Bryan and Fola Nelson were excited about their forthcoming five-night Bahamas cruise on the Carnival Fascination. It was to be their last vacation before the birth of their first child.
Then, not long before their scheduled departure, Carnival delivered some bad news: Not only would Fola Nelson be denied boarding, but the cruise line would also pocket her entire fare, minus port taxes.
Why? Because like many other cruise lines, Carnival bans passengers who are 25 weeks or more pregnant.
“My wife will be 10 days over that,” said Bryan Nelson, a teacher in Minneapolis. “And despite her doctor’s OK, the cruise line is sticking to its policy.”
Cruise lines’ rules on pregnancy are a common source of complaints from travelers. But like so many other cruise industry policies, this one wasn’t always a hard-and-fast rule. Had Nelson become pregnant a decade ago, the company probably would have let her reschedule her trip at a minimal cost.
Carnival’s policy allows pregnant women to sail only through the 24th week of pregnancy. Every passenger who is expecting must show a physician’s letter verifying that mother and baby are in good health and fit to travel. The letter must also include the estimated delivery date. “Carnival’s pregnancy guidelines are put in place as a precaution to protect the unborn baby and the mother,” said Aly Bello, a spokeswoman for the cruise line.
Cruise ships have reasonable emergency medical facilities for guests and crew. But prenatal and early-infant care can require specialized diagnostic facilities or treatment that might not be available on a ship or in the closest port of call.
Even with such rules, complications can arise. In November, a 31-year-old passenger was airlifted from the Disney Magic, 180 miles off the Texas coast, because of medical problems related to her pregnancy.
Other companies have virtually identical policies. Norwegian Cruise Lines refuses to admit passengers past the 24-week mark. So does Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.
Carnival turned down requests from the Nelsons and their travel agent to waive its rules. Bello noted that the Nelsons should have bought the travel insurance Carnival offered. If they had, they would have received a 75 percent credit toward a future cruise.
As someone who once had to postpone a family cruise because of the 24-week rule, I’m sympathetic to Nelson’s problem. I don’t think it’s right for him to lose his entire cruise. No one is arguing that the cruise line policy is wrong. But waiving a rule for a borderline case such as the Nelsons’ wouldn’t affect Carnival’s stock price, and it would go a long way toward creating loyal repeat customers.
By Christopher Elliott
Washington Post