Cruising While Pregnant - advice, thoughts?

[sciteach11]

My husband and I are planning a cruise for our babymoon. We are hoping to cruise around Northern Europe this July, when I am 22-23 weeks pregnant. I checked and this is within Princess' pregnancy policy (<24 weeks). Have any of you cruised while pregnant? What else should I be aware of? I know to avoid the alcohol and hot tubs (bummer!), so I'm wondering more about travel logistics.

 

Should I get the Princess Vacation Protection (normally we never do)?

Are there other on-board extras I can book to make things more comfortable (drink packages, prenatal massages)?

Anything I should pack to make things go smoothly?

What other advice do you have?

 

I should mention this is my first baby and we have been blessed with a very smooth and healthy pregnancy so far, so my doctor gave me the go-ahead to travel internationally this summer.

 

Thank you!

[Thrak]

Hopefully you can get a helpful answer here but you may be better off checking the forums for a different cruise line as the average Princess cruiser hasn't been pregnant for a great many years. We do tend to be an older group. I'm not saying you won't get an answer here but your chances would probably be better if you asked as a general (non-Princess) question one of the boards where more young people and families tend to cruise. Best of luck and, as you already know, be sure to take extra good care of yourself and your baby. :D

[Hlitner]

As one who spent one of his lives working in the Medical Insurance industry we would urge the OP to make sure they have decent Emergency/Urgent Medical Care Coverage when outside the USA. Many US policies do include this coverage, but there are many that do not! If you do not have coverage then consider purchasing decent travel medical.

 

Hank

[DrivesLikeMario]

I would get Princess' approval in writing if I were you. Have your TA submit a doctor's note along with a letter to Princess via email and they'll respond in writing. You never know who will be checking you in and they may interpret the "less than 24 weeks" as meaning you must be less than that at the end of your cruise. If you're at 23 weeks and on a 11 day cruise, they could deny you boarding. Just play it safe and that way, you'll have no stress when checking in. JMHO.

 

 

This is for anyone else reading that is a little farther along as international flights have lower pregnancy limits than domestic flights: https://www.tripsavvy.com/flying-while-pregnant-policies-3994876

[skynight]

I can't answer your questions other than I would not travel outside the county without travel insurance and with a policy which covers your current situation. Medical care can cost lots and lots, especially if you have to be disembarked from the ship at a foreign port, hospitalized and fly home.

In general pregnant or not pregnant I would not travel internationally without travel insurance.

[sciteach11]

Thank you all for the tips! Drives Like Mario, in case you were wondering, Princess does count any portion of the cruise falling in your 24th week as too late. Fortunately I will complete the cruise during week 23.

 

I just checked with my medical insurance and they do have options for international travel, fortunately. Yay!

 

And Thrak, great idea to check other boards. The average passenger age is one of the reasons we like Princess. We've pretty introverted and have never been into the Spring Break/party scene, so it's great for us! :)

[moki'smommy]

 

I just checked with my medical insurance and they do have options for international travel, fortunately. Yay!

:)

International medical care is one thing. Evacuation, repatriation, etc. is something else, and I've never seen land based medical insurance that covers those things. Just a thought that I won't be in trouble for expressing.

[OzCanuck]

Here is a cautionary tale.

 

https://globalnews.ca/news/1679588/dream-vacation-in-hawaii-turns-into-financial-nightmare-for-saskatchewan-couple/

 

I am all for travelling, pregnant or not. But I work in the insurance business and would counsel you to ensure you insure yourself correctly.

 

Hope you have a great trip. Our baby moon was a two week sojourn to Thailand and Laos. (Insured heavily!)

[sciteach11]

International medical care is one thing. Evacuation' date=' repatriation, etc. is something else, and I've never seen land based medical insurance that covers those things. Just a thought that I won't be in trouble for expressing.[/quote']

 

Good point, but I believe the Princess Vacation Protection covers those, right?

[moki'smommy]

Good point, but I believe the Princess Vacation Protection covers those, right?

In my experience, the travel insurance offered thru Princess is more costly and provides less coverage than that thru the company that my travel agent recommends. The one thing Princess does offer that other plans do not is that if your claim is rejected for any reason, a percentage of the cruise cost will be credited toward a future cruise.

 

Private insurance is based on your age and where you will be traveling as well as the amount of coverage you are purchasing. Many companies will cover pre-existing conditions provided the coverage is purchased within a short period of booking the cruise (typically 14-21 days depending on the company). One good place to compare policies, costs, etc. is insuremytrip.com. Read the fine print. We have found the coverage that Princess offers to be quite limited and costly. After a certain age, the Princess coverage can be a good value, but we aren't at that age yet.

 

You might ask your TA what company they recommend.

In general, I'd recommend against the lowest tier policy (most companies offer several levels). Moving from the lowest level to the mid level is typically only a little more expensive and the benefits may be double those of the low end policy.

 

Odds are that you will be fine. BUT, a pregnancy is often not high risk until suddenly, it is. And a situation that requires hospitalization at 23 weeks may well be a million dollar baby. Again, you'll probably be fine....but if you're not, you don't want to deal with the financial issues as well as the baby issues.

[Go-Bucks!]

My husband and I are planning a cruise for our babymoon. We are hoping to cruise around Northern Europe this July, when I am 22-23 weeks pregnant. I checked and this is within Princess' pregnancy policy (<24 weeks). Have any of you cruised while pregnant? What else should I be aware of? I know to avoid the alcohol and hot tubs (bummer!), so I'm wondering more about travel logistics.

 

Should I get the Princess Vacation Protection (normally we never do)?

Are there other on-board extras I can book to make things more comfortable (drink packages, prenatal massages)?

Anything I should pack to make things go smoothly?

What other advice do you have?

 

I should mention this is my first baby and we have been blessed with a very smooth and healthy pregnancy so far, so my doctor gave me the go-ahead to travel internationally this summer.

 

Thank you!

You should take me along with you.....I'm a Labor & Delivery nurse! 30 years experience in delivering babies and cruising! :D

[shutterbug12]

I cruised when I was 19 weeks pregnant with my second child. I talked to my doctor before the cruise and got the green light to travel. I got a medical note stating my due date and that I was fit to travel. Fortunately, I was not asked to present the note at any time during check-in or the cruise.

 

I do not usually have any issues with motion sickness, but I found that I was a little more sensitive to it while pregnant. My doctor warned me not to take any over the counter anti-nausea medication. The only thing I was allowed to take was ginger pills. Fortunately, that was enough for me. I also heard that eating green apples can help with mild nausea, but I did not try it.

 

The only other bummer was no alcohol! Princess has a page of non-alcoholic "mocktails" in the drinks menu, which contains some pretty yummy concoctions. The bartenders can also make a non-alcoholic version of a lot of other cocktails as well. Virgin pina colada, margarita, daiquiri, etc. One of my favorite drinks was simply a 50/50 mix of cranberry juice and club soda.

 

Enjoy your vacation and your pregnancy!

[tamsocal]

Thank you all for the tips! Drives Like Mario, in case you were wondering, Princess does count any portion of the cruise falling in your 24th week as too late. Fortunately I will complete the cruise during week 23.

 

I just checked with my medical insurance and they do have options for international travel, fortunately. Yay!

 

And Thrak, great idea to check other boards. The average passenger age is one of the reasons we like Princess. We've pretty introverted and have never been into the Spring Break/party scene, so it's great for us! :)

 

I would not travel abroad/lengthy flight myself at that stage of pregnancy but I don't know that you mention where you are from so maybe you live in Europe and aren't flying... I can't see your original post now that I have started typing..... I work in NICU. We get lots of vacationing deliveries since we live in a prime vacation location. If you go into preterm labor and you are in an area where you can get immediate excellent care to try to stop the PTL there are many things that can be done at 22-23 weeks to try and delay delivery but better 22-23 weeks traveling then 30+ weeks. I personally would not be as worried about the medical insurance during this time of pregnancy as much as, will I be near to a medical facility who can appropriately take care of me/pregnancy at this stage of pregnancy. Chances are nothing will happen and you will have an uneventful trip.

 

since you didn't ask if you should go or not and what to plan...... on with what you asked...... :)

*avoid the typical food you should during pregnancy-

*avoid heavy lifting

*listen to your body, don't over do things

*travel by car vs air when possible is a typical traveling while pregnant recommendation but you have already picked a cruise

* Take a domestic vacation, stay closer to home and you'll reduce some ambiguity when it comes to contaminated food, unsafe drinking water and foreign medical care

**** since you are already choosing cruise with this one above I personally would lean towards main dining vs buffet, to many people are inappropriate in the buffet lines, eating and licking their fingers UGH!!

* good hand washing

* take a copy of prenatal records

* some literature recommends limiting travel per day to 6 hours

* airport security- not sure about the scanners these days-- don't have knowledge but unless you do and you have read up on them I would ask to go thru the old machine not the ones that spin around you-- but again- this response is completely with lack of knowledge

* APA recommends 8-12 glasses of water a day during pregnancy- stay hydrated and continue to eat well

* consider compression socks for your flight- pregnant women are more susceptible to clots. *Keep drinking water on your flight which will make you have to go to the bathroom which will keep you from sitting for a prolonged period of time

*be a princess- don't be afraid to ask for help and let your spouse get the bags

*read up on signs of PTL at 22-23 weeks-- the contractions are not the same as when term for most people-- cramping, spotting, mild pack pain, mild pressure, mild tightening-- people often think they are dehydrated or just over did things for the day and come in way too far dilated

 

take it easy and enjoy

 

have fun!

Edited May 28, 2018 by tamsocal

[OCruisers]

Just adding ... a good thing about Princess that your husband can buy an alcohol package (PBP) and you don't have to. :)

[JF - retired RRT]

As one who spent one of his lives working in the Medical Insurance industry we would urge the OP to make sure they have decent Emergency/Urgent Medical Care Coverage when outside the USA. Many US policies do include this coverage, but there are many that do not! If you do not have coverage then consider purchasing decent travel medical.

 

Hank

Yes!! Insurance is an absolute must have.

[Roatanfans]

I would also consider any possible need for medications (sea sick, cold. indigestion, heart burn, constipation, diarrhea etc and pack what ever remedies your doctor approves for those things so you won't be stuck without them) I traveled to Honduras while pregnant and it was much harder then I anticipated- just dealing with changes in temperature and food was hard. Hopefully you will have a great time with no issues, but the family board on here is probably going to have much better advice for you!

[Pam in CA]

One thing to keep in mind should you have a problem, Princess does not have any neo-natal facilities onboard.

 

Even the youngest, healthiest, most active passengers can experience medical problems onboard. Saw one woman who had tripped on an uneven sidewalk in Mexico and broke her arm in four places. Saw someone else who broke their ankle playing basketball on the ship. It’s foolish not to get cruise/trip insurance.

[Shmoo here]

...

 

Odds are that you will be fine. BUT' date=' a pregnancy is often not high risk until suddenly, it is. And a situation that requires hospitalization at 23 weeks may well be a million dollar baby. Again, you'll probably be fine....but if you're not, you don't want to deal with the financial issues as well as the baby issues.[/quote']

It does happen http://www.foxnews.com/health/2015/09/25/baby-born-four-months-premature-on-cruise-ship-wins-race-against-time-to.html

[tamsocal]

It does happen http://www.foxnews.com/health/2015/09/25/baby-born-four-months-premature-on-cruise-ship-wins-race-against-time-to.html

the coast guard also transports moms in trouble and infants delivered on cruises when proximity allows. Happens more than desired

[Shmoo here]

the coast guard also transports moms in trouble and infants delivered on cruises when proximity allows. Happens more than desired

If I'm having preterm labor, I don't think I want to be airlifted in a helicopter. Just a little quirk of mine.

[tamsocal]

If I'm having preterm labor, I don't think I want to be airlifted in a helicopter. Just a little quirk of mine.

yes but you wouldn't probably want to remain on a ship if they could not take care of you & your unborn child properly

When they choose this route the mom is not taken hostage she willingly makes the choice based on risks/benefits.

[caribill]

Unless the cruise was booked very recently, insurance that would cover the existing condition (pregnancy) may not be available anymore.

[calvin31]

Thank you all for the tips! Drives Like Mario, in case you were wondering, Princess does count any portion of the cruise falling in your 24th week as too late. Fortunately I will complete the cruise during week 23.

 

I just checked with my medical insurance and they do have options for international travel, fortunately. Yay!

 

And Thrak, great idea to check other boards. The average passenger age is one of the reasons we like Princess. We've pretty introverted and have never been into the Spring Break/party scene, so it's great for us! :)

 

 

 

I think you’ll have a great time! I know my ‘soon to be’ wife (next Saturday!) and I will be in the same ‘boat’ in a year so would be interested to hear how the adventure went for you. Good luck!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[menkot]

I cruised on carnival at around 23 weeks. I had a great time. It was pretty simple. My Dr sent the note and there were no questions asked. I retained a lot of fluid while on the cruise. After a couple of days, I learned that an afternoon nap with my feet up was a very good thing. I didnt have that problem before or after the cruise. Have fun!!!! I did lol.

[Thrak]

International medical care is one thing. Evacuation' date=' repatriation, etc. is something else, and I've never seen land based medical insurance that covers those things. Just a thought that I won't be in trouble for expressing.[/quote']

 

Good point, but I believe the Princess Vacation Protection covers those, right?

 

No, I don't believe the Princess insurance will fly you home, etc. I use MedjetAssist. Most medical insurance will get you home if it is a "medical necessity". For instance, if I'm overseas and have to be hospitalized but the hospital says there is no need for me to be at home as they can handle things - even if I don't think that's true - the insurance won't do squat as far as getting you home. With MedjetAssist as long as I as I am admitted to a hospital they will, depending on the circumstances, either fly a medical team to me and escort me home on a commercial flight to the hospital of my choice or, in more exigent circumstances, they will fly me home in a medically equipped jet with a medical team onboard.

 

I get a one year policy that runs for 365 days from the day of purchase - not a calendar year. It can be purchased short term, annually, or longer term with a multi-year discount. I can be purchased for one person or a family. You would need to go to the web site and check on the options but it is really easy to do and there is no hassle. You click on the options and it tells you what it would cost. They also offer higher priced insurance that covers political insurections, etc. but we just get the medical evacuation insurance. A family plan for one year with the medical transportation/repatriation insurance costs me $395. Last year I bought the one year policy and purchased it so that it covered our 7 week camping trip from Northern California to Montana, Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon, and Alaska. It also covered our 28 day cruise to Hawaii, Tahiti, Bora Bora, Pago Pago, and Moorea. This year, the same policy was in effect for our 14 day Circle Caribbean cruise. Imagine being in Tahiti or Bora Bora and having to be hospitalized for a month. No thanks. Getting medically evacuated would have been $20k - $30k. With MedjetAssist once I had been hospitalized they would have taken care of me.

 

Naturally we don't expect anything to happen but that's what accidents are all about. You understand your life and your health but I thought I should mention this as you seem to be under the impression that medical insurance will evacuate you back home if needed and that simply is not the case most of the time unless it is a "medical necessity".

 

Note: I just checked and the medical evac policy for one year for one person is $270.

 

https://medjetassist.com/enroll