Oasis of the Seas Bars Woman After Asking If She's Pregnamt

[Cally717]

Obviously, this is discrimination on the basis of pregnancy - whether legal discrimination or not I do not know. There are any number of physical/medical conditions which carry greater risk over a week of travel than a pregnancy less than 4 weeks. Actually, it would be hard to think of a significant condition that would have less risk than a pregnancy of less than 4 weeks. RC does not screen every passenger for their fitness to travel - but for the little questionnaire which is pretty limited.

 

 

 

Why not just require a "fit to travel" doctor's note for every passenger? Just make it a "rule" and apparently lots of people will think it just fine.

 

 

 

I agree completely. Pregnancy is but one possible medical condition any passenger might have. Most ongoing conditions cannot properly be treated on board. A "fit for travel" note for all pax is a good idea.

 

 

 

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[John&LaLa]

These cruises can be very fertile times, it would be a fun thread to see how just how many "cruise babies" there are out there! ;) As it turned out I miscarried that one, so I don't have a cruise baby myself! But it was funny because I was trying on jewelry in a store in st Martin, when the salesmen touched my hand he asked "are you expecting a baby? ", and I was wearing a bikini under my cover up, so I was so offended "no, I am not!" I told him, wondering if he thought I looked pregnant! I got home a few days later and had to have a test for a medical procedure I was anticipating and they called to tell me it was positive (and it was good news to us, but sadly, didn't last!)

 

Put us down for a cruise baby. He is now in the US Navy

 

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[Esmerelda]

I still think there's going to be more to this story but it just all hasn't come out yet. The initial story seems to have some holes in it.

[xxHadleyxx]

Can't wait till we have your socialized medical care system in full operation here.:rolleyes:

 

I have run into the same type of thing in a couple of places in the US over the years. Currently, we have German public insurance. In almost 6 years with that we have only ever had longish waits for ONE top notch lung specialist (and even then, when our family doctor called when DS was having a lot of issues with his asthma, that doctor worked DS in same day). Our family doctor sees us same day if we ask and always with in the week (even for less urgent things) and most specialist see us within a week as well (and MRIs, etc have always been set up same day).

 

We get substantially better care, longer appointments, more attentive doctors, faster results from testing, etc than anything I ever had on any plan in the US in over 30 years living there. I figure some of that is because I live in a city with an excellent teaching hospital, but a lot seems to be just that the system works. :)

[Familygoboston]

Our cabin was centre ship on the port side, it was a hump cabin.:D Our son loves to cruise, but has yet to be in Alaska. He has also done a Caribbean cruise, pre-delivery. We lost a daughter who was just over two years of age to an extremely rare genetic brain disorder she was born with. We visit her regularly as she is buried minutes from our house, but we know she is in a better place.

 

Your story is touching, a high and a low, it is one you will remember a lifetime. It makes you really wonder how the salesman had an in-cling. I have read your family cruise reviews so I am happy to see that you family has made great memories.

 

Andrew

 

Andrew, I'm so sorry for your loss, there is nothing more heartbreaking than losing a child! It was very weird that the jeweler "knew" I was pregnant, but I do believe that some people have stronger "perception" than others- it could even be biochemical, the ability to perceive certain pheromones (for love or loss or medical conditions) we don't even know about yet! How else can you explain these folks who seem to read your mind! :confused:

 

We were very fortunate...I had my #2 daughter exactly a year and a week to the day I miscarried, and I can't even imagine life with out her! Even at 17 she rolled in clear eyed and sober at 12:30 this AM after hanging with her theater buddies after a show, and hopped onto my bed to tell me all the "gossip", I can't imagine the world with out her joy :D (and I am NOT looking forward to saying goodbye for college at this time next year:()

 

Your son sounds like he is still on the young side! I hope you enjoy him and your cruises with him! :D

 

 

Put us down for a cruise baby. He is now in the US Navy

 

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LOL, he is still sailing! (And thank him for us for his service!)

Edited July 27, 2014 by Familygoboston

[avied9109]

I cruised in March and could have sworn this was asked on the heath survey I had to fill out at check in...? Maybe not, maybe I'm crazy, but I could have sworn it was there. If that's the case, then it's not our of the norm to ask it out loud if it will just be answered on paper soon after?

[Meggysmum]

I am a pretty avid reader of small print but I had obviously missed this. I am not likely to get pregnant again but when I was a little younger I knew that planes wanted letters of fitness to fly after a certain point and presumed cruise ships would be similar. At a few weeks pregnant many women don't know or don't imagine it would affect their holiday.

 

I was a ticking time bomb last week. I set out to board Brilliance, half way to the port I suffered a massive haemorrage inside my left eye with danger to the retina, I lost all vision and was rushed in to theatre with an eye specialist and I was being operated on as the ship left the UK. I am physically fit, 47, have no health conditions at all and no conditions that would have predicted this disaster. I was in immediate danger of loosing my sight and, if it had happened 24 hours later, I would have required removal from the ship. I never had any issues during my pregnancies though so would have been a safer passenger then!

[FLACRUISER99]

I cruised in March and could have sworn this was asked on the heath survey I had to fill out at check in...? Maybe not, maybe I'm crazy, but I could have sworn it was there. If that's the case, then it's not our of the norm to ask it out loud if it will just be answered on paper soon after?

Nope only two questions.

[pharaoh]

I used to work for RCI as a check-in agent at the pier (and yes, I was employed directly by RCI, unlike a PP suggested earlier in the thread). I never once was instructed to ask if a passenger was pregnant and in fact I don't remember anything about this policy while I was working for them. It was a number of years ago so unless this policy is new-ish, this is all news to me.

 

The only health situations we were ever asked to look out for were people who were coughing or looked sick.

[ehfl]

But it clearly stands on a webppage or in the documents...pregnant women need a note from a doctor

 

What do they do if they get pregnant on the cruise?

[Clarea]

What do they do if they get pregnant on the cruise?

There are OK as long as the cruise does not last longer than 24 weeks.

[AlexanderBeetle]

There are OK as long as the cruise does not last longer than 24 weeks.

 

Might be quite a few B2B's to get there :)

[marvin2992]

because since she found out but hadn't been to the doctor yet they could not confirm how far along she was. lots of women don't find out until almost the end, they just didnt know.

[Ourusualbeach]

because since she found out but hadn't been to the doctor yet they could not confirm how far along she was. lots of women don't find out until almost the end, they just didnt know.

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

One thing that may people miss when they are searching and viewing posts is the date hen they were posted. It is locate in the upper left corner of the post. In the case no one had posted on this thread since last August.

[clawmachine]

I realize this is an old thread but I had to chime in to say how incredibly odd I find this story! The first time I cruised on Royal, I was actually in the process of healing from a miscarriage..in fact, I guess you could say that the process was not yet complete. Should I have not boarded for that reason? The second time I cruised on Royal, I was in my 23rd week with my 3rd child and VERY much showing. I had the required note all ready to show and not once during the entire cruise did anyone ask to see it, nor say anything negative about my pregnancy at all. In fact, one other pregnant (and showing) woman on the cruise who I kept running into told me that she too felt like she had been treated like a queen.

 

These days I am past my child-bearing years but unfortunately get asked occasionally if I am pregnant, because I have a muscle separation that makes me appear that way. I would be highly upset to be asked that question on boarding day. :(

[cindivan]

I was on RC almost 18 years ago and realized I was pregnant while I was on the cruise. (I had a test with me). My husband was old school,and wouldn't believe it was true unless a dr confirmed it, so I went to the infirmary to take another. The male nurse looked at the test and told me it was negative. I was pretty confused because rarely are there false positives. I asked to look at it and it positive, early positive but positive. The next stop we got a couple more tests and they were both positive. And our 17yo is proof I really was pregnant.

 

I never considered until this thread that maybe he was trying to protect me from getting kicked off!!

 

Seriously, what would they do in that case?? Wouldn't that stir up some attention if they kicked someone off mid-cruise for finding out they were pregnant.

[mollyeilis]

There are OK as long as the cruise does not last longer than 24 weeks.

 

Well, 22 weeks of actual cruising, since those first 2 weeks are pre-conception. :p

 

 

I know this is an old thread, but I just find it interesting, because I haven't seen anything like this in our cruise documents.

 

Looking at the website FAQs I see nothing about this. Looking here (http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqSubjectName=After+You+Purchase&faqId=1079&faqSubjectId=323&faqType=faq) it says it has the PDFs to the cruise contracts for Brilliance and non-Brilliance. (http://media.royalcaribbean.com/content/en_US/pdf/RoyalCaribbean_Cruise_Ticket_Contract_for_Brilliance_013014.pdf and http://media.royalcaribbean.com/content/en_US/pdf/RoyalCaribbean_Cruise_Ticket_Contract_013114.pdf) and I find nothing about a "fit to travel" doctor's note at all. Nothing apart from "Any Passenger who will enter the 24th week of pregnancy by the beginning of, or at any time during their cruise or CruiseTour agrees not to book the cruise or board the Vessel or Transport under any circumstances" which isn't the same as having to have a note.

 

If you look up "pregnant" on the website you are taken to pages not stating anything about a doctor's note, and their fitness to travel links end up taking you here (http://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/en_US/pdf/Guest_Conduct_Policy.pdf) which has NOTHING to say about pregnancy at all.

 

Also there's a page with this:

 

Q: Can I cruise if I am pregnant? A: 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. All guests are required to sign a health questionnaire at check-in to ensure they are aware of our pregnancy policy.

 

 

 

Holy moly, FINALLY found something.

 

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/allaboutcruising/accessibleseas/otherNeeds.do

 

THAT is where it mentions the doctor's note. This is under "other needs" in the "Accessibility Onboard" section, which no typical pregnant person is EVER going to look.

 

 

I'm guessing that this is a holdover, wrong, webpage from long ago, because it doesn't seem to be mentioned anywhere else, and you have to look LONG after you should be satisfied that early pregnancy is fine and doesn't require a note.

 

 

I've actually now written them. I've found bad, outdated, info on the site before and have written to correct it, so we'll see what they say.

[Clarea]

Well, 22 weeks of actual cruising, since those first 2 weeks are pre-conception. :p

 

 

I know this is an old thread, but I just find it interesting, because I haven't seen anything like this in our cruise documents.

 

Looking at the website FAQs I see nothing about this. Looking here (http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqSubjectName=After+You+Purchase&faqId=1079&faqSubjectId=323&faqType=faq) it says it has the PDFs to the cruise contracts for Brilliance and non-Brilliance. (http://media.royalcaribbean.com/content/en_US/pdf/RoyalCaribbean_Cruise_Ticket_Contract_for_Brilliance_013014.pdf and http://media.royalcaribbean.com/content/en_US/pdf/RoyalCaribbean_Cruise_Ticket_Contract_013114.pdf) and I find nothing about a "fit to travel" doctor's note at all. Nothing apart from "Any Passenger who will enter the 24th week of pregnancy by the beginning of, or at any time during their cruise or CruiseTour agrees not to book the cruise or board the Vessel or Transport under any circumstances" which isn't the same as having to have a note.

 

If you look up "pregnant" on the website you are taken to pages not stating anything about a doctor's note, and their fitness to travel links end up taking you here (http://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/en_US/pdf/Guest_Conduct_Policy.pdf) which has NOTHING to say about pregnancy at all.

 

Also there's a page with this:

 

Q: Can I cruise if I am pregnant? A: 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. All guests are required to sign a health questionnaire at check-in to ensure they are aware of our pregnancy policy.

 

 

 

Holy moly, FINALLY found something.

 

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/allaboutcruising/accessibleseas/otherNeeds.do

 

THAT is where it mentions the doctor's note. This is under "other needs" in the "Accessibility Onboard" section, which no typical pregnant person is EVER going to look.

 

 

I'm guessing that this is a holdover, wrong, webpage from long ago, because it doesn't seem to be mentioned anywhere else, and you have to look LONG after you should be satisfied that early pregnancy is fine and doesn't require a note.

 

 

I've actually now written them. I've found bad, outdated, info on the site before and have written to correct it, so we'll see what they say.

They required a doctor's note for years, but sometime in the past year or so, they eliminated the requirement for the doctor's note.

[mollyeilis]

Got a reply.

 

 

"Hello,

 

Thank you for contacting us regarding your inquiry.

 

We no longer require our pregnant guests to submit a fit to travel letter from the doctor. Since this is a new change made to our pregnancy policy it has not been updated on our website as yet, our team is currently working on this change."

 

 

Then it went into the 24 week thing rule.

 

 

Figured it was good to post here, since it was bumped. :)

[American Bear]

That is totally ridiculous on RCl's part. RCL cheerleaders stand down from this particular situation.

 

I understand having to protect the company from lawsuit on someone that is pregnant who may not be in a safe condition to travel, and that is why RCL carries the "24 month" policy, but for someone that just found out, thats ridiculous and shame on you.

 

 

Molly has updated this.

Thanks Molly

Edited May 1, 2015 by American Bear

[American Bear]

I wasn't going to comment till I read this ridiculous post. To the person just taking the test that morning, I have no problem lying in this case. I'll get flamed for that. My daughter found out she was pregnant 2 weeks before her NCL cruise and had a note from her doctor as she read the rules, but she didn't look it. The only reason she took the test before the cruise was to know whether she could drink or not. IF your visibly pregnant, know the rules and be prepared.

 

 

Agreed, there's a difference between taking a test the last minute to see if you can drink,(or smoke) and being in your 6th month.

 

I'll bet a lot of young women don't even know this RCL rule exists.

 

mollyeilis see this update, good info Molly!

Edited May 1, 2015 by American Bear