Pregnancy verification question

[Silly Little Pixie]

My friend is joining us on our upcoming Disney cruise. She already paid the deposit and just found out today she is pregnant. She will then be getting close to 24 weeks at cruise time. What kind of documentation will she need to provide, if any? Or will they even ask her about it? I'm not sure how much she will be showing or not.

Thanks!

 

[Blanche_Neige]

My friend is joining us on our upcoming Disney cruise. She already paid the deposit and just found out today she is pregnant. She will then be getting close to 24 weeks at cruise time. What kind of documentation will she need to provide, if any? Or will they even ask her about it? I'm not sure how much she will be showing or not.

Thanks!

here is what DCL says:

Women who have entered their 24th week of pregnancy as of their embarkation date will be refused passage due to safety concerns. Neither a physician's medical statement nor a waiver of liability will be accepted. In addition, Disney Cruise Line cannot be held responsible or liable for any complications relating to pregnancy at any stage.

http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/faqs/health-safety/pregnancy/

 

[ibouncetoo]

She should have a note from the doctor with her expected due date in case she is questioned. And the cruise needs to be completed before her 24 week starts.

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[Silly Little Pixie]

She and I both read the DCL page and were just wondering what, if any verification they might ask for of women who were pregnant, but not past the 24 weeks. Her doctor's initial assessment is that she will be about 22-23 weeks at cruise time. That's pretty close. Has anyone cruised at that time? Did DCL ask about it, at check in or onboard? It's her first Disney cruise, and I don't want her to have to carry around a doctor's note everywhere onboard if someone sees her at the pool and thinks she's farther along than she is. This is her 6th child so...

 

[Blanche_Neige]

she will have to fill out a medical form. I would bring a doctors letter in case. You/ she could always call DCL to ask the question directly.

 

[abdmom]

DCL has a form on their website which will need to be filled out by her doctor. Some cruise lines require that this be sent prior to the cruise. I don't know if DCL is one of them. If she is pregnant and does not have the proper documentation, she will be denied boarding.

 

[Silly Little Pixie]

she will have to fill out a medical form. I would bring a doctors letter in case. You/ she could always call DCL to ask the question directly.

Good point. I never thought about a medical form since the second trimester is generally a time when you feel great and have energy- it's certainly not a "special need". She'd really need it in addition to her doctor's note (obviously she'll have one verifying health/weeks along)? DCL asks any pregnant looking woman for a medical form? That just seems weird. She's not trying to dodge anything... the website didn't say anything about all pregnant women needing a form. It just gave the stipulation about the 24th week, understandably so due to the risk of preterm labor.

And did I say somebody needs trip insurance? Glad it's NOT me!! I love babies but not enough to start over again.

 

[clawmachine]

I have not been on DCL but cruised on Royal Caribbean at about 24 weeks (a few years back when the limit was actually 27 weeks). I had all the proper doctor's documentation with me and had faxed it to the cruise line ahead of time as well, but no one even mentioned it to me, much less asked any questions about it. There was no mistaking I was pregnant either - I was huge. If anything, they treated me like royalty! (I still won't cruise pregnant again though - I get seasick, it was an Atlantic passage, and I was afraid to take meds, so I lost more food than I could eat...)

 

[MagicMe]

If she needs to show any documentation at all it would be at time of registration. Once on board, she would no longer need to carry any kind of "letter" around.

 

[Tower]

Does your friend really want to risk it?

 

[HallsofVA]

She should have a note from the doctor with her expected due date in case she is questioned. And the cruise needs to be completed before her 24 week starts.
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The statement above that the cruise has to be completed before the 24th week starts seems inconsistent with the DCL policy that says "entered their 24th week of pregnancy as of their embarkation date." I read that as the cruise needs to be started, not completed, by that date.

 

[jbuckent]

I went close to the 24 week mark and like someone else I had a medical form filled out, I think my Dr had to sign it, and faxed it in. Showed it a time of registration and never again.

 

[XMom]

I have cruised pregnant 4 times. Not on Disney but on RCCL, Carnival and NCL. Nobody ever even questioned me as to if I was prego. I did have a belly....not a fat one but a prego one I had my doctor write a note that I was going to be 24 weeks the day after the cruise ended and she had no problem with that even though I was 24 the day the cruise started. I brought the letter but nobody has ever asked me for it. Just make sure you have trip insurance for any unforseen problems.

 

[realfam]

She and I both read the DCL page and were just wondering what, if any verification they might ask for of women who were pregnant, but not past the 24 weeks. Her doctor's initial assessment is that she will be about 22-23 weeks at cruise time. That's pretty close. Has anyone cruised at that time? Did DCL ask about it, at check in or onboard? It's her first Disney cruise, and I don't want her to have to carry around a doctor's note everywhere onboard if someone sees her at the pool and thinks she's farther along than she is. This is her 6th child so...

My first Disney Cruise was when I was 22.5 weeks pregnant. There is form that absolutly must be filled out and signed by Doctor....and to repeat DCL, you must not have entered into your 24th week....this form, along with all the others gets faxed ahead of time....after that there will be no problem..but we also had a copy of all our forms with us ready at check in just in case they got lost. I would love to be pregnant again on the ship.....eating eating eating eating There are lots of pregnant woman on board....you won't be alone...love it
michelle

 

[Mcky36]

Does your friend really want to risk it?

Risk what? I don't see any problem with someone cruising up to 24 weeks, especially since DCL allows it until that point. I've taken many vacations pregnant, and even flew in my third trimester (to help my mother who was in the hospital) and never had a problem.

 

[Silly Little Pixie]

Does your friend really want to risk it?

I can see why someone might think it risky, but as long as your doctor thinks your pregnancy is going along fine then I am sure it will be fine. I traveled in my second trimester and loved it- my friend even traveled abroad in her second trimester with her youngest and had a great time as well. I will be sure to tell her TRIP INSURANCE though! This baby is a surprise... the cruise was already planned...and they had to cancel their Disney cruise last year so I am glad they are getting another shot to try it out. Any time I can convert friends to DCL, I am happy to help!

I went close to the 24 week mark and like someone else I had a medical form filled out, I think my Dr had to sign it, and faxed it in. Showed it a time of registration and never again.

That sounds pretty easy to do. Thanks, at first I couldn't find the medical form on the website but now I see it. I'll tell her to send it in at the same time as final payment, since it's not one of those regular reminder forms to fill out. I knew folks here would know about cruising pregnant! That's one cruise area I know nothing about.

 

[mmouse37]

Definitely have the doctors note and fill out the form ahead of time. You may or may not be asked for it at check-in but you should have it with you. Once you are onboard YOU WILL NOT be questioned by anyone about your pregnancy. She does not have to carry it around all cruise...it can stay in the cabin. The forms are for her protection as well as DCL's.

MJ

 

[samily]

Just be sure to verify that the insurance policy she purchases covers pregnancy. I would think it would be considered a preexisting condition, and most policies don't cover preexisting conditions unless purchases within x number of days of initial trip deposit. There are also policies that do not cover pregnancy complications at all.