Page 74 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL WINTER SPRING 2022

Pandemicsailingchallenges

By Carl Larsen Celebrity cruise lines offers the at-home kit as
well as taking results from bonafide medical
This is a best-laid plans sometimes can go awry providers.
story. "Fully vaccinated guests can order at-home test
If you're planning on taking a cruise, chances are kits, shipped right to your door (anywhere in the
your cruise line will require you to take a U.S.) within three business days. Complete your
COVID-19 test shortly before you board the ship. pre-cruise test at home, with live video supervised
That's assuming you've already met the require- by a Certified Guide. Get your results in 15 min-
ments for having received earlier the final dose of utes," Celebrity tells its passengers.
COVID-19 injections. Holland America lays outs its protocol, and asks
Getting the COVID test (and hopefully a nega- guests to fill out a medical form on its app just be-
tive result) will require a trip to an authorized test fore sailing. All guests must travel with all of the
provider -- perhaps a local pharmacy, a medical of- following:
fice or another facility with trained medical staff. -- Received their final dose of an approved
In some cases, the procedure can be done in a COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days prior to the be-
drive-up lane with the specimen left for analysis. ginning of the cruise;
Be sure the test you're taking is the one that -- Proof of vaccination;
meets the requirements of the cruise line -- there -- Proof of a negative, medically observed, viral
are several and you need to which one is needed. COVID-19 test (PCR or antigen) taken within two
In some cases, you can pre-order an at-home test days of their embarkation.
that is administered during an online teleconfer- But the real issue for travelers is how much time
ence. Don't rely on information you received a few they have to complete the test before sailing, and
weeks back -- the cruise lines can change their to be given the results.
rules quickly after assessing the latest path of the Generally, cruise ships leaving the U.S. require
COVID pandemic. the test be taken two days before boarding. But

74 WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE WINTER/SPRING 2022