Beginning 9/13 All DCL Cruisers to Bahamas Must Take Covid Test at Port

[Suzabella]

And if you or someone in your party test positive, how do any of you fly back home? You don't, I guess, and have no choice but to quarantine in a hotel.

 

[Kwami]

And if you or someone in your party test positive, how do any of you fly back home? You don't, I guess, and have no choice but to quarantine in a hotel.

But what hotel, and how do you get there? It's not like you can call Uber or something if you test positive. You'd be putting that driver at risk.

 

[Suzabella]

But what hotel, and how do you get there? It's not like you can call Uber or something if you test positive. You'd be putting that driver at risk.

Exactly my concern. The domino effect is very concerning to me.

 

[Minnie352]

Does anyone know the definition of "travel party?" Under Embarkation testing, it says "Guests with positive Covid-19 test results, including those in their travel party, will be denied boarding. Our reservations are linked to friends flying from another state (not travelling to the port with us). We are driving. They are in a different stateroom.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Does anyone know the definition of "travel party?" Under Embarkation testing, it says "Guests with positive Covid-19 test results, including those in their travel party, will be denied boarding. Our reservations are linked to friends flying from another state (not travelling to the port with us). We are driving. They are in a different stateroom.

Your travel party is whoever is on your specific reservation (in your stateroom).

 

[magicfan1985]

Ok so where in Orlando is the best place to get a quick PCR test. Alliance health in Winter Park is 6-8 hours turnaround and they are $250 a test but I've never heard of them before. I called Inspire and even they are recommending 3rd party tests in case there is a delay in getting the test back to them

 

[Intr3pid]

Been saying this:
https://www.disboards.com/threads/new-cdc-guidance-re-testing.3850664/post-63322257
https://www.disboards.com/threads/new-cdc-guidance-re-testing.3850664/post-63325786
Really, at this point, if you are looking for a cruise, you need to be able to adapt to the rule changes on the fly. If not, wait till everything has been up and running for a few months.

 

[ArielRae]

I do believe that part of Disney’s conditions to be able to sail was to have somewhere to quarantine COVID positive guests and have a hospital lined up as well if needed. I am sure Disney will be able to take care of you should you test positive on embarkation day. They more then likely have one of their hotels designed for those guests and can transport them by Disney bus.

DH and I sail September 24th on the Dream so are keeping close eye on all the changes.

 

[anneeb]

Your travel party is whoever is on your specific reservation (in your stateroom).

Except on a different thread it was mentioned a "travel party" of 18 were turned away on one of the early Dream cruises. On that thread when I asked I was told "travel party" included the people you arrived at the port with (except I guess not the whole bus if you are on Disney transportation). So your cabin plus anyone you travel with?

 

[lanejudy]

Except on a different thread it was mentioned a "travel party" of 18 were turned away on one of the early Dream cruises. On that thread when I asked I was told "travel party" included the people you arrived at the port with (except I guess not the whole bus if you are on Disney transportation). So your cabin plus anyone you travel with?

I'm thinking it may depend on the situation. That group of 18 may have traveled together -- whether flying all together or more likely met at a hotel the night prior and shared ground transportation with a large van or small bus for the whole group, arriving at the port together. In your situation, you have linked reservations but traveling and arriving separately.

 

[TheBigErn]

It may not be a false positive. You can test positive if you are vaxxed.

Yes, I'm aware of that. I'm concerned about a false positive ruining my vacation.

 

[Pooh93]

Now I feel like our family needs to test 72 hours within sailing. If anyone in our family tests positive, there is no point in showing up.

 

[gatechfan99]

I don't know. Maybe I'm overreacting, but this feels really ominous to me over the future of the cruise industry. My whole family and I are vaccinated and while I know you can still catch Covid, every authority and study shows that if you're otherwise healthy, serious complications from the disease after vaccinated are essentially nil. So the idea of having to add another test (and wearing masks onboard which to me makes even less sense if everyone is vaccinated and tested) to all the other paperwork you have to do is pretty onerous. And that's not to mention the worry about what happens once you get there and someone is positive (false or not).

For us, we live within driving distance of PC so it wouldn't be a huge hassle, just a big disappointment. However, there is no way I would fly to Vancouver, Barcelona, etc. for a Disney cruise and have this risk hanging over me. I just don't see what makes them take this requirement away down the road if they open up new ports again. The vaccine is readily available. Covid is never going to go away. Is there an endpoint? Hard to see the specifics in what that would be. And why stop there. My wife has gotten Norovirus on multiple cruises before. Why not test for that? While I know without a vaccine, Covid is far worse than the flu, with it, I think serious outcomes are pretty similar. Is testing coming for that?

I guess my main point is this. Yes, the hardcore cruise lovers will still go through all this. But more casual cruisers who are already vaccinated and not particularly worried about Covid at this point, I think it's going to be a hard sell to convince them to take the logistical risks and hassles to go on these cruises. So what does that mean going forward? Is this an industry that's going to be able to thread that needle of restrictions to get the volume of passengers to survive?

 

[dvcdisney]

I do believe that part of Disney’s conditions to be able to sail was to have somewhere to quarantine COVID positive guests and have a hospital lined up as well if needed. I am sure Disney will be able to take care of you should you test positive on embarkation day. They more then likely have one of their hotels designed for those guests and can transport them by Disney bus.

DH and I sail September 24th on the Dream so are keeping close eye on all the changes.

Did DCL provide some guidance about the procedure should someone test positive and don't have a way to get to a hotel to quarantine?

Even if they said they would only provide transportation or not, it would help people plan.

 

[MomOTwins]

Yes, I'm aware of that. I'm concerned about a false positive ruining my vacation.

I hear you—had a very nerve-wracking experience this week where DH just left for Europe today (he’s best man at a wedding there) and had to get a PCR within 72 hours before the trip. Not only was it incredibly hard to get a test appointment with quick enough turnaround time, we spent all yesterday nervously checking email for results because we knew we’d have to jump on the phone and start making cancellations if it came back positive. I had even anxiety dreams about it this week!

We always knew in theory it was required and booked everything fully refundable, but in practice it just exhausted and stressed me out and I never want to do it again. And that was just my husband—I can’t imagine taking my kids to where they could SEE the ship and still be turned away. They would be devastated. I had been considering a fall cruise but the stress of the testing experience this week and this new requirement even post-vaccination really changed my mind. Hopefully once the kids are able to be vaccinated, Delta will be under control and DCL will go back to the old policy.

 

[seasalt81]

...while I know you can still catch Covid, every authority and study shows that if you're otherwise healthy, serious complications from the disease after vaccinated are essentially nil. So the idea of having to add another test (and wearing masks onboard which to me makes even less sense if everyone is vaccinated and tested) to all the other paperwork you have to do is pretty onerous.

I think until everyone on the ship can be vaccinated (including children under 12), they have to do all of this to keep everyone safe. While your case of COVID may be mild as a vaccinated adult, you can still spread it to those too young to be vaccinated and they can still get very ill.

 

[gatechfan99]

I think until everyone on the ship can be vaccinated (including children under 12), they have to do all of this to keep everyone safe. While your case of COVID may be mild as a vaccinated adult, you can still spread it to those too young to be vaccinated and they can still get very ill.

Maybe they've gotten feedback in surveys about that from people that say they are too afraid to come right now because of their unvaccinated children. But this doesn't seem like a rule that's designed solely to protect the under 12 crowd for a few months until vaccinated. Seems like if that were the case, they'd have more restrictions in the theme parks. It feels a lot bigger than that. Like they simply don't want the publicity of cases showing up onboard from either a legal or PR standpoint and like I said, that's not going to change in a few months. I don't know what the answer is, but if this rule is here more than a few months, that's a really bad sign for the industry's outlook to me.

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

Been saying this:
https://www.disboards.com/threads/new-cdc-guidance-re-testing.3850664/post-63322257
https://www.disboards.com/threads/new-cdc-guidance-re-testing.3850664/post-63325786
Really, at this point, if you are looking for a cruise, you need to be able to adapt to the rule changes on the fly. If not, wait till everything has been up and running for a few months.

Thanks, this is very helpful.

 

[ArielRae]

Did DCL provide some guidance about the procedure should someone test positive and don't have a way to get to a hotel to quarantine?

Even if they said they would only provide transportation or not, it would help people plan.

I do believe Disney would provide the transportation and a hotel to stay in like I said in the post.

 

[mmouse37]

I didn't see where it said we have to pay for it. I'm thinking about having us test at home in addition to at port before we go so that we could cancel flights, etc. if needed.

Under 12 year old need a negative PCR test 3 days to 24 hour BEFORE getting to terminal at your cost but the test that EVERYBODY now needs at the terminal is at DCL's cost.