Pregnant Cruiser

[jcastro1202]

Hello everyone.

 

My husband, two daughters and I will be taking a 4 day Western Caribbean cruise on the Navigator of the Seas on March 17th. We've cruised many times, however this cruise I will be 5-1/2 months pregnant. I've never sailed when pregnant and now that the trip is right around the corner I'm getting nervous. Anyone ever sail while pregnant? Anyone ever had to use the medical facilities onboard the Navigator? If so, how are they?

 

I guess I'm just looking for information to make me feel better and allow me to better enjoy this cruise with my family.

 

Thanks!

[CruisinDawn]

Make sure you take time to read Royal's policies so you don't get denied boarding.

 

Royal Caribbean International 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. Please contact us at 1-866-592-7225 or at special_needs@rccl.com if you have already booked a cruise or cruisetour and do not meet this requirement.

 

BonVoyage

Dawna

[pattpga]

Please don't worry, my daughter was 5 months along on our last family cruise and her biggest complaint was fatigue. She had no need to ever use the medical facilities. So as long as your Doctor gives you the ok to cruise, don't worry and have a good time.

[jcastro1202]

Hi Dawna -

 

Just did the math and I will be 21 weeks on the day we board. I've already obtained clearance from my doctor and faxed it over to RCCL special needs department. I'm healthy and am having a problem free pregnancy. I'm just a little nervous about the "what ifs" that my mother keeps throwing at me because she fears that something will happen and I'll be in the middle of the ocean.

[jcastro1202]

Please don't worry, my daughter was 5 months along on our last family cruise and her biggest complaint was fatigue. She had no need to ever use the medical facilities. So as long as your Doctor gives you the ok to cruise, don't worry and have a good time.

 

Thanks! I figured I'd be tired and not have the energy that I normally would while on a cruise, which is why we booked a balcony cabin. I figured a balcony would be a nice quiet relaxation place for me while the kids are hanging out with my husband by the pool.

[CruisinDawn]

Hi Dawna -

 

Just did the math and I will be 21 weeks on the day we board. I've already obtained clearance from my doctor and faxed it over to RCCL special needs department. I'm healthy and am having a problem free pregnancy. I'm just a little nervous about the "what ifs" that my mother keeps throwing at me because she fears that something will happen and I'll be in the middle of the ocean.

Great! Ya just never know if someone knows the policies or not and it's so sad to hear the stories of people being denied boarding.

 

BonVoyage

Dawna

[luv2cruise0618]

I am so excited to hear of another pregnant mom aboard the Navigator of the Seas march 17th sailing. We just came across this cruise today and plan to book tomorrow. I will be 22 weeks along if we sail and am having a healthy pregnancy. DH and I have a 3 year old little boy. I'm thinking a nice relaxing cruise will be perfect for the three of us before welcoming an addition in July.

 

I think we will be just fine. Hope to meet you aboard!

 

~Melissa

[nrdsb4]

Hi Dawna -

 

Just did the math and I will be 21 weeks on the day we board. I've already obtained clearance from my doctor and faxed it over to RCCL special needs department. I'm healthy and am having a problem free pregnancy. I'm just a little nervous about the "what ifs" that my mother keeps throwing at me because she fears that something will happen and I'll be in the middle of the ocean.

 

Well, she is your mother doing what mothers do best: worry about their daughters and by extension, grandbabies.

 

Honestly, even though a lot of posters will say, "You'll be fine," no one here can guarantee you that nothing will go wrong, no matter that you are healthy, having a good pregnancy, or that their friend, wife, daughter, whoever cruised and had no problems. Mom is right in that if something were to go wrong, you could potentially be in a tough spot-out in the middle of the ocean, away from the state of the art care you have within minutes back at home. That said, you have spoken to your doctor, have considered all the what if's and the probability of those things happening. Your doctor considers you fit to travel, so he must believe the odds are in your favor. So recognizing the inherent risk is present but probably very small, you make an informed decision. Once you make that decision, feel good about it and project that confidence to your mother. Give her a hug, tell her you love her and that you believe everything will be fine.

 

She'll still worry about you, though.:p

 

And she'll smile at you in about 16 years when your child gets his driver's license, forgets to let you know he got to his destination safely, is a little late getting home, and you are a bundle of nerves.:D

[dizzlepop]

I cruised almost 5 months pregnant many years ago, and my biggest issue was seasickness. If you don't get sea sick, you probably won't now. I tended toward it anyway, pregnant or not. Just have medication with you, that's my advice, in case you need it.

 

At the time (1988) our cruse doc refused to give me any meds and I couldn't keep anything down for many hours at a time. (His justification: I wouldn't give my pregnant wife drugs so I won't give any to you.)

 

Be prepared, and hopefully you won't need it!

 

And... Have FUN! :)

[BabyMoon2007]

Hello everyone.

 

My husband, two daughters and I will be taking a 4 day Western Caribbean cruise on the Navigator of the Seas on March 17th. We've cruised many times, however this cruise I will be 5-1/2 months pregnant. I've never sailed when pregnant and now that the trip is right around the corner I'm getting nervous. Anyone ever sail while pregnant? Anyone ever had to use the medical facilities onboard the Navigator? If so, how are they?

 

I guess I'm just looking for information to make me feel better and allow me to better enjoy this cruise with my family.

 

Thanks!

 

I cruised on a 2 week cruise to Italy and France between 21 and 23 weeks at age 37. Other than fatigue on excursions I was just fine. As an FYI I had two passengers that were OB Gyn's on vacation walk up to me at different times in the first day or two, tell me their name and give me their cabin numbers and tell me if I had any issues or questions that they would be more than happy to help me. One even told me if I had any reason to go to the ships medical facility to please, please call him first so he could meet me there and be present for any advice or medicines they wanted to give me. The plus side is you get extra pampering from all the crew and they will want to show you pictures of their kids :) ! Enjoy yourself and your babymoon!

[Pat&Liz]

I cruised a 5 night on Navigator back in 2008 when I was 22 weeks pregnant with my son.

 

The actual cruise was wonderful - very relaxing. I used the spa for a nice massage.

 

The excursions were the worst, as I'd get to about 2pm and just fall asleep (we're actually doing the same itinerary on my upcoming cruise as I missed so much of it last time! I fell asleep on the tour bus round Rome. lol)

 

Remember not to use the hot tubs (pools are fine though!)

 

I haven't ever had to use the medical facilities onboard, so can't comment on them.

 

 

Hope you have a wonderful, relaxing cruise; and a continued safe, healthy pregnancy! xx

[imcrafty]

I was 23 weeks preggo the last time I cruised and I will say it was WONDERFUL. I was tired but that was okay, because I could go back to the stateroom while hubby could stay out with friends.

 

I also felt the staff treated me like a princess! A few times bartenders would make me non alcoholic fruity fancy drinks and just bring them to me while I was laying out by the pool.

 

I will say, don't bother with trying to get a prenatal massage while on board. They said they could/would do it but you could tell the masseuse was really uncomfortable and didn't know what she was supposed to do.

 

Besides that I think you will be fine!

[CarefreeCruising]

Although I wasn't pregnant at the time, I did use the medical facilities on the Navigator last year. They were clean and the staff was very friendly and professional. They are avilable 24 hours but there is a small fee if you visit outside of "office hours" which end sometime around 8 pm if I remember correctly. From what I hear they do have equipment to handle medical emergencies. There was one very major injury while I was on board (drunk college student dove into empty pool in the wee hours of the morning, sustaining major injuries) and a tender took him to shore so that he could receive hospital care. So, if God forbid, you would need extended care, there are ways you could be taken to a hospital. The charge for the Navigator medical facility was added to my sea pass and I was given a receipt. I faxed the receipt to my insurance company and they covered almost all (at least 90%) of that expense.

[Tiana77]

I just found out that I'm pregnant. I will be 13 weeks when we cruise.

My greatest fear is that I'll get sick on that cruise but I won't be able to take any medication...

[wrp96]

I just found out that I'm pregnant. I will be 13 weeks when we cruise.

My greatest fear is that I'll get sick on that cruise but I won't be able to take any medication...

 

 

You should talk to your obstetrician and they may be able to recommend something you can take. Non-medicine wise you can do things like keeping your stomach full at all times, by eating small meals and snacks. Green apples and bread can also help. Also, check with your doctor to see if you can use ginger to help.

[bionicman97]

Is the "Fit to Travel" note a generic form from RCI that the doctor fills out, or is it just a letter from the Doctor that contains the necessary information?

[DKNE]

We were to go on a cruise 7 yrs ago but I was pregnant with my son, at 23 weeks. The 'recommended' that I don't go, so we cancelled the cruise.

 

He was born 6 weeks later! Completely not expecting that at all, him being a preemie born at 29 week!!

 

If you have clearance and your pregnancy has been great so far, go enjoy it, we've had friends cruise while she was pregnant and they had a great time!

[Mom.to.2]

Well, she is your mother doing what mothers do best: worry about their daughters and by extension, grandbabies.

 

Honestly, even though a lot of posters will say, "You'll be fine," no one here can guarantee you that nothing will go wrong, no matter that you are healthy, having a good pregnancy, or that their friend, wife, daughter, whoever cruised and had no problems. Mom is right in that if something were to go wrong, you could potentially be in a tough spot-out in the middle of the ocean, away from the state of the art care you have within minutes back at home. That said, you have spoken to your doctor, have considered all the what if's and the probability of those things happening. Your doctor considers you fit to travel, so he must believe the odds are in your favor. So recognizing the inherent risk is present but probably very small, you make an informed decision. Once you make that decision, feel good about it and project that confidence to your mother. Give her a hug, tell her you love her and that you believe everything will be fine.

 

She'll still worry about you, though.:p

 

And she'll smile at you in about 16 years when your child gets his driver's license, forgets to let you know he got to his destination safely, is a little late getting home, and you are a bundle of nerves.:D

 

This was the best answer (IMHO.) Odds are, you'll have a wonderful cruise and everything will be just fine. You've had 2 prior pregnancies without complications and there is no reason to believe this pregnancy will be any different.

 

However, there is an inherent risk while pregnant and the ship's medical facilities are not equipped to handle OB emergencies. The physician on-board is most likely an emergency room trained physician, not an OB. I doubt they can monitor contractions/fetal heart rate. They probably have no experience with medications that stop/slow labor. They certainly couldn't perform a cerclage should your cervix dilate early. The fact that there are medical facilities on board should not reassure you any more than a free standing emergency clinic that doesn't have a hospital (with L&D) associated with it. One prior poster (babymoon2007) noted that a fellow passenger who happened to be an OB introduced himself and made sure the poster knew to call him if anything went wrong, BEFORE going to the medical facilities. This is because that OB passenger knew the on-board physician wouldn't have the experience to treat her appropriately. Cruise lines cut off passengers at 24 weeks gestation because this is the point of presumed viability. If you had to deliver at 24 weeks, under the right conditions (optimal NICI) your child could survive. Prior to 24 weeks, no harm no foul because your baby couldn't survive outside of you anyway. (tho with medical advances today, there are many who have survived from 21 weeks an on, but that is not the norm.)

 

I don't mean to scare you out of a vacation but I do want you to make an educated decision. Like I said, chances are everything will be fine and you'd have a wonderful vacation. But what if something does go wrong?

 

I should qualify this post by admitting that I'm not a gambler and generally have a "plan for the worst but hope for the best" kind of attitude.