Royal Carribean requires passengers over 70 to obtain medical certificate

[cruisine21]

COVID-19 presents the most serious health risks to older individuals, the immunocompromised, and those with serious, underlying medical conditions.  Therefore, effective Monday, March 16:

a.  Boarding will be denied to any person age 70 or older, unless the guest provides written verificationfrom a qualified treating physician that certifies the person has no severe, chronic medical condition and is fit to travel.

b. 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.

[MicCanberra]

Royal has just announced it has suspended cruising out of the US for 30 days.

[getting older slowly]

My mum is going on Azamara on the 24th Sydney to Singapore... which is still go for launch.....

 

I thought they might have had a no go for Singapore.... but it would disrupt the future cruises.....

 

She has decided to go because, but she can cancel,,,, but does not are a refund.. only credit....

 

Which is no good..... as this was going to be her last cruise on Azamara.....

 

So we will wait and see, as the ship is now coming back from Auckland to Sydney..

 

Cheers Don    

 

 

[phoenixx]

20 minutes ago, getting older slowly said:

My mum is going on Azamara on the 24th Sydney to Singapore... which is still go for launch.....

 

I thought they might have had a no go for Singapore.... but it would disrupt the future cruises.....

 

She has decided to go because, but she can cancel,,,, but does not are a refund.. only credit....

 

Which is no good..... as this was going to be her last cruise on Azamara.....

 

So we will wait and see, as the ship is now coming back from Auckland to Sydney..

 

Cheers Don    

 

 

Singapore is not allowing any Cruise ships in to port

[cruisine21]

There are reports of a lot of people on the Radiance today with chronic illnesses denied boarding

[The_Big_M]

Why would there be so many with chronic illnesses boarding?

 

[cruisine21]

The cruise has now been cancelled as it was going to New Zealand

[MicCanberra]

36 minutes ago, The_Big_M said:

Why would there be so many with chronic illnesses boarding?

 

People who have reported having asthma or diabetes were denied boarding, they would be considered chronic

[getting older slowly]

4 hours ago, phoenixx said:

Singapore is not allowing any Cruise ships in to port

 

I have searched...... and nothing on Azamara  last update on the 13th march or on Singapore closed to cruise ship but last news was dated the 9th of march.

Will see on Monday...

 

Cheers Don 

[phoenixx]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-13/singapore-stops-cruise-visits-as-imported-virus-cases-mount

24 minutes ago, getting older slowly said:

 

I have searched...... and nothing on Azamara  last update on the 13th march or on Singapore closed to cruise ship but last news was dated the 9th of march.

Will see on Monday...

 

Cheers Don 

 

[Ned49]

1 hour ago, The_Big_M said:

Why would there be so many with chronic illnesses boarding?

 

A chronic illness is type 2 diabetes, which even if well under control is still “chronic” most people over the age of 70 would have some form of chronic illness. Strange times indeed... only time before all cruises are grounded..

[getting older slowly]

6 minutes ago, phoenixx said:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-13/singapore-stops-cruise-visits-as-imported-virus-cases-mount

 

Thank you very much for the link......

 

I see the Azamara Journey is in Akaroka   so thus the end of the New Zealand cruise

Slow run to Hobart maybe.......

 

It is all happening  time for a G&T

 

Cheers Don

[MicCanberra]

16 minutes ago, Ned49 said:

A chronic illness is type 2 diabetes, which even if well under control is still “chronic” most people over the age of 70 would have some form of chronic illness. Strange times indeed... only time before all cruises are grounded..

Even many under 70 .

[possum52]

14 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

Even many under 70 .

Yep, I am a couple of years under 70 and have both asthma and type 2 diabetes. They are both well controlled and rarely use an asthma reliever and have never had a problem with my blood glucose readings. 
 

Leigh

Edited March 14, 2020 by possum52

[The_Big_M]

5 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

People who have reported having asthma or diabetes were denied boarding, they would be considered chronic

 

Thanks, that would be a lot. Going to happen each cruise then.. if they continue to run them.

[MicCanberra]

Not sure if they will continue as they can really only do domestic cruises or cruises to nowhere.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Travel Insurance will be even harder to get now ,if at all ! 

[bazzaw]

Maybe not even a bad idea for the future - I have seen with my own eyes people who should not have been on a cruise - they would be a danger to themselves and others if an emergency developed. I have also seen people who I could not believe could possibly have obtained travel insurance - except if they did not reveal their particular medical condition 

[NSWP]

26 minutes ago, bazzaw said:

Maybe not even a bad idea for the future - I have seen with my own eyes people who should not have been on a cruise - they would be a danger to themselves and others if an emergency developed. I have also seen people who I could not believe could possibly have obtained travel insurance - except if they did not reveal their particular medical condition 

A lot of geriatrics do the return cruises from Sydney, to NZ, the Pacific Islands etc, because there are no flights. Agreed, some should just not be on there, no way would I do a cruise booking if I were to be an imposition on someone else or if I could not walk up the gangway unaided.  Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind.  Standby for incoming.

[Vader1111]

23 hours ago, The_Big_M said:

Why would there be so many with chronic illnesses boarding?

 

I was one of those denied boarding yesterday, because I have type 2 diabetes.  I am aged 46, well under the 70yo age limit.

 

Passengers on that Radiance cruise, like myself, were caught in a time trap.  The COVID-19 policy changed 24 hours before departure, such that people with chronic diseases were no longer allowed to board.  Passengers who were refused boarding would receive a full refund.  Royal's full refund cancellation policy required 48 hours notice.  This meant that in order to obtain a refund I had no choice but to front up to the terminal, knowing that I would be rejected.

 

What happened at the OPT yesterday was completely unacceptable.  Royal had updated their health questionnaires, but had no plan in place for the hundreds of passengers who were subsequently sent for "secondary screening" and denied boarding.  Those passengers sent to the "secondary screening" line spent 3 hours or more, standing outside in the cold, with no seats, food or drink.  Then when we were finally processed, the paperwork was handled by staff from the company which does the shore contracting.  It was obviously cobbled together at the last minute, as the paperwork didn't even have the Royal Caribbean logo.

[NSWP]

2 minutes ago, Vader1111 said:

I was one of those denied boarding yesterday, because I have type 2 diabetes.  I am aged 46, well under the 70yo age limit.

 

Passengers on that Radiance cruise, like myself, were caught in a time trap.  The COVID-19 policy changed 24 hours before departure, such that people with chronic diseases were no longer allowed to board.  Passengers who were refused boarding would receive a full refund.  Royal's full refund cancellation policy required 48 hours notice.  This meant that in order to obtain a refund I had no choice but to front up to the terminal, knowing that I would be rejected.

 

What happened at the OPT yesterday was completely unacceptable.  Royal had updated their health questionnaires, but had no plan in place for the hundreds of passengers who were subsequently sent for "secondary screening" and denied boarding.  Those passengers sent to the "secondary screening" line spent 3 hours or more, standing outside in the cold, with no seats, food or drink.  Then when we were finally processed, the paperwork was handled by staff from the company which does the shore contracting.  It was obviously cobbled together at the last minute, as the paperwork didn't even have the Royal Caribbean logo.

Real bad luck mate, you were the 'meat in the sandwich alright, sorry you missed your cruise.  What incompetent processing by Royal Caribbean and its port agents.  I am type 2 as well, plus a few other things but am 71 years young. My cruising career hath endeth. All the best.

Edited March 15, 2020 by NSWP

[VK3DQ]

Hi There

 

I dont think I can get a medical certificate , will they take a note from my mum??/

 

 

John

[Aus Traveller]

Just now, VK3DQ said:

Hi There

I dont think I can get a medical certificate , will they take a note from my mum??/

John

Is she a doctor??😁

[VK3DQ]

Hi Folks

 

Just to be awkward I have inquired in regards to a couple of bookings I have on Serenade of the seas in October 2020 and asked if the requirement for a medical certificate will be ongoing  and if it is will those of us old and broken down wrecks who will be denied boarding  be able to get our deposits / payments back

 

regards John

[Aus Traveller]

31 minutes ago, VK3DQ said:

Hi Folks

Just to be awkward I have inquired in regards to a couple of bookings I have on Serenade of the seas in October 2020 and asked if the requirement for a medical certificate will be ongoing  and if it is will those of us old and broken down wrecks who will be denied boarding  be able to get our deposits / payments back

 

regards John

You certainly should be able to get your deposits etc back if you are denied boarding, but maybe this requirement for a medical certificate is only a temporary requirement. After all, older and retired people make up a large part of the cruise ship passengers, particularly on longer cruises.