Traveltalkonline.com Forums


SXM Cruise Schedule TTOL Sponsors SXM Travel Calendar
Forum Statistics
Forums39
Topics38,428
Posts310,027
Members26,538
Most Online2,218
Jan 21st, 2020
Top Posters(30 Days)
RonDon 114
pat 43
jazzgal 41
Todd 40
Member Spotlight
casailor53
casailor53
Rincón PR
Posts: 1,169
Joined: December 2004
Show All Member Profiles 
Today's Birthdays
ecco, OceanDrop, vincent
Who's Online Now
39 registered members (mark37, JeanneB, charlie, PML, Kevin_B, deliveryskipper, KirkB, ericlut, lcote, Fred, MrEZgoin, metsfan1, pburke40, pandpfromcanada, ColoBoater, NumberCruncher, ndfaninnc, Uksimonusa, hokiesailor, Kmon, bbeach, Sea_Skyman, steve74, OceanSong, kaba, ChiTownHarry, cbf, IWIWSE, WWII, Billtjw, 9 invisible), 938 guests, and 75 spiders.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test #240037
11/17/2020 04:02 PM
11/17/2020 04:02 PM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 382
Lancaster County PA. Home of t...
Jeff_C Offline OP
Traveler
Jeff_C  Offline OP
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 382
Lancaster County PA. Home of t...
Hi all ,
Need some ideas or advise . Here is my story . We are planing to leave for SXM on Nov. 28 ( morning ) . We will be staying at a hotel the night before we leave . ( Fri . Nov. 27 )
We have our Covid test scheduled for Monday Nov. 23 ( five days before we arrive ) . Called the people that are going to administer our test today and they said the tests are coming back
3 to 5 days after taken . So if the test would happen to come back on the day we are at the hotel or worst case scenario the day we are to leave ( Sat. Nov. 28 ) Will we be able to fill out the SXM health questionnaire
and attach the covid results on the day we would be arriving ? Also if we have all the paper work but still no approval are they allowing covid back up tests at the SXM airport ?
Thanks in advance for any advice . Jeff


If your motto is ; If at first you don't succeed......
Maybe it would be best not to try sky diving !
SXM Sponsors
Re: How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test [Re: Jeff_C] #240040
11/17/2020 04:18 PM
11/17/2020 04:18 PM
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,635
Brookfield, CT.
pat Offline
Traveler
pat  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,635
Brookfield, CT.
Jeff,

We are also scheduled to arrive on the 28th and have our appointments scheduled for the Tuesday the noon before our Saturday morning flight and I am a total nervous wreck over this. The testing center assured me we would have the test results back in time, even after I asked them if they were allowing for a holiday in there. I’m a true ‘what iffer’ ’ and having read the requirements I am very skeptical.
The way I read them, you have to get the results back from your test and upload them to the form and submit it and then wait for the island approval which some say takes an hour and others say many hours.
Good luck to both of us..........


Respectfully,

pat



"Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat
them."
Re: How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test [Re: Jeff_C] #240041
11/17/2020 04:24 PM
11/17/2020 04:24 PM
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 18,560
St Maarten
BillandElaine Offline
Traveler
BillandElaine  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 18,560
St Maarten
You will not be allowed to board the plane without negative test results and approval letter from SXM gov't.


Elaine
*********************************
God Bless the broken road....
Re: How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test [Re: pat] #240042
11/17/2020 04:25 PM
11/17/2020 04:25 PM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 382
Lancaster County PA. Home of t...
Jeff_C Offline OP
Traveler
Jeff_C  Offline OP
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 382
Lancaster County PA. Home of t...
Thanks Pat ,
Let me know how things go for you . If we make it ( we have a total of 5 couples going ) we will be on Orient every day . So if you are in the area come up and say hi .
I would love to celebrate our achievement and buy you a drink or seven . We really might need all of then by then .


If your motto is ; If at first you don't succeed......
Maybe it would be best not to try sky diving !
Re: How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test [Re: BillandElaine] #240043
11/17/2020 04:50 PM
11/17/2020 04:50 PM
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,081
Massachusetts
boucharda Offline
Traveler
boucharda  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,081
Massachusetts
I really don't think that the airlines care about an approval letter. MAYBE a neg test MIGHT be requires depending on the airline but we just went to USVI (with the same 5 day test and approval thing) on Delta and were never asked about either before boarding....

With that said I would NOT take that chance if I didn't have at least the neg test result in hand

Re: How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test [Re: Jeff_C] #240047
11/17/2020 05:24 PM
11/17/2020 05:24 PM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,564
Auburn, WA
SXMScubaman Offline
Traveler
SXMScubaman  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,564
Auburn, WA
Just make sure your tests are within 120hrs and not just 5 days prior to your last flight to SXM.

Re: How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test [Re: SXMScubaman] #240049
11/17/2020 05:52 PM
11/17/2020 05:52 PM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 382
Lancaster County PA. Home of t...
Jeff_C Offline OP
Traveler
Jeff_C  Offline OP
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 382
Lancaster County PA. Home of t...
We are all scheduled for out test on Nov. 23 around 4:30 PM . Our flight leaves on Nov. 28 at 8:30 AM . So we are at about 112 hrs .


If your motto is ; If at first you don't succeed......
Maybe it would be best not to try sky diving !
Re: How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test [Re: Jeff_C] #240050
11/17/2020 06:12 PM
11/17/2020 06:12 PM
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 236
M
MrWhiskerssammy Offline
Traveler
MrWhiskerssammy  Offline
Traveler
M
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 236
IMHO you are cutting things way too close. Thanksgiving is involved--I'm sure the labs won't be working on that day--and you also have a travel day involved. It's a bad week to try to go there with the restriction that are in place right now. I would be trying to find out if there is any way the lab can speed things up so have the results on Wed.

Re: How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test [Re: Jeff_C] #240052
11/17/2020 06:23 PM
11/17/2020 06:23 PM
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 419
Beverly MA (Boston's North Sho...
timnboston Offline
Traveler
timnboston  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 419
Beverly MA (Boston's North Sho...
Does the hotel that you are staying at have a "Business Center" with computers that you could use?

Re: How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test [Re: Jeff_C] #240054
11/17/2020 07:30 PM
11/17/2020 07:30 PM
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 295
Lake Orion, MI
gomer36 Offline
Traveler
gomer36  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 295
Lake Orion, MI
Hello Jeff,
We're headed down the 30th, and have the Thanksgiving holiday in our testing window as well. My wife is in healthcare, and works for the largest system here in the Detroit area. She checked through her sources, and was told the labs will be fully staffed and working as normal through the holiday. 24/7/365 operation. They did say that testing supplies like reagent are getting tight. They have seen test results for PCR's slip from 24 hour turn-around to 48 hours due to the increase in testing numbers, but see no issue in getting us our results in plenty of time to get it into the portal unless something changes drastically.

The allowable testing window starts at 120 hours before your flight departs if direct, or 120 hours before your connecting flight inbound to SXM and we're going to do everything we can to stay within it. Much depends on the lab your test provider is using. Most large hospital systems have their own labs, and their affiliated doctors and urgent care locations can use them. CVS, clinics and unaffiliated urgent care facilities and the like use independent labs like Quest Diagnostics, which have widely varying processing times based on location and demand...even how often the lab courier picks up at your test location has an impact. If they pick up at noon and you get tested at 1pm, there goes 1 day right there. We're actually going two different routes just for peace of mind. My doctor pal says the Quest in our area is turning his test results in 72 hours from pick-up right now. Best of luck, safe travels.


"We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch - we are going back from whence we came." ~ John F. Kennedy
Re: How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test [Re: Jeff_C] #240067
11/17/2020 08:36 PM
11/17/2020 08:36 PM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,564
Auburn, WA
SXMScubaman Offline
Traveler
SXMScubaman  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,564
Auburn, WA
Originally Posted by Jeff_C
We are all scheduled for out test on Nov. 23 around 4:30 PM . Our flight leaves on Nov. 28 at 8:30 AM . So we are at about 112 hrs .

Good 👍

Re: How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test [Re: MrWhiskerssammy] #240089
11/17/2020 10:06 PM
11/17/2020 10:06 PM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 382
Lancaster County PA. Home of t...
Jeff_C Offline OP
Traveler
Jeff_C  Offline OP
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 382
Lancaster County PA. Home of t...
One of the couples that are going , works at the hospital that the lab will be testing . . She did say that the lab is working 24 / 7 . And that they will be testing on Thanksgiving day . I really could not have made my test any earlier .
I only have 8 hrs . to play with now . Thanks Jeff


If your motto is ; If at first you don't succeed......
Maybe it would be best not to try sky diving !
Re: How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test [Re: timnboston] #240092
11/17/2020 10:10 PM
11/17/2020 10:10 PM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 382
Lancaster County PA. Home of t...
Jeff_C Offline OP
Traveler
Jeff_C  Offline OP
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 382
Lancaster County PA. Home of t...
I am also thing the same way that you are . My wife will take her laptop with us when we go to the hotel . That will be on Fri. So if we get the approval late after noon or that evening we can go down to the front desk
and send the email to them . Thanks Jeff


If your motto is ; If at first you don't succeed......
Maybe it would be best not to try sky diving !
Re: How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test [Re: gomer36] #240093
11/17/2020 10:16 PM
11/17/2020 10:16 PM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 382
Lancaster County PA. Home of t...
Jeff_C Offline OP
Traveler
Jeff_C  Offline OP
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 382
Lancaster County PA. Home of t...
Thanks Gomer36 ,
We have a person going with us , that works at the hospital where we will be getting our test . She said the test is done in house . So that is good because it will save some time .
She also said that the lab is working 24 / 7 . And will be working on Thanksgiving . ( Hope they get paid well !!! ) Jeff


If your motto is ; If at first you don't succeed......
Maybe it would be best not to try sky diving !
Re: How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test [Re: Jeff_C] #240095
11/17/2020 11:10 PM
11/17/2020 11:10 PM
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 540
Maine USA
doctorj Offline
Traveler
doctorj  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 540
Maine USA
Have a great vacation. Wish we could have met you there!
Another time. Pennsylvania at a pool party with good friends?
carib cheers,
doctorj


It's Five O'Clock Somewhere........
Re: How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test [Re: doctorj] #240100
11/18/2020 05:51 AM
11/18/2020 05:51 AM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 382
Lancaster County PA. Home of t...
Jeff_C Offline OP
Traveler
Jeff_C  Offline OP
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 382
Lancaster County PA. Home of t...
hey Doctorj ,
We would have had a great time , but I'm sure we will meet up soon . Stay safe Jeff


If your motto is ; If at first you don't succeed......
Maybe it would be best not to try sky diving !
Re: How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test [Re: boucharda] #240102
11/18/2020 06:38 AM
11/18/2020 06:38 AM
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 18,560
St Maarten
BillandElaine Offline
Traveler
BillandElaine  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 18,560
St Maarten
Everyone on our flight to SXM had their documents, including health form. test and approval letter scrutinized. At least one person I saw was left behind.


Elaine
*********************************
God Bless the broken road....
Re: How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test [Re: BillandElaine] #240103
11/18/2020 06:46 AM
11/18/2020 06:46 AM
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 13,398
Peaceful Eastern North Carolin...
GaKaye Offline
Traveler
GaKaye  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 13,398
Peaceful Eastern North Carolin...
Originally Posted by BillandElaine
Everyone on our flight to SXM had their documents, including health form. test and approval letter scrutinized. At least one person I saw was left behind.


Elaine...health form? Do you mean the EHAS application form? We didn't print those before we submitted them, and there was no way that I saw to save them. We will print our test results and approval letter, but there's no way to print that application form. I can't see why we'd need that anyway, since we can't have gotten the approval letter without submitting it.

Re: How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test [Re: GaKaye] #240106
11/18/2020 07:32 AM
11/18/2020 07:32 AM
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 101
Atlanta, GA
BenP Offline
Traveler
BenP  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 101
Atlanta, GA
We carried a printed copy of the “Pre-Approval” .pdf document that was emailed to us from Sint Maarten EHAS and negative lab report. Some folks just showed the info on their phone but I only saw a couple do that.

I saved the emails as back up.

Re: How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test [Re: boucharda] #240111
11/18/2020 08:34 AM
11/18/2020 08:34 AM
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,040
falmouth,MA
wendyk Offline
Traveler
wendyk  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,040
falmouth,MA
To Boucharda

This was NOT true with Jet Blue on my flight out of Boston on the 7th. They scrutinized EVERY form - both SXM approval AND test results.

You also need BOTH printed out for PJIA.

Re: How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test [Re: GaKaye] #240116
11/18/2020 09:01 AM
11/18/2020 09:01 AM
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 18,560
St Maarten
BillandElaine Offline
Traveler
BillandElaine  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 18,560
St Maarten
Sorry, you are right. Health form not necessary, but test and approval are!


Elaine
*********************************
God Bless the broken road....
Re: How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test [Re: wendyk] #240118
11/18/2020 09:33 AM
11/18/2020 09:33 AM
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,081
Massachusetts
boucharda Offline
Traveler
boucharda  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,081
Massachusetts
Just out of curiosity of those who traveled to the Caribbean it would be interesting to know the airline they used and if they asked for test results and entrance permission forms before getting on the aircraft.

Delta didn't ask in BOS or EWR for us but, as mentioned above JetBlue did ask in BOS

Re: How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test [Re: boucharda] #240119
11/18/2020 09:47 AM
11/18/2020 09:47 AM
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,625
United States of America
bdeeley Offline
Traveler
bdeeley  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,625
United States of America
We had to show our “Final” lab report and SXM Pre-Approval both in Baltimore(origin) and again in Miami. There was no online check-in allowed. We flew AMERICAN on both legs.


Be Happy! Simply because you deserve to be. 😁
Re: How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test [Re: boucharda] #240120
11/18/2020 09:55 AM
11/18/2020 09:55 AM
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 18,560
St Maarten
BillandElaine Offline
Traveler
BillandElaine  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 18,560
St Maarten
JB for us. From JFK

Last edited by BillandElaine; 11/18/2020 09:55 AM.

Elaine
*********************************
God Bless the broken road....
Re: How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test [Re: SXMScubaman] #240121
11/18/2020 10:35 AM
11/18/2020 10:35 AM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 34
Milwaukee, WI USA
rterrones Offline
Traveler
rterrones  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 34
Milwaukee, WI USA
Interesting conversations. We are traveling 12/05 and our last Delta leg lvs Atl at 9:50 AM arriving at 2:42 PM. So that means we have to have had our test after 9:50 AM on Monday 11/30?? Want to get tested at a CVS Pharmacy but with the Covid rates rising here they will only say 2-5 days. Just a little anxious.

Re: How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test [Re: BillandElaine] #240123
11/18/2020 10:49 AM
11/18/2020 10:49 AM
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 13,398
Peaceful Eastern North Carolin...
GaKaye Offline
Traveler
GaKaye  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 13,398
Peaceful Eastern North Carolin...
Originally Posted by BillandElaine
Sorry, you are right. Health form not necessary, but test and approval are!


Yep, got those! Printed, and on both phones. Belt and suspenders approach..

Re: How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test [Re: GaKaye] #240125
11/18/2020 10:52 AM
11/18/2020 10:52 AM
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 18,560
St Maarten
BillandElaine Offline
Traveler
BillandElaine  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 18,560
St Maarten
Can't wait!


Elaine
*********************************
God Bless the broken road....
Re: How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test [Re: rterrones] #240131
11/18/2020 12:01 PM
11/18/2020 12:01 PM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,564
Auburn, WA
SXMScubaman Offline
Traveler
SXMScubaman  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,564
Auburn, WA
"So that means we have to have had our test after 9:50 AM on Monday 11/30??"
Correct.

Re: How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test [Re: boucharda] #240138
11/18/2020 12:43 PM
11/18/2020 12:43 PM
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,144
Washington, DC/SXM
Angelface Offline
Traveler
Angelface  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,144
Washington, DC/SXM
Originally Posted by boucharda
Just out of curiosity of those who traveled to the Caribbean it would be interesting to know the airline they used and if they asked for test results and entrance permission forms before getting on the aircraft.

Delta didn't ask in BOS or EWR for us but, as mentioned above JetBlue did ask in BOS

I traveled down in September to SXM on American from BWI (via MIA). They asked for my approval in Baltimore at check in. And they checked everyone's approval paperwork at the gate in Miami. So yes, at least on American, they wouldn't let you on the plane without pre-approval paperwork.

Re: How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test [Re: Jeff_C] #240140
11/18/2020 12:52 PM
11/18/2020 12:52 PM
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 419
Beverly MA (Boston's North Sho...
timnboston Offline
Traveler
timnboston  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 419
Beverly MA (Boston's North Sho...
Is the time recorded on the test or just the date? I've been tested a couple of time and cant find a time on the report. If they are checking for the time, are they allowing for the various time zones?

Re: How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test [Re: timnboston] #240144
11/18/2020 01:24 PM
11/18/2020 01:24 PM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,564
Auburn, WA
SXMScubaman Offline
Traveler
SXMScubaman  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,564
Auburn, WA
"If they are checking for the time, are they allowing for the various time zones?"

Good question.

Re: How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test [Re: timnboston] #240145
11/18/2020 01:25 PM
11/18/2020 01:25 PM
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,144
Washington, DC/SXM
Angelface Offline
Traveler
Angelface  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,144
Washington, DC/SXM
Originally Posted by timnboston
Is the time recorded on the test or just the date? I've been tested a couple of time and cant find a time on the report. If they are checking for the time, are they allowing for the various time zones?

My results from LabCorp have the time of the test listed on the form.

Re: How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test [Re: Jeff_C] #240159
11/18/2020 03:14 PM
11/18/2020 03:14 PM
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,081
Massachusetts
boucharda Offline
Traveler
boucharda  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,081
Massachusetts
Mine had "collection time" on it but it was 5 hours after we actually had it done.

Re: How would SXm entry be possable with last minute Covid test [Re: boucharda] #240186
11/18/2020 05:48 PM
11/18/2020 05:48 PM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,564
Auburn, WA
SXMScubaman Offline
Traveler
SXMScubaman  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,564
Auburn, WA
That gives you an extra bit of time for flight delays.


Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.6.1