24+ weeks pregnant

[Lsimon]

One other point to consider: As experienced cruisers and travelers we know that the risks of contracting an infectious illness, such as norovirus or a bad cold are significantly higher when traveling on airplanes and cruises than the risk at home.

 

It is just part of being in a relatively confined area with large numbers of people who've been in other relatively confined areas (planes, trains, hotels, etc) with other different large numbers of people beforehand.

 

Your friend should consider this additional risk on top of the others.

[wwcruisers]

Snark mode on:

 

Who thinks that in a few months we'll see a post from this family: "I know that we can't cruise with a baby under six months but has anyone tried" followed by "I know that we can't let our non-toilet trained baby into the pool but has anyone tried" followed by "I know that we can't enroll our underage toddler in the kid's program but has anyone tried" up to "I know that we can't serve our underage teenager beer on board but has anyone tried".

 

Snark mode off.

 

Now, Now -- be nice! ;) :p

You do have to give new posters and cruisers credit for at least coming here and asking questions first, rather than just bumbling off seeing what rules really do apply to them. Of course, we get lots of posts from the latter group too, usually starting with "Never again! That cruiseline ruined my vacation!" :rolleyes:

[QTBabyNurse]

As an labor & delivery/nursery RN myself, let me caution your friend against lying to take this vacation. I have seen very sad situations in my career and believe me, she does NOT want to risk this. Unfortunate things happen all the time to pregnant moms and she does not want to be caught many miles away from appropriate medical care. The medical staff on board is NOT equipped to help with a premature infant.

 

For example...what if your friend happens to catch norovirus? It causes severe vomiting and diarrhea which can cause serious dehydration. Dehydration, in turn, can cause premature labor. Now what is she going to do? Risk the life of her baby?

 

I know that none of this sounds pretty and doesn't fit in with the idea of a tropical cruise but it IS the facts. She needs to seriously consider what she is doing.

[Nancyquilts]

Snark mode on:

 

Who thinks that in a few months we'll see a post from this family: "I know that we can't cruise with a baby under six months but has anyone tried" followed by "I know that we can't let our non-toilet trained baby into the pool but has anyone tried" followed by "I know that we can't enroll our underage toddler in the kid's program but has anyone tried" up to "I know that we can't serve our underage teenager beer on board but has anyone tried".

 

Snark mode off.

LOL. Snarky works for me.:D

[midwestchick]

We had a baby on our cruise last year...and as much as I love kids, that was not the case. All she did much of the time was cry, cry, cry. In the MDR (ruined our dinner one night) :eek: up on the pool deck and on and on. Then the grandparents would walk her around like she was some sort of jewel :rolleyes:...well maybe to them, but not the other passengers. Instead of the Mother sunbathing by the pool while the kid cried, I don't know why she didn't take her to the cabin for a much needed nap. :mad: :rolleyes: It was pretty obvious she was tired and in need of some quiet time and a nap. I'm glad we were off the ship much of the time.

[Giorgi-one]

Just imagine you werr on the Carnival Triumph last week and 24 weeks pregnant.

[Karen@Steve]

I don't think there is 'one size fits all' here. My best recommendation would be for your travel companion to consult her OB physican and listen to what he or she says. Without knowing the medical history of the individual no one can say what she should or shouldn't do. People can get noro and every other thing just about anywhere. I would encourage you to respect the rules of the cruise line but that is your and your companion's ultimate decision.

[shell15]

I don't think there is 'one size fits all' here. My best recommendation would be for your travel companion to consult her OB physican and listen to what he or she says. Without knowing the medical history of the individual no one can say what she should or shouldn't do. People can get noro and every other thing just about anywhere. I would encourage you to respect the rules of the cruise line but that is your and your companion's ultimate decision.

 

Respectfully, I must disagree with you. While you are correct that people can get noro, things can happen to anyone, etc. etc., there is a clearly defined rule that states when you may sail when pregnant. I don't need to know the medical history of the individual to say that she shouldn't proceed with this plan. It's against the rules, and if discovered she will be gravely disappointed when not allowed to board, not refunded, or even worse, let off midcruise when found out. Just my two cents.

[Karen@Steve]

Respectfully, I must disagree with you. While you are correct that people can get noro, things can happen to anyone, etc. etc., there is a clearly defined rule that states when you may sail when pregnant. I don't need to know the medical history of the individual to say that she shouldn't proceed with this plan. It's against the rules, and if discovered she will be gravely disappointed when not allowed to board, not refunded, or even worse, let off midcruise when found out. Just my two cents.

 

My 2 cents also.

[Starry Eyes]

I don't think there is 'one size fits all' here. My best recommendation would be for your travel companion to consult her OB physican and listen to what he or she says. Without knowing the medical history of the individual no one can say what she should or shouldn't do. People can get noro and every other thing just about anywhere. I would encourage you to respect the rules of the cruise line but that is your and your companion's ultimate decision.

 

I agree with the others...there is a one size fits all answer...the cruiseline has set a limit....there is a medical reason for the limit...no matter how healthy, the pregnant woman knows the rules, should respect the rules and should do the right thing for her fetus.

[Karen@Steve]

I have a question as far as being turned away. Exactly how will the cruise line know that she is 24+ weeks pregnant? Unless they require a doctor's note or do a sonogram at the dock, how would they know the gestation period? I showed much earlier than 24 weeks and I know women that look less than 24 weeks at full term. Unless they turn away every baby bump I'm not clear, without a doctor's note, how they could be sure. The doctor would then need to falsify the medical history in order for the subject to board which would be the same as the doctor giving his/her blessing.

 

Let me be clear, I'm a rule follower and believe that the rules should be respected but I also recognize that no rule fits every situation. I personally would not chance it but I now know at my age that I am not invincible and bad things can happen.

[DavidYYC]

Just imagine you werr on the Carnival Triumph last week and 24 weeks pregnant.

 

How would that be a problem in a normal pregnancy? Even if you starved for a week you would be OK. It didn't take the Triumph 16 weeks to get to land...?

 

Thats a ridiculous statement IMO.

[Charles4515]

I have a question as far as being turned away. Exactly how will the cruise line know that she is 24+ weeks pregnant? Unless they require a doctor's note or do a sonogram at the dock, how would they know the gestation period? I showed much earlier than 24 weeks and I know women that look less than 24 weeks at full term. Unless they turn away every baby bump I'm not clear, without a doctor's note, how they could be sure. The doctor would then need to falsify the medical history in order for the subject to board which would be the same as the doctor giving his/her blessing.

 

Let me be clear, I'm a rule follower and believe that the rules should be respected but I also recognize that no rule fits every situation. I personally would not chance it but I now know at my age that I am not invincible and bad things can happen.

 

If one has a baby bump it probably would be prudent to have a doctors note in case they ask. From previous threads where pregnant woman asked their doctor to fudge the date, there have been such threads from time to time, and some did ask their doctor for their blessing, not a single doctor was reported as willing to fudge the date.

[hansolosmom]

I have a question as far as being turned away. Exactly how will the cruise line know that she is 24+ weeks pregnant? Unless they require a doctor's note or do a sonogram at the dock, how would they know the gestation period? I showed much earlier than 24 weeks and I know women that look less than 24 weeks at full term. Unless they turn away every baby bump I'm not clear, without a doctor's note, how they could be sure. The doctor would then need to falsify the medical history in order for the subject to board which would be the same as the doctor giving his/her blessing.

 

Let me be clear, I'm a rule follower and believe that the rules should be respected but I also recognize that no rule fits every situation. I personally would not chance it but I now know at my age that I am not invincible and bad things can happen.

 

I think you have to have your ob fill out a form stating how far along you are which shows youre under 24 weeks

 

How would that be a problem in a normal pregnancy? Even if you starved for a week you would be OK. It didn't take the Triumph 16 weeks to get to land...?

 

Thats a ridiculous statement IMO.

 

I don't think it's the food they're worried about IMO it would have been disease potential from the waste on-board along with the fact it took days to get back & what if they went into early labor .

[shell15]

They do require a letter signed by a physician. From Celebrity's Pregnancy Policy:

 

"Celebrity Cruises cannot accept guests who will have entered their 24th week of pregnancy by the beginning of, or at any time during the cruise or Cruisetour. A physician's "Fit to Travel" note is required prior to sailing, stating how far along (in weeks) your pregnancy will be at the beginning of the cruise and confirming that you are in good health and not experiencing a high-risk pregnancy. The "Fit to Travel" note should be faxed to the Access Department at 1-954-628-9622.".

 

As the PP mentioned, in all the threads I have read on this site regarding this particular topic, I have never read of any doctor that was willing to lie when signing their name on this document. Of course, maybe we just haven't heard about the ones that have.

[Starry Eyes]

I have a question as far as being turned away. Exactly how will the cruise line know that she is 24+ weeks pregnant? Unless they require a doctor's note or do a sonogram at the dock, how would they know the gestation period? I showed much earlier than 24 weeks and I know women that look less than 24 weeks at full term. Unless they turn away every baby bump I'm not clear, without a doctor's note, how they could be sure. The doctor would then need to falsify the medical history in order for the subject to board which would be the same as the doctor giving his/her blessing.

 

Let me be clear, I'm a rule follower and believe that the rules should be respected but I also recognize that no rule fits every situation. I personally would not chance it but I now know at my age that I am not invincible and bad things can happen.

The policy requires all pregnant women to have a doctor's note....I bet it is also in the cruise contract. so, the woman is required to declare the situation and supply the medical clearance, including number of weeks gestation. as I mentioned above, another cruiseline made every passenger complete a medical questionnaire (including a answering yes or no to pregnancy) prior to embarkation. I do not know if X has added this question, but having seen cruiseline's follow one another's lead, I will not be surprised if X and others soon add this question to their pre boarding questionaire. If it is on every questionnaire, staff will not have to even ask about baby bumps. And the cruiseline has the documentation if anything happens.

[powelweb]

I know that the rule is you can't sail past your 24th week, but has anyone sailed past or near their 24th week? If you don't tell anyone you are pregant (and it has been a normal, healthy pregnancy so far), will anyone ASK are you pregnant? I am sailing with someone who will be 25 wks and 1 day when we sail... so 26 weeks when we get done. It is her first, so she isn't very big yet... should she risk it? Her doctor will write a letter saying she is in good health, but that is it. Anyone experience this? We had booked this cruise before she got pregnant and there are many of us going, so not possible to move it.

thanks

Mom2RV

 

So sorry, but since there are so many going that moving the date up isn't possible, it sounds like she should have cancelled when they learned they were expecting and became aware of X's rule about sailing while pregnant- probably would have been within the no penalty phase since she wasn't pregnant when you first booked.

 

Will be the first of many things given up for their new bundle of joy, so maybe they can get an earlier cruise in themselves or a land based vacation as a baby moon to enjoy one last trip as a couple- shame if it can't include the friends or family booked on the original cruise.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

As far as a refund- tell you friend to explain that she wasn't aware of this cut off and see if they will give her a refund. I was offered one on NCL and I was past the refund time.

[Arubamoose]

It is a wonder that I still cruise.

 

My family and I went on our first cruise on the Home Lines Atlantic to Bermuda back in October of 1986. I was 5 months pregnant - well within the 24 week cut off - but still - very pregnant. Plus we had our 2 1/2 year old daughter.

 

Cruising there was fine. Had a blast in Bermuda. Toddler was a dream (it wasn't until she was a teenager that I thought about eating my young). She was so well behaved the crew fawned all over her.

 

It wasn't until we hit the hurricane on the way back that things started going south. Here I am - 5 months pregnant - and I can't take anything for the seasickness. I was green. DH was green. DD couldn't understand why Mommy and Daddy weren't playing with her anymore.

 

While the story had a happy ending and I love to tell the story as a badge of honor as to how much I love cruising - I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

[Clydesmom7865]

How would that be a problem in a normal pregnancy? Even if you starved for a week you would be OK. It didn't take the Triumph 16 weeks to get to land...?

 

Thats a ridiculous statement IMO.

 

Spoken like a man who has never been pregnant and never will be. NO fetus would be "okay" with a mother who did not eat for a week. Even a non-pregnant person has major issues at 3 days without food.

 

It isn't the availability of food that is the problem. It is the lack of sanitation, the heat and poor ventilation, and the general stress of the event that can cause a pregnancy to become complicated faster than any expectant mother or shipboard physician could deal with. If premature labor starts while being towed back to a port the odds on a rescue helicopter or other boat reaching mother and baby before it is born are slim to none. Now you have an extremely premature infant in that environment without proper care along with a post partum mother that now may have her own complications to deal with as well.

[6andy6]

Well if that's the case about cruising while pregnant they should only allow later term pregnancies to cruise, since the earlier the term the survival rate is so much lower if something should happen while abroad.

 

Stop being a picky difficult person.

 

They are the rules okay. If you don't like them then don't cruise. Airlines also have similar rules on flying.

 

More so, on what basis do yiu think you have better knowledge than accepted medical opinion?

[spookwife]

I don't think there is 'one size fits all' here. My best recommendation would be for your travel companion to consult her OB physican and listen to what he or she says. Without knowing the medical history of the individual no one can say what she should or shouldn't do. People can get noro and every other thing just about anywhere. I would encourage you to respect the rules of the cruise line but that is your and your companion's ultimate decision.

 

won't matter what the doctor says. the rules are, you CANNOT SAIL past your 24 week mark, period, end of subject. the cruise line will refuse to allow her on board, and rightfully so.. without reimbursement, also rightfully so since it is plainly spelled out what is and is not permitted.

 

forget trying to offer worse case scenarios, what ifs and arguments for or against. It is against policy, plain and simple and there should not even be ANY discussion at all about trying to circumvent it or to justify why you should be allowed to disregard policy because you are special.

[spookwife]

How would that be a problem in a normal pregnancy? Even if you starved for a week you would be OK. It didn't take the Triumph 16 weeks to get to land...?

 

Thats a ridiculous statement IMO.

 

oh gee I dunno, how about the lack of sanitation? the lack of temperature control? the odor of spoiled food and excrement? the STRESS of being in the predicament?

[ravinblue]

Here is an overly-simplified explanation for the 24 week rule:

1. Less that 24 weeks, if a woman goes into labor and delivers, the fetus dies and it is called a miscarriage (like I said, this is overly simplified). Not a great scenario, but in most cases, the end result would be the same on land or sea.

2. A 24-36 week delivery produces a premature infant that needs special care, obviously the ones born earlier need a lot more care than those born later.

3. Since the Cesarian Section rate in the US is around 32% even in full term pregnancies, and these are generally done to protect the health of the baby or mother (Downton Abbey fans?), having a woman go into labor on a ship anytime is a bad idea.

 

So, no one allowed on-board who is or will be pregnant past the 24th week is a conservative rule, IMO.

 

Frank (retired pediatrician)

[gelo7]

won't matter what the doctor says. the rules are, you CANNOT SAIL past your 24 week mark, period, end of subject. the cruise line will refuse to allow her on board, and rightfully so.. without reimbursement, also rightfully so since it is plainly spelled out what is and is not permitted.

 

forget trying to offer worse case scenarios, what ifs and arguments for or against. It is against policy, plain and simple and there should not even be ANY discussion at all about trying to circumvent it or to justify why you should be allowed to disregard policy because you are special.

 

I think that you have said all that there needs to be said on this subject.