debdel]

7 minutes ago, CaptainBazz said:

That's weird...I am on the Canadian site and it shows days...clearly says when sailing from a Canadian port...here is a link to the page that comes up for me:

 

https://www.ncl.com/ca/en/sail-safe

[debdel]

I am on hold with ARRIVECAN now to be sure. I copied what NCL has under country requirements. I can't wait for this to be over with-so confusing. Just got off the phone with them and the woman said 2 days before for antigen test, 72 hrs for PCR test. 

 

[Sue Do-Over]

eMed, the proxied at-home test recommended, posts results in their app.  The app shows the number of hours since the test was completed. 

Pay attention to time zones... if you're crossing the country or the ocean, calculate that time difference.

 

 

[debdel]

2 hours ago, Sue Do-Over said:

eMed, the proxied at-home test recommended, posts results in their app.  The app shows the number of hours since the test was completed. 

Pay attention to time zones... if you're crossing the country or the ocean, calculate that time difference.

 

 

 

[debdel]

Thanks, new to this and didn't even think of that. 

[CaptainBazz]

44 minutes ago, debdel said:

Thanks, new to this and didn't even think of that. 

@debdel where are you coming from...are you in Canada? 

[DAVLIB007]

I usually get the covid test at Walgreens. it is a NAAT test with results in a couple of hours. From what i read i can take this 3 day before. if anyone has used this test please respond 

thank you

[debdel]

3 hours ago, CaptainBazz said:

@debdel where are you coming from...are you in Canada? 

We live in Connecticut, flying out of Boston. We have a layover in Toronto and then onto Vancouver.

[CaptainBazz]

11 hours ago, debdel said:

We live in Connecticut, flying out of Boston. We have a layover in Toronto and then onto Vancouver.

ok...I was trying to see if there was a Canadian option for you to test...I am in Ontario so cannot comment on testing availability in BC. Maybe a proctored test may be best. 

[debdel]

3 hours ago, CaptainBazz said:

ok...I was trying to see if there was a Canadian option for you to test...I am in Ontario so cannot comment on testing availability in BC. Maybe a proctored test may be best. 

Thank you. We bought the E-Med online tests to take before we go to Boston. We also have some free government tests that we will bring that you can pay to get proctored online.

 

[roomba920]

On 8/3/2022 at 9:24 AM, cruiserbear55 said:

Go to the NCL Sailsafe section. Go to the European sailings. There is a specific area relating to cruises out of Piraeus. I would take that info as definitive, as it’s straight from NCL.

   You could probably call three different reps and get three different answers, as, according to these boards, has happened to far too many people too many times.

 

Ya, I'm pretty sure the NCL customer service rep. on the phone gave me bad info. Which is really frustrating when even their own people can't get it right. How are we expected to?

Edited August 5, 2022 by roomba920