Many questions from Silversea

We have our first Silversea cruise coming up in March, and I've gone on to their website to fill in the information they would like from us. One question was about the fine details of our travel insurance, which I didn't answer.

And then today, my travel agent got a panicked email because I didn't complete the page about our medication.

A) We are lucky enough not to be on any medication.

B) We are still 90+ days out from the cruise and

C) Why would they need to know anyway? It's only a 15 day transatlantic, so we wouldn't need refills even if we were on several medications.

They seem very... concerned about these things. On the one hand, maybe I should be glad they care, but on the other hand, in more than 20 cruises with other lines, no one else has ever wanted to know these details.

Am I wrong to feel puzzled that they are asking these questions?

Doing a TA presents its own challenges. I am not familiar with that exact question but SS does ask if you are under the care of a doc. Air evac in the middle of the ocean is difficult. Ask me!

That's interesting. We've done two previous transatlantics and one transpacific, and neither of the two cruise lines (Celebrity and Azamara) asked these questions. So they're either not as caring or not as nosy!:D

Edited to add: I just had a brainwave - Earlier I answered no to the question about travel insurance, because that also involved giving them a lot of detailed information that I didn't want to give them. (We do actually have an annual travel insurance policy that would cover expensive medical emergencies). I think they're trying to cover themselves if we were to have a problem and no insurance.

So the inquisition is probably my own fault! Oops...:p

We did a transatlantic this past spring and I don't recall any questions about medications, etc. I recall when booking being asked whether we wanted insurance but saying no didn't get us any extra questions.

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Where is the OP domiciled? That may have something to do with it.

A few days ago, I went back into my information on the Silversea website, and ticked the box to say that we have travel insurance, and the name of the company, but no other details. That seems to have stopped the questions. In the meantime, that policy has expired, and we are now insured for the coming year with a different company. I'm not going to update the information just yet since they seem happy now.

On my last cruise they wanted to know my blood type! And I had said yes to insurance.

On my last cruise they wanted to know my blood type! And I had said yes to insurance.

Gosh, at least they haven't asked me this one yet! :p

That's weird. We have cruised with Silversea many times, including on Explorer which goes to some very remote places. I remember some question about being under a doctor's care or having medical problems, but we never had to list medications or give a blood type.

This was the Discoverer in Micro/Melanesia and both were on the medical form we were sent. I guess they thought someone might need a blood transfusion on some remote island where they could transfuse blood but not determine blood type.

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We also had the blood type question for Explorer in Antarctica. When we asked the GP he said he didn't even know his own group and it was not helpful to find out as no medic should treat without testing first. So we left that blank and were allowed to board!

This was the Discoverer in Micro/Melanesia and both were on the medical form we were sent. I guess they thought someone might need a blood transfusion on some remote island where they could transfuse blood but not determine blood type.

 

 

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Or maybe they were just giving the local mosquitos a heads up as to what would be on the weekly buffet?

Or maybe they were just giving the local mosquitos a heads up as to what would be on the weekly buffet?

(Hits self upside the head) Of course! What ever was I thinking?

We have our first Silversea cruise coming up in March, and I've gone on to their website to fill in the information they would like from us. One question was about the fine details of our travel insurance, which I didn't answer.

 

And then today, my travel agent got a panicked email because I didn't complete the page about our medication.

 

A) We are lucky enough not to be on any medication.

 

B) We are still 90+ days out from the cruise and

 

C) Why would they need to know anyway? It's only a 15 day transatlantic, so we wouldn't need refills even if we were on several medications.

 

They seem very... concerned about these things. On the one hand, maybe I should be glad they care, but on the other hand, in more than 20 cruises with other lines, no one else has ever wanted to know these details.

 

Am I wrong to feel puzzled that they are asking these questions?

If you're on the Cloud, I'm on the same cruise and I didn't remember these questions so I just went into 'My Silversea' to check what I was asked.

I ticked 'no' to the insurance question, then the health questions were:

Do you have any physical limitations for which you require special assistance? Please list.

Please list any medical condition or information that you would like the ship's physician to be aware of.

Are you currently under the care of a physician?

Are you travelling with a wheelchair?

Do you require wheelchair assistance at the pier for embarkation?

Are you pregnant?

These seemed reasonable to me, with the possible exception of the last one given that they also have my d.o.b.

I don't know why your questions were different.

Just as an aside, I travel with my blood donor card for various reasons, including the need to donate when aboard but far from land - on several cruises (not Silversea), I have heard appeals for donors who have their card with them.

I would be curious if they ask male passengers the same list of questions!

If you're on the Cloud, I'm on the same cruise and I didn't remember these questions so I just went into 'My Silversea' to check what I was asked.

I ticked 'no' to the insurance question, then the health questions were:

 

Do you have any physical limitations for which you require special assistance? Please list.

Please list any medical condition or information that you would like the ship's physician to be aware of.

Are you currently under the care of a physician?

Are you travelling with a wheelchair?

Do you require wheelchair assistance at the pier for embarkation?

Are you pregnant?

 

These seemed reasonable to me, with the possible exception of the last one given that they also have my d.o.b.

I don't know why your questions were different.

 

Just as an aside, I travel with my blood donor card for various reasons, including the need to donate when aboard but far from land - on several cruises (not Silversea), I have heard appeals for donors who have their card with them.

I don't remember the question about being pregnant, and it might have stuck in my mind, given that I'm 58. :eek:

After the panicked email to my travel agent and a half-hearted attempt on my part at answering a couple of questions, they seem to have given up on us.

Or maybe they were just giving the local mosquitos a heads up as to what would be on the weekly buffet?

Appreciate this above cute, funny comment from JP. Great insight for us since we are getting ready in ten days to board the Silver Cloud for an adventure ride up and back along the Amazon River. Mosquitos gets "personal" for us in being mentioned since these and other bugs there are supposed to bigger . . . or, as they say . . . AMAZON-sized.

I checked on My Silversea to see what health questions came to me versus my wife. No pregnancy question for me!! Shockingly correct. Yes, they did ask my wife. But given her mid 60's age, I noted "NO" on her form! If there was any answer of yes, then they did followed up with a question on the number of weeks into the pregnancy.

No blood questions for us. But, I am sure the bugs of the Amazon and Caribbean will be checking the web to see which of us will be the most tasty. We've just stocked up on lots of Deet, etc., to keep them away. The mosquitos will find those on our ship from the UK to be more fun and enjoyable. That's my story and I am sticking to it. We'll pass on those honors.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Enjoyed a 14-day Celebrity Solstice, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 92,619 views for this posting.

We had the pre cruise bugs hysteria prior to our Amazon adventure last year to be far from reality.Dont recall any mosquito problems on deck the only insect we encountered was a horrible looking hardback thing.Dont worry they were all dead by the time we did our pre breakfast deck walk.We were reliably informed by the excellent pool staff that these awful things die as soon as the make contact with the deck which is sprayed every evening around 6pm and they collect them all around 8am the following morning.A great system,the only downside being no Pool Grill for dinner which we were delighted to comply with.Hope you enjoy a wonderful cruise in this special part of the world.