Age Discrimination

Since I choose cruises based on the locations visited and the shore excursions offered, I am particularly annoyed at having been denied participation in two shore excursions (on my latest Celebrity cruise) based on my age. Having researched the offered shore excursions prior to departure, NOWHERE ON THE CELEBRITY WEB PAGE DID IT MENTION SUCH RESTRICTION. I am 67 years old and very fit for my age. Using the ship's exercise facilities on a daily basis, I could tell that I am fitter than 99% of the cruisers on board. Despite being willing to sign a waiver, or pass a fitness test, I was informed that anyone over 60 could not participate. I consider this discriminatory, insulting, and awful customer service (based on reasons why I cruise, as mentioned above).

Having also had a shore excursion canceled at the last minute on the same cruise, and having had a major port of call (Lima, Peru) canceled prior to departure, I will not be cruising with Celebrity ever again. Future Celebrity cruisers beware!!!! :mad:

Since I choose cruises based on the locations visited and the shore excursions offered, I am particularly annoyed at having been denied participation in two shore excursions (on my latest Celebrity cruise) based on my age. Having researched the offered shore excursions prior to departure, NOWHERE ON THE CELEBRITY WEB PAGE DID IT MENTION SUCH RESTRICTION. I am 67 years old and very fit for my age. Using the ship's exercise facilities on a daily basis, I could tell that I am fitter than 99% of the cruisers on board. Despite being willing to sign a waiver, or pass a fitness test, I was informed that anyone over 60 could not participate. I consider this discriminatory, insulting, and awful customer service (based on reasons why I cruise, as mentioned above).

Having also had a shore excursion canceled at the last minute on the same cruise, and having had a major port of call (Lima, Peru) canceled prior to departure, I will not be cruising with Celebrity ever again. Future Celebrity cruisers beware!!!! :mad:

What were the excursions?

Celebrity has quite a few excursions with max age restrictions (judging from some threads here on CC). I'd have to imagine it has very little to do with individual capability of each passenger and everything to do with whatever liability insurance they have procured for their shore excursion coverage. Although I find it strange that you didn't see it mentioned on the website.

What were the excursions?

What were the excursions?

One involved snorkeling, the other involved kayaking.

You do know that the Shore Excursions are not run by Celebrity, don't you? They are all farmed out. Perhaps the tour operators are the ones to be angry with.

1) Please advise which excursions you were denied

2) A quick glance of the Celebrity shore excursions does show many with age restrictions, a couple examples I easily found were:

-Ushuaia, Argentina -Fishing trip and horseback riding - 65 and 60 respectively

-Puerto Montt, Chile - Rafting, Nature Park - 65 and 85 respecitively

While I feel for you and will soon be that age where I might be prohibited from participating in excursions, my experience has been the exact opposite where people were on an excursion and did not have the physical capability to handle it. A bad situation all around. While an age limit may seem arbitrary it's easier and more reliable than trying to have a ships officer judge each passengers capability.

You do realize that age limitations, for both younger and older passengers, are made by the local vendor and not by the cruise line. We've seen age limits on many cruise lines for quite a few eccursions, and it was explained that it's directly related to liability issues and insurance.

You do know that the Shore Excursions are not run by Celebrity, don't you? They are all farmed out. Perhaps the tour operators are the ones to be angry with.

You do realize that age limitations, for both younger and older passengers, are made by the local vendor and not by the cruise line. We've seen age limits on many cruise lines for quite a few eccursions, and it was explained that it's directly related to liability issues and insurance.

The OP is complaining that the age restrictions were not disclosed, if that's correct it would be Celebrity who dropped the ball. Having a restriction is one thing, but not indicating it on the shore excursion page would be a whole different issue.

I have always seen age and weight restrictions noted (if there are any) when searching for Celebrity excursions.

Unfortunately, there was one I wanted to do in San Juan, but I am older than the age limit posted! :( Glad I did the same excursion when I was "younger"!

The age restrictions are imposed by the tour operator and are entirely arbitrary. I love to snorkel, my DH not so much. But, he is strong swimmer while I am not. I can book a snorkel excursion from the beach but he can't because he is 15 months older than I am.

I find it hard to return from the reef to the shore but he can not join me in the excursion to help me because of the difference in our ages. As I said, totally arbitrary.

Knowing my limitations, I avoid snorkeling from the beach.

This might not have helped the OP, in his particular situation -- but, it might help to check out private excursions, too. Often, you can find a better excursion, at a more reasonable price. For certain, no private catamaran skipper has ever told us we were too old to snorkel! :cool:

If you are renting a car, you should make sure that you are within the age limits set by the car rental agency. It's not unusual to find car rental companies in say Ireland that won't rent to you if you are over 75. Arbitrary...yes, annoying yes...but it's just one more thing you have to check carefully when you are moving on in years.

Celebrity uses independent tour operators who set the restrictions. Don't blame Celebrity. You can do most activities independently. In most ports there are other private excursions available. Those excursions are usually cheaper. I have taken many private excursions as a couple or with a small group that I have met through cruise critic roll call. I have saved a lot of money over the years and had a fabulous time. Search on the internet and find alternative tours. If you still think that Celebrity is not for you, cruise on another line.

Do indépendant excursions....the cruiseline tries to cover their ass by putting those restrictions in place. An independent guide will have more flexibility.

Do indépendant excursions....the cruiseline tries to cover their ass by putting those restrictions in place. An independent guide will have more flexibility.

The cruise line does not put those restrictions in place...

I'm turning 70 soon but I'm very active and love things like snorkeling and kayaking, zip lines, paddle boards, etc. I too would resent being told I am 'too old'.

I understand the insurance/liability thing, but really it's not fair to lump people together like that. I've seen plenty of younger people who were in really horrible shape.

We hardly ever take ship tours, so that solves most of these problems. Independent tour operators are usually much more flexible.

I'd have been unhappy too to find out I wasn't allowed to do an activity after I had already booked. I have seen age and weight limitations listed on some ship tours.

Since I choose cruises based on the locations visited and the shore excursions offered, I am particularly annoyed at having been denied participation in two shore excursions (on my latest Celebrity cruise) based on my age. Having researched the offered shore excursions prior to departure, NOWHERE ON THE CELEBRITY WEB PAGE DID IT MENTION SUCH RESTRICTION. I am 67 years old and very fit for my age. Using the ship's exercise facilities on a daily basis, I could tell that I am fitter than 99% of the cruisers on board. Despite being willing to sign a waiver, or pass a fitness test, I was informed that anyone over 60 could not participate. I consider this discriminatory, insulting, and awful customer service (based on reasons why I cruise, as mentioned above).

Having also had a shore excursion canceled at the last minute on the same cruise, and having had a major port of call (Lima, Peru) canceled prior to departure, I will not be cruising with Celebrity ever again. Future Celebrity cruisers beware!!!! :mad:

I totally agree. My husband is 73 and can climb mountains, and hikes on a regular basis. There are a lot of people who are forty that are not in such good shape.

Also, I certainly hope the OP doesn't think Celebrity is the only cruiseline with these restrictions.

Looking back on what the OP wrote, I realize that all of the things that happened to him could happen on any cruise. Ports get cancelled. Shore Excursions get cancelled. There are age restrictions. These are the facts of cruising, on Celebrity and elsewhere.

Celebrity uses independent tour operators who set the restrictions. Don't blame Celebrity. You can do most activities independently. In most ports there are other private excursions available. Those excursions are usually cheaper. I have taken many private excursions as a couple or with a small group that I have met through cruise critic roll call. I have saved a lot of money over the years and had a fabulous time. Search on the internet and find alternative tours. If you still think that Celebrity is not for you, cruise on another line.

Of course Celebrity is to blame. They contract with the local operators. It is Celebrity that hires them and dictates the age restrictions. They set them for obvious reasons. They are a big corperation. There are several thousand passengers on a ship. They can't check the health of every passenger who books an excursion. So they are playing it safe by setting age restrictions. It may not seem fair for them to lump us all together but actually it is fair when they sponsor the excursion.

One involved snorkeling, the other involved kayaking.

That would make me cross too.

Recently on a QM2 excursion they had two separate snorkelling trips. Advanced or beginners. I chose advanced as I have snorkelled "around the world". The guy looked at me and raised his eyebrows. But put me in the advanced group. He said he had a tyre I could grab onto if I got into trouble.:rolleyes:

The trip started with around 30 people of all ages. Another woman and I both in our late fifties were the only ones not needing the tyre - in fact, that group was so slow we set off ourselves to explore on our own. They were exhausted - we came back wanting to go out again.

It IS the local provider, NOT Celebrity, that dictates such restrictions...They each run their own show--Celebrity only contracts with them. Actually, the SAME providers, in most ports also contract with Princess, Carnival, RCCL, HAL, Oceania, NCL...and everyone else. And has the SAME restrictions with all of them. We've cruised on eight different lines and have visited many ports multiple times and have actually had the same tours and providers with different cruise lines.

This "Age Discrimination" is actually perfectly legal in just about every country. It may seem arbitrary to you...yes, some people are more fit at 60 than some others are at 30, but, they don't really have to individually qualify everyone--they CAN be totally arbitrary--including setting minimum ages as well.

If you want to do a Shorex, you just have to deal with their rules. Otherwise, arrange your own independent tour or activity--You can even negotiate those--including the ability to control the content to be appropriate to your desires or capabilities...

.......You can even negotiate those--including the ability to control the content to be appropriate to your desires or capabilities...

But they made it appear as though they were doing us a big favor by making an exception for him, not realizing that it is often done.

By the way, he had no trouble at all. We never understood why they put an age restriction on it.

We discussed it with the shore excursion manager afterward, who agreed that that putting an age limit on it was probably a mistake. It was a very easy excursion and I think most people over 90 would have been fine with it.

Certainly Betty White would have been.

I can just imagine her reaction if someone tried to keep her off an excursion she wanted to go on. :D

(For those reading this who are not Americans and may never have heard of Betty White, she is a very feisty 93 year old comedy actress on TV here.)

I am 69 and do Insanity workouts, P90X, 2 and 3, Max 30, Les Mills and bike 16 to 50 miles a day. I consider my self very fit. Dont take any meds and never had any problems. Was driving home from our last cruise in in Dec and at 9am while driving down I 75 in TN I started to lose my vision and things started to get blurry and I was getting dizzy and afraid that I was going to blackout. I didn't know if I could make it to a exit so I looked for a place on the shoulder to pull over. My wife asked what is the matter and I told her.

She took over and drove. Sitting there I was getting nauseous and wasn't improving. I was still feeling dizzy and my sight was still blurry. 30 minutes later I told her that we need to get to a hospital. We found a hospital in Athens and I qwent into emergency and now it reality struck. The nurse that was interviewing me announced over the PA that they have a 69 year old male that needs immediate attention. That is when you realize that no matter how young you feel you are 69 and that is how others see you.

I was rushed into a room and they started working on me. Giving me as many test as they could think of and asking questions. EKG, blood and urine samples, brain scan, and carotid artery scan. I have less than 1% plaque build up or blockage. Then 4 hours later they ran many of the tests again. At 5 pm they released me and said that they couldn't find anything and told me to get a appointment with my doctor. I tried driving the next day and would get dizzy and blurry vision. My wife ended up driving us home.

My doctor ran the same tests, I went to a eye doctor, I wore a heart monitor for two days. Constantly checked my blood presure. Everything is about as good as can be expected for anyone.

What am I getting at. I think it was all of the eating and drinking that I normally don't do and it was shocking my body. I didn't do anything different than I use to do when on a cruise but I think also being older I cannot recover or handle it like I use to. It is just a fact of life. I would not have wanted that to happen when on a excursion and it could have very easily and if it did who knows what would have happened.

I been on two cruises where people that were on excursions died during the excursions plus many more where they died on board or and to have medical evacuations. Most times you will be dealing with third world facilities and tours that don't have the rules or regulations that we take for granted. Plus if you read your medical insurance you are not covered for any injuries due to what is considered a dangerous activity. If you are on Medicare you are not covered when out of the country and if Medicare doesn't cover it your supplemental insurance won't either. So you may want to invest in some trip insurance that will cover those costs. The bill from my little episode have totaled close to $11,000 and they are still coming in. Thankfully Medicare and my Plan F supplemental covers it.

There is a reason for those restrictions even though you think that you are the exception.

happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞