Attention Over 70 Year Old Cruisers

[dag144]

There is talk of lines suspending us over 70 from cruising without a doctor's our doctor's OK.  I know that lines would hate having to impose this restriction, but could it come to pass?  There is some precedent.  Freighters put an age limit on passengers, particularly if the ship does not have a doctor on board.  Precedent is precedent so I am going to wait until the waters are more clear.  What about you?

[hunt182644]

Doctors will not sign off on something like this due to liability. I have already had this confirmed by two doctors.

[Earthworm Jim]

I can't see it happening considering so many cruisers are over 70. It would be financial suicide.

[wannagonow123]

I got an e-mail from Princess this morning that had new guidelines for when they re-open. (Of course subject to change). Did not make reference to ages, however no passengers with chronic diseases will be allowed to board. (diabetes/ COPD).  Refund to be given if disclosed before boarding. If you lie and don't disclose and are caught, you will be put off at next port to fend for yourself to get home.

[Essiesmom]

5 minutes ago, wannagonow123 said:

I got an e-mail from Princess this morning that had new guidelines for when they re-open. (Of course subject to change). Did not make reference to ages, however no passengers with chronic diseases will be allowed to board. (diabetes/ COPD).  Refund to be given if disclosed before boarding. If you lie and don't disclose and are caught, you will be put off at next port to fend for yourself to get home.

They didn't specify which 'severe, chronic medical conditions' they mean.  I read several sections looking for 'over 70' and diabetes and didn't find them.  EM

[skynight]

See this as near term restrictions. There could be requirements for proof of flu and COVID-19 (if and when available) vaccination for all passengers. To restrict those 70+ would significantly reduce customer base. Cruise lines would have eliminate ships and itineraries. It may also be against U.S. laws.  Believe overall cruise lines have excellent health care records and that the current pandemic is a tragic anomaly.

[flamomo]

If they do, a lot of us would see it as age discrimination.

Just because one is 70 or older, and happens to have a chronic health issue that is in good control , and does not have/ has not had any symptoms of flare-up of the issue, it should not preclude them from cruising, any more than it did before Covid-19.

 

[AF-1]

The health info that was sent out is telling passengers to call Princess if you have a chronic or underlying health condition.  I assume Princess medical team will look at your chronic condition and make a decision to allow you to cruise with your condition or require you have  letter from doctor stating you can cruise with your medical condition.  Example; someone who has chronic asthma which makes them  cough or breathing issues.  To some lay person who sees this passenger coughing onboard may tell ship staff that this person should not be allowed on ship.  They have no idea the person has chronic asthma.  This is why Princess is asking people to call them prior to showing up at port and then being denied boarding.  I would not want to fly to Australia or Europe only to be told; sorry you can't board.  

[isosika]

It seems that if cruise lines wanted to prohibit those with underlying conditions from cruising, they should just say just that.  Eliminate the 70 year age requirement totally.  This, it seems, would negate any age discrimination lawsuit.  It would also eliminate passengers of much younger ages, including a friend who had heart issues in her 20's.  I had bypass surgery in my 60's and there are probably many others out there as well.

 

However, I not only have heart disease but diabetes as well.  The issue that I have is my diseases were caused by exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam and the Veterans Administration has declared that I am partially disabled.  In addition, I am over 70 years old.

 

Now that I have been declared disabled, would prohibiting me from cruising violate the Americans With Disabilities Act?

 

My wife and I have B2B 14 day cruises booked for June/July 2021.  It will be interesting to see how this plays out.  However, just in case, I'm looking to land based travel to the same locations, Norway/Iceland, just in case.

[AF-1]

isosika;  Princess does not mention age for cruisers.  The CDC recommended over 70; but this is temporary.  As of now Princess does not say 70 or older.  Princess is asking passengers to contact them if you have health and chronic conditions. They want you to be pro active and contact them;  their medical staff will most likely let you know if you should or should not cancel your cruise with them.  You don't want to show up at the port and be denied boarding;  they are trying to prevent that, by having people call who may have health issues which would prohibit you from sailing.  Does that make sense?

[1Gizmo]

Diabetes has Type 1 type 2 and pre-diabetes.  Type 1 requires  insulin Type 2 medication and diet. Pre maybe on medication and diet. Are they goino restrict all types? I have Type 2 since 2005 with medication I have never even come close to needing to go to the hospital.  I'm still as healthy as many well below my age or healthier.

[cruzsnooze]

Talk of American's with disability act or age discrimination doesn't apply to a ship registered in the Bahamas. They don't play by American rules, that's why they register abroad. 

[USCcruisecrazy]

Here's my guess...just a logical guess:  Princess, as well as all other major Cruise Lines, will likely need passengers to identify any comorbidities they have that can make them high risk of death if they contract COVID-19.  Those folks may have to sign some sort of waiver dismissing the cruise line of any responsibility should you catch COVID-19 and because of that comorbidity, you die.  I can't see it being for any chronic illness for 2 reasons:  1) COVID-19 is a respiratory virus so those particular underlying health conditions are a concern, and 2) there are over 2 dozen recognized chronic illnesses and most of them are not effected by the virus...things such as high cholesterol, glaucoma, or arthritis.

[spyro1952]

2 hours ago, AF-1 said:

The health info that was sent out is telling passengers to call Princess if you have a chronic or underlying health condition.  I assume Princess medical team will look at your chronic condition and make a decision to allow you to cruise with your condition or require you have  letter from doctor stating you can cruise with your medical condition.  Example; someone who has chronic asthma which makes them  cough or breathing issues.  To some lay person who sees this passenger coughing onboard may tell ship staff that this person should not be allowed on ship.  They have no idea the person has chronic asthma.  This is why Princess is asking people to call them prior to showing up at port and then being denied boarding.  I would not want to fly to Australia or Europe only to be told; sorry you can't board.  

Not the same as being examined by your own physician who knows your condition and responses etc.  I do not blame cruise lines for limiting passengers over 70 from cruising on their ships.   I have seen many passengers in the past few years that should not be cruising.  Dementia, extremely poor mobility and circulatory disorders, open chronic wounds, mid cycle chemo, and much more.  
If your own doc won’t sign your good to cruise then you shouldn’t be cruising.  The cruise lines is not responsible for your denial.

[Potstech]

2 hours ago, AF-1 said:

The health info that was sent out is telling passengers to call Princess if you have a chronic or underlying health condition.  I assume Princess medical team will look at your chronic condition and make a decision to allow you to cruise with your condition or require you have  letter from doctor stating you can cruise with your medical condition.  Example; someone who has chronic asthma which makes them  cough or breathing issues.  To some lay person who sees this passenger coughing onboard may tell ship staff that this person should not be allowed on ship.  They have no idea the person has chronic asthma.  This is why Princess is asking people to call them prior to showing up at port and then being denied boarding.  I would not want to fly to Australia or Europe only to be told; sorry you can't board.  

Make sure you call 3 or 4 times and record the answers because like all things Princess you will get a variety of answers from the non medical people who answer the calls. And it will not matter what they say on boarding day.

[Essiesmom]

1 hour ago, cruzsnooze said:

Talk of American's with disability act or age discrimination doesn't apply to a ship registered in the Bahamas. They don't play by American rules, that's why they register abroad. 

Certainly those are advantages to being registered abroad.  But the bald fact is that they cannot be registered here because they are not built in the US.  The US no longer has any shipyards building large cruise ships.  The only US flagged large cruise ship is on one of two hulls built in the US and then abandoned.  NCL purchased them and towed them to Europe for completion.  I believe they got what amounts to a Papal Dispensation from Congress to do this.  EM

[Fat Albert]

1 hour ago, USCcruisecrazy said:

Here's my guess...just a logical guess:  Princess, as well as all other major Cruise Lines, will likely need passengers to identify any comorbidities they have that can make them high risk of death if they contract COVID-19.  Those folks may have to sign some sort of waiver dismissing the cruise line of any responsibility should you catch COVID-19 and because of that comorbidity, you die.  I can't see it being for any chronic illness for 2 reasons:  1) COVID-19 is a respiratory virus so those particular underlying health conditions are a concern, and 2) there are over 2 dozen recognized chronic illnesses and most of them are not effected by the virus...things such as high cholesterol, glaucoma, or arthritis.

 did they list obesity? this might be a big issue for many passenger being denied because of BMI is categorized as obese and that is a high risk factor for wuhan virus death.

[USCcruisecrazy]

11 minutes ago, Fat Albert said:

 did they list obesity? this might be a big issue for many passenger being denied because of BMI is categorized as obese and that is a high risk factor for wuhan virus death.

First off, love the name!!  And how appropriate you ask a question about Obesity with a name like Fat Albert.  LOL!

 

I would imagine it will be comorbidities directly associated with the respiratory system, but Obesity has been associated with a great number of deaths in the US.  Of course, most of those obese people had other underlying health conditions that did make the list.  Simple answer...it wasn't listed.  I don't think BMI could be used as a disqualifier or not many of us would ever get on.  And some would have to leave after 5 or 6 days of hitting the buffet!  LOL!

[nini]

There have been a few threads about this as well on other boards (HAL, RCC, Celebrity) and 

more. Some were very hot topics and merged with other similar threads.

 

I called Princess and one rep replied as if the policy was already implemented.

The second rep said that Princess has not adopted it. 

 

RCC and NCL have adopted it. I am not sure about others. MANY people say that NO WAY

will their doctor sign it due to liability issues. 

 

And some say that it is discrimination... think about that. How many people do YOU

know who are under age 70 and have these conditions? 

 

I still think it would be suicide for the cruise lines due to the demographics of cruising.

[land lover]

 First cruise was in our 20s, almost 40 years ago...since then we experienced many cruise lines, enjoyed river cruises and land trips..and for years were treated by our travel companions as their children because of our youth. 

 

Well, finally we are in our 60s and guess what?  Still on many of our cruises, especially river cruises and exotic lands we are still some of the youngest...a recent Princess 2018 circumnavigation of Australia, average age 82.

 

Been looking forward to the day when we would be "top dogs"...because when we first started cruising few pax were over 70. Since our first cruise the cruise industry has come along way to accommodate clientele as they have grown older and laws have changed....but, the reality is who would the overall cruise industry prefer to deal with???? Me thinks it is not people 60 and over, regardless of their health....just sayin'....

Edited April 22, 2020 by land lover

[richsea]

The email I received today from Princess with enhanced boarding requirements said:

 

Enhancing Health Requirements

We will deny boarding to guests and crew if they:

• Have been in contact with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 or a person being monitored for COVID-19.
• Are suffering from a fever or flu-like symptoms prior to embarkation.
• Have an underlying, severe, chronic medical condition.

They do not specify what constitutes “severe, chronic medical condition”, which to me , is meant to be vague. They also do not mention an age range.

Again, if what you say turns out to be normal protocol, with hypertension & coronary artery disease, my cruising days are over. Not going to the doc everytime I cruise. 

[BIGADORF]

7 hours ago, 1Gizmo said:

Diabetes has Type 1 type 2 and pre-diabetes.  Type 1 requires  insulin Type 2 medication and diet. Pre maybe on medication and diet. Are they goino restrict all types? I have Type 2 since 2005 with medication I have never even come close to needing to go to the hospital.  I'm still as healthy as many well below my age or healthier.

1gizmo, you should not post information about type 2 that is misleading, Type 2 diabetics can also require insulin. I know this for a fact because I am one. I didn’t have to take insulin for the 1st 25 years of Type 2 but finally I need a insulin shot to control my blood sugars. By taking insulin you do not automatically become a Type 1.

[richsea]

5 hours ago, spyro1952 said:

..... I have seen many passengers in the past few years that should not be cruising.  Dementia, extremely poor mobility and circulatory disorders, open chronic wounds, mid cycle chemo, and much more....

Really? I must have been lucky on over 40 cruises; never witnessed that. But I’m also not a doctor, so wouldn’t presume to know who is or is not should ve cruising by passing them in the hall.

[waltd]

The key word for me is Severe Medical conditions.   What is the definition of severe?    I have high blood pressure but with medication I have always kept my blood pressure at a normal range.   My partner is a Diabetic but with diet and exercise  all his levels are perfect and in normal range but he would still be considered a diabetic.  I will wait till they come out with more information before I worry.

[Ride-The-Waves]

1 hour ago, richsea said:

The email I received today from Princess with enhanced boarding requirements said:

 

Enhancing Health Requirements

We will deny boarding to guests and crew if they:

• Have been in contact with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 or a person being monitored for COVID-19.
• Are suffering from a fever or flu-like symptoms prior to embarkation.
• Have an underlying, severe, chronic medical condition.

They do not specify what constitutes “severe, chronic medical condition”, which to me , is meant to be vague. They also do not mention an age range.

Again, if what you say turns out to be normal protocol, with hypertension & coronary artery disease, my cruising days are over. Not going to the doc everytime I cruise. 

The definition of "chronic" is long term.  High blood pressure is chronic.  Diabetes is chronic.  COPD is chronic.  Hypertension is chronic.  All controllable, still chronic.