RCCL requires Drs, note

[firefly333]

I'm reading some guys post on carnival boards. I'm assuming maybe he needed a doctor note, but he doesnt seem to know or state why. It's the thread 1000s denied boarding. I'm feeling bad for him. What a mess.

 

"Any one else refused boarding clearance? No phone call, no email, no signage. Parked at the pier of Charleston, paid for parking admitted to the operators with the red and blue numbers, only to be told YOUR NOT BOARDING TODAY!!!!! Diabetic, heart failure, need oxygen basically are you handicapped in any way? Well today your not getting on. Here is the Carnival stamped letter head( no one in Miami headquarters is aware) but you cannot board. Speak up and you will be arrested for starting a riot. So sorry. I just took off work, drove 800 miles and my vacation is cancelled. Well there I sat dumbfounded with so many parties of more than myself and my husband. Tears, families and friends making decisions. It's okay wade go, I will come back and get you Monday. CDC did not post this, they told us they did. Anyone else????????"

[molsonschooner]

16 hours ago, NJ&Ozzie said:

Shortage of doctors in Ontario?  Don't know where this poster lives in Ontario or circumstances why poster does not have a doctor.  But that is a blanket statement.  There are many clinics available throughout Ontario where a doctor has family practice and is also a walk in clinic.  Hate to see this myth get put out there about the Canadian Health care system.

 

And our health care is not "free".  That is just not true.  We pay for our basic health care out of our own taxes or payroll deductions.  Our system has been set up this way since 1967.  

NJ 

I live about 150 km from Toronto. I have been on a wait list for over 2 years trying to get a family doctor. The last rumor I heard was that there are over 2000 people in my city who can't get a doctor.

[NJ&Ozzie]

3 minutes ago, molsonschooner said:

I live about 150 km from Toronto. I have been on a wait list for over 2 years trying to get a family doctor. The last rumor I heard was that there are over 2000 people in my city who can't get a doctor.

Now see that you live in Belleville.  Ok - nice city. We have friends that live in Orillia who are in a similar situation.  They have a doctor but he is part of a clinic so technically they don't have their own family doctor.  Is this same for you or do you go to another city for health care?

 

Some Americans perception is that our health care is "free" - wanted to clarify that we do pay for basic health care through payroll or tax deductions.

NJ 

[molsonschooner]

41 minutes ago, NJ&Ozzie said:

Now see that you live in Belleville.  Ok - nice city. We have friends that live in Orillia who are in a similar situation.  They have a doctor but he is part of a clinic so technically they don't have their own family doctor.  Is this same for you or do you go to another city for health care?

 

Some Americans perception is that our health care is "free" - wanted to clarify that we do pay for basic health care through payroll or tax deductions.

NJ 

I would go to a walk in clinic if needed. I do go to the diabetes specialist every few months.

[NJ&Ozzie]

41 minutes ago, molsonschooner said:

I would go to a walk in clinic if needed. I do go to the diabetes specialist every few months.

Thanks for letting me know.  Glad that you have a clinic available there.  Hope things go ok with any cruises you have planned.  And hopefully the doctors note requirement is only very temporary.

Cheers,

NJ 

[torpeedo]

3 minutes ago, NJ&Ozzie said:

  hopefully the doctors note requirement is only very temporary.

 

 

I hope so too.  People are having a difficult time obtaining this note as written. Some MD's won't sign it.

[molly361]

If the note is still going to be required once operations start back up I am curious to see how many doctors will fill it out and how many won't for liability issues.  Most of what is being posted now is speculation

[Ocean Boy]

15 minutes ago, molly361 said:

If the note is still going to be required once operations start back up I am curious to see how many doctors will fill it out and how many won't for liability issues.  Most of what is being posted now is speculation

I have major concerns with the letter. I can forsee signing it, someone gets in trouble, gets med evacted for thousands of dollars, then some lawyer get his hands on the letter and comes after me for cost of the evac, plus pain and suffering, and legal fees.

[Ourusualbeach]

1 minute ago, Ocean Boy said:

I have major concerns with the letter. I can forsee signing it, someone gets in trouble, gets med evacted for thousands of dollars, then some lawyer get his hands on the letter and comes after me for cost of the evac, plus pain and suffering, and legal fees.

You’ll be ok.  No one can read a Dr’s writing, they’ll never know who signed it.🤣

 

All joking aside, I can’t see many physicians signing this for those very reasons. 

[molly361]

Just ordered my rubber stamp   KIDDING😇

 

[NJ&Ozzie]

https://montrealgazette.com/news/quebec/covid-19-people-70-and-over-should-stay-home-visits-banned-to-hospitals-seniors-residences

 

If you're over 70 in Quebec....

NJ 

[VA Emily]

We have an RCI cruise booked for October.  My husband and I are both over 70 and are both in good health.  We do have a family doctor who will sign a clearance form.  However, I really resent having to submit a form to RCI so I can cruise because I am over 70.  We’ve been regularly cruising for the past 30 years.  I have seen many less than 70 year old cruisers who are extremely overweight, using portable oxygen, waddling about, etc., who have seem to have many health issues.  

Land tours are becoming more attractive.

 

[firefly333]

8 hours ago, firefly333 said:

I'm reading some guys post on carnival boards. I'm assuming maybe he needed a doctor note, but he doesnt seem to know or state why. It's the thread 1000s denied boarding. I'm feeling bad for him. What a mess.

 

"Any one else refused boarding clearance? No phone call, no email, no signage. Parked at the pier of Charleston, paid for parking admitted to the operators with the red and blue numbers, only to be told YOUR NOT BOARDING TODAY!!!!! Diabetic, heart failure, need oxygen basically are you handicapped in any way? Well today your not getting on. Here is the Carnival stamped letter head( no one in Miami headquarters is aware) but you cannot board. Speak up and you will be arrested for starting a riot. So sorry. I just took off work, drove 800 miles and my vacation is cancelled. Well there I sat dumbfounded with so many parties of more than myself and my husband. Tears, families and friends making decisions. It's okay wade go, I will come back and get you Monday. CDC did not post this, they told us they did. Anyone else????????"

I'm following this thread tonight again.

 

Carnival expanded the health letter, if you have been in the hospital last 2 months, check you are diabetic, on oxygen, underlying conditions checked, you were denied boarding in mobile.

 

Not just those over 70. Be prepared if rcl does this, and you check boxes, even if you are 30 or 40, boarding was denied. Wasnt communicated well if at all. 

 

There is a link to the news in the thread. Scary thread that they didnt tell people ahead they would be denied boarding if they had underlying conditions.

[Dennis#1]

28 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I'm following this thread tonight again.

 

Carnival expanded the health letter, if you have been in the hospital last 2 months, check you are diabetic, on oxygen, underlying conditions checked, you were denied boarding in mobile.

 

Not just those over 70. Be prepared if rcl does this, and you check boxes, even if you are 30 or 40, boarding was denied. Wasnt communicated well if at all. 

 

There is a link to the news in the thread. Scary thread that they didnt tell people ahead they would be denied boarding if they had underlying conditions.

Bummer.

[Blizzard54]

1 hour ago, VA Emily said:

We have an RCI cruise booked for October.  My husband and I are both over 70 and are both in good health.  We do have a family doctor who will sign a clearance form.  However, I really resent having to submit a form to RCI so I can cruise because I am over 70.  We’ve been regularly cruising for the past 30 years.  I have seen many less than 70 year old cruisers who are extremely overweight, using portable oxygen, waddling about, etc., who have seem to have many health issues.  

Land tours are becoming more attractive.

 

Under normal circumstances most of those conditions are not a problem.  for the next few months,  no matter how much screening they do, it is likely someone will board that does not know they were exposed and they could spread it on a ship.  The ships are not equipped to handle quarantines.  It should all go back to normal in a few months.

[Dennis#1]

21 minutes ago, Blizzard54 said:

Under normal circumstances most of those conditions are not a problem.  for the next few months,  no matter how much screening they do, it is likely someone will board that does not know they were exposed and they could spread it on a ship.  The ships are not equipped to handle quarantines.  It should all go back to normal in a few months.

Sure hope you are correct.

[firefly333]

33 minutes ago, Dennis#1 said:

Bummer.

https://wreg.com/news/carnival-cruise-passengers-say-they-were-denied-boarding-due-to-existing-health-conditions/

 

Hope that's the link, I'm not good at copy paste on this tablet. I am questioning how this could go into effect midnight friday night and Saturday with no notice deny pax boarding.

Edited March 15, 2020 by firefly333

[the_dylaness]

On 3/13/2020 at 10:42 AM, gatour said:

"I hereby certify that this patient does not suffer from any chronic illness (e.g. heart, lung, liver or kidney disease or immunodeficiency status due to HIV/AIDS or diabetes) which would make this patient susceptible to complications arising after infection with the Novel Coronavirus"

 

This is complicated.

 

-Any chronic illness?  They spell out a few, but e.g. means "for example", not "all encompassing."

-Who knows what chronic illnesses make patients susceptible to COVID-19?  We know some, but surely not all.

-How are we defining "heart disease"?  Controlled HTN? Remote history of heart attack 20 years ago? Or do we mean paroxysmal AFib?  Severe aortic stenosis untreated?

-What's "liver disease"? History hepatitis C with no viral load?  Steatosis? Or fulminant hepatitis?  

-Ooh, kidney disease, that's a good one.  Stage 2 CKD? Recurrent stones? Or end-stage renal disease requiring dialysis?

Immunodeficiency due to diabetes... A1c 15 or 5.9 and well controlled on diet and metformin?

-Everyone with HIV should not cruise now?  Seriously!?

 

Or, chronic illness could mean COPD, bipolar, hypothyroidism, PCOS, endometriosis, BPH... so many illnesses are "chronic".  I can't imagine how this certification letter is doing anything but putting the physician at medicolegal risk while maybe or maybe not actually helping the patient.

 

I guess they can just go to the urgent care, lie about their health problems, deny all meds, and get a waiver. Easy peasy!

 

 

[Dennis#1]

6 minutes ago, the_dylaness said:

 

This is complicated.

 

I guess they can just go to the urgent care, lie about their health problems, deny all meds, and get a waiver. Easy peasy!

 

 

Yes, if you are over 70 and are willing to take the risk, this is the best way to cruise.

[Blizzard54]

From the looks of the letter I do not see too many Dr's signing it.

We are in our 60's and most likely be amung the oldest on our next couple cruises...if they do not get canceled.

.

[firefly333]

30 minutes ago, the_dylaness said:

 

 

I guess they can just go to the urgent care, lie about their health problems, deny all meds, and get a waiver. Easy peasy!

 

 

Have you gone to a urgent care and on Medicare. I took my dad to 2 different brand names of urgent care. He fell and cut his arm and it wasnt serious so I thought urgent care could just bandage it.

 

Both said we dont take anyone on medicare. 

 

We had to go to ER just to get his arm bandaged. Felt silly but urgent care wouldnt take you around here.

[Coralc]

None of them take Medicare, you just pay for the visit. 

[CruisingNole]

4 hours ago, VA Emily said:

 

Land tours are becoming more attractive.

 

 

Then that's what you should do. Or maybe, I dunno, take a real trip on your own without your hand being held? You don't have to live by rules. Give it a shot, you'l enjoy it. 

[BBQluver]

On 3/13/2020 at 6:03 AM, Fun2snorkel said:

Do Doctors have a form they just fill out - kind of like a kid going back to school?  Or is Royal supplying the form?  And do we have to get a note for every cruise taken in a year?    This really makes no sense to me. And if you are cruising in a week or two, as I would have been if not cancelled, how do you get a note if you are already on your way to the port?

 

So many questions!

Royal has a form that is to be completed by the doctor. The form has a place for the patient's name. Also a place for the date. I thought I had read that the form must be dated not more than seven days before the cruise, but I don't see it on the Royal health alert.  Then the following is the information that the doctor certifies:

To Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., The above-noted patient is seventy years old or above and wishes to sail onboard a Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. cruise ship departing on ____________. I hereby certify that this patient does not suffer from any chronic illness (e.g. heart, lung, liver or kidney disease or immunodefi ciency status due to HIV/AIDS or diabetes) which would make this patient susceptible to complications arising after infection with the Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)/COVID-19. I attest that this person is fit to travel on a cruise vacation.

 

There isn't an option to state that the patient has diabetes, but it is under control and the patient is fit to travel. If this form is still required for my June cruise I will be denied boarding. 

[ONECRUISER]

35 minutes ago, BBQluver said:

Royal has a form that is to be completed by the doctor. The form has a place for the patient's name. Also a place for the date. I thought I had read that the form must be dated not more than seven days before the cruise, but I don't see it on the Royal health alert.  Then the following is the information that the doctor certifies:

To Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., The above-noted patient is seventy years old or above and wishes to sail onboard a Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. cruise ship departing on ____________. I hereby certify that this patient does not suffer from any chronic illness (e.g. heart, lung, liver or kidney disease or immunodefi ciency status due to HIV/AIDS or diabetes) which would make this patient susceptible to complications arising after infection with the Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)/COVID-19. I attest that this person is fit to travel on a cruise vacation.

 

There isn't an option to state that the patient has diabetes, but it is under control and the patient is fit to travel. If this form is still required for my June cruise I will be denied boarding. 

Yes, policy is no older then 7 days b4 sailing, plus travel day/days. Unfortunately most medical and 70 will be denied. Mom is 74 has couple ailments(COPD/BLOOD PRESSURE) and she isnt leaving house let alone allowed to Cruise

Edited March 15, 2020 by ONECRUISER