We Tested Positive For Covid at the Port and Here's What Happened

[lanejudy]

Wait, there is a 90-day exemption? Please tell me more as I tested positive last week and we cruise in less than 90 days (barely).

I think mmouse37 posted the details from SafePassage in this thread:
https://www.disboards.com/threads/90-day-recovery-status.3865302/

 

[ChicosWife]

I think mmouse37 posted the details from SafePassage in this thread:
https://www.disboards.com/threads/90-day-recovery-status.3865302/

Thanks!

 

[sethschroeder]

Just not a good experience and it shows the need to have a backup plan in case you get denied at port. My backup plan on both cruises has been driving home even though its over 1000 miles away both times.

 

[BAIC03]

Yes! I’m chronicalling my journey here: https://www.disboards.com/threads/a-real-life-would-you-rather-decided-for-us.3866467/

 

[RRP68]

I’m sorry to hear you weren’t able to go on your cruise. The same thing happened to us last week. I was the unlucky one that tested positive at the port. I took a home test before flying to Florida and it came back negative but the PCR test was positive at the port. I am fully vaccinated including the booster so it was a complete shock to get the news at the port.
We were given the option of a full refund or a credit for a future sailing and had to give them our decision immediately. They failed to mention any fine print details for either option before we made our decision. We opted for the credit unaware they would not refund the travel insurance, taxes and fees or the prepaid gratuities. We just got our credit email today and are out over $900 between our two staterooms. I’m quite disgusted with DCL right now. This was going to be my first DCL cruise and they have definitely left a bad impression with the way this was handled.
Since you opted for a full refund, can you tell me if you got 100% of your money back, including taxes, fees, DCL travel insurance and any prepaid gratuities? Also have you received your refund yet?
We are thinking of calling and telling them we want a full refund instead but would love any additional info on that process that you can provide.
Thanks so much. I completely get the disappointment since it just happened to my family last week but you seem to be taking it in stride.

 

[mmouse37]

I will say, I read this entire thread with interest even though I have never taken a cruise, nor will I likely ever take one! Cruise ships seems to be the worst case scenario for catching things! I definitely feel as though the original poster and her family were mistreated. But, I guess, I can't believe people even want to take a cruise with COVID going on! Anyway, I loved reading everyone's responses!

Actually not IMO. I think that is the perception that is out there but in fact I felt much safer cruising the two times since cruising restarted than I did in our local grocery store. Elevator buttons, railings, doorways, arm rests, tables, chairs, etc. are wiped down all the time. Even before Covid, at least with DCL, the ships were cleaned constantly and you are really not in anybody's face or personal space. If you take precautions with your self like hand sanitizing and handwashing and keeping your hands away from your face should be OK.

MJ

 

[happycamper47]

Actually not IMO. I think that is the perception that is out there but in fact I felt much safer cruising the two times since cruising restarted than I did in our local grocery store. Elevator buttons, railings, doorways, arm rests, tables, chairs, etc. are wiped down all the time. Even before Covid, at least with DCL, the ships were cleaned constantly and you are really not in anybody's face or personal space. If you take precautions with your self like hand sanitizing and handwashing and keeping your hands away from your face should be OK.

MJ

Agree 100% and we have already taken 3. 14 day DCL Panama Canal, 5 day Princess, 3 day Dream and another 7 day Fantasy in 2 weeks.

 

[jujubiee4]

I’m sorry to hear you weren’t able to go on your cruise. The same thing happened to us last week. I was the unlucky one that tested positive at the port. I took a home test before flying to Florida and it came back negative but the PCR test was positive at the port. I am fully vaccinated including the booster so it was a complete shock to get the news at the port.
We were given the option of a full refund or a credit for a future sailing and had to give them our decision immediately. They failed to mention any fine print details for either option before we made our decision. We opted for the credit unaware they would not refund the travel insurance, taxes and fees or the prepaid gratuities. We just got our credit email today and are out over $900 between our two staterooms. I’m quite disgusted with DCL right now.

This is our nightmare why we won't fly to Florida for now to cruise.

I'm sorry this has happened to you and I hope you get the credit situation resolved.

 

[lanejudy]

they would not refund the travel insurance, taxes and fees or the prepaid gratuities

I'm sorry your cruise was cancelled on you. The travel insurance is non-refundable because it's actually purchased from another company with DCL as middleman. But taxes and fees should be returned, they always are if the guestdoesn't cruise or the port is skipped; and I would think the prepaid gratuities would be refunded as well just like stateroom gifts. Are you sure the email you received final? Those other items may require a separate notification because they likely were under separate accounting streams.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

PCR tests can be positive for a very long time. Well after the threat of infecting others has passed. I’m not understanding why they would not do additional rapid antigen testing if the PCR was positive? Why wouldn’t they ask for a PCR test to be done in your community prior to travel with results uploaded to them? It just seems like this could have easily been avoided with a better process in place.

I would recommend getting a PCR test prior to traveling to the port. If it is negative at home and positive at the port you very likely are positive. If it is positive at home you potentially could reach out to your physician for additional serum testing to clear things up. I’m so sorry you all went through that. Your poor kiddos

This is why we are starting multiple PCR tests at home now for our March 4 cruise. Until we see a negative test, who knows if we have asymptomatic covid? Who knows if it's from an old infection from 2 months ago? Are we recovered or merely asymptomatic? This is why multiple tests would help.

Our test last Sunday was negative. We'll test again on Feb 20, 7 days after my dad's 80th birthday dinner, just in case we are unknowingly exposed. Then one more PCR as we get closer to our sail date. I might pack a rapid antigen test for right before we leave for the port. We didn't do all of this on our last 2 cruises, we just showed up and figured it's a chance you take. Our kids are grown and not sailing with us these days. I was prepared for possible disappointment.

This time I don't want to get caught by surprise and if we are testing positive on a PCR from an old infection, I want to know about it early on and give my doctor ample time to see that we're recovered.

For all of you angry at DCL for testing at the port and you want to know 3 days prior, or 10 days prior, well take your own tests. Tests are plentiful now; don't wait for someone else to tell you. Still, one PCR won't explain if you're testing positive from a new infection or an old one from 2 months ago. Create a timeline of test results so you know the approximate time you converted. Then, as long as you recover in time, get a doctor's note.

OP, I am so sorry this happened to you and your family. It's terrible that DCL left you all waiting so long and forgot about you. That is not what we'd expect from Disney. I applaud you for your positive outlook on the whole situation. Sharing your story will help others better prepare.

 

[Disneyland_emily]

I’m sorry to hear you weren’t able to go on your cruise. The same thing happened to us last week. I was the unlucky one that tested positive at the port. I took a home test before flying to Florida and it came back negative but the PCR test was positive at the port. I am fully vaccinated including the booster so it was a complete shock to get the news at the port.
We were given the option of a full refund or a credit for a future sailing and had to give them our decision immediately. They failed to mention any fine print details for either option before we made our decision. We opted for the credit unaware they would not refund the travel insurance, taxes and fees or the prepaid gratuities. We just got our credit email today and are out over $900 between our two staterooms. I’m quite disgusted with DCL right now. This was going to be my first DCL cruise and they have definitely left a bad impression with the way this was handled.
Since you opted for a full refund, can you tell me if you got 100% of your money back, including taxes, fees, DCL travel insurance and any prepaid gratuities? Also have you received your refund yet?
We are thinking of calling and telling them we want a full refund instead but would love any additional info on that process that you can provide.
Thanks so much. I completely get the disappointment since it just happened to my family last week but you seem to be taking it in stride.

When sailings were cancelled during the shutdown- taxes/fees & onboard gifts were refunded in “cash” even if you took FCC. Since FCC only includes the actual fare not ‘total price’ so I’d very much imagine you’ll see that refund to however you paid in about a week-ish.

Insurance is the one that’s a sunk cost unfortunately

 

[Geomom]

I’m sorry to hear you weren’t able to go on your cruise. The same thing happened to us last week. I was the unlucky one that tested positive at the port. I took a home test before flying to Florida and it came back negative but the PCR test was positive at the port. I am fully vaccinated including the booster so it was a complete shock to get the news at the port.
We were given the option of a full refund or a credit for a future sailing and had to give them our decision immediately. They failed to mention any fine print details for either option before we made our decision. We opted for the credit unaware they would not refund the travel insurance, taxes and fees or the prepaid gratuities. We just got our credit email today and are out over $900 between our two staterooms. I’m quite disgusted with DCL right now. This was going to be my first DCL cruise and they have definitely left a bad impression with the way this was handled.
Since you opted for a full refund, can you tell me if you got 100% of your money back, including taxes, fees, DCL travel insurance and any prepaid gratuities? Also have you received your refund yet?
We are thinking of calling and telling them we want a full refund instead but would love any additional info on that process that you can provide.
Thanks so much. I completely get the disappointment since it just happened to my family last week but you seem to be taking it in stride.

You will definitely get the taxes, fees, and prepaid gratuity back as a refund, but it's not instant. Completely unrelated, but when our 2020 cruise was cancelled our FCC did not include the taxes/fees, those were refunded separately. Insurance...I really don't understand why that can't just move to the new sailing, but I agree, you've probably lost that $.

So sorry this happened to you though! It's heartbreaking to be denied boarding.

 

[braysmommy]

Agree with the others you will get taxes, fees, and prepaid gratuity back. We canceled one of our cruises instead of taking the credit at the beginning of the pandemic and I had multiple refunds to my credit card in some very odd amounts but it eventually all added up. I'm sorry this has happened to you.

 

[TreeFalls]

For all of you angry at DCL for testing at the port and you want to know 3 days prior, or 10 days prior, well take your own tests.

What's so difficult is the unknown and inability to plan...even if you do test negative in the weeks leading up, you can test positive at the port. The person in our travel party who tested positive had a negative pcr test less than 48 hours earlier. I agree with pp, I wouldn't cruise now if I couldn't drive there.

 

[jujubiee4]

This is why we are starting multiple PCR tests at home now for our March 4 cruise. Until we see a negative test, who knows if we have asymptomatic covid? Who knows if it's from an old infection from 2 months ago? Are we recovered or merely asymptomatic? This is why multiple tests would help.

Are you paying for these on your own? Around here PCR tests I think are 125-200. Although
at the drug stores they are free. I just don't know if they are PCR.

 

[HeatherLassell]

Just reading that made me so sad. I'm sorry that happened! Is your 11 year ok now?

 

[n2mm]

A note about insurance.

a few years ago my cruise was canceled, Hurricane Irma. I had purchased my travel insurance through a website that compares policies as I’ve done it this way for years. I contacted the company after my cruise was canceled and they told me as long as I didn’t use the policy, it could be transferred to another cruise. I booked a VGT for the following month, contacted the insurance company and they transferred the policy to that new cruise. While this won’t work for insurance you buy through dcl, it did work through policies booked not with dcl. I didn’t know this until I had seen another member post this information a few years ago.

 

[braysmommy]

Are you paying for these on your own? Around here PCR tests I think are 125-200. Although
at the drug stores they are free. I just don't know if they are PCR.

Walgreens and CVS both offer PCR testing.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

What's so difficult is the unknown and inability to plan...even if you do test negative in the weeks leading up, you can test positive at the port. The person in our travel party who tested positive had a negative pcr test less than 48 hours earlier. I agree with pp, I wouldn't cruise now if I couldn't drive there.

This is unfortunate and all the planning and testing in the world can’t guarantee that we will be able to board. It won’t stop us from getting covid shortly before our cruise. It will however, show me 3 weeks prior if I have an asymptomatic case. Then I’m able to contact my physician so that 11 days prior to sail date he could confidently give me a letter of recovery.
My point is that a lot more can be done than just showing up at the port and crossing our fingers.
If I test 5 times prior to sailing and suddenly test positive at the port, there’s nothing I can do. I will have peace of mind that I did all I could to be able to board.
If I dont start testing in advance, just go to the port and test positive, I will forever be wondering if I really had an active/new infection, or was I simply testing positive because the PCR is detecting an old, unknown infection from a month or 2 ago. If it’s the latter, then there are actions I can take to prove it and then be able to board. I wouldn’t want that feeling of regret that there were things I could have done, but didn’t.

ETA: I’m not saying this as a poke to the OP. For our first 2 cruises in August and November, we too just showed up at the port and hoped for the best. I dont want to do that again. She is kind enough to share her story but we can all learn from it.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Are you paying for these on your own? Around here PCR tests I think are 125-200. Although
at the drug stores they are free. I just don't know if they are PCR.

No. CVS doesn’t ask if it’s related to travel.
Also CVS lets you search according to the type of test that you're looking for. You know what type of test you’ll be getting because you select it.