Anyone over 70 still booking cruises?

[PattiHere]

I am over 70, and booked a cruise for December 2020 after my May 2020 was canceled.   Just wondering if any other over 70 year old people are still booking a cruise, because of the letter which may or may not be necessary.   I just need something to look forward to and want to believe I will be on a ship.   I am healthy, no medications or health problems, walk 3 miles six days a week.  My long time doctor isn't sure if she wants to sign the letter, but says I have no reason not to cruise.   

[Jimbo]

15 minutes ago, PattiHere said:

I am over 70, and booked a cruise for December 2020 after my May 2020 was canceled.   Just wondering if any other over 70 year old people are still booking a cruise, because of the letter which may or may not be necessary.   I just need something to look forward to and want to believe I will be on a ship.   I am healthy, no medications or health problems, walk 3 miles six days a week.  My long time doctor isn't sure if she wants to sign the letter, but says I have no reason not to cruise.   

Just have her write the letter as of November 2020 you are fine and in good health to take a cruise, what happens tomorrow no one can predict, not even the cruiselines............

Edited April 17, 2020 by Jimbo

[Ken at the beach]

26 minutes ago, PattiHere said:

I am over 70, and booked a cruise for December 2020 after my May 2020 was canceled.   Just wondering if any other over 70 year old people are still booking a cruise, because of the letter which may or may not be necessary.   I just need something to look forward to and want to believe I will be on a ship.   I am healthy, no medications or health problems, walk 3 miles six days a week.  My long time doctor isn't sure if she wants to sign the letter, but says I have no reason not to cruise.   

Someone posted in another thread that Carnival has removed the letter requirement from their website.  Hopefully Royal will follow suit.

[ZoeyVictoria]

1 minute ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Someone posted in another thread that Carnival has removed the letter requirement from their website.  Hopefully Royal will follow suit.

My Carnival PVP advised in an email that the letter was only for March 14-16, and other people have posted copies of emails stating the same.

[denamo]

No, won't book unless Royal will take a doctor written release stating husband is fit to travel.  He has said he would, but not the Royal one. If it means we never cruise, we just never cruise again.  Will be sad for us, but if that's the stipulation Royal has to use, then it will eliminate not only us, I feel certain. I'm being hopeful the requirement will be eliminated.

 

 

[molly361]

Someone just posted on FB that Royal told them that the letter is still required but that your doctor can draft his own letter .  Don't know if you call again you will get that same answer or not

[destiny217]

We are both in our 70's.  Our May cruise on Oasis was cancelled.  Requested our refund on March 27 (still not received~~ they said 30-days, so they still have time).  Would have done the FCC if it were not for the medical letter.  Our doctor said no way for signing that.  Before this we travelled all the time.  We think we are healthy enough.  When could you ever use the FCC?

 

Sadly, just cancelled our September cruise out of NYC since final payment is almost due.  The NY/NJ area is just too risky.  They said 90-days for refund.  Sure hope the cruise industry survives this.  There are so many new ships on the books. 🤞

 

We love cruising and hopefully will be able to cruise again.

 

Stay Healthy!

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

Wife and I are both over 70. Still booking 4-6 a year on different cruise lines also. Will not stop till the heart does.

[cruiserhal]

Yes we will BUT not if our doctor refuses to sign the letter.  We can't ask because of the current situation in PA they are too busy with real problems.   This will be the killer for us.  Of course, Royal won't miss us because we only have/had 4 cruises booked this year.  If forced to, there will be other lines that will take our money.   I do love the NCL Haven!  

[torpeedo]

Royal will have to rescind that really invasive medical form before we will cruise with them again.   We would happily cruise another cruise line if they don't require this.  I would be happy to sign a medical release acknowledging the risk if that was an option.  i'm pretty sure our MD would provide a note stating we are both fit to travel on a cruise ship.  If they require the note within 7 days of every cruise that could be a big problem. MD's do take vacations too or are just not available and have more important work to do than satisfy a cruise line.

[SeaHunt]

6 minutes ago, cruiserhal said:

If forced to, there will be other lines that will take our money. I do love the NCL Haven!  

 

Don't know if it will continue when cruises start back up, but NCL also had a doctor's form (copy of their form in link below):

 

"The form Norwegian Cruise Line has provided must be signed by a licensed medical professional and dated no more than 7 days prior to the date a guest is looking to set sail or seven days prior to the start of their travel if they will be traveling for more than a week before their embarkation date". 

 

https://cruiseradio.net/norwegian-to-cruisers-over-70-get-a-doctors-note/

 

BTW I'm pretty sure that I read somewhere here that Viking does NOT require a letter. 😉

[torpeedo]

5 minutes ago, SeaHunt said:

 

"The form Norwegian Cruise Line has provided must be signed by a licensed medical professional and dated no more than 7 days prior to the date a guest is looking to set sail or seven days prior to the start of their travel if they will be traveling for 

 

Would they consider an RN a licensed medical professional I wonder??  I'm an RN and I would sign for myself and DH.

[cruiserhal]

4 minutes ago, SeaHunt said:

 

Don't know if it will continue when cruises start back up, but NCL also had a doctor's form (copy of their form in link below):

 

"The form Norwegian Cruise Line has provided must be signed by a licensed medical professional and dated no more than 7 days prior to the date a guest is looking to set sail or seven days prior to the start of their travel if they will be traveling for more than a week before their embarkation date". 

 

https://cruiseradio.net/norwegian-to-cruisers-over-70-get-a-doctors-note/

 

BTW I'm pretty sure that I read somewhere here that Viking does NOT require a letter. 😉

Yep, you are right.  I thought about that after I submitted it.    We have thought about Viking a number of times but the ports they depart from or return to are not always easy flights.   Also, I guess they won't take my FCC from Royal (just a joke!).  

[ZoeyVictoria]

We have six booked right now (plus one late in 2021).  Every time one is canceled by the cruise line, I book another one.  My theory is that sooner or later the ship will sail and either my 71-year-old SO can get a letter signed or the requirement will be dropped.  None of the cruises were expensive (two were free from Casino Royale), so I won’t have a lot of money tied up in FCCs or awaiting refunds.  I chose the first one based on the week that falls after two possible thirty-day extensions and the itinerary (I believe Coco Cay has a higher chance of being open).  The second one, a month later, is on Carnival, because my PVP stated in writing that the letter requirement was not in effect and it is close to home and easy.  Another one because it was $428 total for two people plus $100 OBC (3 nights on the Mariner to Coco Cay), so why not?  Sooner or later, we will get to take one of the cruises, meanwhile I am kept busy planning and even though I know that the first ones will probably not go, it gives me some hope and pleasure during a time when that is really hard to find.

Edited April 17, 2020 by ZoeyVictoria

[PNW Traveler]

It appears that cruise lines with membership in the CLIA are using the letter.  Most of the larger cruise lines belong to this association.  I located the association's website in order to determine its members.  Viking was not listed.  Hurtigruten was also not listed.  Hurtigruten requires a physician's letter for its expedition cruises only.  We may look at cruises on non-CLIA cruise lines - interesting itineraries, smaller ships and also higher prices.

[Budget Queen]

6 minutes ago, torpeedo said:

 

Would they consider an RN a licensed medical professional I wonder??  I'm an RN and I would sign for myself and DH.

  You are not licensed to dx or tx anything.      Would have to be at least a Nurse Practitioner       Not sure why you think you would qualify?   

[mek]

I have a November, 2020 cruise already booked on Oasis. I'm on hold for that one since I booked with a NR deposit and really don't have anything to lose at this point by doing so.  But to answer the OP's question - no way in hell will I book anything else until a very effective treatment or a vaccine is available.  Widespread antibody testing will also be necessary for me to feel comfortable getting on a ship in the future.

Why would I ever want to risk this again where things get shut down, future cruises are canceled and I have to wait months for a refund, and they impose restrictions that may or may not prevent me from cruising?

If I ever start cruising again it will probably be something I book at the last minute.  It  will be a long time before I would ever book a cruise way out from the departure date.

Edited April 17, 2020 by mek

[Ken at the beach]

34 minutes ago, torpeedo said:

 If they require the note within 7 days of every cruise that could be a big problem.

The 7 day requirement was from NCL.  Royal had no date requirement

[PattiHere]

18 minutes ago, ZoeyVictoria said:

We have six booked right now (plus one late in 2021).  Every time one is canceled by the cruise line, I book another one.  My theory is that sooner or later the ship will sail and either my 71-year-old SO can get a letter signed or the requirement will be dropped.  None of the cruises were expensive (two were free from Casino Royale), so I won’t have a lot of money tied up in FCCs or awaiting refunds.  I chose the first one based on the week that falls after two possible thirty-day extensions and the itinerary (I believe Coco Cay has a higher chance of being open).  The second one, a month later, is on Carnival, because my PVP stated in writing that the letter requirement was not in effect and it is close to home and easy.  Another one because it was $428 total for two people plus $100 OBC (3 nights on the Mariner to Coco Cay), so why not?  Sooner or later, we will get to take one of the cruises, meanwhile I am kept busy planning and even though I know that the first ones will probably not go, it gives me some hope and pleasure during a time when that is really hard to find.

 

Thank you, what I needed to hear.  I want to have something to look forward to.  We need hope, and you are so right, it isn't easy to find it now.   I want to begin looking towards the future, not just live in the present.  Still concerned about the letter, and wondered if other folks my age were booking cruises.   Until I hear otherwise, I will keep my dream of cruising again soon, it gets me through the days of just hearing bad news.

[Ken at the beach]

19 minutes ago, PNW Traveler said:

It appears that cruise lines with membership in the CLIA are using the letter.  Most of the larger cruise lines belong to this association.  I located the association's website in order to determine its members.  Viking was not listed.  Hurtigruten was also not listed.  Hurtigruten requires a physician's letter for its expedition cruises only.  We may look at cruises on non-CLIA cruise lines - interesting itineraries, smaller ships and also higher prices.

Carnival and Princess are both CLIA members and do not require a Dr's note

[PNW Traveler]

6 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Carnival and Princess are both CLIA members and do not require a Dr's note

Thank you for the update.  I had been relying on old  information.  After you posted, I read the health advisory PDF published by Princess this week.  While screening and embarkation guidance has been enhanced, there was no mention of a "doctor's letter."

[Ken at the beach]

1 minute ago, PNW Traveler said:

Thank you for the update.  I had been relying on old  information.  After you posted, I read the health advisory PDF published by Princess this week.  While screening and embarkation guidance has been enhanced, there was no mention of a "doctor's letter."

Princess never had a Drs letter requirement as they ceased cruising before that was put in place.  Carnival has removed the requirement. 

[HxFx]

Just now, Ourusualbeach said:

Princess never had a Drs letter requirement as they ceased cruising before that was put in place.  Carnival has removed the requirement. 

Wow, I didn't know Carnival had done that. Do you know about any updates for the questionnaire asking about illnesses when you board?

[retiredgram]

We have 7 cruises booked for the future.  All but 1 was booked in 2019. One was booked Mar. 1, 2020. We are looking forward to these cruises, but like the Op, we are over 70 and even though we are healthy, I cannot see our doctor signing the letter.  Hopefully he will be able to just write one that says we are physically able and healthy to cruise as of that date.

If he will not, we will not be cruising, sadly.

 

[PNW Traveler]

Just now, Ourusualbeach said:

Princess never had a Drs letter requirement as they ceased cruising before that was put in place.  Carnival has removed the requirement. 

Yes, you are correct.  I read the Princess advisory because their ships have been in the news.