NO TESTING!

[Bedruthen]

Just had an email form Cunard. no testing for our cruise M234 transatlantic in October

[TheOldBear]

There still are some sailings where testing is required. For example the matching westbound crossing, unless you are already on board for the M234A round trip

[Bedruthen]

I should clarify that it is no mandatory testing, they still recommend taking a test.

 

[bluemarble]

Cunard has today updated the list of voyages with observed pre-cruise testing requirements beyond those previously announced with departure dates in September. That list can be found on their Vaccination and testing requirements for your voyage page.

 

Voyages with additional requirements.

Voyage code	Departure date	Ship
M229F	16 September 2022	Queen Mary 2
M230	23 September 2022	Queen Mary 2
M230A	23 September 2022	Queen Mary 2
M230B	23 September 2022	Queen Mary 2
M230C	23 September 2022	Queen Mary 2
M231	30 September 2022	Queen Mary 2
M231B	30 September 2022	Queen Mary 2
M231A	30 September 2022	Queen Mary 2
M236	13 November 2022	Queen Mary 2
M236A	13 November 2022	Queen Mary 2
M236B	13 November 2022	Queen Mary 2
M237	20 November 2022	Queen Mary 2
M237A	20 November 2022	Queen Mary 2
M240	15 December 2022	Queen Mary 2
M240A	15 December 2022	Queen Mary 2
M240B	15 December 2022	Queen Mary 2
M301	22 December 2022	Queen Mary 2
M301A	22 December 2022	Queen Mary 2
Q229A	03 October 2022	Queen Elizabeth
Q229B	03 October 2022	Queen Elizabeth
Q229C	03 October 2022	Queen Elizabeth
Q230	10 October 2022	Queen Elizabeth
Q230A	10 October 2022	Queen Elizabeth
Q230B	10 October 2022	Queen Elizabeth
Q231	30 October 2022	Queen Elizabeth
Q231A	30 October 2022	Queen Elizabeth
Q231B	07 November 2022	Queen Elizabeth
Q231C	07 November 2022	Queen Elizabeth
Q232	15 November 2022	Queen Elizabeth
Q232A	15 November 2022	Queen Elizabeth
Q233	02 December 2022	Queen Elizabeth
Q234	13 December 2022	Queen Elizabeth
Q234A	13 December 2022	Queen Elizabeth
Q235	15 December 2022	Queen Elizabeth
Q235A	15 December 2022	Queen Elizabeth
Q301	22 December 2022	Queen Elizabeth

[Host Hattie]

And don't forget this -

 

Guests aged 17 years and under are not required to be vaccinated, however guests aged 5-17 years who are not fully vaccinated must take a Covid‑19 lateral flow/antigen test in the three days before, or on the day of your ship’s departure. You’ll no longer need to provide a test certificate for these guests, but you must be able to provide photo evidence of your negative test if asked (simply write the guest’s name and the date of testing on a piece of paper and include in the photo along with the test showing a negative result).

 

Guests will also be asked to confirm that a test has been taken, with a negative result, as part of the pre‑boarding health declaration at the cruise terminal.

[3rdGenCunarder]

14 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

And don't forget this -

 

Guests aged 17 years and under are not required to be vaccinated, however guests aged 5-17 years who are not fully vaccinated must take a Covid‑19 lateral flow/antigen test in the three days before, or on the day of your ship’s departure. You’ll no longer need to provide a test certificate for these guests, but you must be able to provide photo evidence of your negative test if asked (simply write the guest’s name and the date of testing on a piece of paper and include in the photo along with the test showing a negative result).

 

Guests will also be asked to confirm that a test has been taken, with a negative result, as part of the pre‑boarding health declaration at the cruise terminal.

 

Honor system, aka "liar's club."

 

I wonder how many times one negative result will be photographed. I had to write my name and the date on the actual test thing for my observed test.

[neeuqdrazil]

I'm quite glad that my Nov 13 WB TA is requiring testing.  

[BklynBoy8]

4 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

Honor system, aka "liar's club."

 

I wonder how many times one negative result will be photographed. I had to write my name and the date on the actual test thing for my observed test.

 

Better be safe than sorry...

 

Looking forward to verify Negative reading..

[ExArkie]

I just received emails on the two Cunard trips we have booked.

M239, Dutch Christmas Markets, leaving Southampton 10 December

M240, Transatlantic leaving Southampton on 15 December

 

As noted on the list from @bluemarble, testing is required for M240, but not for M239. Since we will be on board two days before the one requiring testing, will Cunard be providing these tests? Or, are we expected to get the test performed on the turnaround day in Southampton?

 

I will call Cunard for clarification when I get a chance (this is our moving week, changing residence states), but I thought there could be an answer from the group to give me some idea. 

[lissie]

Just got the email for our 10 October departure from Barcelona- absolutely no mention of where to get an observed test in Barcelona! It’s their slipping home port for the summer you’d think they could include a link or 2? I can probably figure it out but they don’t make it easy for the average cruise passenger who are often not experienced independent travelers 

[Host Hattie]

2 hours ago, Bedruthen said:

I should clarify that it is no mandatory testing, they still recommend taking a test.

 

Quite, the thread title is a bit misleading. Hopefully people will read the details for their particular cruise.

[Tonopah]

We are on the Northern Lights voyage on QM2 embarking 1 November from Southampton, and the subsequent TA. Our email today says we must have an observed lateral flow test within 2 days of embarkation.

 

 

Edited September 15, 2022 by Tonopah
Clarification

[Victoria2]

4 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

And don't forget this -

 

Guests aged 17 years and under are not required to be vaccinated, however guests aged 5-17 years who are not fully vaccinated must take a Covid‑19 lateral flow/antigen test in the three days before, or on the day of your ship’s departure. You’ll no longer need to provide a test certificate for these guests, but you must be able to provide photo evidence of your negative test if asked (simply write the guest’s name and the date of testing on a piece of paper and include in the photo along with the test showing a negative result).

 

Guests will also be asked to confirm that a test has been taken, with a negative result, as part of the pre‑boarding health declaration at the cruise terminal.

Plus, the all important paragraph

 

 These protocols continue to be subject to change and may do so prior to your sail date, as we work with experts and governing bodies in all the destinations we visit to ensure all our practices are in line with the latest advice.

 

 

 

[TheOldBear]

52 minutes ago, Tonopah said:

We are on the Northern Lights voyage on QM2 embarking 1 November from Southampton, and the subsequent TA. Our email today says we must have an observed lateral flow test within 2 days of embarkation.

 

 

 

From the web site, all the M236 / 13 November sailings have 'additional requirements' - while folks completing the M234A round trip at the same time do not.

[Mrs Bear and I are currently recovering from COVID - we should be testing negative well in advance of our sailing - but we will not be bothering with an 'observed' test unless the rules change again]

 

[groryjm]

v227 - no testing required.....😎😮🙃🥴

 

I was quite confidenent that this would be safer than being at home and eating in the local pub... now I'm not sure🥂🙄😧

[Poole Boy]

17 hours ago, lissie said:

Just got the email for our 10 October departure from Barcelona- absolutely no mention of where to get an observed test in Barcelona! It’s their slipping home port for the summer you’d think they could include a link or 2? I can probably figure it out but they don’t make it easy for the average cruise passenger who are often not experienced independent travelers 

 

 

Test Facilities in Barcelona

 

https://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/en/covid/cruise/covid-testing-in-barcelona-for-cruise-ship-passengers.html

 

Now need to find the similar for myself in Sydney and Melbourne for upcoming QE cruises in Australia

[Jacqueline]

Still testing for my cruise over thanksgiving to the Caribbean.
I did a video monitored test for my Disney cruise in august and it was pretty simple. Loads of people test positive after these cruises from what I could see in our Group page afterwards. It’s to the point where back to back clients have to fully pack so they they aren’t allowed back on the ship if they test positive (or one person in which are often large groups do) and they had a super strict policy.  Even sitting at a dinner table with a positive testing person can get you denied boarding for a back to back,

i think we will get our boosters in a few weeks as well. We both made it off the Disney cruise without Covid,  but me and my pregnant daughter and grandkids had recently had it (which is exactly why we booked). My husband has made it all this time….

 

[rsquare]

Does anyone have any idea what distinguishes TAs that do not require testing, like M234, from those which do require testing, like M236? 

 

Bluemarble's list (thank you for posting that!) seems to be a mix of eastbound and westbound voyages, so I assume that it is not being driven by either US or UK landing requirements.

 

Possibly how crowded the crossing is?

[TheOldBear]

The M234A 26 night Norway and Northern Lights sailing does not require an observed test - but the westbound leg of the sailing does require observed testing if it was booked individually.

Perhaps sailings that could carry on to either Canada or the Caribbean are the ones requiring observed testing.

[Tonopah]

We received an email from our Travel Agent today telling us no testing was required. I sent back an email with the blurb from Cunard saying we had to test. She re-checked. No testing for the Northern Lights but, as TheOldBear noted above, testing required for the TA. She told us Cunard will organise it onboard. 

 

We’ve tried to be upbeat about everything but find ourselves a bit frustrated and overwhelmed with the changes and confusion.

[schattenfell71]

We are on the TA cruise M232 which will depard in New York October 7th to Hamburg.

 

On the Cubnard internet site this will be a "Voyage with standard requirements", which means no testing for us.

 

Yesterday I received an email from Cunard. I guess it is the normal "what to do before you sail" email which all the informations about my cruise. In this mail I have to present a test for us.

 

Very confusing for me too.

[ace2542]

On 9/21/2022 at 10:28 PM, Tonopah said:

We received an email from our Travel Agent today telling us no testing was required. I sent back an email with the blurb from Cunard saying we had to test. She re-checked. No testing for the Northern Lights but, as TheOldBear noted above, testing required for the TA. She told us Cunard will organise it onboard. 

 

We’ve tried to be upbeat about everything but find ourselves a bit frustrated and overwhelmed with the changes and confusion.

That could be a big problem for you as you might get positive during the Northern Lights sailing. They have 4 Covid testers onboard so the testing work should go quite smoothly but it could be a real problem

[transatlantic fan]

We are on the Caribbean cruise on 13th November and have to do a test.

Do the tests have to be observed as in via video call or just you uploading a picture of the test.

Company called chequp in the UK do both.

Thanks for any help.

[BlueRiband]

The testing requirement has kept me from booking.  As I live in NY Cunard Care isn't availble but is replaced by the "At Ease" cancellation fee waiver coverage.   The US Cunard site reads that if one tests positive and is denied boarding Cunard says, "...we urge you to contact your insurance provider at your earliest convenience..."   Not so conviently for the passenger, the "At Ease" coverage teminates 72 hours before scheduled sailing.

 

As with many things in this world it pays to read the fine print or else pay a heft tuition payment in the University of Life Experience.   

[Jacqueline]

Thanks for the heads up. I didn’t realize this. Most cruiselines offer a credit if there is a positive test within 48 hours.