Great news - Covid test in advance

[DCLMP]

There isn't. I promise. Disney is not profiting from COVID testing. They hate this.

I suppose you think they don't profit from their airport transfers either? Those are also third-party.

 

[DCLMP]

PCR testing for unvaccinated Under 5 costs about $100. UPS Next Day Early AM is about $90. So almost the entire cost of the test is shipping. The lab takes the rest. Disney gets zero.

There's no shipping cost from USPS required at the port. How is that relevant?

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I suppose you think they don't profit from their airport transfers either? Those are also third-party.

I don't think anything. I know, for a fact, that Disney does not profit from COVID testing.

 

[bobbiwoz]

i agree. We fall in this category too. I’m Dreading having to sort out this process now, I guess I can shorten my pre-trip.

I hope you figure out something.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

It’s hard when you are traveling before the cruise… not good news!

i agree. We fall in this category too. I’m Dreading having to sort out this process now, I guess I can shorten my pre-trip.

There's nothing to sort out. You CAN test in advance, not MUST test in advance. You still have the option to test at the port like you always did.

 

[DCLMP]

I don't think anything. I know, for a fact, that Disney does not profit from COVID testing.

We cruised last Summer before they required vaccines. They charged our onboard account for our Covid tests 65.00 for a PCR. I think that is proof enough. If Disney is not taking a cut then why aren't people paying the third party directly?

 

[Kwami]

We cruised last Summer before they required vaccines. They charged our onboard account for our Covid tests 65.00 for a PCR. I think that is proof enough. If Disney is not taking a cut then why aren't people paying the third party directly?

Convenience, I guess. It's easier for you to have the charges on one account instead of having to set up a payment account with Inspire Diagnostics.

I'm more curious to know how @CaptainAmerica knows that Disney isn't making anything on the tests for a fact. Do you work for DCL or Inspire? Because otherwise, I call BS.

 

[DCLMP]

Convenience, I guess. It's easier for you to have the charges on one account instead of having to set up a payment account with Inspire Diagnostics.

I'm more curious to know how @CaptainAmerica knows that Disney isn't making anything on the tests for a fact. Do you work for DCL or Inspire? Because otherwise, I call BS.

You have to set up everything with inspiring diagnostics anyway. It really wouldn't be a big deal to add a payment. They charge people if they use their home tests. They could charge in advance for testing at the port. I'm guessing if they did it would be less than 75.00 dollars that DCL is charging. We paid DCL 65.00 for a PCR last Summer at the port for being unvaccinated. Now they want 75.00 for a rapid.

 

[Kwami]

You have to set up everything with inspiring diagnostics anyway. It really wouldn't be a big deal to add a payment. They charge people if they use their home tests. They could charge in advance for testing at the port. I'm guessing if they did it would be less than 75.00 dollars that DCL is charging. We paid DCL 65.00 for a PCR last Summer at the port for being unvaccinated. Now they want 75.00 for a rapid.

Disney used to charge less for all of the tests, claiming that they had negotiated a discounted rate with Inspire. They jumped in price today now that we have to pay for them all. $75 for a rapid antigen test is crazy overpriced.

 

[mschanandlerbong]

I'm struggling to see this as good news. I have 2 disney cruises booked but unfortunately they're a day apart so I miss the b2b free testing loophole. Concerned that when I get off my first cruise I'll need to source a test in the local area before my second cruise the following day or risk paying through the nose for my party to be tested through Disney when it was free when I booked.
Anyone think theres a slim chance these rules could change before the start of summer?

 

[Erica1016]

I'm struggling to see this as good news. I have 2 disney cruises booked but unfortunately they're a day apart so I miss the b2b free testing loophole. Concerned that when I get off my first cruise I'll need to source a test in the local area before my second cruise the following day or risk paying through the nose for my party to be tested through Disney when it was free when I booked.
Anyone think theres a slim chance these rules could change before the start of summer?

We're in a similar situation...I'm not upset at the change, I'm surprised Disney hasn't done this sooner given what the other cruise lines are doing. That being said, we're booked on a 3-night Royal Caribbean cruise B2B with our Wish cruise in August. So, for us, the two-day window will be while we're at sea. So, our options are to pay for the quite-expensive test at the DCL port or pay for WiFi on Royal for one day so that we can do online proctored tests (fairly cost-effective option). Also, it's just an additional cost we weren't planning for. We knew we'd have to pay for tests for the first cruise, but now we have to pay for the tests for Disney, too.
Like, I said, totally get it, but that doesn't make me happy about it.

 

[mschanandlerbong]

We're in a similar situation...I'm not upset at the change, I'm surprised Disney hasn't done this sooner given what the other cruise lines are doing. That being said, we're booked on a 3-night Royal Caribbean cruise B2B with our Wish cruise in August. So, for us, the two-day window will be while we're at sea. So, our options are to pay for the quite-expensive test at the DCL port or pay for WiFi on Royal for one day so that we can do online proctored tests (fairly cost-effective option). Also, it's just an additional cost we weren't planning for. We knew we'd have to pay for tests for the first cruise, but now we have to pay for the tests for Disney, too.
Like, I said, totally get it, but that doesn't make me happy about it.

Do you have any recommendations for the online proctored tests? I'm from the UK and would have no idea how I could even go about buying one.
I'm also having major anxiety about catching something on the first cruise and being denied entry on the second! I miss when holidays were stress free!

 

[cedricandsophie]

After waiting more than an hour and half in a line at Miami port, another 20 min once inside for the actual test and 30 min for the test results this seems like a no brainer. The at home monitored tests that provide written results, emailed and also on the NAVICA web site, are terrific. For a celebrity cruise before Christmas we did them in our hotel room the night before and walked on the ship. I’d much rather pay than go through that again.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

I don't think anything. I know, for a fact, that Disney does not profit from COVID testing.

Whether or not they get a cut they are significantly profiting from the decision to pass this on to the customers.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Whether or not they get a cut they are significantly profiting from the decision to pass this on to the customers.

Yes, I agree with that. They used to subsidize "free" testing at a loss to them. They've eliminated that loss. But eliminating an expense line is not the same as generating a revenue line.

 

[DCLMP]

We're in a similar situation...I'm not upset at the change, I'm surprised Disney hasn't done this sooner given what the other cruise lines are doing. That being said, we're booked on a 3-night Royal Caribbean cruise B2B with our Wish cruise in August. So, for us, the two-day window will be while we're at sea. So, our options are to pay for the quite-expensive test at the DCL port or pay for WiFi on Royal for one day so that we can do online proctored tests (fairly cost-effective option). Also, it's just an additional cost we weren't planning for. We knew we'd have to pay for tests for the first cruise, but now we have to pay for the tests for Disney, too.
Like, I said, totally get it, but that doesn't make me happy about it.

It doesn't surprise me that other cruise lines charge they are 1/4 the cost of Disney and they generally charge for a lot of optional stuff. Disney charges a premium and is supposed to be more all-inclusive. It won't surprise if a year or two down the road DCL starts charging for movies and riding the aqua duck. It's the direction the parks took and DCL might not be far off. I thought by this Summer testing would be gone. Everything is back to normal, but cruises.

 

[DCLMP]

Yes, I agree with that. They used to subsidize "free" testing at a loss to them. They've eliminated that loss. But eliminating an expense line is not the same as generating a revenue line.

Maybe the "free" sodas will be next.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

Not sure why some are so mad about this. This is the way pretty much all the other cruise lines are doing it. Disney was the only exception. Also, most insurance will cover tests at CVS, Walgreens and other testing places. If you can afford a Disney cruise, I think you should be able to afford insurance (but yes, I know everyone has different situations, so please do not be insulted if i made light of how you are situated. I mean no harm at all). I would also think, again given the huge cost of a Disney cruise, it wouldn’t put most people out a few hundred bucks more to test if you are willing to spend the money on Disney. You can save way more money by sailing on another line, but I think we all choose Disney bc we love it.

In the end, this is better than finding out last minute you cant go. And yes, it does mess with travel plans, we too are traveling in a couple days early for the parks, and now we Have To find testing for our July cruise, so we loose some park time. I can deal with that, so long as I dont miss my cruise.

Not ideal, but nothing since Covid is, but not a bad move by Disney. Jusst aligning with the rest of the industry in the US.

Remember the good old days when Disney operated at a higher standard as opposed to lowering themselves to “industry standards”…

 

[nancipants]

It doesn't surprise me that other cruise lines charge they are 1/4 the cost of Disney and they generally charge for a lot of optional stuff. Disney charges a premium and is supposed to be more all-inclusive. It won't surprise if a year or two down the road DCL starts charging for movies and riding the aqua duck. It's the direction the parks took and DCL might not be far off. I thought by this Summer testing would be gone. Everything is back to normal, but cruises.

Define "everything" and "normal".

 

[Kwami]

Define "everything" and "normal".

Everything is back to normal if we pretend that Covid-19 doesn't exist and ignore all of the consequences of those decisions...

But, let's not get this thread locked by talking about Covid-19 too much!