eyedude
TUG Member
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2007
- Messages
- 113
- Reaction score
- 104
- Location
- Minnesota
- Resorts Owned
- Marriott Newport Coast (Platinum Plus and Platinum), Marriott Mountainside (ski week), Marriott Maui Ocean Club Lahaina (week 34,35 and 49,50), DSV 2 (red)
I just wanted to post my experience with these two companies. After reviewing the forums and many posts I was nervous we would not be able to get our results on time. I looked into doing the local with CVS, Walgreens etc but finding an appointment time proved challenging. We decided to use Vault and Azova. Vault is free to MN residents. I paid for my Azova tests.
Vault:
We ordered 4 tests from Vault about 3 weeks before departure. One test came the next day and the other 3 took almost a week. Make sure you order your test well in advance. I think the tests are good for two years. Even though all of us designated the Covid test was for Hawaii, only my test kit had a bright pink sticker. It is my understanding that the bright pink sticker notifies Vault it is for Hawaii and the tests are expedited. I went to Staples and got some bright pink stickers and put them on the other three tests. Vault does not put a time stamp on the tests so we took our test Wednesday at 7 am central for our 1:40 pm flight (pacific time). You can not make an appointment to do your test, so when you are ready, you go into a virtual waiting room. We only had to wait a few minutes. The test process was easy except they need A LOT of saliva...it will take a few minutes and the nurse leaves the video chat and comes back later. We were done by 7:20 am and went to the UPS store. to deliver our packages at 9 am. The last pickup at our UPS store is 6:30 pm. Our packages were on the plane at 9:30 pm and the packages were delivered to Vault at 10 am the next morning. A couple of hours later, we received an email that our tests arrived at Vault and our results would get our results in 24-72 hours. UPS confirmed delivery of all 4 tests but Vault only acknowledged 3 tests (you receive an email when your test arrives at the testing center). They never emailed my wife that hers arrived. I waited until 6 pm and decided to call and inquire...I never got through on the phone. I emailed them and within 30 minutes I got an email back saying the package never arrived and UPS must have lost the test. I emailed back to confirm I have nofiication from Vault and UPS that the test was delivered. She said she would look into it but I never heard back from them. Today, at 6:30 am 3 of us had our negative results. My wife did not get results and they still did not acknowledge receipt of her test. This morning, I emailed them again about my wife's test. Finally, at 3:30 pm today (the day before our scheduled departure) they emailed back and admitted the test was probably lost. All they said was "sorry...we test thousands and it happens". Fortunately, we did a backup test with Azova.
Azova:
We ordered on Costco and received the tests the following day. Azova allows you to make an appointment ahead of time. We made our appointments for Wednesday afternoon at 3:45 pm central since we had a departure at 1:40 pacific. My test was stamped pacific time and the other three were correctly time stamped central time. According to others, this probably would not matter but I certainly would not want to risk flying all the way to Hawaii and have to quarantine 14 days because I took my test 2 hours early. The Azova process was more confusing. For instance, they ask for you to have a provider order a test for you, For others considering Azova, you do not need an order for the test. There is a confirmation code in the box that you need to enter in the computer. The actual test was very easy. The Azova test required way less saliva than the Vault test. I was done after 2-3 spits into the tube. The appointment center host stayed with me the entire time and walked me through the process. I was done in about 15-20 minutes. We then got our tests off to the UPS store by 5 pm. UPS delivered my test to Azova at 10 am. Azova texted me that the tests arrived at 11:30. All 4 of us received our results this morning at 8 am central.
At first, my family thought doing two tests was overkill. When it came time to do the afternoon Azova tests, I too was beginning to wonder if doing the second test was overkill. I paid almost $600 dollars for the other four tests, and the Vault test went really well, so I wondered if I was just wasting my time and money. Now, I am so thankful we did two tests. This trip is going to be super special. We are celebrating our 25th anniversary and my daughter's boyfriend plans to propose while we are there.
I know this experience is completely anecdotal. 3 of 4 of our tests went great with Vault. If our 4th test went well, I would have nothing but great things to say about Vault. I think what bothers me most is they really just washed their hands of the situation...A simple apology and the excuse that they are doing thousands of tests. Buyer beware.
For us, the winner was AZOVA.
Vault:
We ordered 4 tests from Vault about 3 weeks before departure. One test came the next day and the other 3 took almost a week. Make sure you order your test well in advance. I think the tests are good for two years. Even though all of us designated the Covid test was for Hawaii, only my test kit had a bright pink sticker. It is my understanding that the bright pink sticker notifies Vault it is for Hawaii and the tests are expedited. I went to Staples and got some bright pink stickers and put them on the other three tests. Vault does not put a time stamp on the tests so we took our test Wednesday at 7 am central for our 1:40 pm flight (pacific time). You can not make an appointment to do your test, so when you are ready, you go into a virtual waiting room. We only had to wait a few minutes. The test process was easy except they need A LOT of saliva...it will take a few minutes and the nurse leaves the video chat and comes back later. We were done by 7:20 am and went to the UPS store. to deliver our packages at 9 am. The last pickup at our UPS store is 6:30 pm. Our packages were on the plane at 9:30 pm and the packages were delivered to Vault at 10 am the next morning. A couple of hours later, we received an email that our tests arrived at Vault and our results would get our results in 24-72 hours. UPS confirmed delivery of all 4 tests but Vault only acknowledged 3 tests (you receive an email when your test arrives at the testing center). They never emailed my wife that hers arrived. I waited until 6 pm and decided to call and inquire...I never got through on the phone. I emailed them and within 30 minutes I got an email back saying the package never arrived and UPS must have lost the test. I emailed back to confirm I have nofiication from Vault and UPS that the test was delivered. She said she would look into it but I never heard back from them. Today, at 6:30 am 3 of us had our negative results. My wife did not get results and they still did not acknowledge receipt of her test. This morning, I emailed them again about my wife's test. Finally, at 3:30 pm today (the day before our scheduled departure) they emailed back and admitted the test was probably lost. All they said was "sorry...we test thousands and it happens". Fortunately, we did a backup test with Azova.
Azova:
We ordered on Costco and received the tests the following day. Azova allows you to make an appointment ahead of time. We made our appointments for Wednesday afternoon at 3:45 pm central since we had a departure at 1:40 pacific. My test was stamped pacific time and the other three were correctly time stamped central time. According to others, this probably would not matter but I certainly would not want to risk flying all the way to Hawaii and have to quarantine 14 days because I took my test 2 hours early. The Azova process was more confusing. For instance, they ask for you to have a provider order a test for you, For others considering Azova, you do not need an order for the test. There is a confirmation code in the box that you need to enter in the computer. The actual test was very easy. The Azova test required way less saliva than the Vault test. I was done after 2-3 spits into the tube. The appointment center host stayed with me the entire time and walked me through the process. I was done in about 15-20 minutes. We then got our tests off to the UPS store by 5 pm. UPS delivered my test to Azova at 10 am. Azova texted me that the tests arrived at 11:30. All 4 of us received our results this morning at 8 am central.
At first, my family thought doing two tests was overkill. When it came time to do the afternoon Azova tests, I too was beginning to wonder if doing the second test was overkill. I paid almost $600 dollars for the other four tests, and the Vault test went really well, so I wondered if I was just wasting my time and money. Now, I am so thankful we did two tests. This trip is going to be super special. We are celebrating our 25th anniversary and my daughter's boyfriend plans to propose while we are there.
I know this experience is completely anecdotal. 3 of 4 of our tests went great with Vault. If our 4th test went well, I would have nothing but great things to say about Vault. I think what bothers me most is they really just washed their hands of the situation...A simple apology and the excuse that they are doing thousands of tests. Buyer beware.
For us, the winner was AZOVA.