Know Before You Go Updated - May 17 - Testing rule changes

[Doingitagain]

I bought the six pack they offered for $150 directly off the website. There are 6 of us so the pack was perfect for us. We can then each test on the Thursday before the cruise at our own convenience.

I read they recommend having extra tests on hand in case there is an issue with some of them.

 

[RedHead0186]

So I guess I don't understand how an online "proctored" test works. I know you sign on to the Inspire website and they watch you take the test. But how do they know the results? Do you just hold it up and show them. And then do they send you the results? Or automatically upload it to your Safe Passages account? I know I have to order the tests ahead of time. Sorry for all the questions but this is my first cruise. I am happy about this change because I really wasn't looking forward to testing at the Port and potentially testing positive. Much rather know before I even leave home. We are on the June 11 sailing on the Fantasy.

I had to do one before my Princess cruise in November. You use a link to essentially join a video call with a proctor. They walk you through all of the steps, you have to show ID to prove you are you. They watch you doing the swab, mine actually had me keep the video on the test while it 'processed,' and then they walk you through reading it. I had to show them the result on video so they could see it, that's how they know what the result is. I then got a QR code in the app that said I was negative, and shortly thereafter also got an email with the date and the result.

I can't speak to safe passage specifically, since all I did was show them my result at port. But I would guess a picture of the email or the app result would work?

 

[erik3dis]

If you mean the pre-cruise tests, as we are not 15 days before June 7th cruisers cannot see this yet.

Maybe if you call DCL...

Unfortunately they don't answer the phone.

 

[dcassetta]

Unfortunately they don't answer the phone.

Hence the ellipsis

 

[Cruzin’Sisters]

Someone back a few pages posted they ordered 6 tests for ~$250, so that calculates out to ~$42/test.

I hope you or someone with experience can help me with a question about 90 day recovery.

My son has tested positive on Tuesday with at home test. We are sailing in 74 days. DCL site says to go to Doctor and to get note to show proof of positive COVID test AND proof of recovery. When should we got to Doctor (not just testing site, right) to get the proof we need. Now that he is sick or later??

Thank you all in advance for your knowledge and helpfulness.

 

[disneyfunfamily4]

I hope you or someone with experience can help me with a question about 90 day recovery.

My son has tested positive on Tuesday with at home test. We are sailing in 74 days. DCL site says to go to Doctor and to get note to show proof of positive COVID test AND proof of recovery. When should we got to Doctor (not just testing site, right) to get the proof we need. Now that he is sick or later??

Thank you all in advance for your knowledge and helpfulness.

Our daughter tested positive on a home test. We took her to get a PCR test which showed positive and we had the email with the test results. Once she had recovered we went to our primary care doctor and she wrote a letting stating she tested positive on this date via PCR test, she quarantined per CDC guidelines and she is now clear for travel. I submitted the letter and the test results to safe passage and she was cleared to board. It was very easy.

 

[Cruzin’Sisters]

Our daughter tested positive on a home test. We took her to get a PCR test which showed positive and we had the email with the test results. Once she had recovered we went to our primary care doctor and she wrote a letting stating she tested positive on this date via PCR test, she quarantined per CDC guidelines and she is now clear for travel. I submitted the letter and the test results to safe passage and she was cleared to board. It was very easy.

Thank you for your helpful response.

 

[Disney-&-Baseball]

I had to do one before my Princess cruise in November. You use a link to essentially join a video call with a proctor. They walk you through all of the steps, you have to show ID to prove you are you. They watch you doing the swab, mine actually had me keep the video on the test while it 'processed,' and then they walk you through reading it. I had to show them the result on video so they could see it, that's how they know what the result is. I then got a QR code in the app that said I was negative, and shortly thereafter also got an email with the date and the result.

I can't speak to safe passage specifically, since all I did was show them my result at port. But I would guess a picture of the email or the app result would work?

Thank you for the helpful info! I know the email I received said if you test before you get to the port, the results MUST be uploaded to the Safe Passages by midnight the day before sailing. If you don't have one uploaded to the website, you have to be tested at the port. And I know that is an option. I would just rather know before I leave home.

 

[Cruising Girl]

I just got off the phone with Inspire/safe passage. The lady said that yes on May 23 Disney is going to be making s statement to clear some of this up. She did also say that for my sailing leaving on a Thursday I would need to test on Tuesday or Wednesday. According to her they are going to be offering the telehealth proctored tests and the price is supposed to be around $45 ish each. She said that when your 15 day window opens you would order the test and it would arrive via UPS within 2-3 days. The one thing I forgot to ask her was about scheduling the time for the telehealth proctor phone call. So hopefully more about it will be in the May 23 announcement.

 

[lanejudy]

My son has tested positive on Tuesday with at home test. We are sailing in 74 days. DCL site says to go to Doctor and to get note to show proof of positive COVID test AND proof of recovery.

He needs to go get a PCR test now, while he’s sick.

Then after he is better - and at least 11 days before the cruise - go to a doctor for the recovered letter. Probably in a couple of weeks would be good for that.

 

[mousefan73]

Speculative thought. I wonder if many cancelled pre-WDW trips before cruises as they were worried they would catch covid at WDW and test postive at port? Many I know tried to move WDW part to post-cruise but couldnt due to flights already booked or availability. And Disney saw this.

So with this new rule allowing to test 2 days before. One could still go to WDW about 5 days before a cruise, get exposed, test mid-way and most likely get a negative and then show up at port aysmtopmatic or not without needing a new test.

Non-speculative is that Disney is just adapting to rest of industry. The main issue for me is cost and AVAILABILITY of getting a test. Tele-health is not so easy to get as an itnernational guest. On the otherhand the US entry test would also be valid. But for us flying in only 2 days before a cruise is a bit risky.

 

[holula]

Speculative thought. I wonder if many cancelled pre-WDW trips before cruises as they were worried they would catch covid at WDW and test postive at port? Many I know tried to move WDW part to post-cruise but couldnt due to flights already booked or availability. And Disney saw this.

So with this new rule allowing to test 2 days before. One could still go to WDW about 5 days before a cruise, get exposed, test mid-way and most likely get a negative and then show up at port aysmtopmatic or not without needing a new test.

Non-speculative is that Disney is just adapting to rest of industry. The main issue for me is cost and AVAILABILITY of getting a test. Tele-health is not so easy to get as an itnernational guest. On the otherhand the US entry test would also be valid. But for us flying in only 2 days before a cruise is a bit risky.

I’m also an international guest and to use the same test you use for entering the US from the UK (where I live) you’d basically have to fly in the day before the cruise which is too risky for me.

I’d rather just pay the extra $65 at MCO or $74 at port for peace of mind.

However, regardless of that I still don’t like this new system for exactly the reason you have described. If it was something like PCR 2 days before I’d feel a bit more comfortable with it as it’s much more sensitive than an antigen test.

 

[WDWDeb]

Speculative thought. I wonder if many cancelled pre-WDW trips before cruises as they were worried they would catch covid at WDW and test postive at port? Many I know tried to move WDW part to post-cruise but couldnt due to flights already booked or availability. And Disney saw this.

So with this new rule allowing to test 2 days before. One could still go to WDW about 5 days before a cruise, get exposed, test mid-way and most likely get a negative and then show up at port aysmtopmatic or not without needing a new test.

Non-speculative is that Disney is just adapting to rest of industry. The main issue for me is cost and AVAILABILITY of getting a test. Tele-health is not so easy to get as an itnernational guest. On the otherhand the US entry test would also be valid. But for us flying in only 2 days before a cruise is a bit risky.

We are on the Wish MV and cancelled our pre WDW trip because of that worry.

 

[Erica1016]

So I guess I don't understand how an online "proctored" test works. I know you sign on to the Inspire website and they watch you take the test. But how do they know the results? Do you just hold it up and show them. And then do they send you the results? Or automatically upload it to your Safe Passages account? I know I have to order the tests ahead of time. Sorry for all the questions but this is my first cruise. I am happy about this change because I really wasn't looking forward to testing at the Port and potentially testing positive. Much rather know before I even leave home. We are on the June 11 sailing on the Fantasy.

A while back in the thread someone posted a link to a very helpful video of someone going through the whole process! I found it very comforting to see how easy it is.

 

[Angeliki19]

This is what my mom often uses:

https://store.optum.com/shop/products/abbott-binaxNOW-COVID-19-ag-emed-at-home-test-kit-2-pack/

You order them in advance and then they watch you take the test via video. The tests end up being $35 each and your insurance may reimburse part of that. Plus you can schedule it at your convenience to take in a hotel room, at home, wherever.

This is awesome. Our cruise isn't until 2023, BUT, we are going to Italy in two weeks and I am thinking I can use these for our reentry into the US. The only thing I am not sure of is the scheduling.. do you schedule an appt with the telehealth person?

 

[Doingitagain]

This is awesome. Our cruise isn't until 2023, BUT, we are going to Italy in two weeks and I am thinking I can use these for our reentry into the US. The only thing I am not sure of is the scheduling.. do you schedule an appt with the telehealth person?

It depends on who the provider is. Emed's website says no appointment is needed and they are 24/7 -- so good for international time zones!

 

[Bex258]

I’m also an international guest and to use the same test you use for entering the US from the UK (where I live) you’d basically have to fly in the day before the cruise which is too risky for me.

I’d rather just pay the extra $65 at MCO or $74 at port for peace of mind.

However, regardless of that I still don’t like this new system for exactly the reason you have described. If it was something like PCR 2 days before I’d feel a bit more comfortable with it as it’s much more sensitive than an antigen test.

Do you happen to know where in MCO the test location is? I have only done a quick Google but what I initially came up with were three options but they were only talking about insurance which wouldn't apply to me. Sadly I am arriving the evening before the cruise so if they don't want my US entry test (which I was going to be taking Saturday lunchtime to fly Sunday to cruise Monday) then I was aiming to get it sorted at MCO if I can, I don't have a big window of opportunity as I land at 17:05 though so still thinking Port test may what I end up with.

 

[holula]

Do you happen to know where in MCO the test location is? I have only done a quick Google but what I initially came up with were three options but they were only talking about insurance which wouldn't apply to me. Sadly I am arriving the evening before the cruise so if they don't want my US entry test (which I was going to be taking Saturday lunchtime to fly Sunday to cruise Monday) then I was aiming to get it sorted at MCO if I can, I don't have a big window of opportunity as I land at 17:05 though.

You should be fine if you are testing Saturday.

I fly on Saturday but my cruise is on Monday, so my US entry test won’t be within the timeframe I need for the cruise.

The two that let you book in advance are COVID Testing LLC and Advent Heath. The latter specifically says it doesn’t take insurance

I used the first one (not in that location) to do my test to come back into the UK in December and just paid by card for the test. However neither option are much cheaper than just testing at the port.

 

[Bex258]

You should be fine if you are testing Saturday.

I fly on Saturday but my cruise is on Monday, so my US entry test won’t be within the timeframe I need for the cruise.

The two that let you book in advance are COVID Testing LLC and Advent Heath. The latter specifically says it doesn’t take insurance

I used the first one (not in that location) to do my test to come back into the UK in December and just paid by card for the test. However neither option are much cheaper than just testing at the port.

Oh no, just day out for you, thank you. I did ask them to confirm if they would take that result but they were going to give more info after the Disney 23rd announcement so I'm just worse case scenario planning

 

[Mathmagicland]

Do you happen to know where in MCO the test location is? I have only done a quick Google but what I initially came up with were three options but they were only talking about insurance which wouldn't apply to me. Sadly I am arriving the evening before the cruise so if they don't want my US entry test (which I was going to be taking Saturday lunchtime to fly Sunday to cruise Monday) then I was aiming to get it sorted at MCO if I can, I don't have a big window of opportunity as I land at 17:05 though so still thinking Port test may what I end up with.

Here is the info on the Covid testing locations at MCO. Not sure when you are arriving, hopefully one of these will work for you.

https://orlandoairports.net/getting-around-mco/coronavirus-covid-19/