New testing guidelines

[MarinerAlex]

If the cruise lines are no longer requiring self testing, and I’m feeling run down prior to the cruise, i will do a self test. If I’m feeling great, than no need for a test.

 

I don’t want to infect anyone with a potential deadly disease for some, either knowingly or unknowingly.

[dlh015]

55 minutes ago, MarinerAlex said:

If the cruise lines are no longer requiring self testing, and I’m feeling run down prior to the cruise, i will do a self test. If I’m feeling great, than no need for a test.

 

I don’t want to infect anyone with a potential deadly disease for some, either knowingly or unknowingly.

Pretty much my view on things. I bring some tests and masks with me just in case. Just like I bring band aids, ibuprofen, etc. We're fully vaxxed (4x) and all that. We got off the same 3 week Med cruise that Ken The Cruiser is on right now and no problems...(Yep, we got off as he was getting on...it was a *great* cruise...) 

[PaperSniper4]

13 hours ago, davekathy said:

We can only hope that is sooner than later. Doesn't bother me (us) if no one agrees with me (us). If the ports and cruise line doesn't require pre cruise covid testing we won't be doing any covid testing. Just like when the cruise lines or other business dropped the face mask mandate, we stopped wearing face masks. We are fully vaccinated (4Xs) and always get our other yearly vaccinations. Personal preference. We are also both old. 

Thanks for sharing your opinion. Like I said, I am just curious. To each his own. I did forget to mention we'd also 4x vaccinated and will likely get a 5th when/if it becomes available.

 

 Doug

Edited August 22, 2022 by PaperSniper4

[PaperSniper4]

12 hours ago, MarinerAlex said:

If the cruise lines are no longer requiring self testing, and I’m feeling run down prior to the cruise, i will do a self test. If I’m feeling great, than no need for a test.

 

I don’t want to infect anyone with a potential deadly disease for some, either knowingly or unknowingly.

Gotcha, thanks.😎

[PaperSniper4]

11 hours ago, dlh015 said:

Pretty much my view on things. I bring some tests and masks with me just in case. Just like I bring band aids, ibuprofen, etc. We're fully vaxxed (4x) and all that. We got off the same 3 week Med cruise that Ken The Cruiser is on right now and no problems...(Yep, we got off as he was getting on...it was a *great* cruise...) 

Ha, you ought see the "medicine chest" my wife brings on a cruise! Good news is we've always had what we've needed for the occasional cold, bumps and scrapes, etc.....knock on wood. We bring masks also, but in the past we'd mainly worn them on the airplane trip to/from the cruise.

 

 Doug

[hawkesbaynz]

I test twice a week as required as a health care professional in the NHS. Likely i will know pre-cruise anyway.

 

However I would not wish to be sick on my forthcoming cruise next month and would rather stay at home for my, and fellow cruisers benefit. I will be testing outside the window for cancelling for FCC or claiming on insurance. I can go another time. I had Covid March 2020 post a ski trip - was not nice.

 

Saw a patient this am who lost both parents to Covid-19 prior to vaccinations. Am little anxious that the Med Centres will become over run with sick unvaccinated cruisers. Time will tell but hopefully not.

[Caroldoll]

I really admire your opinion.  We live in Arizona in the mountains and people here are mostly maskless and real patriotic. I will be self testing myself before we leave, but I STRONGLY FEEL that if the cruise line requests or requires these tests they should make them available at the pier. It has been quite a few years since we cruised, but all this new stuff and everything required on your cell phone aggravates me.  I simply can't handle it. For some reason there is another appointment at the pier, and I certainly hope there is someone who can help me there because there is no one here to do all of this "stuff".  We have hired a nurse to come to the hotel the day before for testing.  All of the other cruise lines have dropped these requirements evidently, and I am certainly hoping Celebrity will do so as well!  See you on board.

[bdstickks0944]

15 hours ago, PaperSniper4 said:

Just out of curiosity, how many of us will self pre-test anyway now the pre-cruise testing is apparently not required for most cruisese? I know the covid tests aren't absolute; either for a negative or positive. But they were better than nothing....at least that's my logic. Seems like a smart thing to do in at least my case, because I don't want to be away from home when I'm sick. I'm an old man, and if possible I'd test for a cold, a toothache or any one of the multitude of annoyances or sicknesses I get from time to time. My wife says I am a PITA when I'm ill, but that's besides the point. Some of us might have different reasons to do or not do a self-test; they might test with the idea of lessening the chance of  spreading it to others.

 

I know others feel differently, so that's why I ask. Everyone has their own opinion on the value of doing a self test.  I won't bad mouth your choice if you don't bad mouth mine; I'm just curious!😎 And I do agree that the pre-cruise testing was a royal PITA to get scheduled, especially if you were not around home with that "two day prior to sailing" deadline. I know the tests aren't absolute; either for a negative or positive. But they are better than nothing....at least that's my logic.😉

 

 Doug

It is still required on celebrity for cruises in the Caribbean over 6 Days. 

[jgmorgan]

22 hours ago, canderson said:

Careful with apples and oranges.  @lovescarborough said "a month ago".  That would have been omicron.  Most of those millions you mention contracted delta, and most were unvaccinated.  Not sure why those describing mild results now under current circumstances must immediately be reminded by some others of how things were in the beginning as though they were somehow discounting that era of COVID.

 

Millions died of The Plague.  Yersinia pestis is still with us. 

 

Now we avoid prairie dogs, and have effective ways of treating those who contract it.  That doesn't change the fact that millions died, but it does change how we perceive and deal with it now.

Your point is well-taken.  Clearly COVID has evolved and thankfully the current dominant strain(s) are less severe in terms of death rates.  One other big difference is the current strains seem to be more transmissible.  And while many have mild symptoms, many get pretty sick.

 

My point was that the current policy of requiring a self-test before boarding doesn't seem useless to me (as @lovescarborough had suggested).  If positive, I would choose not to put others at risk.  But I understand that some may not feel that way.  I just hope they aren't on my cruise. 😬

[Ellan Vannin]

Rules are rules but I am not sure what value taking a supervised test is for Greece when in my case it will be 12 days and several countries after the test before I actually get there?.

[RichYak]

8 minutes ago, Ellan Vannin said:

Rules are rules but I am not sure what value taking a supervised test is for Greece when in my case it will be 12 days and several countries after the test before I actually get there?.

There would be value if such testing resulted in a zero Covid bubble on board the ship. It does not.

[canderson]

26 minutes ago, Ellan Vannin said:

Rules are rules but I am not sure what value taking a supervised test is for Greece when in my case it will be 12 days and several countries after the test before I actually get there?.

Shhhhhh!  Greece might hear you and add in the proctored full-ship Bermuda style pre-arrival test!

[Denny01]

31 minutes ago, Ellan Vannin said:

Rules are rules but I am not sure what value taking a supervised test is for Greece when in my case it will be 12 days and several countries after the test before I actually get there?.

One rationale for Greece requiring testing is the Greece has a mainland, but especially for cruisers, it is a group of islands where prior testing and vaccinations will limit the exposure from ‘us’ bringing it there. 

 

Yes, there are other routes and so on of infection spreading, but limiting those with COVID amongst 3K passengers would have an impact.

 

Just a thought from someone who really doesn’t know much about communicable diseases.

 

Den  

[TrueCruiseaholic]

Celebrity updated their US website.

 

https://www.celebritycruises.com/healthy-at-sea/updated-us-travel-requirements

[TrueCruiseaholic]

From US not going to Canada or Bermuda 

 

Vaccinated Guests

 

For all sailings 9 nights or less, no pre-boarding testing is required

[Gracie115]

3 minutes ago, TrueCruiseaholic said:

Celebrity updated their US website.

 

https://www.celebritycruises.com/healthy-at-sea/updated-us-travel-requirements

 

THIS part of those guidelines is just amazing to me....why bother at all:

 

Test results from any commercially available Rapid Antigen Test (RAT), including self-tests, will be accepted. Tests do not have to be supervised or proctored. 

[davekathy]

Sucks for us going to Canada. Testing still required. 🤬

[colingu]

And yet again the rules have changed today , 22 Aug, in our favour.  As we are vaccinated and boosted ie "up to date" in Celebrity lingo, and travelling ex Barcelona for 9 nights with no Greek ports the following applies (and both the UK & US websites match):

 

Up-to-Date Guests*: 

• For all sailings 9 nights or less, no pre-boarding testing is required.
• For all sailings 10 nights or longer, guests ages 12 and up must present a negative COVID-19 test result from either an antigen test result taken within 1 day prior to sailing or a negative PCR test result taken within 3 days prior to sailing

 

 

[goofysmom99]

So for a 9 and 15 night (TA) B2B, no test for the 9 night cruise, and then an "unproctored" for the following 15 night?  I'm bringing tests for my own comfort level but I sort of doubt they'll let me use my own DIY for the 2nd leg.  Will just have to wait and see what else comes between now and then.

[Ellan Vannin]

I see from the update today that  visits to Greece appear to now require supervised test within 48 hours of boarding and not the 2 days as previously.

 

[39august]

Unsupervised self test! What the heck is the point of that? Oh well, whatever floats their boat, so to speak. So hoping the b2b testing goes away. Out first  b2b in Sept/Oct. is 10 night, followed by 9.  Do any of the Caribbean islands still require a pre-board test?

[Caroldoll]

50 minutes ago, davekathy said:

Sucks for us going to Canada. Testing still required. 🤬

I totally agree.  This stinks.

[eroller]

Only took a week, but they finally got aligned with their UK and Canada websites. Glad it finally happened and is now official.  
 

The next announcement will be how their bookings have doubled since changing the guidelines.  

Edited August 22, 2022 by eroller

[Susanb10567]

1 hour ago, Ellan Vannin said:

I see from the update today that  visits to Greece appear to now require supervised test within 48 hours of boarding and not the 2 days as previously.

 

I’m sailing 9/3 on the Edge to Greece so it doesn’t really impact me but even though it does say 48 hours I still think if you are sailing on a Saturday you can test anytime on Thursday, Friday and Saturday not worrying about time zones..but who knows…

[D C]

FINALLY updated.  And how nice to see no tests for up to 9n!!