Has anyone done this? - testing before flying

[DisneYE]

Meaning, testing before flying to get on the ship... to see whether you should continue on.

We have a WBPC cruise in March and obviously we'd get tested on the cruise terminal
But we have to take a flight to NOLA (it's a long one) & was wondering if people get tested before flying to the city where they go to port.

Just to see if you're positive - and then if you are, better to postpone the cruise before you grab that flight.

Anyone done this or just play it and see what happens at the port?

I'd h8 to fly 4 hours, get told at the port someone in our party is positive and then have to fly another 4 damn hours back.

 

[MomOTwins]

Lots of people are doing this. I'd recommend doing the test at least a day or two before so you are not scrambling to rebook flights and cruise same on your travel day.

 

[foolish-mortal]

We are leaving in 11 days and we are scheduled for a free travel Covid test at a local drug store before we fly out. We are trying to minimize any possibility of being stuck in Florida and Covid positive. It would be a nightmare for us since we're flying.

 

[iivye]

We cruised out of New Orleans in November on NCL and tested at home 3 days prior to the cruise. I wanted to make sure we were negative before flying to the port. It definitely made getting tested at the pier a little less stressful.

 

[WishUponAStarryNight]

We sailed in November and did this. We actually tested 3 times beforehand beginning about a month out so that if we tested positive further out, we would have time to get our 90 day letter.

 

[Snowwhyt]

We fly Friday 7th, sail on Sat 8th, got health care workers tested 12 days prior to account for unknown asymptomatic antibodies that could be lurking in them. They are good. Now we still have PPE'd exposure while they work this week but taking rapid tests prior to flights for entire group. It's a plan, but we know things can still happen. We have done all we can as far as I can see.

 

[Snowwhyt]

I'd h8 to fly 4 hours, get told at the port someone in our party is positive and then have to fly another 4 damn hours back.

If your party arrives separately then you could fly home or maybe still sail. If someone has Covid maybe a drive back would be a more socially acceptable for that person. Car rentals are prepared for that now. But I’m thinking flights are worse then ships on exposure.

 

[AquaDame]

We're not on DCL, but are cruising in the Galapagos later this month. We have a whopping four tests for it. One a few days prior for peace of mind that we're opting into, one for our flight into Quito which is required, and then another the next day in Quito as there will be too many hours between us needing the results to get on our international flight and then boarding our flight to the Galapagos. We then also will be tested before boarding our yacht once we arrive and having our temperature taken. FWIW there will be another exam by the captain for O2 and temps taken halfway through the cruise itself. Then of course we need to test to be allowed to come home...

Back in October we also chose to self test before heading to Hawaii - it was not required, but it felt like the right thing to do. I would much MUCH rather be sick at home if I'm going to be sick, so I'll continue to test before traveling as long as rates are up.

 

[DisneYE]

If your party arrives separately then you could fly home or maybe still sail. If someone has Covid maybe a drive back would be a more socially acceptable for that person. Car rentals are prepared for that now. But I’m thinking flights are worse then ships on exposure.

Thanks
Isn't the rule of testing at the port that if one of your party (we are 4, 2 rooms) tests positive then all are denied embarkation? Can't rent a car to go back. It's a 12 hour+ drive.
That's why I was wondering about a test pre-flight. A positive at the port besides being crushing emotionally, it's also a major logistical nightmare. (Can't fly back right away with a positive, have to quarantine, etc).

 

[Freeman867]

Thanks
Isn't the rule of testing at the port that if one of your party (we are 4, 2 rooms) tests positive then all are denied embarkation? Can't rent a car to go back. It's a 12 hour+ drive.
That's why I was wondering about a test pre-flight. A positive at the port besides being crushing emotionally, it's also a major logistical nightmare. (Can't fly back right away with a positive, have to quarantine, etc).

That is definitely the rule. If you traveled to port together, one tests positive, all are denied boarding.

 

[onesam319]

It's a 12 hour+ drive.

Our drive is 14 and a half hours from Ohio. We're nuts and do it in one day!

 

[CrowMomma]

I live by the port and am still getting a PCR test a few days prior.

Not as big of a deal for me cost/logistics wise, but I'd rather cancel from home vs. wasting a couple hours at the port and spare myself and my family the dissapointment of seeing the vacation we can't go on.

 

[Freeman867]

Our drive is 14 and a half hours from Ohio. We're nuts and do it in one day!

We'd have a 25 hour drive to Colorado if we test positive. Just trying to view it as a positive and turn it into a fun distanced sight seeing roadtrip if it comes down to it. Not sure what hotel rules are on asymptomatic COVID positives though...

 

[lanejudy]

Isn't the rule of testing at the port that if one of your party (we are 4, 2 rooms) tests positive then all are denied embarkation?

That is correct if you all arrive at the port together. If the 4 of you are - say - 2 couples, each couple could arrive at port separately and not be impacted by a positive for the other couple. But if you are all 4 traveling together, yes all 4 will be denied boarding if 1 tests positive at port. Many folks are testing before leaving home so they can cancel without travel if need be.

 

[isabellea]

We'd have a 25 hour drive to Colorado if we test positive. Just trying to view it as a positive and turn it into a fun distanced sight seeing roadtrip if it comes down to it. Not sure what hotel rules are on asymptomatic COVID positives though...

We live in Montreal and always drive to FL. Most of the time all in one shot. Our longest drive was from Port of Miami to home after our first DCL cruise, a 25h drive (+stops to eat, fuel and restroom stops) with 2 drivers.

 

[Cheburashka]

Meaning, testing before flying to get on the ship... to see whether you should continue on.

We have a WBPC cruise in March and obviously we'd get tested on the cruise terminal
But we have to take a flight to NOLA (it's a long one) & was wondering if people get tested before flying to the city where they go to port.

Just to see if you're positive - and then if you are, better to postpone the cruise before you grab that flight.

Anyone done this or just play it and see what happens at the port?

I'd h8 to fly 4 hours, get told at the port someone in our party is positive and then have to fly another 4 damn hours back.

Yes, I rapid tested the day before I flew to Miami for my October cruise, and I'm going to rapid test early in the day that I fly out for my March cruise. I strongly recommend that everyone who has to fly to the port take a rapid test first. It lessens the chance of you traveling all the way there only to be turned away at the port, helps protect others from being infected by you during a flight, and gives you some peace of mind while you travel to the port.

 

[DCLMP]

We're not on DCL, but are cruising in the Galapagos later this month. We have a whopping four tests for it. One a few days prior for peace of mind that we're opting into, one for our flight into Quito which is required, and then another the next day in Quito as there will be too many hours between us needing the results to get on our international flight and then boarding our flight to the Galapagos. We then also will be tested before boarding our yacht once we arrive and having our temperature taken. FWIW there will be another exam by the captain for O2 and temps taken halfway through the cruise itself. Then of course we need to test to be allowed to come home...

Back in October we also chose to self test before heading to Hawaii - it was not required, but it felt like the right thing to do. I would much MUCH rather be sick at home if I'm going to be sick, so I'll continue to test before traveling as long as rates are up.

Good luck! I'd need to drink a lot of alcohol to get through all that.

 

[DisneYE]

That is correct if you all arrive at the port together. If the 4 of you are - say - 2 couples, each couple could arrive at port separately and not be impacted by a positive for the other couple. But if you are all 4 traveling together, yes all 4 will be denied boarding if 1 tests positive at port. Many folks are testing before leaving home so they can cancel without travel if need be.

Yeah. We're 4 and its 3 adults and my DD. DW, DMIL and me.
Even if we do test ourselves at home & we're all negative we can still catch it on the plane or elsewhere since we're arriving in NOLA 3 days before the ship sails. And we're doing Mardi Gras to boot... gosh... this is beyond stressful.
If cases continue to grow exponentially as they are, DCL should just cancel. If cases keep increasing for the next 8 weeks there will be a lot of folks getting denied boarding at the port with lots scrambling to find a way back home.

 

[DisneYE]

We'd have a 25 hour drive to Colorado if we test positive. Just trying to view it as a positive and turn it into a fun distanced sight seeing roadtrip if it comes down to it. Not sure what hotel rules are on asymptomatic COVID positives though...

Yah I was gonna say... what hotel will you stay in if it turns out there's a true positive in your party?

 

[DisneYE]

Yes, I rapid tested the day before I flew to Miami for my October cruise, and I'm going to rapid test early in the day that I fly out for my March cruise. I strongly recommend that everyone who has to fly to the port take a rapid test first. It lessens the chance of you traveling all the way there only to be turned away at the port, helps protect others from being infected by you during a flight, and gives you some peace of mind while you travel to the port.

After reading your response and the others with similar sentiment, we'll test ourselves b4 we fly.
But we'll go with the PCR test instead, more reliable. We'll try the public ones available for free but if lines are too long we'll just pay for one at CVS. Peace of mind, kind of.