RCCL requires Drs, note

[pthjudy]

Outside of the summer and Christmas break, most of the passengers are above 70.  Many are physically challenged with walkers, wheel chairs, oxygen, aides to assist etc.  How a doctor can decide if a patient is capable of cruising can vary considerably between doctors. Is a person going to have to shop a new doctor to verify his health is sufficient for a cruise? Additionally, there is a big difference between a cruise let’s say to Antarctica or Galapagos and one to Caribbean or Canada.  Will a doctor take the time to take the itinerary as a factor? I can see this “letter requirement” being very short lived when Royal Caribbean starts losing their largest cruising population. As for forging a doctor’s name, that opens all sorts of problems for the cruiser. 

[Biker19]

10 minutes ago, pthjudy said:

Outside of the summer and Christmas break, most of the passengers are above 70.

That might be a bit off - very unlikely to be so on shorter sailings, it certainly wasn't true on 3/1 Anthem sailing.

[pthjudy]

29 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

That might be a bit off - very unlikely to be so on shorter sailings, it certainly wasn't true on 3/1 Anthem sailing.

I will give you shorter sailings. And I’ll also give you Royal Caribbean because it is very family oriented. But lines such as Oceania probably have an average age above 70. I just envision a prudent doctor being very conflicted as to verifying a patient’s seaworthiness. 

[Biker19]

9 minutes ago, pthjudy said:

But lines such as Oceania probably have an average age above 70.

We're in the RCI section of CC, one kinda assumes we're limiting the discussion to their fleet.

[pthjudy]

25 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

We're in the RCI section of CC, one kinda assumes we're limiting the discussion to their fleet.

I know this is Royal Caribbean, but it is still Cruise Critic and this type of documentation could filter to other cruise lines. And RC does have a large amount of older passengers. May not be the majority but I’ll stand by the large number statement. 

[TYinPalmSprings]

2 hours ago, Biker19 said:

That might be a bit off - very unlikely to be so on shorter sailings, it certainly wasn't true on 3/1 Anthem sailing.

Spring break spans the period from late February to mid-April, so the age results may be influenced. You see more children and college kids during this period. Also, repositioning is necessary seasonally, and those cruises are over 14 days. These are primarily inhabited by the aged crowd as they are usually retired and have the time to do them  Cutting off this market will have serious impact to the cruise lines who move their ships between continents. People think it is easy to get a note from a doctor saying they will not be seriously impacted by the virus, but the doctors fear signing it due to potential liability even if you are healthy. What good is an expiring FCC if you can't use it? We also cannot forget that it is quite common for grandpa and grandma to pay to take their children and grandchildren on cruises en mass, so, if you cut off the pay source, those in lower age groups will reduce accordingly. 

Edited March 21, 2020 by TYinPalmSprings

[TwoMisfits]

If it's a CDC policy, and the email from someone on another board received from Carnival implied, it won't matter what the cruise lines want to do.  If they'll want to sail to/from US ports, they'll have to comply.

 

I mean, a LOT of folks thought it was stupid we had to take shoes off to get through airport security...but we all had to do it anyway if we wanted to go on the flight.

 

So, if the CDC put this regulation in place, it will take a governmental action on their part or higher to remove it.  Now, our current president has been known for pitching regulations on a whim...but if this is in place past November, it might be here to stay for a long, long time b/c the normal governmental agency and normal politician like adding regulations, not subtracting them.

[mugtech]

5 hours ago, TwoMisfits said:

I mean, a LOT of folks thought it was stupid we had to take shoes off to get through airport security...but we all had to do it anyway if we wanted to go on the flight.

 

Comparing a note from your doctor to taking your shoes off?  I take my shoes off every night, got the procedure down after years of practice.  We spend 6 months every year out of the country, so I need to get a letter from a foreign doctor if I want to cruise.  Not likely.

[TwoMisfits]

9 minutes ago, mugtech said:

Comparing a note from your doctor to taking your shoes off?  I take my shoes off every night, got the procedure down after years of practice.  We spend 6 months every year out of the country, so I need to get a letter from a foreign doctor if I want to cruise.  Not likely.

 

It's comparing dumb reg and action to dumb reg and action...if you don't want to do them, you can't use the service til you get the government to remove the regulation.

 

So, yeah, apparently, that's gonna be the case going forward unless the cruise industry or patrons lobby the CDC to change it.  In the current environment, that's unlikely...and once November happens, probably next to impossible...so the window to change it will be very, very small...

[Blizzard54]

11 minutes ago, mugtech said:

Comparing a note from your doctor to taking your shoes off?  I take my shoes off every night, got the procedure down after years of practice.  We spend 6 months every year out of the country, so I need to get a letter from a foreign doctor if I want to cruise.  Not likely.

The cruise lines already have different rules for ships sailing from foreign ports. 

[rtazz17]

Lol,lets stop it. The note from dr isnt going to stay. 

[katiel53]

28 minutes ago, rtazz17 said:

Lol,lets stop it. The note from dr isnt going to stay. 

I totally agree.  I think this was something that was instituted for the Corona Virus and when the ships start sailing again, I think it will no longer be a concern.  The cruise line didn't want to accept responsibility if someone were quarantined and had medical problems etc.

 

Life will go on after this and things will be back to normal.

[ONECRUISER]

11 hours ago, Biker19 said:

That might be a bit off - very unlikely to be so on shorter sailings, it certainly wasn't true on 3/1 Anthem sailing.

I do only 10+ nites and Repos, at 54 I'm one of the younger ones. At least 90% older then me

[bearette]

The notes were required for all the cruise lines by the government - read each of the other forums and there is a thread just like this. They had to do the letters to keep operating. They will stay as long as the virus is still around. Do it or don’t, but until this thing is over, you won’t cruise without it.


Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[wdrl]

We just received an email from our TA stating that the rule requiring a letter of fitness will continue as a preventative measure.  So far two cruises are requiring this letter, RCCL and Norwegian.  It not only applies those 70 and above but to the following persons:  

"Boarding will be denied to any person with a severe, chronic medical condition, including those specified by the CDC. Guests of all ages will be screened prior to boarding, regarding underlying health issues that may prevent them from sailing, i.e.  chronic heart, lung, liver, or kidney disease, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, or cancer."  

 

Our TA goes on to say that it is expected that other cruise lines are expected to adopt this strict medical requirement, as they will have to do it to survive. I think my cruising will soon be ending as I have had asthma for 55 years and need regular medication to control it.  We have already cancelled on cruise this year and have 3 more in 2020, four cruises in 2021, and one in 2022.  But we need to add another cruise as we had to cancel our cruise of the Celebrity Reflection this month and that cruise must be taken no later than December 31, 2021.  

 

I am just not ready to stop cruising.  I sure hope this really will not become a permanent requirement.

 

 

[ReneeFLL]

1 hour ago, wdrl said:

We just received an email from our TA stating that the rule requiring a letter of fitness will continue as a preventative measure.  So far two cruises are requiring this letter, RCCL and Norwegian.  It not only applies those 70 and above but to the following persons:  

"Boarding will be denied to any person with a severe, chronic medical condition, including those specified by the CDC. Guests of all ages will be screened prior to boarding, regarding underlying health issues that may prevent them from sailing, i.e.  chronic heart, lung, liver, or kidney disease, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, or cancer."  

 

Our TA goes on to say that it is expected that other cruise lines are expected to adopt this strict medical requirement, as they will have to do it to survive. I think my cruising will soon be ending as I have had asthma for 55 years and need regular medication to control it.  We have already cancelled on cruise this year and have 3 more in 2020, four cruises in 2021, and one in 2022.  But we need to add another cruise as we had to cancel our cruise of the Celebrity Reflection this month and that cruise must be taken no later than December 31, 2021.  

 

I am just not ready to stop cruising.  I sure hope this really will not become a permanent requirement.

 

 

I think your TA is making to many assumptions. They really have no clue as of to what is going to happen in the future.

[TYinPalmSprings]

1 hour ago, wdrl said:

We just received an email from our TA stating that the rule requiring a letter of fitness will continue as a preventative measure.  So far two cruises are requiring this letter, RCCL and Norwegian.  It not only applies those 70 and above but to the following persons:  

"Boarding will be denied to any person with a severe, chronic medical condition, including those specified by the CDC. Guests of all ages will be screened prior to boarding, regarding underlying health issues that may prevent them from sailing, i.e.  chronic heart, lung, liver, or kidney disease, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, or cancer."  

 

Our TA goes on to say that it is expected that other cruise lines are expected to adopt this strict medical requirement, as they will have to do it to survive. I think my cruising will soon be ending as I have had asthma for 55 years and need regular medication to control it.  We have already cancelled on cruise this year and have 3 more in 2020, four cruises in 2021, and one in 2022.  But we need to add another cruise as we had to cancel our cruise of the Celebrity Reflection this month and that cruise must be taken no later than December 31, 2021.  

 

I am just not ready to stop cruising.  I sure hope this really will not become a permanent requirement.

 

 

I'm not sure why your TA thinks they need to do this to survive, especially as all the lines are doing it a bit different. Although my background is as a business analyst and in financial risk management for a multi-national manufacturer in the tech industry,  not in travel, I am at least astute enough from all my business years to understand the impact of cutting off a huge and necessary market like they have with this. It can affect the ongoing success, no, more like existence,  of an operation. Just the bad will alone will ricochet through the senior community  and they will not only lose the senior cruiser, they will also lose those many grandparents who want to take their children and grandchildren on a cruise with them. And for  those not affected because they are young and do not have ailments, think about it for a minute. If they can take our money, then change their policies to exclude us after the fact, not give our money back, and get away with it, then who will be next group to be hit? Yours?

[Blizzard54]

9 hours ago, TYinPalmSprings said:

I'm not sure why your TA thinks they need to do this to survive, especially as all the lines are doing it a bit different. Although my background is as a business analyst and in financial risk management for a multi-national manufacturer in the tech industry,  not in travel, I am at least astute enough from all my business years to understand the impact of cutting off a huge and necessary market like they have with this. It can affect the ongoing success, no, more like existence,  of an operation. Just the bad will alone will ricochet through the senior community  and they will not only lose the senior cruiser, they will also lose those many grandparents who want to take their children and grandchildren on a cruise with them. And for  those not affected because they are young and do not have ailments, think about it for a minute. If they can take our money, then change their policies to exclude us after the fact, not give our money back, and get away with it, then who will be next group to be hit? Yours?

I agree with you analysis.  I am not trying to get political here but I recall at a press conference about either the Diamond or Grand Princess, the president made a comment about requiring the cruise lines to make provisions and bear the cost of dealing with illnesses and quarantines in the future.  Most of us know that not everything he says actually gets implemented but I am pretty sure is was discussed in the meeting the administration had with the cruise lines.  If that is the case, The lines may be limiting their exposure for now with the long term plan to ease the restriction when there is a change in administration, be it 1 or 5 years from now  

Edited March 22, 2020 by Blizzard54

[TYinPalmSprings]

7 minutes ago, Blizzard54 said:

I agree with you analysis.  I am not trying to get political here but I recall at a press conference about either the Diamond or Grand Princess, the president made a comment about requiring the cruise lines to make provisions and bear the cost of dealing with illnesses and quarantines in the future.  Most of us know that not everything he says actually gets implemented but I am pretty sure is was discussed in the meeting the administration had with the cruise lines.  If that is the case, The lines may be limiting their exposure for now with the long term plan to ease the restriction when there is a change in administration, be it 1 or 5 years from now  

No, each cruise line came out doing it different. Some canceled for 2 months ( like Princess) and agreed to return money,  some like Viking just refunded,, some extended a choice of refunds or FCCs, then there were those like RCCL and Celebrity who just said they would DENY BOARDING for ongoing cruises and would only offer an FCC if you could not get the doctor's pass if you are over 70, if you had certain medical histories, or if you did not pass their curbside review before getting on the ship. They put an EXPIRATION on the FCCS, leaving it all up to the hopes of those impacted that they would later change their new policy. NEVER did they offer to return money to those their new policy refuses or make a statement saying they would refund your money if they did not lift their new policy in the future.  Ultimately, the credits will expire, and they will be out nothing in your case as they get to keep your money.  

[Ocean Boy]

11 hours ago, wdrl said:

We just received an email from our TA stating that the rule requiring a letter of fitness will continue as a preventative measure.  So far two cruises are requiring this letter, RCCL and Norwegian.  It not only applies those 70 and above but to the following persons:  

 

Boarding will be denied to any person with a severe, chronic medical condition, including those specified by the CDC. Guests of all ages will be screened prior to boarding, regarding underlying health issues that may prevent them from sailing, i.e.  chronic heart, lung, liver, or kidney disease, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, or cancer."  

 

Our TA goes on to say that it is expected that other cruise lines are expected to adopt this strict medical requirement, as they will have to do it to survive. I think my cruising will soon be ending as I have had asthma for 55 years and need regular medication to control it.  We have already cancelled on cruise this year and have 3 more in 2020, four cruises in 2021, and one in 2022.  But we need to add another cruise as we had to cancel our cruise of the Celebrity Reflection this month and that cruise must be taken no later than December 31, 2021.  

 

I am just not ready to stop cruising.  I sure hope this really will not become a permanent requirement.

 

 

People have been sailing with these types of issues since cruising began. Suddenly these folks are going to be cut out of cruising permanently without a doctor's note? I highly doubt it.

[pstone1]

9 hours ago, TYinPalmSprings said:

I'm not sure why your TA thinks they need to do this to survive, especially as all the lines are doing it a bit different. Although my background is as a business analyst and in financial risk management for a multi-national manufacturer in the tech industry,  not in travel, I am at least astute enough from all my business years to understand the impact of cutting off a huge and necessary market like they have with this. It can affect the ongoing success, no, more like existence,  of an operation. Just the bad will alone will ricochet through the senior community  and they will not only lose the senior cruiser, they will also lose those many grandparents who want to take their children and grandchildren on a cruise with them. And for  those not affected because they are young and do not have ailments, think about it for a minute. If they can take our money, then change their policies to exclude us after the fact, not give our money back, and get away with it, then who will be next group to be hit? Yours?

 

I agree with you.  We are not 70 however, many of the friends we cruise with are.  If friends are prohibited from cruising, we will no longer be interested in taking cruises for our vacations.  Also, as others have said, even if people are healthy, I don’t believe most, if any, Doctors will be interested in signing the waiver.

[Blizzard54]

17 minutes ago, TYinPalmSprings said:

No, each cruise line came out doing it different. Some canceled for 2 months ( like Princess) and agreed to return money,  some like Viking just refunded,, some extended a choice of refunds or FCCs, then there were those like RCCL and Celebrity who just said they would DENY BOARDING for ongoing cruises and would only offer an FCC if you could not get the doctor's pass if you are over 70, if you had certain medical histories, or if you did not pass their curbside review before getting on the ship. They put an EXPIRATION on the FCCS, leaving it all up to the hopes of those impacted that they would later change their new policy. NEVER did they offer to return money to those their new policy refuses or make a statement saying they would refund your money if they did not lift their new policy in the future.  Ultimately, the credits will expire, and they will be out nothing in your case as they get to keep your money.  

I realize they all have done it differently. NCL also requires a letter and the Princess FCC expires a year later.

I do not know it this is new but I notice this near the bottom of the page on Royal's site

All guests who are denied boarding due to these restrictions will receive compensation.

 

Could this mean that if you contact them ahead of time and them that you will be denied boarding because you can not get a letter you can cancel and get a refund?  

[TYinPalmSprings]

13 minutes ago, Blizzard54 said:

I realize they all have done it differently. NCL also requires a letter and the Princess FCC expires a year later.

I do not know it this is new but I notice this near the bottom of the page on Royal's site

All guests who are denied boarding due to these restrictions will receive compensation.

 

Could this mean that if you contact them ahead of time and them that you will be denied boarding because you can not get a letter you can cancel and get a refund?  

No. Compensation, when detailed, is an FCC with a 2021 expiration.

[TYinPalmSprings]

15 minutes ago, Blizzard54 said:

I realize they all have done it differently. NCL also requires a letter and the Princess FCC expires a year later.

I do not know it this is new but I notice this near the bottom of the page on Royal's site

All guests who are denied boarding due to these restrictions will receive compensation.

 

Could this mean that if you contact them ahead of time and them that you will be denied boarding because you can not get a letter you can cancel and get a refund?  

Nope. you get an FCC with an expiration. Some of the words they are using are vague to sound open ended,  until you pursue it further. 

 

[TYinPalmSprings]

51 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

People have been sailing with these types of issues since cruising began. Suddenly these folks are going to be cut out of cruising permanently without a doctor's note? I highly doubt it.

So, for those who have medical conditions  that are now deemed unacceptable, or if you are 70+ and unable to get a doctor to sign the cruise lines document that  the doctors and their insurers view as a liability statement, then you just have to HOPE they change the policy of you sacrifice your money now in the cruise lines pockets?  A worthless FCC you cannot use expires and they keep the money. They push it down the road til whoosh your money disappears. Then their marketing guys go to work with disaster control.