Heart Conditions Banned from Cruising

[whitecap]

5 minutes ago, gmjc2 said:

That is the Celebrity form that I posted earlier. Did they get confused?  

Sorry, can't get it to post.  Go to the web site and their suggested form is on the front page.

[gmjc2]

2 minutes ago, greenie082756 said:

DH and I are just going to wait and see what the future holds.

We love cruising and like everyone else I am hurting for a cruise vacation.

 

When I first heard and read about the possibility of not allowing those with chronic conditions on a ship my thoughts 

were this is just preliminary.  The first few months that the cruise lines start up again I would expect a much more

stringent boarding process.  The reason being is that nobody knows what the limits of this virus is and I agree that those with chronic diseases might just want to wait and see what happens.  The form from what I understand should stay current. The old paper forms that we all had to fill out were a joke. Now that they will scan us for fever I feel better that those boarding will be healthier than before - maybe. I do not have a problem with being scanned for a temperature  or filling out the health form. 

 

I myself am a managed Type 2 diabetic. I was diagnosed over 20 years ago. I also have some other issues that have been managed by shots and pills. Because I know that it is very important that I have my medications to keep it managed I make sure I carry and extra 2 weeks past the disembarkation day. 

 

I think once this all starts up again it will be acceptable to most everyone. 

 

 

I agree that the old forms were a joke. Anyone could say anything and get on board. Most of the check- in clerks did not even look at it! 

We have similar issues. All well controlled and with 55 cruises with only 1 health incident  on board it seems ridiculous to be banned from cruising. 

[billfish]

On 4/25/2020 at 7:48 AM, ghstudio said:

 

Atrial fibrillation is not life threatening...many have it occasionally, some have it permanently and some even with permanent Afib have no restrictions and only know they have it because of an irregular pulse.   It's risk is an increased risk of stroke, although with blood thinners and control of any high blood pressure, the risk is still quite low.  It certainly is not transmittable to others and there is no difference treating a person with Afib or no Afib for stroke.

 

Ablation involves poking a hole through parts of the heart....and may have more risk than just living with Afib. There are similar decisions about prostate cancer...sometimes the treatment carries more risk.....and even untreated, it isn't going to cause a significant problem on a cruise. The risks from severe obesity and diabetes causing problems on a cruise may well be higher than someone with Afib.

 

I doubt that Princess will actually stop someone with Afib from travel....and many other conditions will also not be a problem.

 

OP....since cruising is still in limbo...I'd wait for the dust to settle before making any decisions, even if you are getting what I'd call guesses from folks at Princess.  They will figure out that they don't need a doctor's note for those over 70, etc.....and they won't have sweeping medical restrictions.

 

Hang in there....    

 

 

Thanks for explanation of Afib is .. My wife has it and has had two ablations the first one  corrected the problem for a couple of years but the afib came back and  she a second one last December and she is and was able to cruise last February  We had a lenghty discussion with her surgeon and he said there is no reason to cancel our cruise  

[caribill]

14 hours ago, J8T said:

I was tol by princess on 4/23 that the chronic condition sentence was removed so that they could work up detailed list to include when re-inserted. here is the form which celebrity is going to use....possibly what CLIA is suggesting

Physician-Fit-to-Sail-Form -m celebrity.pdf 49.27 kB · 64 downloads

 

That form says if you have diabetes and are 70 years of age or older, you cannot cruise.

 

Ever.

 

About 26% of USA adults 65 and over have diabetes.

 

(The median age of passengers on the Grand Princess on its most recent sailing was 66, according to the CDC, and the ship had 1,200 passengers older than 70.)

[caribill]

One can do a land vacation and spread Covid-19 just as effectively as if on a cruise.

 

The difference is that it is more easily to trace the spread if it occurs on a cruise ship than if one visited London, took the train to Paris and if after that took a train to Rome. If the person was currently infected, he/she could have spread it at numerous locations in those three cities as well as on the trains and also any flights at the start and end of the trip.

[muggo11]

18 hours ago, J8T said:

I was tol by princess on 4/23 that the chronic condition sentence was removed so that they could work up detailed list to include when re-inserted. here is the form which celebrity is going to use....possibly what CLIA is suggesting

Physician-Fit-to-Sail-Form -m celebrity.pdf 49.27 kB · 77 downloads

Before pot was legalized for recreational use, you just went to a doctor next to a pot dispensary and got a prescription for $100 after explaining your maladies for five minutes or so. I just had a vision of similar doc-shops outside the gates of embarkation ports. 😈😈
These are so easy to falsify.  This is a very CYA move by cruise-lines. I can’t imagine these certificates will be verified or investigated, just filed. 
As for me, I will seal meds in a plastic bag and hide in my. . . Oh, never mind. 😱😥

[AF-1]

I think people worry too much.  No cruise ship is sailing with passengers before July or possibly later.  The health forms for all cruise lines will most likely change three or four times before a passenger steps back on board a ship.  Don't worry about something you have no control over.  Have a cup of coffee; relax and think about how blessed we all have been to be able to cruise. Happy Tuesday. 

[gmjc2]

17 hours ago, whitecap said:

Sorry, can't get it to post.  Go to the web site and their suggested form is on the front page.

Thanks.

[gmjc2]

Could not find the form on their website. They may have removed it. But I am sure it was similar to the Celebrity version.

[whitecap]

1 hour ago, gmjc2 said:

Could not find the form on their website. They may have removed it. But I am sure it was similar to the Celebrity version.

Go to Cruise Line International Association web page; front page says "CLIA Statement COVID 19" click "read more", scroll middle of page and click on "Sample Travelers Heath Declaration/Questionaire.  

[gmjc2]

25 minutes ago, whitecap said:

Go to Cruise Line International Association web page; front page says "CLIA Statement COVID 19" click "read more", scroll middle of page and click on "Sample Travelers Heath Declaration/Questionaire.  

Got it this time. I don't know why it did not come up the first time.

It seems a little irrelevant though as no cruises are happening now and by the time they are up and running again there will not be much danger of this particular virus. Also, how many people will lie about any symptoms? Almost as many as have lied for many years with the former health questionnaire! 

The only way to be sure is to take everyone's temp and observe for coughing etc before starting the boarding process. It will be lengthy but we can put up with a little inconvenience to have a healthy voyage! Even if this virus is pretty much gone, there are other illnesses that might be caught before they become an issue. 

We will just be thankful if they do not start banning chronic conditions of well controlled health issues.

[Roberto256]

13 hours ago, muggo11 said:

Before pot was legalized for recreational use, you just went to a doctor next to a pot dispensary and got a prescription for $100 after explaining your maladies for five minutes or so. I just had a vision of similar doc-shops outside the gates of embarkation ports. 😈😈

 

I was always shocked at the glacoma epidemic!

 

A family friend could not renew his driver license because of failing vision.

He simply drove around Miami with a pocket full of Benjamins, until he found

a doctor who could more clearly see the situation.

 

There are already lots of crew doc-in-a-box places near ports.   This will be a new

business for them.

 

 

[gmjc2]

9 minutes ago, Roberto256 said:

 

I was always shocked at the glacoma epidemic!

 

A family friend could not renew his driver license because of failing vision.

He simply drove around Miami with a pocket full of Benjamins, until he found

a doctor who could more clearly see the situation.

 

There are already lots of crew doc-in-a-box places near ports.   This will be a new

business for them.

 

 

It really should not be funny but it is!!

[cltnccruisers]

I have read so much contradictory information from folks about what a Princess rep told them that there is no way I can take any of it seriously.  This situation is just too fluid at this time.  Perhaps by Summer we'll have a better idea but for now it's too early to make decisions on Fall cruises. 

[cltnccruisers]

This is the only thing I've found from the CDC for checking passengers on boarding.

 

Deny boarding of a passenger or crew member who is suspected to have COVID-19 infection based on signs and symptoms plus travel history in China or other known exposure at the time of embarkation.

 

There is a lot on preventing infection for the crew and on deep cleaning the ship when needed.

 

 

Edited April 28, 2020 by cltnccruisers

[weberman]

These seem to be the key words:

which would make this patient susceptible to complications arising after infection with the Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)/COVID-19.

[AF-1]

cltnccruisers;  you are on right track;  things change every 24-72 hrs;  so any medical form which may preclude you from cruising today;  will not be the same medical form they have on website in September.  

[cltnccruisers]

13 minutes ago, AF-1 said:

cltnccruisers;  you are on right track;  things change every 24-72 hrs;  so any medical form which may preclude you from cruising today;  will not be the same medical form they have on website in September.  

This is from the Princess site today.  Who knows what they'll come up with by the time cruising starts again.

 

Our medical experts are coordinating closely with international health authorities, and together we have developed a written traveler’s health declaration to be completed by all guests and crew prior to boarding.

 

[pcur]

On 4/24/2020 at 1:03 PM, whitecap said:

Does anyone know where this is written?  Wouldn't diabetes fall under this; how about high blood pressure, high cholesterol?  

I gave Princess a call several days ago to discuss "chronic conditions".  I asked what they were, and she said they were following the CDC guidelines, and basically conditions that relate to impaired lung function, HIV, cancer, or any disease that compromises the immune system.

 

I asked her if my husband and I were to see a doctor within 7 days of sailing, and had the visit summary document with us stating our temperature, and that any existing condition that were being controlled with medication were stable, and no urgent care incidents had occurred, and that we were fit to travel, would that be sufficient?  She said, "That would be EXCELLENT!".

 

I've now added to my pre-cruise preparations to have an office visit and get the visit summary with that wording in it.

 

There's no way I would let a call center reservation clerk make a decision that my doctor can make better.

Edited April 29, 2020 by pcur

[caribill]

11 hours ago, gmjc2 said:

The only way to be sure is to take everyone's temp and observe for coughing etc before starting the boarding process. It will be lengthy but we can put up with a little inconvenience to have a healthy voyage!

 

Except many people have had the virus and were symptomless including no elevated temperature.

[caribill]

10 hours ago, cltnccruisers said:

This is the only thing I've found from the CDC for checking passengers on boarding.

 

Deny boarding of a passenger or crew member who is suspected to have COVID-19 infection based on signs and symptoms plus travel history in China or other known exposure at the time of embarkation.

 

There is a lot on preventing infection for the crew and on deep cleaning the ship when needed.

 

 

 

Travel from, through or in any of over 180 countries would cause you to be denied boarding according to this. This includes, of course, any country in North America or Europe, where many of the embarkation ports are and most of the passengers come from.

[caribill]

8 hours ago, weberman said:

These seem to be the key words:

which would make this patient susceptible to complications arising after infection with the Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)/COVID-19.

 

Right. If you have any of those conditions, you should not be cruising according to that form since outcomes are worse if you are age 70 or older and have one of those conditions and you get the virus.

[whitecap]

12 hours ago, cltnccruisers said:

This is from the Princess site today.  Who knows what they'll come up with by the time cruising starts again.

 

Our medical experts are coordinating closely with international health authorities, and together we have developed a written traveler’s health declaration to be completed by all guests and crew prior to boarding.

 

The current Health Declaration on the Princess web site suggest that anyone who has traveled to any of the listed countries or "a location currently subject to lockdown (quarantine) measures by government health authorities (including transiting through an airport in these locations)" may not be allowed to board.  So my question would be; isn't the US currently subject to lockdown (quarantine) measures and if those measures or some form of them are still in effect when the cruise lines begin operation again, wouldn't that prohibit boarding? 

And there is no mention of chronic illness.

Edited April 29, 2020 by whitecap

[gmjc2]

6 hours ago, caribill said:

 

Except many people have had the virus and were symptomless including no elevated temperature.

No system is going to be perfect. We can only hope that the cruise lines are strict about the regulations and that the people cooperate fully.

[whitecap]

Just now, gmjc2 said:

No system is going to be perfect. We can only hope that the cruise lines are strict about the regulations and that the people cooperate fully.

You hit the nail on the head.  Regulations strictly enforced and people who cooperate fully.  But all of us experienced cruisers know that getting everyone on a ship to follow the rules is impossible.  Some will not like "being served" at the buffet, they will not wash their hands, they will not cough into their arm or keep their fingers out of their noses.  We have all seen that person who exits the bathroom without washing their hands, the person standing in the buffet line eating off their plate then picking up the tongs and dishing more.