Do you need a letter from doctor to cruise if you are 70?

[delliemd]

I have been on about 30 cruises,but not since pandemic.I just turned 70 & reading some cruise lines are requiring letter from your doctor.

[Hlitner]

Am in my mid 70s, cruise on a very regular basis (with many different lines) and have never heard of such a thing.  We have never needed any kind of doctors or medical letter and that would include long cruises, expedition cruises, etc.

 

Hank

[Essiesmom]

I dimly remember such a suggestion at the very beginning of Covid, before everything shut down.  Something about needing a letter for over 70 with diabetes, or high BP, etc.   It was to start a day after I was to sail.  Was to.  Cruise cancelled.  When things restarted, no mention was made of it.  EM

[CruiserBruce]

Never heard of that requirement. 

[GeezerCouple]

Just now, Hlitner said:

Am in my mid 70s, cruise on a very regular basis (with many different lines) and have never heard of such a thing.  We have never needed any kind of doctors or medical letter and that would include long cruises, expedition cruises, etc.

 

Hank

 

This is our experience as well:  Never heard of such a thing.

 

Almost all of our cruising (and all of the recent cruising - and other major travel as well) has been since DH turned 70, and I followed not that much later.

Indeed, it was the approaching The Big Seven-O that gave us the kick that *now* is the time to start those trips.

 

The only place we've been asked about health or a physician note/medical records is when one of us wanted to renew MedJetAssist (medevac) after reaching 75.  However, that was approved in less than a week, with nothing other than a short form from the physician and one from the traveler.

 

Even for third-party travel insurance, there has been no medical letter needed.  One does need to be "fit to travel" on the date the insurance is started, but that's not age-linked.   And the rates do go up with age.  (Cruise-line insurance may not have the different rates for age, but we never get that, so we can't say for sure.)

 

GC

[LHT28]

it  was in the  early days  of Covid  but the the whole cruise  industry came to a stand still

do not believe it is required now

 

[whogo]

You only need a letter from a physician to cruise on Holland America at age 70 if you are pregnant. "Guests with questions about traveling on a vessel while pregnant should refer to the “Pregnancy” portion of the Frequently Asked Questions (external link: https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/faq.shipboard-life.can-i-still-cruise-if-pregnant.html)"

Edited October 31, 2022 by whogo

[Hlitner]

17 minutes ago, whogo said:

You only need a letter from a physician to cruise on Holland America at age 70 if you are pregnant. "Guests with questions about traveling on a vessel while pregnant should refer to the “Pregnancy” portion of the Frequently Asked Questions (external link: https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/faq.shipboard-life.can-i-still-cruise-if-pregnant.html)"

Now that would be something to see.  A 70+ pregnant person (saying woman is not politically correct).

 

Hank

[spirit rev]

37 minutes ago, whogo said:

You only need a letter from a physician to cruise on Holland America at age 70 if you are pregnant. "Guests with questions about traveling on a vessel while pregnant should refer to the “Pregnancy” portion of the Frequently Asked Questions (external link: https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/faq.shipboard-life.can-i-still-cruise-if-pregnant.html)"

When my now husband and I were preparing to marry in our late 60's, (each after 40+ years of marriage) I told my doctor that we planned on having 5 children between us. With a blushed but dead pan face he asked how that was going to happen. I told him that is where his expertise becomes important. He lost it. 

[GeezerCouple]

19 minutes ago, spirit rev said:

When my now husband and I were preparing to marry in our late 60's, (each after 40+ years of marriage) I told my doctor that we planned on having 5 children between us. With a blushed but dead pan face he asked how that was going to happen. I told him that is where his expertise becomes important. He lost it. 

 

😁

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, spirit rev said:

When my now husband and I were preparing to marry in our late 60's, (each after 40+ years of marriage) I told my doctor that we planned on having 5 children between us. With a blushed but dead pan face he asked how that was going to happen. I told him that is where his expertise becomes important. He lost it. 

You wanted quintuplets? Was it a fertility doctor you saw?

[spirit rev]

1 hour ago, ontheweb said:

You wanted quintuplets? Was it a fertility doctor you saw?

No, just my primary care. After 4 years we now have 3 "children" - Love Cat, Devil Dog and Chimpie along with their Nanny, Stanley, the Princess Bear. 

Yes, they do occasionally cruise with us, much to the amusement of the room steward. 

[Ashland]

We're in our mid 70's no letter needed and we've done 7 cruises this year.

Agree this was mentioned at the beginning of Covid.

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, spirit rev said:

No, just my primary care. After 4 years we now have 3 "children" - Love Cat, Devil Dog and Chimpie along with their Nanny, Stanley, the Princess Bear. 

Yes, they do occasionally cruise with us, much to the amusement of the room steward. 

🤦‍♂️, so the doctor was a veterinarian. 😉 

[GeezerCouple]

19 minutes ago, spirit rev said:

No, just my primary care. After 4 years we now have 3 "children" - Love Cat, Devil Dog and Chimpie along with their Nanny, Stanley, the Princess Bear. 

Yes, they do occasionally cruise with us, much to the amusement of the room steward. 

 

Heh.

 

Tiny "Moosie" travels everywhere with us.  He got lost in the linens in Milan several years ago, and it was silly how upset we were.  However, the hotel emailed a few weeks later that he had been found in the clean laundry, only slightly worse for wear.  He was FedEx'd back to us in time for our Alaska cruise. 😁

We now also take a slightly larger moose, "Big Boy".

The stewards often decorate them or leave them in funny positions/locations, such as with a towel animal or such.

 

There was one CC member whose avitar was a porthole with a couple of little stuffed animals facing outward.  That is, of course, how Moosie and Big Boy like travel... to have a good view!

 

(Yes, yes, we also bring the kids and grands on some vacations, including cruises...!)

 

GC

[lenquixote66]

10 hours ago, delliemd said:

I have been on about 30 cruises,but not since pandemic.I just turned 70 & reading some cruise lines are requiring letter from your doctor.

70 is young .Why should that be a factor ?