Celebrity Restrictions

[bEwAbG]

I was watching some interview on Amanpour on PBS last night and a doctor said that in many cases, it appears that the body's response to the virus kicks into overdrive and causes complications very rapidly.  She has seen people go from looking and acting ok to being on a ventilator within a few hours.  Not a situation you would want to be in at sea.

[hcat]

On 3/31/2020 at 3:18 PM, hcat said:

 

This is the big question mark  what happens to all those  thousands of dollars in FCCs, if the  current med authorization will be required for those who can't obtain them.  Was not required when we booked! Will it be refunded if boarding is denied or impossible???????

 

Has anyone posed this question to X?

When we booked we were okay to travel but things have changed.

We may never qualify ....so our 50% fcc will be useless, unless they  give some type of actual refund...

 

Of course health comes first,  but our recent X  bookings have been a  financial loss...not 100 % but a loss nevertheless. A bad investment..but no write off!

[az_tchr]

Can we move on?

Right now and for the next few months we are not cruising anywhere.

Celebrity stated the restrictions were temporary WEENS AGO.  Clearly until Covid19 is GONE there will be no cruising.  At the time cruising resumes you will not need a note to cruise.

[Covepointcruiser]

As has been said repeatedly on CC, this is not a form required by Celebrity but a form required by CLIA.   Right now all cruise lines will be requiring this form to be signed by your doctor.   My doctor has no problem with the form as she says she is only signing that on that date I was fit to cruise.

[alwaysonaship]

On 3/31/2020 at 12:59 PM, Mr. Click said:

I took Celebrity's new "if you are over 70 and have..." waiver to my wife's pulmenologist today when she went for her check up to see if he would sign off on for something in the future. " NO way. They are asking me to certify that you don't have any of the diseases listed" "you have asthma. it is well controlled and you are doing great but you have it and that is their question so no I can't sign it". So will we never sail on Celebrity again? Will they adjust this waiver to something reasonable? Pretty much answers the question about do I take the FCC bonus or the cash when our May 18 cruise is cancelled in a few weeks.

I have my own check ups in April and I will talk to my docs then but I am assuming they won't sign off on it either and I can't say that I cannot blame them.  If Celebrity wants us to come back they need to adjust that waiver.  There is a world of difference between having a condition and having it well controlled so you can live life.  

I totally agree. We both are over 70 and have medical issues that are well under control. However if we have to make final payment on a New Zealand cruise and then find out we are “not fit to travel” ( we have been cruising at least three times a year forever 55 cruises so far)I guess we just won’t cruise anymore. It is very Anti customer...and my husband said this morning we probably after 55 cruises will not be going again. The whole thing is stupid. 

[Mr. Click]

3 minutes ago, alwaysonaship said:

I totally agree. We both are over 70 and have medical issues that are well under control. However if we have to make final payment on a New Zealand cruise and then find out we are “not fit to travel” ( we have been cruising at least three times a year forever 55 cruises so far)I guess we just won’t cruise anymore. It is very Anti customer...and my husband said this morning we probably after 55 cruises will not be going again. The whole thing is stupid. 

TO us it sounds stupid but to the cruise lines it is CYA time.  They have been made to look really bad during this entire pandemic and now I am sure there are going to be lots of law suits so their lawyers are telling them this is necessary.  We fully expect that our upcoming Ireland and Iceland cruise in May will be in the next round of cancellations and were planning on taking the FCC bonus to apply to our fall cruise or an Iceland cruise next May or our already booked Panama Canal cruise in fall of 2021. After reading this form and talking to one of our doctors during a check up last week we will be taking the refund  if the May trip cancels and when iT comes time for final payment on the October trip we will be demanding a refund on our $100 NRD if the form is still in effect.  It was also the final nail in our decision to cncel our planned Alaska cruise with our family in July.  No point in giving them more money in the hope that the cruise actually sails if we know we can't board.........Hey, it is only what, 10 to 20 grand. No big deal  to a big company.

[Bo1953]

10 hours ago, Mr. Click said:

TO us it sounds stupid but to the cruise lines it is CYA time.  They have been made to look really bad during this entire pandemic and now I am sure there are going to be lots of law suits so their lawyers are telling them this is necessary.  We fully expect that our upcoming Ireland and Iceland cruise in May will be in the next round of cancellations and were planning on taking the FCC bonus to apply to our fall cruise or an Iceland cruise next May or our already booked Panama Canal cruise in fall of 2021. After reading this form and talking to one of our doctors during a check up last week we will be taking the refund  if the May trip cancels and when iT comes time for final payment on the October trip we will be demanding a refund on our $100 NRD if the form is still in effect.  It was also the final nail in our decision to cncel our planned Alaska cruise with our family in July.  No point in giving them more money in the hope that the cruise actually sails if we know we can't board.........Hey, it is only what, 10 to 20 grand. No big deal  to a big company.

?????

 

bon voyage

[Bo1953]

11 hours ago, Covepointcruiser said:

As has been said repeatedly on CC, this is not a form required by Celebrity but a form required by CLIA.   Right now all cruise lines will be requiring this form to be signed by your doctor.   My doctor has no problem with the form as she says she is only signing that on that date I was fit to cruise.

Thank you for this....

 

Many of the posts 'appear' to not understand the essence of limiting travelers by age, the most vulnerable to 'pre-mature' death due to the virus, especially with detrimental underlying medical conditions.

 

As such, to protect a whole group of passengers, it is CLIA's thought to limit this group for now, some of us cannot or will not accept this fact yet lay blame at the gang plank of X as if it was their decision alone.

 

But, be that as it may, we keep posting our displeasure about this and other possible limitations to be imposed.

 

As for cancelling, I suggest that those who are most upset need to go ahead and cancel now and start planning to sail on another line or taking another type of vacation where they believe they will be happier!

 

This way they can start planning and posting on those boards or websites.... to get a head start on it all.

 

bon voyage

[hcat]

When we booked our cruise there were no guidelines and no Corona virus. Life has changed. We accept the guidelines and the reasons for it..

 

Our fcc will  likely be  unusable in the time period of its  required use  (end of 2021)...so it may be of  no value. (Alhough it represents actual cash paid to X when we booked)

 

If we apply our fcc to an already booked cruise and cannot board, then what?

 

It was our error cancelling too soon under Cruise With Confidence ( a catchy misnomer!)

 

We would donate it back  for use by  first responder/ military or  health care cruisers  but it is non transferable.

 

Others have lost much more so we will just probably have to absorb the $$ loss 

 

 

Edited April 6, 2020 by hcat

[Oceangoer2]

1 minute ago, hcat said:

When we booked our cruise there were no guidelines and no Corona virus. Life has changed. We accept the guidelines and the reasons for it..

 

Our fcc will  likely be  unusable in the time period of its  required use  (end of 2021)...so it may be of  no value. (Alhough it represents actual cash paid to X when we booked)

 

It was our error cancelling too soon under Cruise With Confidence ( a catchy misnomer!)

 

We would donate it back  for use by  first responder/ military or  health care cruisers  but it is non transferable.

 

Others have lost much more so we will just probably have to absorb the $$ loss 

 

 

Don't just accept this....if enough cruisers aren't able to use their FCC's during 2021 and make an issue to the point of the press picking it up, you'll find a change in the policy happens pretty quickly.  Hopefully this virus will have calmed down by 2021, a working antidote will be available, the 'letter to 70+s' will not be required, and we can go back to cruising again - with better health safety measures in place BEFORE we board and DURING our cruise.

[Roger88]

On 4/3/2020 at 4:13 PM, bEwAbG said:

I was watching some interview on Amanpour on PBS last night and a doctor said that in many cases, it appears that the body's response to the virus kicks into overdrive and causes complications very rapidly.  She has seen people go from looking and acting ok to being on a ventilator within a few hours.  Not a situation you would want to be in at sea.

I read about it not that long ago. Basicly what happens is that immune system starts to fight the virus tooo hard. And this is what causes problems for elderly people cause they are not ready to fight it with all their strength. Their body thins that they are about to die and presses as much as it can to kill the virus which turns out not as deadly himself. The way its programmed to kill is veery weird.. 

[hcat]

18 minutes ago, oceangoer2 said:

Don't just accept this....if enough cruisers aren't able to use their FCC's during 2021 and make an issue to the point of the press picking it up, you'll find a change in the policy happens pretty quickly.  Hopefully this virus will have calmed down by 2021, a working antidote will be available, the 'letter to 70+s' will not be required, and we can go back to cruising again - with better health safety measures in place BEFORE we board and DURING our cruise.

Maybe..hope you are correct

[Bo1953]

27 minutes ago, hcat said:

When we booked our cruise there were no guidelines and no Corona virus. Life has changed. We accept the guidelines and the reasons for it..

 

Our fcc will  likely be  unusable in the time period of its  required use  (end of 2021)...so it may be of  no value. (Alhough it represents actual cash paid to X when we booked)

 

If we apply our fcc to an already booked cruise and cannot board, then what?

 

It was our error cancelling too soon under Cruise With Confidence ( a catchy misnomer!)

 

We would donate it back  for use by  first responder/ military or  health care cruisers  but it is non transferable.

 

Others have lost much more so we will just probably have to absorb the $$ loss

h - personally, I would take a wait and see approach to this situation.

 

While yes it does appear, currently, that 'all' may be lost, yet in the long run I tend to think that all cruise lines will or will be thinking up what to do about those in these situations, i.e. near or over 70 whose FCC's may expire before the ban is lifted.

 

I have cautioned friends in similar situations to try and not panic in order to see beyond the current fog and what good lies after things calm down a bit.

 

I do understand and accept it is easier to try and remain calm while worried about what happens if I catch this virus and I have underlying conditions which places me in a precarious position, what about loved ones equally as much??

 

Lots of worries abound, to be sure.

 

I Am not suggesting that we forget about the near and over 70's, as opposed to not dwelling on any one possible outcome from it all, yet keep reminding the cruise lines, directly, that this is an issue which we need for them to address as soon as possible and in between all the other immediate issues they are facing currently.

 

Your concerns are warranted, for sure.

 

Keep safe and bon voyage

[hcat]

Thanks Bo..

My dh can  def make the cut but not me.

Cert  is not transferable so I can't send him with a family member  or friend.

 

We are lucky to have a second home in FL so we can look forward to that and also land based AIC resorts  when things clear.

 

Not rushing or panic planning.. .Living in NY we need to get through the next few  weeks of he??

[Bo1953]

2 minutes ago, hcat said:

Thanks Bo..

My dh can  def make the cut but not me.

Cert  is not transferable so I can't send him with a family member  or friend.

 

We are lucky to have a second home in FL so we can look forward to that and also land based AIC resorts  when things clear.

 

Not rushing or panic planning.. .Living in NY we need to get through the next few  weeks of he??

h - You too can make the cut, not to worry. Too soon for that, IMO...

 

☺️

 

Stay safe and bon voyage

 

p.s. in times like this, I wonder how VT would approach the situation... her calming reassuring voice of reason would resonate I Am sure.

[hcat]

54 minutes ago, Bo1953 said:

h - You too can make the cut, not to worry. Too soon for that, IMO...

 

☺️

 

Stay safe and bon voyage

 

p.s. in times like this, I wonder how VT would approach the situation... her calming reassuring voice of reason would resonate I Am sure.

Wow,.... I have been thinking about her so much...Angel above.

We  hoped to have an EDGIE  memorial toast on APEX..but have cancelled our res. Vt would have been hard at work now with the NICU babies...keeping them safe from harm!  Amazing woman!

 

No, I Can't make the cut..I take a bp med that is  reported as a risk factor for  successful Covid treatment .  I am  also Diabetes Type 2.... in good control but seems that does not matter in terms of risk.  I am just over the age limit.  Actually Celebrated my  BIG  b day on EDGE....It was wonderful!

 

'Til sunnier days!

[az_tchr]

2 hours ago, hcat said:

When we booked our cruise there were no guidelines and no Corona virus. Life has changed. We accept the guidelines and the reasons for it..

 

Our fcc will  likely be  unusable in the time period of its  required use  (end of 2021)...so it may be of  no value. (Alhough it represents actual cash paid to X when we booked)

 

If we apply our fcc to an already booked cruise and cannot board, then what?

 

It was our error cancelling too soon under Cruise With Confidence ( a catchy misnomer!)

 

We would donate it back  for use by  first responder/ military or  health care cruisers  but it is non transferable.

 

Others have lost much more so we will just probably have to absorb the $$ loss 

 

 

You still refuse to acknowledge that Celebrity and CLIA said this was a TEMPORARY measure.  Cruiselines, especially with the new very restrictive transport rules for I'll crew and passengers - no commercial conveyance allowed, will not and cannot resume until Covid19 is gone.  At that time the letter will not be needed.

The big change going forward will be the need to extend the time limit for FCC use as cruising not likely to resume till late fall.

[az_tchr]

1 hour ago, hcat said:

Thanks Bo..

My dh can  def make the cut but not me.

Cert  is not transferable so I can't send him with a family member  or friend.

 

We are lucky to have a second home in FL so we can look forward to that and also land based AIC resorts  when things clear.

 

Not rushing or panic planning.. .Living in NY we need to get through the next few  weeks of he??

Hcat - a FCC is sort of transferable.  You can book a cabin for those that own the FCC.  You are then allowed to make a name change. Again you do not need a doctor's note today as no cruises and will not need in the future.

[Fouremco]

27 minutes ago, az_tchr said:

You still refuse to acknowledge that Celebrity and CLIA said this was a TEMPORARY measure.  Cruiselines, especially with the new very restrictive transport rules for I'll crew and passengers - no commercial conveyance allowed, will not and cannot resume until Covid19 is gone.  At that time the letter will not be needed.

The big change going forward will be the need to extend the time limit for FCC use as cruising not likely to resume till late fall.

 

I don't think that it's a question of refusing to acknowledge that the measure is temporary, but instead one of wondering how long the temporary measure will last. You say that the restrictive transport rules will apply until COVID-19 is gone, but you go on to say that cruising will likely resume in the fall. Many of us believe that it highly optimistic, and I've seen no medical expert state that the virus will be gone by the fall. Extending or simply eliminating the time limit for these FCC's would definitely be a help. 

 

23 minutes ago, az_tchr said:

Hcat - a FCC is sort of transferable.  You can book a cabin for those that own the FCC.  You are then allowed to make a name change. Again you do not need a doctor's note today as no cruises and will not need in the future.

 

Under normal circumstances, you're right, you can make a name change. However, I don't know whether that has been allowed in the past with FCC's having been applied to the booking. More importantly, given the huge volume of FCC's being issued now, Celebrity may well be a stickler for the rules and not allow transfers by any means. Time will tell.

[Quo Vadis?]

From Celebrity FAQs:

 

"Cruising Suspension FAQs

 

If I canceled prior to the US/Global suspension, can I now get the 125% FCC or the 100% refund?

Will the requirement for anyone over 70 years of age to have a form from a physician certifying they are fit to travel be a permanent policy even after the virus subsides?

The safety and well-being of our guests and crew is our top priority. All current travel restrictions and requirements were implemented as temporary measures. At this time, the Fit to Travel form for guests 70 years of age and older continues to be part of the health screening and boarding protocol. You can keep checking our most up-to-date alerts, which includes screening information on our Travel Alert page.

How long before sailing does the physician certification letter for guests over 70 years old need to be obtained?

There is no specified period of time to obtain the certificate before sailing. Passengers will need to provide the certification at the pier at the time of boarding.

If guests over 70 can’t get a note from a physician, can they get a Future Cruise Credit?

All guests who are denied boarding due to our current travel restrictions will be issued a Future Cruise Credit. However, guests from the UK and Ireland must choose Cruise with Confidence or cancel with penalty and claim via their insurance provider.

 

We are scheduled to sail on Summit Panama Canal at the end of October and November.  Our final payment will be due at the end of July.  If I pay in full, according to this Celebrity policy, we have to travel to Ft Lauderdale to be denied boarding (no note, underlying conditions) and we'll get an FCC, and travel back home at our own cost.  I doubt that this restriction will be lifted by then.  An FCC is useless to people in their 70's who also have had medical issues.  As some say, we don't even buy green bananas any more.

[mayleeman]

2 hours ago, hcat said:

I take a bp med that is  reported as a risk factor for  successful Covid treatment .  I am  also Diabetes Type 2.... in good control but seems that does not matter in terms of risk.  I am just over the age limit. 

 

If you were the guest on "What's My Line?" I would have to say that you are....me!

[hcat]

Darn

Thete was a post on another tgread that had a link to the CLIA rukes, esp those over 70..I did not get a chance to copy it.  Have looked and search..no luck.  Can someone pls help and re post it here  thanks

[Quo Vadis?]

16 minutes ago, hcat said:

Darn

Thete was a post on another tgread that had a link to the CLIA rukes, esp those over 70..I did not get a chance to copy it.  Have looked and search..no luck.  Can someone pls help and re post it here  thanks

hcan... your libations may be affecting your keyboard skills...

 

https://maritime-executive.com/article/clia-proposes-new-measures-to-reduce-coronavirus-risk

[hcat]

23 hours ago, mayleeman said:

 

If you were the guest on "What's My Line?" I would have to say that you are....me!

Ha ha...

Many  of us are in the same situation...

 

That's why I want to find that post I referred to

  It said  no one over 70 "Mandatory" but I was rushed and not able to read it fully or save it,...so if that is in effect in the future, those future cruise credits should be refunded to cash..or they will remain useless vouchers!  Sorry Bo, they are not transferable !

 

X may get its wish for a younger demographic as a result of al this ,  but older cruisers  will all meet on land somewhere! Maybe Margaritaville!

[Oceangoer2]

36 minutes ago, hcat said:

Ha ha...

Many  of us are in the same situation...

 

but older cruisers  will all meet on land somewhere!

So happy you added 'on land'.....lol