Denied boarding due to pregnancy?

[ToniV]

Anybody here, including cruise line employees, who can talk about the rules of cruising pregnant? 

[Essiesmom]

Yes it has been done, but I haven't read about it recently.  Google brought up this one from many sources:  EM

https://fox40.com/2018/04/03/woman-says-family-was-denied-boarding-on-cruise-due-to-pregnancy/

 

Here's a much older one from a pregnancy website

 

https://forums.thebump.com/discussion/12199853/not-allowed-to-board-cruise-ship

 

https://consumerist.com/2008/07/10/carnival-cruise-lines-turns-away-pregnant-woman-at-dock/

 

Edited August 6, 2019 by Essiesmom

[LHT28]

usually noted in the cruise  contract or FAQ 

 

[DarrenM]

I have never been declined boarding to the ship through pregnancy. 

 

Just wanted to put that out there.

[DarrenM]

Though I cant deny being questioned if I was.

[Shmoo here]

21 minutes ago, ToniV said:

Anybody here, including cruise line employees, who can talk about the rules of cruising pregnant? 

The specifics should be in the cruise contract from whatever cruise line you're taking.

 

Generally, you can't board a ship if you are in, or have entered, your XXth week of pregnancy (usually the 24th week).  That's how it is on the cruise lines I've been on.

 

Now, they don't, usually, accept a doctor's note as to how far along you actually are, so there's nothing stopping women from lying about it.  But, then, they (the mom) assume the risk, if there is a problem during the cruise.  And it's happened.  

Edited August 6, 2019 by Shmoo here

[Cruiser_1977]

RCL, Carnival and NCL all have the same policy that if you have entered, or will enter your 24th week, before or during you will be ineligible to sail. If something happens, the medical facilities are not equipped to deal with such issues.

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/pregnant-health-safety-onboard-policy

https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2543/~/pregnancy-policy

https://www.ncl.com/il/en/cruise-faq/pregnancy

Edited August 6, 2019 by JennyB1977

[Dancer Bob]

And check your travel insurance. The last policy I bought had a big section about pregnancy- I can't recall the details but it was pretty drastic.

[donaldsc]

Read your cruise contract or the FAQ on your cruise company WEB site.

 

DON

[calliopecruiser]

4 hours ago, ToniV said:

the rules of cruising pregnant? 

They will be specific to your cruise line.

[cb at sea]

Generally, you need to be ON the cruise before you 24th or 26th week( can't remember which it is).....should something go awry with your pregnancy, they do NOT have neonatal  help at all.

 

If you APPEAR to be pregnant, you will need a note from your doctor saying how far along you are, and if you're healthy enough to be away from medical attention.

 

[Shmoo here]

nm

Edited August 6, 2019 by Shmoo here

[chipmaster]

I can share an experience, my wife at the time was close to that cutoff with our third one, we were doing an vacation/anniversary celebration.   For better or worse it was a September Alaska cruise, great deal, few crowds, my wife generally travels well,, and her first two were simply / fast and no issue,  not getting sick, we struck some really bad weather, actually the worst storms we've every had in many a cruise for a couple days.   Pregnancy is already a challenging thing for a body, everyone's reacts differently , even my wife who does well, with storm etc.   I'd not recommend that to anyone, just enjoy and relax on land. 

 

Not sure why anyone regardless of where and when you sail and whether your first or the tenth one and you are a veteran, just wait is what I think is prudent!

 

 

Edited August 6, 2019 by chipmaster

[Ferry_Watcher]

Employees are told not to ask female passengers if they are pregnant.  If a passenger volunteers the information (especially a later stage pregnancy), then a supervisor will most likely become involved.

[Shmoo here]

22 minutes ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

Employees are told not to ask female passengers if they are pregnant.  If a passenger volunteers the information (especially a later stage pregnancy), then a supervisor will most likely become involved.

Part of the check in process on at least one cruise line I use asks if anyone will be pregnant at the time of the cruise.  If someone says yes, then they are flagged for additional checkin (at the port) information.  If that same someone lies, they won't be, but it's on them if anything bad happens.

[Ferry_Watcher]

At Pier 91 in Seattle employees are told not to ask passengers. 

Also, passengers are not asked to fill out  a health form.  (Health forms dropped prior to the 2018 Alaska cruise season).

Edited August 7, 2019 by Ferry_Watcher
added more information.

[BlueRiband]

Presumably you're asking because somebody you know has a cruise booked, is trying to conceive, and might be pregnant at sailing.  Be aware that medical facilities on a ship are very limited.  There is no NICU.  It's rare for a ship to keep patients in the medical center.  They are transferred to a land-based hospital as soon as it is practical to do so.  So add to that the cost and stress of needing medical care in a foreign hospital.   Meanwhile, the parents are thousands of miles away from home and bills are piling up as they wait for their baby to get strong enough to be medivaced home. 

 

The only cruise lines that are lenient on late term pregnancy are river cruises, as they can easily transfer a passenger to land should a medical emergency arise. 

 

  

[capriccio]

This is the policy for Princess cruises:

 

Pregnant women are not allowed to sail if they are entering the 24th week of their pregnancy by the last day of the cruise.

All pregnant women are required to produce a physician’s letter stating that mother and baby are in good health, fit to travel and the pregnancy is not high risk. The letter must also include the estimated date of delivery (EDD) calculated from both Last Menstrual Period (LMP) and ultrasound (if performed).  https://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/pre_cruise/prepare.jsp

[leaveitallbehind]

On 8/6/2019 at 12:33 PM, DarrenM said:

I have never been declined boarding to the ship through pregnancy. 

 

Just wanted to put that out there.

 

Certainly because at the time of your cruise you were within the prescribed term in your pregnancy (typically prior to your 24th week) to be allowed to cruise with that given cruise line.  Otherwise, you would have been denied boarding.  And BTW these guidelines are cruise line insurers based, and not an arbitrary decision by the cruise line.

Edited August 9, 2019 by leaveitallbehind

[mom says]

36 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

 

Certainly because at the time of your cruise you were within the prescribed term in your pregnancy (typically prior to your 24th week) to be allowed to cruise with that given cruise line.  Otherwise, you would have been denied boarding.  And BTW these guidelines are cruise line insurers based, and not an arbitrary decision by the cruise line.

You do realize DarrenM was just being facetious? DarrenM is a man. I doubt that he has been within any term of pregnancy.

[leaveitallbehind]

35 minutes ago, mom says said:

You do realize DarrenM was just being facetious? DarrenM is a man. I doubt that he has been within any term of pregnancy.

 

Should've guessed - try to provide an honest answer.....    Maybe need to pay more attention to the screen name, but even with that you never know.  Thanks for enlightening!

 

Would be a pretty good story if he was, however.

Edited August 9, 2019 by leaveitallbehind