Age limit on excursion

[rjack22]

I know there was a thread before but I can't find it.    We would like to go on the Princess Catamaran & Snorkel excursion on Grand Turk.   It says the age limit is 70.  We will be 72 and 73 by the time we cruise.  We are in good physical shape and snorkel on every cruise.  How strict are they with the age limit?

 

What would happen if I booked it anyway and see what happens?   At worst we would be cancelled with no alternative tour booked right?  Has anyone tried this?

 

I have looked for a similar independent tour with no luck.   It must be on a catamaran.   Any other small boat and I will get seasick.  Any suggestions?

[Paula_MacFan]

Is this what you were looking for?

 

 

I've found the easiest way to search is use Google with the question, including Cruise Critic and Princess or whatever you're looking for. I find it gets direct results easier and quicker than the search function here. That thread popped right up when I Googled it. 

 

YMMV 🙂

[hrhdhd]

I doubt you'd be able to book it; the system knows your birthdate. 

[TRLD]

If the excursion states an age limit it is enforced. 

 

You can probably book it in advance, but will find it canceled on board.

[memoak]

These limits are usually set by the tour operator not the cruise line. I have also seen weight limits on some tour and seen people weighed at the tour site and they had to sit while others took the tour and they did not get their money back

[Cruise Raider]

5 minutes ago, memoak said:

These limits are usually set by the tour operator not the cruise line. I have also seen weight limits on some tour and seen people weighed at the tour site and they had to sit while others took the tour and they did not get their money back

Not to mention, if they were able to book it and go and something happened to them, the insurance company that covers the excursion would not have to pay out, as they violated the contract.  

[1025cruise]

The age limit is mandated by the insurance companies. 

[Torfamm]

3 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

Not to mention, if they were able to book it and go and something happened to them, the insurance company that covers the excursion would not have to pay out, as they violated the contract.  

That's a good point, if you do sign up knowing that you are over the age limit and manage not to get caught and kept from going, there might be a concern about whether own travel insurance would cover you if something were to happen.

[Torfamm]

You might try contacting this company. It appears that they provide the excursion for Carnival but give an email address for cruisers on other lines. They don't mention that you must be under 70.

 

https://oceanvibes.com/rays-conch-reef-snorkel-adventure/

[Cruise Junky]

So ridiculous to base this on age 70.  Seventy is not what it was 20 years ago. Friends of ours hiked the Himalayas, bike trip all over the world. My husband walks 7 miles a day.  They need to update their policies for this century.  And for those who blame the suppliers, Princess can dictate the rules.  

[Shmoo here]

52 minutes ago, Cruise Junky said:

Princess can dictate the rules.  

Well, their insurers can.

[Cruise Junky]

3 minutes ago, Shmoo here said:

Well, their insurers can.

As stated in the example that started this thread there was no age limit booking direct. So is Princess being lazy and using old print?  Insurers can cover anything for a fee 

[TRLD]

1 hour ago, Cruise Junky said:

So ridiculous to base this on age 70.  Seventy is not what it was 20 years ago. Friends of ours hiked the Himalayas, bike trip all over the world. My husband walks 7 miles a day.  They need to update their policies for this century.  And for those who blame the suppliers, Princess can dictate the rules.  

Problem you and your neighbors are not average, let alone the worst case that the cruise lines must deal with. As a result they must deal with the statistics and risks based upon the overall cruising population.

 

As far as dictating. They can dictate, if they are willing to assume risk. Otherwise the excursion vendor assumes risk. All one would need to do is find one email in discovery indicating that the cruise line dictated the age limit and they get drawn into being a defender in any case.

Edited May 16 by TRLD

[Cruise Junky]

15 minutes ago, TRLD said:

Problem you and your neighbors are not average, let alone the worst case that the cruise lines must deal with. As a result they must deal with the statistics and risks based upon the overall cruising population.

 

As far as dictating. They can dictate, if they are willing to assume risk. Otherwise the excursion vendor assumes risk. All one would need to do is find one email in discovery indicating that the cruise line dictated the age limit and they get drawn into being a defender in any case.

So is the average 70 year old American that out of shape that the rest of the world gets painted with the same brush?  That’s just sad.  

[ldubs]

41 minutes ago, Cruise Junky said:

As stated in the example that started this thread there was no age limit booking direct. So is Princess being lazy and using old print?  Insurers can cover anything for a fee 

 

They (mainstream insurers) can, but they will be very reluctant to deviate from underwriting/loss control rules.  Maybe insurers domiciled in Canada operate differently, IDK.   

Edited May 16 by ldubs

[TRLD]

18 minutes ago, Cruise Junky said:

So is the average 70 year old American that out of shape that the rest of the world gets painted with the same brush?  That’s just sad.  

That is the state of the  actuarial risk analysis. For every 70 year old that walks 7 miles a day there is a multiple that can barely walk between  their kitchen and living room.

 

When it comes to snorkeling statistic are pretty clear that mortality goes up with age , same as with scuba diving.  For example the median age for cardiac related death in male snorkelers  in one study was age 65. So 1/2 of the deaths were over 65, even though the the population of snorkelers under 65 is much larger.

 

This was a study in Australia so not just Americans.

Edited May 16 by TRLD

[TRLD]

2 hours ago, Cruise Junky said:

So is the average 70 year old American that out of shape that the rest of the world gets painted with the same brush?  That’s just sad.  

There is another element. For all snorkeling is painted as a low intensity event, just breathing through a snorkel is  stressful as far as lung and cardiac function is concerned that can lead to fluid build up in the lungs, especially when flying involved within a few days prior. Hawaii has looked at this closely. Tourists have a much higher risk then locals, even if they are in good shape.

 

Do a search on snorkel deaths by age. There are a number of very good papers on the subject.

[Mud_Shark]

I have noticed many of the Princess excursions have added either an upper age limit or weight limit in the past year (these limits were not posted previous to that, even though the exact same excursions were offered.  We booked a few last year (almost a year in advance - the restrictions were definitely not there), but before we sailed, I noticed them.  We are still in our 60s, so the 70 age limit did not effect us, but the weight limit did for me.  I cancelled one excursion when the limit was 10lbs under what my weight was.  I went on two others that had limits right were I am at on a good day.  One of those excursions weighed me in and did not blink at the result, so they may have a small fudge factor for clothes and shoes built in.  The other one did not weigh any of us and nothing was mentioned.  Don't know if they check age any closer. 

[TRLD]

17 minutes ago, Mud_Shark said:

I have noticed many of the Princess excursions have added either an upper age limit or weight limit in the past year (these limits were not posted previous to that, even though the exact same excursions were offered.  We booked a few last year (almost a year in advance - the restrictions were definitely not there), but before we sailed, I noticed them.  We are still in our 60s, so the 70 age limit did not effect us, but the weight limit did for me.  I cancelled one excursion when the limit was 10lbs under what my weight was.  I went on two others that had limits right were I am at on a good day.  One of those excursions weighed me in and did not blink at the result, so they may have a small fudge factor for clothes and shoes built in.  The other one did not weigh any of us and nothing was mentioned.  Don't know if they check age any closer. 

They usually check age on ship simply by comparing your data with the excursion. That is why you can book and then get notified on board that your excursion is canceled.

 

Pre Covid there were quite a few with 70 as the age restriction. Then during the restart they vanished, now they seem to be coming back.

 

The weight check is done by the vendor, usually the horse back riding or flight excursions. After all no way to automate the weight check.

 

The age ones are pretty automated by the excursion department on board ship.

Edited May 16 by TRLD

[Torfamm]

3 hours ago, Cruise Junky said:

As stated in the example that started this thread there was no age limit booking direct. So is Princess being lazy and using old print?  Insurers can cover anything for a fee 

No one said that there is no age limit booking direct. If you’re talking about my post, I shared a website for a company that offers snorkeling tours. I have no idea who even operates the Princess excursion 

[TRLD]

One reason why their might be a difference is because Princess and most other cruise lines require an excursion operator to carry insurance, which they might not do otherwise depending upon country.

 

Quite often a cruise line will book all available capacity from a vendor when a ship is in port. If there is a tour where ship excursion passengers are on an excursion with non ship passengers it will usually show up in the description.

[startedwithamouse]

We had a snorkeling participant rescued from the water on our cruise earlier this month. I believe they were around 80. They ended up being airlifted away and their time onboard came to an abrupt end.

Edited May 16 by startedwithamouse

[arizonaperson]

@rjack22 well darn on the max age limit for the excursion you want, I had never seen this,but sure enough it’s right there in print on the excursion notes as well as, I believe a minimum age.

Hope you find another excursion in Grand Turk that is not age restricted. Is there perhaps a snorkel only excursion desk ( local vendor) at the dock/ pier you can do? Or a beach excursion with a place to snorkel?

Edited May 16 by arizonaperson

[Princessfan20]

19 hours ago, Torfamm said:

You might try contacting this company. It appears that they provide the excursion for Carnival but give an email address for cruisers on other lines. They don't mention that you must be under 70.

 

https://oceanvibes.com/rays-conch-reef-snorkel-adventure/

 

I would go with a private outfit too.  Probably will be more personal tour experience, less costs and more adventure and fun.  At least that has always been our experience.  

 

Being from Hawaii it is hard to imagine there being an age restriction on who can swim and snorkel in the ocean.  What a ridiculous rule.

 

Do not worry about the naysayers who will say "if you do not get back to the boat on time they will leave you."  Private tour operators know how Princess operates too on return times.

[memoak]

48 minutes ago, Princessfan20 said:

 

I would go with a private outfit too.  Probably will be more personal tour experience, less costs and more adventure and fun.  At least that has always been our experience.  

 

Being from Hawaii it is hard to imagine there being an age restriction on who can swim and snorkel in the ocean.  What a ridiculous rule.

 

Do not worry about the naysayers who will say "if you do not get back to the boat on time they will leave you."  Private tour operators know how Princess operates too on return times.

Although they know when the passengers need to be back does not mean things can’t happen. I was on a ships excursion once that was well over an hour late due and the ship did wait. I believe that the ship would not have waited if it was an independent excursion 

Edited May 16 by memoak