Declaring a nagging cough on health form

[lovedecruise]

Hi, we are due to sail in just over two weeks. My husband has had a nagging cough for nearly two months. He has seen the Dr who says it is allergy/asthma related. Would it be advisable to get a letter from the Dr that says it is not contagious, as I guess he should declare it on the health form?

[kerryincork]

Read the health form carefully. Usually what they ask for is do you have a fever and cough, sore throat, upset stomach, etc. If you don't have a fever you don't have to declare it. I too have allergies that can appear to be a cold but I have never been questioned about it. You could get a Dr letter if it makes you feel comfortable. You could probably find example of form on line.

[Hawka]

no harm in doing so then at least covered in case

[Hawka]

this form is what i got filled out just to be safe for my asthma

Princess_Health_Form.pdf

[floridalover5623]

I wouldn't mention it. Why bring up something that would cause concern especially when they'll be dozens of people boarding with the same problems this time of year?

[moki'smommy]

Having a letter or note from his doc is never a bad idea, but don't volunteer it. Just have it in case it is needed.

 

The health form deals mostly with GI related stuff. Answer the questions honestly, but again, don't say anything it doesn't ask. If you say "yes" to questions, you are pulled from the check in line for an "evaluation" by one of the nurses on the ship. The purpose of this evaluation is to keep the ship free of communicable diseases. If the nurse denies you boarding, you are within your rights to request an evaluation by the ship's doctor...who is very unlikely to overrule the nurse.

 

Again, be honest on the form but do not volunteer anything that is not specifically asked.

[floridalover5623]

They might even quarantine you to your cabin for a few days for observation. It happened to my wife one cruise when she questioned the medical facility if there were others on board with similar symptoms & at that point she had none. We've learned to keep your mouth shut unless you really need medical assistance.

[swilliams1660]

I would tell him to keep quiet during the boarding process and not open his mouth ........... unless he needs to cough.

[golfb4cruzing]

The wife has a chronic cough due to asthma type condition. It's neither contagious or infectious . Therefore we never declare anything on the form. She has her allergies meds with her and if they question, we would just provide the meds.

[tonit964]

Hi, we are due to sail in just over two weeks. My husband has had a nagging cough for nearly two months. He has seen the Dr who says it is allergy/asthma related. Would it be advisable to get a letter from the Dr that says it is not contagious, as I guess he should declare it on the health form?

 

If his Dr who I'm sure is very qualified, has already determined it is not contagious, there is no point in declaring it.

 

If you do, it will possibly raise a concern and then you have to take the time to have someone/medical staff at the terminal examine him and then make the decision to allow him to board or not.

I would trust my own Dr's conclusion, and leave it alone.

[Sonoran_cruiser]

I too suffer from occasional histimine attacks that have residual nose and throat issues, sometimes for several weeks.

 

I definitely would not write anything negative on my health form with respect to this condition, since it is not anything contagious or endangering to other passengers (I, however, get to "enjoy" this suffering).

 

That said, I wish people who are legitimately sick would be honest on such forms, since they risk getting many fellow passengers sick. Realistically, I know that this rarely happens, since no one wants to cancel a cruise at the last minute.

[Coral]

I would have your doctor write the note and keep it with you!

 

If by chance he has a coughing attack when checking in and someone stops you, you will have it. Otherwise, I would not volunteer the information. Just have it as a backup if you are stopped.

[floridalover5623]

This time of year I'd say 1/4 of the people in line are sniffling of coughing. We usually catch something after we arrive back home.

[cb at sea]

Since you know it's not a contagious condition, I wouldn't put it on the form. I also wouldn't bother with a doctors note!

[pklein9747]

Last year at this time, I came down with an upper respiratory infection that resulted in an extremely consistent and hacking cough that seemed to last forever. We cruised in mid-January and, when I completed the health form at the terminal, I indicated that I had a bad cough. When I showed it to one of the employees there, he asked what the problem was. When I told him it was lingering cough, he ripped up the form and told me to fill out a new one and not indicate the cough. His reasoning: it wasn't contagious and it wasn't worth the time out of my 5-day cruise to get it sorted out.

[CI66774]

If it's not contagious and no one else is a risk of "catching" it, I wouldn't declare it. I suffer from allergies and occasionally have a cough on particularly bad sinus days. Wouldn't even think of declaring it.

[moki'smommy]

Since you know it's not a contagious condition, I wouldn't put it on the form. I also wouldn't bother with a doctors note!

 

The only reason I would have the note would be for my own protection...if he happened to have a coughing fit during the check in process and the clerk doing the check in had issues with that, the note would serve as proof to the onboard medical staff that this is an issue that has been fully evaluated an is of no danger to anyone on the ship. Other than that situation, the note stays in the back pocket (so to speak) and is never presented to any Princess personnel.

 

My daughter is on some pretty serious meds for a totally different condition. I ALWAYS carry a copy of her doctor's evaluation with us just in case anyone (cruise line personnel, Customs officials, whomever) would question anything. We've never been stopped, never had to present any documentation. Still, I'd much rather have it and not need it than to have to jump thru hoops to prove something to some idiot.

[lovedecruise]

Thank you for all your replies. Has anyone seen the form recently as I am aware of 2 versions. One asks if you have a fever PLUS any one of the following additional symptoms: cough, runny nose or sore throat and the other just asks straight out if you have a fever or cough or sore throat or runny nose. If they ask the first version - a fever Plus a cough - we won't have to declare it.

[Colo Cruiser]

Thank you for all your replies. Has anyone seen the form recently as I am aware of 2 versions. One asks if you have a fever PLUS any one of the following additional symptoms: cough, runny nose or sore throat and the other just asks straight out if you have a fever or cough or sore throat or runny nose. If they ask the first version - a fever Plus a cough - we won't have to declare it.

 

Best to get the form when you arrive.

[Hawka]

Thank you for all your replies. Has anyone seen the form recently as I am aware of 2 versions. One asks if you have a fever PLUS any one of the following additional symptoms: cough, runny nose or sore throat and the other just asks straight out if you have a fever or cough or sore throat or runny nose. If they ask the first version - a fever Plus a cough - we won't have to declare it.

I posted a link to the form I got I think they send you something closer to cruise about fever etc

[Hawka]

this form is what i got filled out just to be safe for my asthma

 

Go to this post it has link