Heart Conditions Banned from Cruising

[ace2542]

19 minutes ago, cruzsnooze said:

So..................anyone ever have cancer and subsequent chemo, that seems like it would be a non qualifier since it causes immuno compromise. 

 

IF someone declares truthfully they have an underlying condition and get a refund would they be banned from ever cruising again on a Carnival owned ship?

 

Uncertain as to a carnival wide ban but it is possible such bans have been imposed. The DJ on QM2 got assaulted on new years eve for not playing a song by a woman in her 50s or 60s I believe and that person IS subject to the carnival wide ban off 7 cruise lines.

[kruisey]

1 hour ago, ace2542 said:

A lot of people don't even know they have a heart condition and it can be very hard to detect it. Sometimes it can need as much as internal scan with a camera done under sedation.

OK I did not know I had a heart condition......i had been getting flutterings during the nite which always cooled down.Thought it natural.

While actually in hospital with a Gastro Enteritis where I had actually passed out at home taken to hospital i woke up one morning with a fluttering in my chest which didnot go away and rang for nurse.....They immediately gave me oxygen I V's, Electrocardiogram  ,portable X rays.

I told nurse I did not want to die,she answered we are trying our best......Is that proof enough for you?

 

[awhcruiser]

7 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

The OP wrote "Princess refunding my future cruise credits".  Doesn't that answer your question?

I meant to delete that comment

[jagoffee]

Kruisey,  what is the source of your FCC.

 

Good luck and be careful.  
 

I understand 350K people die of heart related issues every year in the US.  
 

I am a little surprised that Princess would ban you from ever going on a cruise.

Edited April 25, 2020 by jagoffee

[suzyed]

9 hours ago, kruisey said:

It comes under their '   Other Underlying chronic conditions.' Would be denied boarding.

Were you seeking a refund of your future cruise credits and this was how it was arranged by mentioning  the A fib?  Not making any judgements, just wonder how the whole scenario came about. 
From our expereience the Princess reps are not the most informed in many situations and certainly not in a position to decide which illness/conditions would preclude one from sailing?

[kruisey]

2 hours ago, suzyed said:

Were you seeking a refund of your future cruise credits and this was how it was arranged by mentioning  the A fib?  Not making any judgements, just wonder how the whole scenario came about. 
From our expereience the Princess reps are not the most informed in many situations and certainly not in a position to decide which illness/conditions would preclude one from sailing?

I Had read the rulings and wondered if they applied me although mine is managed by medication.The representative with more hesitations  responded straight away I would be denied boarding

 

[dog]

1 hour ago, kruisey said:

I Had read the rulings and wondered if they applied me although mine is managed by medication.The representative with more hesitations  responded straight away I would be denied boarding

 

Let us know when you receive your refund for your FCC. Did you need to fill out a form or submit a letter from a doctor?

[ghstudio]

14 hours ago, DaveSJ711 said:

 

My brother-in-law had an ablation for his atrial fibrillation.  He died a week later.

 

Atrial fibrillation is not life threatening...many have it occasionally, some have it permanently and some even with permanent Afib have no restrictions and only know they have it because of an irregular pulse.   It's risk is an increased risk of stroke, although with blood thinners and control of any high blood pressure, the risk is still quite low.  It certainly is not transmittable to others and there is no difference treating a person with Afib or no Afib for stroke.

 

Ablation involves poking a hole through parts of the heart....and may have more risk than just living with Afib. There are similar decisions about prostate cancer...sometimes the treatment carries more risk.....and even untreated, it isn't going to cause a significant problem on a cruise. The risks from severe obesity and diabetes causing problems on a cruise may well be higher than someone with Afib.

 

I doubt that Princess will actually stop someone with Afib from travel....and many other conditions will also not be a problem.

 

OP....since cruising is still in limbo...I'd wait for the dust to settle before making any decisions, even if you are getting what I'd call guesses from folks at Princess.  They will figure out that they don't need a doctor's note for those over 70, etc.....and they won't have sweeping medical restrictions.

 

Hang in there....    

[Cash123]

17 hours ago, kruisey said:

Will  no longer be allowed to board

 

Edited April 25, 2020 by Cash123
Posted twice

[Cash123]

17 hours ago, kruisey said:

Will  no longer be allowed to board due to Atrial Fibrillation of my heart...Would be denied boarding permanently.

Princess refunding my future cruise credits.

 

Hi, my wife was diagnosed with AF in Dec 18 after she was taken to hospital suffering from chest pains, after a spell in hospital she was discharged and was prescribed a betablocker  bisoporol and blood thinners, after various tests in the following months she was told she would have to have a cardioversion. On the day she went on to have it they did a ecg first and said because her heart wasn't in AF they couldn't do the procedure so was sent home,.

 

We saw her consultant a few weeks later and he said she to the  medication she no longer had AF , we told him we had applied for travel insurance a d told them about the AF and the premium was way to high to we didn't bother booking a holiday however the consultant told us to tell the insurance company she is no longer in AF which we did and got a much better quote.

 

We were on the last cruise of the Crown in March and when we booked it last year there was no reason to mention the AF , so I wonder if it's worth speaking to your consultant to see if you could go down the same route.

[Grego]

16 hours ago, whitecap said:

I would highly suggest that you or your TA contact Princess immediately and speak with someone with more authority.  If every person with a heart ailment were denied boarding they would be out of a lot of passengers.

Maybe the rep thought that "Meditation" wasn't a proper treatment for a heart condition that replaces medication. LOL

[ace2542]

13 hours ago, kruisey said:

OK I did not know I had a heart condition......i had been getting flutterings during the nite which always cooled down.Thought it natural.

While actually in hospital with a Gastro Enteritis where I had actually passed out at home taken to hospital i woke up one morning with a fluttering in my chest which didnot go away and rang for nurse.....They immediately gave me oxygen I V's, Electrocardiogram  ,portable X rays.

I told nurse I did not want to die,she answered we are trying our best......Is that proof enough for you?

 

I am not accusing you of lying I am just saying that if princess is taking the position of banning people with heart problems. There are people boarding who don't know they have them so what are princess going to? ECG at the check in?. If what you are saying is correct about being banned for life you are being singled out unfairly and I would go so far as to take legal action if that turns out to be the case.

 

But as people are saying this is a fast moving situation and I am sure it will work out for you once princess sorts itself out. Because if they implement what some people are saying on here they will go down faster then the titanic.

[AF-1]

To the OP;  I am sorry you won't be able to cruise.  Our health is our top priority.   Hopefully your doctors can control it and then you may be able to take a vacation.  I believe as of yesterday Princess has revised it Health requirements.  It now says you will be denied boarding for flu symptons, or being in contact with covid19.  Underlying or chronic health conditions has been removed from the document.  The most current health document on their website dated 14 Apr took some health issues out. .  Seems the health requirements change every 24 hrs.

Edited April 25, 2020 by AF-1

[Roger88]

How do they know that you have this condition? Did they ask you to present some medical papers or something? I f I were you I would find a good doctor to make a careful examination and issue a paper for you be able to travel. The thing is, that if you have a very bad heart condition you will be forbidden not only to go on a cruise but also on a plane and other long trips. I hope you are doing alright and take all the necessary medications to get in good health and start travelling again. Take care

[Daniel A]

This is so typical of getting different "shoot from the hip" responses from Princess telephone reps.  This type of misinformation from the phone reps has been endemic with Princess for years - nothing new.  On April 14, Princess published a 5 page document they called  "Health Advisory and Travel Safety Procedures"  On page two they listed three criteria which would cause a PAX to be denied boarding.  The third criteria stated that if a PAX has a "underlying severe chronic condition" the PAX should contact Princess for further direction.

 

Yesterday, it was observed that the 5 page document had been edited and they removed the third criteria.  The revised document only states that you would be denied boarding if you had been around someone who probably has Covid-19 (my language, not their precise language.)  Or if you presented at the terminal with a fever or flu like symptoms.  The underlying chronic condition criteria is no longer listed a cause to deny boarding.  The revised document narrows Princess' focus to those who potentially have Covid-19 at embarkation.

 

You can read the entire five page advisory from Princess here: 

https://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/plan/Health-Advisory-and-Travel-Safety-Procedures.pdf

OP, get somebody on the phone who knows what the current requirements are.  I'd be interested in knowing when you had that conversation with the phone rep.  I wonder if it was when they still had that third criteria.

[dog]

19 hours ago, kruisey said:

Princess refunding my future cruise credits.

 

Key point here:

Please let us know when you get the refund to your credit card.

 

And the travel advisory has been updated on my new booking in my Personalizer to exclude point III.

[ace2542]

1 minute ago, Roger88 said:

How do they know that you have this condition? Did they ask you to present some medical papers or something? I f I were you I would find a good doctor to make a careful examination and issue a paper for you be able to travel. The thing is, that if you have a very bad heart condition you will be forbidden not only to go on a cruise but also on a plane and other long trips. I hope you are doing alright and take all the necessary medications to get in good health and start travelling again. Take care

Very well said Roger, after all the quack doctor on a cruise ship is hardly the best person to make a determine about an issue of heart condition and a sales rep on the other end of a phone has  even less right. I don't see how Princess doctor could be in a position  to overrule an expert cardiologist who has thorough knowledge of you and your medical background and has issued you with a note saying you are fit to travel. 

[kruisey]

2 hours ago, Cash123 said:

Hi, my wife was diagnosed with AF in Dec 18 after she was taken to hospital suffering from chest pains, after a spell in hospital she was discharged and was prescribed a betablocker  bisoporol and blood thinners, after various tests in the following months she was told she would have to have a cardioversion. On the day she went on to have it they did a ecg first and said because her heart wasn't in AF they couldn't do the procedure so was sent home,.

 

We saw her consultant a few weeks later and he said she to the  medication she no longer had AF , we told him we had applied for travel insurance a d told them about the AF and the premium was way to high to we didn't bother booking a holiday however the consultant told us to tell the insurance company she is no longer in AF which we did and got a much better quote.

 

We were on the last cruise of the Crown in March and when we booked it last year there was no reason to mention the AF , so I wonder if it's worth speaking to your consultant to see if you could go down the same route.

My AF is under control take medications twice a day.The doctor told me one can still get it again under medication so it cannot be cured it is a chronic condition.Once you have you can get again.

[chrysalis]

11 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

Very well said Roger, after all the quack doctor on a cruise ship is hardly the best person to make a determine about an issue of heart condition and a sales rep on the other end of a phone has  even less right. I don't see how Princess doctor could be in a position  to overrule an expert cardiologist who has thorough knowledge of you and your medical background and has issued you with a note saying you are fit to travel. 

On what basis do you define a cruise ship doctor as a "quack"?

[DaveSJ711]

3 hours ago, ghstudio said:

 

Atrial fibrillation is not life threatening...many have it occasionally, some have it permanently and some even with permanent Afib have no restrictions and only know they have it because of an irregular pulse.   It's risk is an increased risk of stroke, although with blood thinners and control of any high blood pressure, the risk is still quite low.  It certainly is not transmittable to others and there is no difference treating a person with Afib or no Afib for stroke.

 

 

You say that afib isn't life-threatening, but concede that the condition carries an increased risk of stroke.  My brother-in-law suffered a sudden stroke a week after his ablation.  He was declared brain dead.  

Edited April 25, 2020 by DaveSJ711

[whitecap]

This situation that kuruisey is facing is just another example of the issues/problems that are being caused by the COVID and the attempts by "everyone", cruiselines, restaurants, retail stores, are facing.  And if everyone would just sit back and relax for a few, you will see that requirements, suggestions, recommendations change daily.  And sometimes more than once a day.  Everyone is trying to get it right and in their attempts they sometimes go overboard (a little pun) as they try to right the ship (another one).  The phone rep for Princess was stating what she/he had been told to say and now that Princess has changed their procedure, Princess should rectify kuruisey's situation.

 

As for the comment about the ship's doctor, unless you have some personal experience where a Princess ship's doctor was negligent in their actions, you should probably keep your comments to yourself.

 

Smile everyone, we will get through this and be better for it!!

[billco]

1 hour ago, Daniel A said:

 

 

You can read the entire five page advisory from Princess here: 

https://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/plan/Health-Advisory-and-Travel-Safety-Procedures.pdf

OP, get somebody on the phone who knows what the current requirements are.  I'd be interested in knowing when you had that conversation with the phone rep.  I wonder if it was when they still had that third criteria.

Did Princess just take out Sentence III or did they add it. If I click on the link in Safari I get the .pdf with just Sentence II. If I click on the link in Google Chrome I get the .pdf with Sentence III.

Correction - Now when I download the pdf with either browser I get the one with Sentence III.

Edited April 25, 2020 by billco

[voljeep]

19 hours ago, kruisey said:

This was The Princess Representative ,I called Princess direct.

She said 'You would be denied boarding'  her exact words.

She personally filled out and sent off form  for  cruise credit  refund.

I am on heart Meditation twice a day twice which controls it.

so, just a random rep at the 1-800 made that decision ??? 

with no documentation from your or your doctor ???

I've read your prior postings/threads ...

[billco]

22 minutes ago, billco said:

Did Princess just take out Sentence III or did they add it. If I click on the link in Safari I get the .pdf with just Sentence II. If I click on the link in Google Chrome I get the .pdf with Sentence III.

Correction - Now when I download the pdf with either browser I get the one with Sentence III.

Correction 2 - Now when I download the pdf with either browser I get the one with Sentence II.

Edited April 25, 2020 by billco

[ghstudio]

2 hours ago, DaveSJ711 said:

 

You say that afib isn't life-threatening, but concede that the condition carries an increased risk of stroke.  My brother-in-law suffered a sudden stroke a week after his ablation.  He was declared brain dead.  

 

I know someone who is in permanent afib and has been for over 20 years.....without any changes in medications in those 20 years..living a very normal life with only routine annual visits to doctors. Anyone can get a blood clot...sit too long in an airplane, etc.  Yes, the risk is higher if one has Afib....but Afib is not necessarily life threatening itself...it just raises the risk of having a stroke.   Ablation is one way to try to reduce or eliminate Afib but it's not always successful and it's interventional (I believe the procedure includes poking a hole in one's heart); the procedure itself can lead to death (infection, irritation of the blood vessels....) .  Often it does not eliminate Afib immediately and many require more than one ablation and it still isn't successful.  Sorry to hear of your BIL's passing....but ablation is not a cure for everyone.....and having Afib doesn't mean that you will have a stroke tomorrow....or ever...and if you did have stroke on a cruise ship,  you would need and get the same treatment as anyone having a stroke...and, yes, they do have strokes on cruise ships, likely very few from those with Afib.