Fitness and cruising

Someone asked me to move my post to this ''disabled forum''.

My company Cruise and Maritime wanted certain conditions revealed with certificate of fitness travel.

I have been partial hearing for 40 yrs (sensory is a condition to declare) and I had a psychiatric illness 25yrs ago only 4 bouts.( needs to be declared) For 17yrs on meds Ive had no episodes.

My GP says that NO letters of fitness are going to be issued for anyone.

It took 4 calls to the cruise company before they realised that we had travel insurance for all my conditions. They agreed no certificate was needed.

I found this humiliating and has taken the edge off the UK cruise and the company. I understand all safety issues and see cruise passenger s who are perhaps a liability but genuine people like me find this an unhelpful attittude

Is this what you are referring to? If so, it is only for those that have been hospitalized in the past 3 months, or have an ongoing pre existing medical condition...most cruise lines require a fit to travel clause.

(From their general info tab):

Medical - Fitness to Travel by Sea

Any passengers who have been hospitalised within three months prior to travelling, have any psychological disorder, any sensory impairment or contagious medical condition will need to make these details known to us and also have a ‘Fitness to Travel by Sea’ certificate provided by their doctor or psychiatrist. Please note that Cruise & Maritime Voyages must be advised of any pre-existing medical condition or ongoing treatment and of any change to the passengers’ condition, including surgery or hospital visits as an in-patient or an out-patient, which occurs between the date of booking and the sailing date. Failure to advise or update any such changes to a passenger’s state of health could invalidate any subsequent insurance claim and you will be liable for any costs.

As stated in post # 2 Cruise and Maritime Voyage's does have a fit to travel clause in its contract. However Cruise and Maritime Voyage's also requires that passengers have travel insurance covering pre-existing conditions. Being that it took 4 phones to rectify this matter it appears that either the cruise line had not properly noted in your booking that you had the appropriate travel insurance or perhaps you or your travel agent hadn't previously notified the cruise line of meeting that condition which perhaps was why the Letter of Fitness had been requested. Glad it all worked out in the end.

Following copied directly from Cruise and Maritime's website

"Insurance

It is a requirement that you hold full comprehensive travel insurance cover that is valid for the entire duration of your cruise holiday and provides health cover for pre-existing conditions and the costs of medical repatriations. It should also include Personal Luggage insurance as this is an important consideration, since there is a limited liability for loss or damage. Failure to hold an appropriate travel insurance policy may result in you being refused boarding. Please ensure you bring copies of your insurance documents with you in case you require medical assistance."

Is this what you are referring to? If so, it is only for those that have been hospitalized in the past 3 months, or have an ongoing pre existing medical condition...most cruise lines require a fit to travel clause.

 

 

(From their general info tab):

Medical - Fitness to Travel by Sea

 

Any passengers who have been hospitalised within three months prior to travelling, have any psychological disorder, any sensory impairment or contagious medical condition will need to make these details known to us and also have a ‘Fitness to Travel by Sea’ certificate provided by their doctor or psychiatrist. Please note that Cruise & Maritime Voyages must be advised of any pre-existing medical condition or ongoing treatment and of any change to the passengers’ condition, including surgery or hospital visits as an in-patient or an out-patient, which occurs between the date of booking and the sailing date. Failure to advise or update any such changes to a passenger’s state of health could invalidate any subsequent insurance claim and you will be liable for any costs.

Yes, this is the para. My conditions are 40yrs old & 25yrs old . They were not handled well .

1. My husband mentioned travel insurance in 3 different calls . And was listed anyway. Staff still insisted on a certificate.
   
2. The UK GP practice said my notes back to 1996 were fine but said there is no such certificate . Doctors, I was told in friendly telephone manner. are beginning not to write letters of fitness to travel (for reasons of litigation?).
   
3. The full comprehension by a member of C&M staff with personal knowledge, who conveyed to her manager my situation and the existence of insurance.
   
4. We never knew whether the info I supplied to C&M reached the lasses desk. It wasn't acknowledged.
   

Our travels in those ''dangerous'' 25yrs were to Russia, Europe, Africa, Egypt, Congo,Zimbawae Carribean x 2, Scottish waters ;thru Africa by train and inc the Khalahari .Iceland. Norway/Ruussian seas and borders This C& M short cruise was in British waters !!

P& O have a much more gentler approach with a questionnaire, This highlights the real cases of concern which of course is very necessary.

Perhaps a review of the approach to this area of cruising be looked at and staff trained to be less aggressive and more informed

So what did we do wrong ? And made to feel humiliated?

Yes, this is the para. My conditions are 40yrs old & 25yrs old . They were not handled well .

1. My husband mentioned travel insurance in 3 different calls . And was listed anyway. Staff still insisted on a certificate.
   
2. The UK GP practice said my notes back to 1996 were fine but said there is no such certificate . Doctors, I was told in friendly telephone manner. are beginning not to write letters of fitness to travel (for reasons of litigation?).
   
3. The full comprehension by a member of C&M staff with personal knowledge, who conveyed to her manager my situation and the existence of insurance.
   
4. We never knew whether the info I supplied to C&M reached the lasses desk. It wasn't acknowledged.
   

Our travels in those ''dangerous'' 25yrs were to Russia, Europe, Africa, Egypt, Congo,Zimbawae Carribean x 2, Scottish waters ;thru Africa by train and inc the Khalahari .Iceland. Norway/Ruussian seas and borders This C& M short cruise was in British waters !!

 

P& O have a much more gentler approach with a questionnaire, This highlights the real cases of concern which of course is very necessary.

Perhaps a review of the approach to this area of cruising be looked at and staff trained to be less aggressive and more informed

So what did we do wrong ? And made to feel humiliated?

Yes it's unfortunate that the cruise line caused you to feel humiliated. If you haven't done so already, it seems that a letter to the CEO of Cruise and Maritime Voyages would be warranted at that time.

Yes it's unfortunate that the cruise line caused you to feel humiliated. If you haven't done so already, it seems that a letter to the CEO of Cruise and Maritime Voyages would be warranted at that time.

Thank you for your support. We were so frustrated, annoyed at the handling of this issue ,We will be writing to the CEO. Also to a national support charity who were concerned this was discrimination . Our MP shares one condition with me so we will be writing to him. I have contact with the You and Yours BBC programme. I am willing to contact them too. It seems that each company has its own rules around long standing , controlled conditions. Our thoughts were that we would be barred from cruising with C&M. In contrast we cruised with Fred Olsen from St Kitts to UK (mostly at sea 1000s miles from land) There was no problem with my non intrusive conditions with Fred.