Port COVID Testing

[Ralph&Pam]

No need to show up - that might often require travel and exposing others. DCL is allowing COVID-related cancellations within 14 days, no questions, full refund.

And to report our experience, the process is very straightforward. We were scheduled for the 5-night Magic cruise departing January 8th. Unfortunately, a guest at our Christmas Eve family gathering just tested Covid-positive. I called this morning to cancel our cruise, since we do not want to fly to Florida only to be turned away at the port if we happen to test positive at that time, and we are within our 14-day window. There was a 2-hour wait on hold since the refund needed to be processed by a supervisor, but the cancellation process itself was quick and I already have received confirming email.

 

[mousefan73]

The only difficulty we ran in to was finding availability for an extended stay. We ended up driving to Kissimmee and getting a 2 bedroom/2 bath condo type unit at a timeshare resort. This allows us a kitchen for meals and for my (still completely asymptomatic) husband to isolate himself. They do not ask anything about Covid at the time of check in. Since we have stayed here before I know there is no daily housekeeping and I have plenty of clorox wipes and cleaning supplies to spray everything down as we are leaving. I also booked our room 1 day longer than we need it to allow an extra day to air out when we leave. I am familiar with the area so I knew I could do Target drive up for groceries etc.

I know everyone has different opinions on this subject but when you are in this situation you have no other choice but to find a place to stay. We are taking all the precautions possible and being very aware not to put staff or other guests in harms way.

Sounds like a smart solution to the situation. Something I would do too.

 

[dwg]

Thank you for your replies regarding cancelling due to positive Covid testing

 

[chirogrrl]

And to report our experience, the process is very straightforward. We were scheduled for the 5-night Magic cruise departing January 8th. Unfortunately, a guest at our Christmas Eve family gathering just tested Covid-positive. I called this morning to cancel our cruise, since we do not want to fly to Florida only to be turned away at the port if we happen to test positive at that time, and we are within our 14-day window. There was a 2-hour wait on hold since the refund needed to be processed by a supervisor, but the cancellation process itself was quick and I already have received confirming email.

Were you able to cancel without a positive test? I am worried, since we are set to sail next week and there have been 3 positive cases at work, including 2 people I share space with. Did you have to have a positive test in order to cancel? And did you have to call DCL directly, or go through Safe Passage?

 

[Cheburashka]

Were you able to cancel without a positive test? I am worried, since we are set to sail next week and there have been 3 positive cases at work, including 2 people I share space with. Did you have to have a positive test in order to cancel? And did you have to call DCL directly, or go through Safe Passage?

I just canceled my early January cruise today due to an exposure to someone who tested positive. They didn't request any proof at all, just took my word for it and issued the refund, which they said I will receive within 7 - 10 days.

You call DCL on the phone, and tell the phone rep, who will ask if you want to transfer the money to another cruise or get a refund (choose refund, even if you plan to cruise later- it's just better to stay in control of your money.) The phone rep will transfer the call to a supervisor, who will then issue the refund. No grilling for details, no evidence needed. The only thing the supervisor asked me about it was, "Do you feel okay?" I said, "Physically, I feel fine." Lol. They were sympathetic about me having to cancel.

DCL is serious about keeping Covid off the ships, and they'd rather give refunds very liberally than have people who can't manage the documentation end up boarding with Covid.

 

[mmouse37]

Its almost at the point that if you have had Covid and recovered you are better off as you won't have to test at port. I think it is within 90 days prior to cruise with a positive test and a note from doctor saying you are recovered.

MJ

 

[mousefan73]

Its almost at the point that if you have had Covid and recovered you are better off as you won't have to test at port. I think it is within 90 days prior to cruise with a positive test and a note from doctor saying you are recovered.

MJ

Don’t say that too loud here in some parts of Germany people are having “Covid parties” kind of like those measle parties.

 

[anneeb]

Its almost at the point that if you have had Covid and recovered you are better off as you won't have to test at port. I think it is within 90 days prior to cruise with a positive test and a note from doctor saying you are recovered.

MJ

This policy could change at any time. Especially now that prior Delta infection is not showing great protection against Omicron infection.

 

[mousefan73]

This policy could change at any time. Especially now that prior Delta infection is not showing great protection against Omicron infection.

I believe that 90 day policy has nothing to do with immunity. Even if you’re freshly vaccinated within those 90 days you have to get tested at port. It has more to do with the fact that if you’ve recently had a Covid infection you could keep testing positive even though you’re no longer infectious. That’s why they do it. At least that’s what I’ve read up on correct me if I’m wrong anyone

 

[anneeb]

I believe that 90 day policy has nothing to do with immunity. Even if you’re freshly vaccinated within those 90 days you have to get tested at port. It has more to do with the fact that if you’ve recently had a Covid infection you could keep testing positive even though you’re no longer infectious. That’s why they do it. At least that’s what I’ve read up on correct me if I’m wrong anyone

I can't speak to DCLs reasoning. But for my hospital it's been both factors that inform the testing decision. We do COVID testing on everyone who is admitted or who has day surgery. The exception was anyone with COVID in the last 90 days, if asymptomatic, did not require testing. This is because any positive would be presumed residual from past infection AND the probability of it representing new infection within 90 days of prior positive was extremely low. With Omicron that 2nd part of the statement no longer holds. The hospital is considering going back to testing everyone.

A hospital is obviously a very different environment than a cruise, so I'm not trying to speculate as to what DCL will or won't do with their policy. Just acknowledging that the policy could change and I wouldn't want to count on it.

 

[mmouse37]

This policy could change at any time. Especially now that prior Delta infection is not showing great protection against Omicron infection.

I am not talking about immunity or protection....just the fact that if you are recently recovered from the virus with a Dr. note you CURRENTLY do not have to test at port. Of course it could change. People in this situation will have less anxiety at the port....without the fear of being turned away by testing positive.

 

[mmouse37]

I believe that 90 day policy has nothing to do with immunity. Even if you’re freshly vaccinated within those 90 days you have to get tested at port. It has more to do with the fact that if you’ve recently had a Covid infection you could keep testing positive even though you’re no longer infectious. That’s why they do it. At least that’s what I’ve read up on correct me if I’m wrong anyone

Exactly what I was trying to get across.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

Were you able to cancel without a positive test? I am worried, since we are set to sail next week and there have been 3 positive cases at work, including 2 people I share space with. Did you have to have a positive test in order to cancel? And did you have to call DCL directly, or go through Safe Passage?

No proof of test required. Our situation is a close contact with a visitor to our Christmas Eve family gathering, so I do not have access to any test results in any case due to privacy rules.

Call DCL directly. Expect a long wait on hold to talk with the supervisor who must process the actual refund. However, there was no issue with getting this done. DCL does not want to be turning people away at the port if it can be avoided by acting earlier.

 

[aboveH20]

I’m not trying to circumvent any rules, just looking for some info. I tried googling which often sends me to a disboards thread, but not this time.

If we test positive at the port can we return to WDW? Our original plan was to rent a car and drive 1200+ miles home, but with CDC decreasing the quarantine time to five days we’d rather stay in FL.

We’ll drive if we have to, but we’re old and don’t like the potential of running into snow storms.

Thoughts?

 

[TestingH2O]

I’m not trying to circumvent any rules, just looking for some info. I tried googling which often sends me to a disboards thread, but not this time.

If we test positive at the port can we return to WDW? Our original plan was to rent a car and drive 1200+ miles home, but with CDC decreasing the quarantine time to five days we’d rather stay in FL.

We’ll drive if we have to, but we’re old and don’t like the potential of running into snow storms.

Thoughts?

You have to complete a health acknowledgment to enter the resort.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/experience-updates/

By entering Walt Disney World Resort, you are confirming that you and all persons in your

• are not experiencing any of the following symptoms of COVID-19 identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at CDC.gov, including:
  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea
• have not been in contact with someone with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 symptoms without completing a 14-day quarantine
• are not under any self-quarantine orders

Guests who cannot confirm all of the above criteria must not enter Walt Disney World Resort. If at any point during their visit a Guest does not meet all of the above criteria, they and their traveling party will be required to isolate and may be relocated or asked to leave the property.

 

[Dug720]

You have to complete a health acknowledgment to enter the resort.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/experience-updates/

By entering Walt Disney World Resort, you are confirming that you and all persons in your

• are not experiencing any of the following symptoms of COVID-19 identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at CDC.gov, including:
  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea
• have not been in contact with someone with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 symptoms without completing a 14-day quarantine
• are not under any self-quarantine orders

Guests who cannot confirm all of the above criteria must not enter Walt Disney World Resort. If at any point during their visit a Guest does not meet all of the above criteria, they and their traveling party will be required to isolate and may be relocated or asked to leave the property.

Yes, they've had that since reopening. But it is on the honor system.

One would HOPE that everyone is honest...but we also know from discussions and admissions on here about the previous "has anyone in your party thrown up or had diarrhea in the past 24 hours" form we used to have to fill out to cruise, not everyone will sacrifice their vacation plans for honesty and the common good.

 

[aboveH20]

You have to complete a health acknowledgment to enter the resort.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/experience-updates/

By entering Walt Disney World Resort, you are confirming that you and all persons in your

• are not experiencing any of the following symptoms of COVID-19 identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at CDC.gov, including:
  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea
• have not been in contact with someone with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 symptoms without completing a 14-day quarantine
• are not under any self-quarantine orders

Guests who cannot confirm all of the above criteria must not enter Walt Disney World Resort. If at any point during their visit a Guest does not meet all of the above criteria, they and their traveling party will be required to isolate and may be relocated or asked to leave the property.

Very helpful, thanks.

so what have people been doing if they test positive?

 

[JulieODC]

I’m not trying to circumvent any rules, just looking for some info. I tried googling which often sends me to a disboards thread, but not this time.

If we test positive at the port can we return to WDW? Our original plan was to rent a car and drive 1200+ miles home, but with CDC decreasing the quarantine time to five days we’d rather stay in FL.

We’ll drive if we have to, but we’re old and don’t like the potential of running into snow storms.

Thoughts?

Just a note that the 5 days applies only if you are asymptomatic, so it’s hard to know at day 1 if you will be ok to stop isolating at day 5.

 

[TestingH2O]

Very helpful, thanks.

so what have people been doing if they test positive?

There was a report somewhere here that said they found an air bnb that was ok with them staying through their quarantine/isolation period.

Florida is very lax, so I imagine it would be pretty easy to find a place to stay that didn’t have any COVID protocols or care if anyone in your party was testing positive. It’s probably more of a matter of what you would feel comfortable with.

 

[AquaDame]

Now that omicron is so much easier to catch, I'm starting to wonder if Disney will keep their lax cancellation policy for the Maiden voyage in June. I know a lot can change, but if you can still be denied boarding it only seems fair...