Age 70 policy

[peggy1]

RCCL has instituted a new policy that if you are 70 and have pre existing conditions you will be denied boarding.  A note from your Dr. stating that you don't have a pre existing condition will be required.  My husband was reluctant to believe it so he just spoke to them.  Yes, that is there policy.  Just a heads up.  

 

[Milwaukee Eight]

Many threads on this. That was mid March rule. Likely to change going forward. (Or a way to eliminate lots of P’s). 

[Ocean Boy]

It has been talked about for days.....

 

 

[sellwingri]

38 minutes ago, peggy1 said:

RCCL has instituted a new policy that if you are 70 and have pre existing conditions you will be denied boarding.  A note from your Dr. stating that you don't have a pre existing condition will be required.  My husband was reluctant to believe it so he just spoke to them.  Yes, that is there policy.  Just a heads up.  

 

Not sure where you heard this but it’s not quite right.  Before the shut down, they required a doctors note saying they were healthy enough to cruise.  It did not say that you couldn’t cruise if you had pre existing conditions.  Since that was before the shut down, the note may no longer be needed after they start sailing.  They have not yet made a decision.Not sure who he spoke to.

Edited April 10, 2020 by sellwingri

[reallyitsmema]

19 minutes ago, sellwingri said:

Not sure where you heard this but it’s not quite right.  Before the shut down, they required a doctors note saying they were healthy enough to cruise.  It did not say that you couldn’t cruise if you had pre existing conditions.  Since that was before the shut down, the note may no longer be needed after they start sailing.  They have not yet made a decision.Not sure who he spoke to.

 

b. Effective Friday, March 13, 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.

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-ships/itinerary-updates

[SeaHunt]

1 hour ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

b. Effective Friday, March 13, 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.

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-ships/itinerary-updates

 

reallyitsmema is correct. Sorry if everyone already saw this (it seems like I am always posting this on different boards but I feel that it's so important!) but those OF ANY AGE with chronic conditions need to make sure that your sailing allows you to sail - even if you're under 70, and even if they remove the doctor letter portion - make sure they have removed the "current condition" portion also. Because this is what happened on Carnival Fantasy when these regulations first came out:

 

https://www.wfla.com/community/health/coronavirus/carnival-passengers-say-they-were-denied-boarding-due-to-existing-conditions/

Edited April 10, 2020 by SeaHunt

[reallyitsmema]

4 minutes ago, SeaHunt said:

 

Your copy is correct. Sorry if you already saw this (it seems like I am always posting this on different boards but I feel that it's so important!) but those OF ANY AGE with chronic conditions need to make sure that your sailing allows you to sail - even if you're under 70, and even if they remove the doctor letter portion - make sure they have removed the "current condition" portion also. Because this is what happened on Carnival Fantasy when these regulations first came out:

 

https://www.wfla.com/community/health/coronavirus/carnival-passengers-say-they-were-denied-boarding-due-to-existing-conditions/

 

Yes, it says guests of all ages and has been on the cruise line's website for almost a month.  I was just responding to someone who said there is no pre existing condition statement.  There is a lot of discussion about this on the cruise line's FB page and reps are confirming that people with pre existing conditions outlined by the CDC will not be sailing under the current guidelines once cruising resumes.

[SeaHunt]

1 minute ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

Yes, it says guests of all ages and has been on the cruise line's website for almost a month.  I was just responding to someone who said there is no pre existing condition statement.  There is a lot of discussion about this on the cruise line's FB page and reps are confirming that people with pre existing conditions outlined by the CDC will not be sailing under the current guidelines once cruising resumes.

 

Yep I was backing you up showing that it's already happened on another line - for some reason I can't get my posts today to make any sense (notice I edited fifty billion times lol). Probably time for me to put the wine glass down 😁😁

[jsf]

This Dr.s letter business just forced us to cancel our summer cruise this year, don't know if we will ever cruise again, hate to end after 35 cruises. I'm sure this is going to really hurt the Cruise lines cutting out this segment of cruisers.

[mek]

1 hour ago, jsf said:

This Dr.s letter business just forced us to cancel our summer cruise this year, don't know if we will ever cruise again, hate to end after 35 cruises. I'm sure this is going to really hurt the Cruise lines cutting out this segment of cruisers.

My cruise isn't until November with final payment due in August.  I booked with a non refundable deposit, so I will just ride it out for a while and see what develops.

[parrotfeathers]

1 hour ago, jsf said:

I'm sure this is going to really hurt the Cruise lines cutting out this segment of cruisers.

 

Especially those lines geared toward older people.  I guess that means if you are on supplemental oxygen you aren't going to cruise.   I don't see how they can keep up with enforcing these requirements.  

[karena1]

11 minutes ago, parrotfeathers said:

 

Especially those lines geared toward older people.  I guess that means if you are on supplemental oxygen you aren't going to cruise.   I don't see how they can keep up with enforcing these requirements.  

Totally agree.  The cruise lines will lose 1/3 to 1/2 of their cruise passengers - especially on longer/more expensive cruises, if this requirement does not go away.  

[mayleeman]

I am not going to worry very much about their imposing health restrictions for cruising. They will not be cruising for a good while, then THEY will have to have lots of Dr's notes proving to the CDC that they have taken sufficient measures to virtually guarantee COVID-19 is not on board, and only THEN will I even consider letting them take me on a cruise. These notes might be irrelevant if the new CDC rules are enforced.

Edited April 11, 2020 by mayleeman

[JT1962]

One Asian cruise line has announced their new procedures when they resume cruising and it includes restrictions for guests 70 and older, among other changes. I would expect most cruise lines would follow something similar, at least for a while when cruising resumes.

 

 

https://cruiseradio.net/cruise-line-details-new-sanitation-policies-and-procedures/

 

 

[sellwingri]

18 hours ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

b. Effective Friday, March 13, 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.

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-ships/itinerary-updates

This was a requirement before they shut down cruising completely.  By the time they’re ready to reopen, which means the virus is gone or entirely under control, I feel comfortable that that this will no longer be in place.

[reallyitsmema]

1 hour ago, sellwingri said:

This was a requirement before they shut down cruising completely.  By the time they’re ready to reopen, which means the virus is gone or entirely under control, I feel comfortable that that this will no longer be in place.

 

Time will tell but the cruise line reps that answer questions on FB are telling people that the policy is what it is until the CDC changes their guidelines.

[CruisinNole]

1 hour ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

Time will tell but the cruise line reps that answer questions on FB are telling people that the policy is what it is until the CDC changes their guidelines.

If you check the CDC website, it says the following about high risk individuals. It does not say age 70 and up.

 

Based on what we know now, those at high-risk for severe illness from COVID-19 are:

• People 65 years and older
• People who live in a nursing home or long-term care facility       

Also, the underlying risk conditions are spelled out more specifically than the cruise lines' medical release form:

 

People of all ages with underlying medical conditions, particularly if not well controlled, including:

• People with chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma
• People who have serious heart conditions
• People who are immunocompromised

           Many conditions can cause a person to be immunocompromised, including cancer treatment, smoking, bone marrow                 or organ transplantation, immune deficiencies, poorly controlled HIV or AIDS, and prolonged use of corticosteroids and             other immune weakening medications

• People with severe obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 40 or higher)
• People with diabetes
• People with chronic kidney disease undergoing dialysis
• People with liver disease

 

I think changing the release form would give physician's better guidance for making their decision. Also, note that the CDC considers people with severe obesity to be at high risk. Who will be making that determination at the cruise terminal when an obese 40 year old checks in at the pier? My main issue with the release form is enforcement. For now, it can only be enforced on someone over the age of 70.

[reallyitsmema]

6 minutes ago, CruisinNole said:

If you check the CDC website, it says the following about high risk individuals. It does not say age 70 and up.

 

My post was in reference to the pre existing condition issue, not the 70+ doctor letter issue.  The conversation has detoured a bit. 🙂 

[mayleeman]

1 hour ago, CruisinNole said:

Who will be making that determination at the cruise terminal when an obese 40 year old checks in at the pier?

 

Hopefully, ex-Navy Seals. Who else would be brave enough to undertake a mission like that?

[shipshape sam]

On 4/10/2020 at 12:20 PM, peggy1 said:

RCCL has instituted a new policy that if you are 70 and have pre existing conditions you will be denied boarding.  A note from your Dr. stating that you don't have a pre existing condition will be required.  My husband was reluctant to believe it so he just spoke to them.  Yes, that is there policy.  Just a heads up.  

 

Pre- existing what condition?  It would be common for most people over 70 to have some health issue and for them to take medication for it  For example, mild hypertension. high cholesterol.  Is overweight a pre-existing condition?  Do you know if RCCL has  very specific conditions they are looking for to exclude those  passengers?  

 

I would also wonder how a Doctor would word such a letter/note so as to NOT create a liability later to them.

 

 

Edited April 11, 2020 by shipshape sam

[mayleeman]

Preexisting condition that could result in illness or death on a cruise:  Life.

[orville99]

On ‎4‎/‎10‎/‎2020 at 1:19 PM, reallyitsmema said:

 

b. Effective Friday, March 13, 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.

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-ships/itinerary-updates

Unless they are going to require that everyone carry their full medical history with them, enforcing this will be no more possible than expecting everyone to answer honestly when asked. According to my cardiologist (high Cholesterol), almost everyone over the age of 60 has some level of cardiac or lung function deficiency. The majority of them have no idea and will never suffer any negative consequences.

[reallyitsmema]

9 minutes ago, orville99 said:

Unless they are going to require that everyone carry their full medical history with them, enforcing this will be no more possible than expecting everyone to answer honestly when asked. According to my cardiologist (high Cholesterol), almost everyone over the age of 60 has some level of cardiac or lung function deficiency. The majority of them have no idea and will never suffer any negative consequences.

 

True, but if you have ever visited the infirmary on the ship, they will have a history, or if you have ever ordered a sharps container or something from special needs, they will have a history of that too.

 

I know we won't lie about our pre existing conditions just to take a cruise.

[DaniDanielle]

Good Girl!

[VK3DQ]

Cruising is closed ......its going to be a very long time before you have to worry about a doctors note ... 

Many cruise lines may not survive  and cruising as we know it will change 

 

regards

John