Requiring negative covid tests prior?

[CaLuCa]

This is not just for DCL but other activities and trips, specifically ones you have to travel a good distance for. This has been one of the potential requirements mentioned along with vaccines and masks, etc. This one frustrates me more than the others because it removes the control I can impact. The data is looking very good for vaccinated people to not have a positive test, but, of course, kids don't have access to vaccines yet. How do you plan with the potential that you could have a member of your family/group turn up positive right before leaving? We are very hesitant to drop $$$ on the chance we might not even get to go based on a test. (I understand the need for the testing and really want to keep people safe, which is why we all wear masks and DH and I have started our vaccines.) I want to plan something for the summer (not DCL, was hoping for a Med but that didn't happen...again), but I don't know how to deal with testing prior to and during. The asymptomatic aspect of covid is frustrating, which is why we have been so diligent on wearing our masks.

And I tried to look at trip insurance and it had a clause about not being applicable to anything covid related.

Thoughts? Just be patient for another year? Risk it? Find something that doesn't require it?

 

[Clojel]

My guess is that for adults, it will be an “either/or” situation - you have proof of vaccine OR a negative covid test. For kids, I think they’ll maybe require a negative PCR “x days before embarking” but I don’t think they’ll require ANYONE to test WHILE they’re on the trip. Here’s why....

Taking the cruise example, the presumption will be that everyone boarding is either vaccinated or tested negative - therefore no risk of transmission. That group of people doesn’t change throughout the trip. The risk would then only occur when you leave the ship for a port excursion. However, say you leave for a port excursion on day 3, and contract covid, you wouldn’t test positive that night, and probably not day 4 either. The earliest you’d possibly test positive is day 5. Given that they’re capping cruise duration to 7 days (for now) - you’re quite likely to be off the ship by the time you show symptoms and/or test positive.

So....testing mid cruise won’t really help matters!

More likely, cruising won’t return until enough people are vaccinated to drop the virus risks low enough so it’s viewed no worse than the flu.

 

[blabadie]

I understand your concerns. We are planning a trip to USVI and were concerned because our hotel becomes non-refundable one week out but our covid tests require 96 hours max.

I was able to purchase travel insurance with covid cancellation coverage. I think I googled covid travel insurance and ended up using square mouth as a search site and filtering for covid coverage. Also, this article might help...

https://www.forbes.com/advisor/travel-insurance/best-pandemic-travel-insurance/

 

[CaLuCa]

I understand your concerns. We are planning a trip to USVI and were concerned because our hotel becomes non-refundable one week out but our covid tests require 96 hours max.

I was able to purchase travel insurance with covid cancellation coverage. I think I googled covid travel insurance and ended up using square mouth as a search site and filtering for covid coverage. Also, this article might help...

https://www.forbes.com/advisor/travel-insurance/best-pandemic-travel-insurance/

Mind sharing which company you went with for travel insurance? I looked at Travel Guard briefly, but haven't really done a lot of digging.

What I'm looking at it is a small cruise/expedition out of Alaska. They just updated their policy to require vaccinations for 18+ and a negative test 4 day prior and one done just prior to embarkation done by them (guessing a rapid test). I honestly can't see that this is sustainable for the big ships/companies, but I'm trying to figure if I am okay with rolling the dice on this.

 

[blabadie]

Our policy is the Tin Leg Gold policy. Includes:

Coronavirus Cancellation​	Included in Trip Cancellation & Interruption
Coronavirus Medical​	Included in Emergency Medical

There may have been cheaper policies listed on the square mouth site (filter on covid), but we wanted something with very high medical and medical evacuation coverage because it was unclear if our health insurance covered us in USVI---something you wouldn't need to worry about for Alaska. It seemed reasonably priced though (around $300 for a trip over 20k and medical coverage of 500k).

Edited to add: Not sure if being on a cruise will limit you on policy choices. The square mouth site should walk you through it all though or you could go out to individual insurance companies websites.

 

[CM Dad]

Taking the cruise example, the presumption will be that everyone boarding is either vaccinated or tested negative - therefore no risk of transmission. That group of people doesn’t change throughout the trip. The risk would then only occur when you leave the ship for a port excursion. However, say you leave for a port excursion on day 3, and contract covid, you wouldn’t test positive that night, and probably not day 4 either. The earliest you’d possibly test positive is day 5. Given that they’re capping cruise duration to 7 days (for now) - you’re quite likely to be off the ship by the time you show symptoms and/or test positive.

So....testing mid cruise won’t really help matters!

On the other hand, suppose you contract covid 3 days before embarkation. You would not test positive before boarding, but would a couple of days into the cruise.

 

[mevelandry]

This is not just for DCL but other activities and trips, specifically ones you have to travel a good distance for. This has been one of the potential requirements mentioned along with vaccines and masks, etc. This one frustrates me more than the others because it removes the control I can impact. The data is looking very good for vaccinated people to not have a positive test, but, of course, kids don't have access to vaccines yet. How do you plan with the potential that you could have a member of your family/group turn up positive right before leaving? We are very hesitant to drop $$$ on the chance we might not even get to go based on a test. (I understand the need for the testing and really want to keep people safe, which is why we all wear masks and DH and I have started our vaccines.) I want to plan something for the summer (not DCL, was hoping for a Med but that didn't happen...again), but I don't know how to deal with testing prior to and during. The asymptomatic aspect of covid is frustrating, which is why we have been so diligent on wearing our masks.

And I tried to look at trip insurance and it had a clause about not being applicable to anything covid related.

Thoughts? Just be patient for another year? Risk it? Find something that doesn't require it?

The testing is part of the reason we chose to cancel our family cruise plans for 2021. We would have to get tested in order to board our flight, but then, our test (over a 100$/pp here) wouldn’t be valid anymore (passed the required time) to board the cruise ship:

A) best case scenario, we would have to run to a clinic to get new tests in Florida, not knowing if we would get results on time to board... Which would be very stressful as we are travelling with seniors. (I guess that to avoid the stress, we would have to invest on an extra night at the hotel just in case).

B) Fly in (from Canada!) to make sure our tests would still be valid, taking a huge risk of missing our cruise if for some reason our flight was delayed.

And like you said, what if one of the tests turns out to be positive? And your point about travel insurance is a very good point.

 

[KashasMom]

We have 3 international trips booked from June-December. Our air was booked with no change fees and almost all of the hotels can be cancelled without a charge. Only 1 country of the 3 doesn't require a negative test to get in. At this point none of the 3 countries requires a vaccine. Whatever you do, if you want to travel, you have to be very flexible. Book only what can be cancelled/changed. Stay on top of the rules for test requirements, which change constantly! We just found out we have to show negative test results for a transfer through Frankfurt. Do be aware that the tests can be costly in order to get results back in time for international flights (some are test within 72 hours from time of departure and in the case of Frankfurt it's 48 hours from time of arrival which actually means you have to test and have results within 40-42 hours prior to departure).

 

[BartmanLA]

Since they ARE testing the vaccine on children 12 and under, and have approved it down to age 16, testing would be misleading with the incubation periods and potential infectious state during a cruise. I know it's a UNPOPULAR idea and potentially something DCL might impose on guests but requiring a vaccine for everyone boarding (children under a certain age may have different requirements) would mitigate any need for testing before, during or after the cruise. It virtually creates a bubble on the ship if everyone (crew and guests) are inoculated. I know this will have many people that object to this possible policy, but it most likely will be done as the best possible way to protect everyone on the ship. DCL has to view this as the best way to protect themselves but all the crew and guests. Making accommodations for a single or few passengers that object isn't required by any law or regulation. When you go to a park people of certain ages, sizes (too tall, too short, or too big) are not able to ride some of the rides there for purely safety reasons, this is the same scenario.

 

[AquaDame]

Unfortunately planning travel until DCL and others have made a statement one way or another is not for the faint of heart. If you are unable or unwilling to roll with the punches (vaccination/testing methods/rules aboard/monetary) then I would honestly recommend waiting until they DO make a statement. It's not fair, and it will certainly cost DCL and others your tourism money, but its just not worth this much stress.

This thread is conjecture. I suggest anyone reading take it with a grain of salt.

 

[CaLuCa]

Honestly, I cannot see the big lines doing a mid cruise test. What do you do with the ones who turn up positive? It would be a mess, especially if you have to close all dining or try to do contact tracing.

My issue is how do you plan, other than being incredibly flexible, with showing up at your hotel/cruise/tour and your 8 year old randomly is positive from who knows where?

And it does seem like this is evolving and changing constantly. I was completely ready to book, but this was added yesterday and now I'm trying to figure out what to do.

 

[Chemist]

Honestly, I cannot see the big lines doing a mid cruise test. What do you do with the ones who turn up positive? It would be a mess, especially if you have to close all dining or try to do contact tracing.

My issue is how do you plan, other than being incredibly flexible, with showing up at your hotel/cruise/tour and your 8 year old randomly is positive from who knows where?

And it does seem like this is evolving and changing constantly. I was completely ready to book, but this was added yesterday and now I'm trying to figure out what to do.

The way you make sure your 8 year old doesn't get it is by being REALLY careful ahead of time. No indoor dining, no indoor anything with other people. (If this sounds excessive, its the life my kids have been living for over a year now. Our ONE indoor activity is school. No indoor sports, no indoor playgrounds...) Only outdoor activities with other people who are masked the whole time.

Its not a guarantee, but if you live in an area where infection is following AND you follow the guidelines, I would guess he'd be okay.

 

[CaLuCa]

The way you make sure your 8 year old doesn't get it is by being REALLY careful ahead of time. No indoor dining, no indoor anything with other people. (If this sounds excessive, its the life my kids have been living for over a year now. Our ONE indoor activity is school. No indoor sports, no indoor playgrounds...) Only outdoor activities with other people who are masked the whole time.

Its not a guarantee, but if you live in an area where infection is following AND you follow the guidelines, I would guess he'd be okay.

And this has been our life too. He only started back to school in January (had a teacher for 9 weeks and now she's out on maternity leave...had I known that I might have just kept him home, but that's a whole other story). We live in the land of yahoos (sorry, Florida, you've got some high points but the ability to keep masks on is not one of them), so we haven't been a part of society for awhile now. My kids are awesome mask wearers and are very excited that their dad and I are are now half vaccinated.

I was wondering how other people were handling this as they might have thought of something I am missing or have another way to look at it.

 

[Chemist]

And this has been our life too. He only started back to school in January (had a teacher for 9 weeks and now she's out on maternity leave...had I known that I might have just kept him home, but that's a whole other story). We live in the land of yahoos (sorry, Florida, you've got some high points but the ability to keep masks on is not one of them), so we haven't been a part of society for awhile now. My kids are awesome mask wearers and are very excited that their dad and I are are now half vaccinated.

I was wondering how other people were handling this as they might have thought of something I am missing or have another way to look at it.

We are in California. Our positivity rate is 1% and latest case rate is 4 per 100,000. Husband and I get our first dose next week.

I *think* we may start allowing our teen to do indoor activities soon. Especially if our numbers continue to drop.

But if I ***needed*** my kid to test negative for a trip, I'd go back into outdoor only mode, and explain that we are doing this to make sure we can do trip xyz.

 

[WishUponAStarryNight]

And this has been our life too. He only started back to school in January (had a teacher for 9 weeks and now she's out on maternity leave...had I known that I might have just kept him home, but that's a whole other story). We live in the land of yahoos (sorry, Florida, you've got some high points but the ability to keep masks on is not one of them), so we haven't been a part of society for awhile now. My kids are awesome mask wearers and are very excited that their dad and I are are now half vaccinated.

I was wondering how other people were handling this as they might have thought of something I am missing or have another way to look at it.

We have the option of in person or remote learning (with the same teacher). Many people near me have switched to remote learning ahead of scheduled trips, to avoid both a potential infection and a possible quarantine as a result of being deemed a close contact.