Covid test prior to cruise. Leaving a parent behind?

[szsori]

Someone please confirm my approach. My brother (adult), son (14), and I are departing in a couple of weeks, and I'm a bit uneasy about the Covid test. We're all fully vaccinated and are going to be careful prior to the cruise date, but you never know what will happen.

My plan is to rapid test the night before and whoever tests positive will stay behind. That's the right approach since someone testing positive at the port means the entire party can't cruise, right? And I assume if we show up at the cruise terminal with one fewer person, it's not a big deal, right? My other concern is what happens if I test positive. Do I just need to fill out and have notarized the "AUTHORIZATION FOR MINOR TO TRAVEL WITHOUT A PARENT or LEGAL GUARD" form and send it with my brother and son? I assume that even though the cruise was registered by me that my brother would be able to check in without me and also get off the boat with my son in Nassau (where we're scuba diving)?

Thank you!

 

[TestingH2O]

Isn't there a day-of health form that asks if you have been in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID in the past few days? I'm pretty sure that, if you fill out that form honestly, anyone who had been in close contact with you would also be excluded.

 

[diablodancer]

You have to answer a number of screening questions in addition to the test and believe one is whether you’ve had contact with a positive case in the last 14 days. So not sure your plan would work unfortunately.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

This is a very bad idea. If one of you tests positive, count on none of you sailing.

 

[szsori]

My brother doesn't live with us. I can have him test the day prior. So focusing on the first part of the question, if he tests positive we can just show up without him, correct? I'm honestly most worried about his status anyway, since my son and I are extremely careful as my wife works with transplant patients.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

My brother doesn't live with us. I can have him test the day prior. So focusing on the first part of the question, if he tests positive we can just show up without him, correct? I'm honestly most worried about his status anyway, since my son and I are extremely careful as my wife works with transplant patients.

No. You are required to attest that "you and all persons in your party have not been in close contact with someone confirmed or suspected of COVID-19 within the last 14 days."

Your brother is included in "all persons in your party," even if he's not a close contact.

 

[Mle8308]

Isn't there a day-of health form that asks if you have been in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID in the past few days? I'm pretty sure that, if you fill out that form honestly, anyone who had been in close contact with you would also be excluded.

Exactly. And I am sure they would ask why a person was missing from the original party.

 

[mousefan73]

Disney hasnt come up with an solution for situation like this? Let's say I do a girls' trip and we all fly in separatly from some where and one tests postivie.. None of us have had contact right?

 

[Mle8308]

My brother doesn't live with us. I can have him test the day prior. So focusing on the first part of the question, if he tests positive we can just show up without him, correct? I'm honestly most worried about his status anyway, since my son and I are extremely careful as my wife works with transplant patients.

If he or you tests positive, you have all been exposed. It would not be right to board a cruise ship with you potentially having or carrying the virus.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Disney hasnt come up with an solution for situation like this? Let's say I do a girls' trip and we all fly in separatly from some where and one tests postivie.. None of us have had contact right?

"Close contact" is not the only criterion. It's "close contact" OR "travel party."

I suspect they've concluded it's just too easy to lie otherwise. Disney has no way of knowing who lives with who. Otherwise they'd have people saying "my wife tested positive, but I haven't seen her in 15 days."

 

[szsori]

No. You are required to attest that "you and all persons in your party have not been in close contact with someone confirmed or suspected of COVID-19 within the last 14 days."

Your brother is included in "all persons in your party," even if he's not a close contact.

It feels like this is working from the letter of the law instead of the spirit of the law. In which case we just remove him from the reservation and then can affirm that nobody in our party has been in close contact with someone with Covid?

If he or you tests positive, you have all been exposed. It would not be right to board a cruise ship with you potentially having or carrying the virus.

Sorry, perhaps I'm not being clear. My brother doesn't live with us. He lives in a different city and will have no contact with us prior to our flight to the cruise. So if he tests positive the day prior, my son and I would have had no contact with him in any way. So there would be no risk of transmitting Covid.

edit: Being a new forum member, I have to wait 30 minutes between comments. I'll do so then, but for now: I wouldn't mind still paying for him. Even if my son and I have to cancel, I'd still be fine paying for my brother. I would still want him to cruise without us, as he lost his daughter a little over a year ago and we did our scuba certs to get his mind off it, and the cruise as reward for hanging in there. I think this is important for him to do. I appreciate the feedback. Perhaps the approach should be me talking with my brother and son and seeing if a delay on the cruise is preferred if any of us test positive.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

It feels like this is working from the letter of the law instead of the spirit of the law.

You're boarding a cruise ship in the midst of a global pandemic. They're going to follow the letter of the law.

In which case we just remove him from the reservation and then can affirm that nobody in our party has been in close contact with someone with Covid?

Who knows? It sounds like you're going to try it no matter what we advise, but I wouldn't attempt it myself and I certainly wouldn't count on anything without a backup plan.

Sorry, perhaps I'm not being clear. My brother doesn't live with us. He lives in a different city and will have no contact with us prior to our flight to the cruise. So if he tests positive the day prior, my son and I would have had no contact with him in any way. So there would be no risk of transmitting Covid.

I'm not making a moral claim that you're doing something evil by trying to figure out a way onboard in this situation. I just don't think it's going to work. The system isn't set up to handle this kind of nuance.

 

[Mango7100]

It feels like this is working from the letter of the law instead of the spirit of the law. In which case we just remove him from the reservation and then can affirm that nobody in our party has been in close contact with someone with Covid?

But if you are that close to sailing, you can’t just remove him the day before and not be charged unless he tested positive or was a close contact right? So in order to remove him without paying for him, you would have to state he was cancelling due to covid and your whole party would be flagged then…

 

[CaptainAmerica]

But if you are that close to sailing, you can’t just remove him the day before and not be charged unless he tested positive or was a close contact right? So in order to remove him without paying for him, you would have to state he was cancelling due to covid and your whole party would be flagged then…

Even in the absolute best case version of this hypothetical, they would almost certainly have to pay for him.

 

[lanejudy]

Others have reporting being told that a person who does not travel with them but is on the same reservation is allowed to board. Will you have any in-person contact with your brother prior to meeting up at the port? If no, I do believe he will be allowed to board. It may be a little more complicated for him to make sure a refund is processed for you and your son, but it should work that way. The bigger question -- does he really want to cruise solo if you cancel?

And there is the little bit about solo fare = x2 which would negate most of your refund.

 

[Mle8308]

It feels like this is working from the letter of the law instead of the spirit of the law. In which case we just remove him from the reservation and then can affirm that nobody in our party has been in close contact with someone with Covid?



Sorry, perhaps I'm not being clear. My brother doesn't live with us. He lives in a different city and will have no contact with us prior to our flight to the cruise. So if he tests positive the day prior, my son and I would have had no contact with him in any way. So there would be no risk of transmitting Covid.

Hmm, not sure how they would handle that. Might be hard to prove you had no contact with him??? It's probably not going to be an issue with cases dropping so dramatically (thank goodness). I think it might be hard for any of us here to answer that question, I would reach out to Disney and ask what their policy is for your situation.

 

[Mle8308]

It feels like this is working from the letter of the law instead of the spirit of the law. In which case we just remove him from the reservation and then can affirm that nobody in our party has been in close contact with someone with Covid?



Sorry, perhaps I'm not being clear. My brother doesn't live with us. He lives in a different city and will have no contact with us prior to our flight to the cruise. So if he tests positive the day prior, my son and I would have had no contact with him in any way. So there would be no risk of transmitting Covid.

Hmm, not sure how they would handle that. Might be hard to prove you had no contact with him??? Hopefully it's not going to be an issue with cases dropping so dramatically (thank goodness). I think it might be hard for any of us here to answer that question, I would reach out to Disney and ask what their policy is for your situation and what you might need to do prior to embarkation to ensure at least part of your group could travel. Though I'm not sure your brother would want to cruise by himself if you or your son tested positive. All things to consider!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

"Close contact" is not the only criterion. It's "close contact" OR "travel party."

I suspect they've concluded it's just too easy to lie otherwise. Disney has no way of knowing who lives with who. Otherwise they'd have people saying "my wife tested positive, but I haven't seen her in 15 days."

From the DCL website:

Guests with positive COVID-19 test results—as well as those sharing the same stateroom and their close contacts—will be denied boarding.
https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/why-cruise-disney/experience-updates/us/
Where are you seeing "travel party"?

It's been reported that people arriving via the same transportation (except the DCL bus), if one of them tests positive all those in that same vehicle will be denied. But, if they arrive via different transportation, only the person testing positive is denied.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

From the DCL website:

Guests with positive COVID-19 test results—as well as those sharing the same stateroom and their close contacts—will be denied boarding.
https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/why-cruise-disney/experience-updates/us/
Where are you seeing "travel party"?

It's been reported that people arriving via the same transportation (except the DCL bus), if one of them tests positive all those in that same vehicle will be denied. But, if they arrive via different transportation, only the person testing positive is denied.

It's been reported that people lie on their airline health attestation and fly home after testing positive, too. Just because people have gotten away with something doesn't mean we should be advising future people to try to do the same.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

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It's been reported that people lie on their airline health attestation and fly home after testing positive, too. Just because people have gotten away with something doesn't mean we should be advising future people to try to do the same.

Oh, I'm not advocating ANYONE lie about it. But OP reported that his brother doesn't live with him. If he doesn't meet up with the him and his son until arriving at the port, if he were to test positive, he and his son could still be allowed to board.

Now, if he were to test positive, both he and his son would be denied boarding, but, most likely, not his brother. As long as they arrive at the port separately.