Pregnancy Policies by Cruise Line
Thinking of taking a cruise while you're expecting? It's a great idea! Take the opportunity to relax and enjoy this time before your life is changed by a new bundle of joy.
Be aware, however, that the cruise lines do have pregnancy policies in place and most do not allow passengers who are farther along than 24 weeks. Please find below a reference list of cruise line pregnancy policies. (Please be sure to confirm these with your agent / cruise line before booking, as they are subject to change.)
Contemporary Cruise Lines
(Please be sure to confirm these with your agent / cruise line before booking, as they are subject to change.)
(Please be sure to confirm these with your agent / cruise line before booking, as they are subject to change.)
(Please be sure to confirm these with your agent / cruise line before booking, as they are subject to change.)
(Please be sure to confirm these with your agent / cruise line before booking, as they are subject to change.)
(Please be sure to confirm these with your agent / cruise line before booking, as they are subject to change.)
(Please be sure to confirm these with your agent / cruise line before booking, as they are subject to change.)
(Please be sure to confirm these with your agent / cruise line before booking, as they are subject to change.)
(Please be sure to confirm these with your agent / cruise line before booking, as they are subject to change.)
(Please be sure to confirm these with your agent / cruise line before booking, as they are subject to change.)
Thinking of taking a cruise while you're expecting? It's a great idea! Take the opportunity to relax and enjoy this time before your life is changed by a new bundle of joy.
Be aware, however, that the cruise lines do have pregnancy policies in place and most do not allow passengers who are farther along than 24 weeks. Please find below a reference list of cruise line pregnancy policies. (Please be sure to confirm these with your agent / cruise line before booking, as they are subject to change.)
Contemporary Cruise Lines
(Please be sure to confirm these with your agent / cruise line before booking, as they are subject to change.)
- Carnival Cruise Line Pregnant women are only allowed to sail if
pregnant for 24 completed weeks or less at time of cruise disembarkation. All pregnant women
are required to produce a physician's letter stating that mother and baby are in good health,
fit to travel and the pregnancy is not high-risk. The letter must also include the estimated
date of delivery (EDD).
- Costa Cruises Bookings will not be accepted from passengers who
have entered the 24th week of estimated fetal gestational age at anytime during the cruise. All
pregnant women must produce a medical certificate attesting to their good health and their child's.
- Celestyal Cruises Celestyal Cruises recommends that women who are
less than 12 weeks pregnant should seek medical advice prior to travel. Women who are or will be
24 weeks pregnant at any stage of the cruise are required to produce a medical certificate of
fitness to travel. The Carrier reserves the right to request a medical certificate at any stage
of pregnancy and to refuse passage if the Carrier and/or the Master are not satisfied that the
passenger will be safe during the passage.
(Please be sure to confirm these with your agent / cruise line before booking, as they are subject to change.)
- MSC Cruises Pregnant women are highly recommended to seek medical
advice prior to travel at any stage of their pregnancy. MSC Cruises cannot for safety reasons
carry pregnant passengers of 24 weeks or more by the end of the cruise. MSC Cruises reserves
the right to request a medical certificate at any stage of pregnancy and to refuse passage if
they are not satisfied that the Passenger will be safe during the passage.
- Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) NCL will not accept guests who will
have entered their 24th week of pregnancy by the time their travel with NCL concludes. A statement
from the expectant mother's doctor (letter head form required), stating her due date and fitness
to travel must be sent to NCL's Access Desk.
- Royal Caribbean International Royal Caribbean International cannot
accept guests who will have entered their 24th week of pregnancy by the beginning of or at any
time during the cruise or cruisetour. All guests are required to sign a health questionnaire at
checkin to ensure they are aware of our pregnancy policy. A physician's "Fit to Travel" note
is required prior to sailing, stating how far along (in weeks) a guest's pregnancy will be at
the beginning of the cruise and confirming that she is in good health and not experiencing a
high-risk pregnancy. The "Fit to Travel" note should be faxed to the Access Department at
1-954-628-9622. Please contact RCL at 1-866-592-7225 if you have already booked a cruise or
cruisetour and do not meet this requirement.
- Viking Oceans Viking Oceans is unable to accommodate women past their sixth month of pregnancy.
(Please be sure to confirm these with your agent / cruise line before booking, as they are subject to change.)
- Celebrity Cruises Celebrity Cruises cannot accept guests who will have
entered their 24th week of pregnancy by the beginning of or at any time during the cruise or
cruisetour. All guests are required to sign a health questionnaire at checkin to ensure they
are aware of our pregnancy policy. A physician's "Fit to Travel" note is required prior to
sailing, stating how far along (in weeks) a passenger's pregnancy will be at the beginning
of the cruise and confirming that she is in good health and not experiencing a high-risk
pregnancy. The "Fit to Travel" note should be faxed to the Access Department at 1-954-628-9622.
Please contact Celebrity at 1-866-592-7225 if you have already booked a cruise or cruisetour
and do not meet this requirement.
- Disney Cruise Line Women who have entered their 24th week of pregnancy
as of their embarkation date or who will enter their 24th week of pregnancy during the cruise
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.
- Holland America Line (HAL) Women cannot have begun their 24th week of
pregnancy at any time before or during the cruise. Pregnant guests must provide a physician's
letter stating the expected due date, medical fitness to travel and the pregnancy is not high
risk. Please also include your name, booking number, ship and sailing date. Letters may be
faxed to Access & Compliance Department at 1-800-577-1731 or mailed to Attention: Access &
Compliance Department, 2nd floor, 300 Elliott Avenue West, Seattle, WA 98119.
- Princess Cruises Pregnant women are not allowed to sail if they are
entering the 24th week of their pregnancy by the last day of the cruise. All pregnant women
are required to produce a physician's letter stating that mother and baby are in good health,
fit to travel and the pregnancy is not high-risk. The letter must also include the estimated
date of delivery calculated from both last menstrual period and ultrasound (if performed) and
may be faxed to the Fleet Medical Department confidential fax at (661)753-0121.
(Please be sure to confirm these with your agent / cruise line before booking, as they are subject to change.)
- Azamara Cruises Azamara Cruises cannot accept guests who will have
entered their 24th week of pregnancy by the beginning of or at any time during the cruise
or cruisetour. All guests are required to sign a health questionnaire at checkin to ensure
they are aware of our pregnancy policy. A physician's "Fit to Travel" note is required prior
to sailing, stating how far along (in weeks) a passenger's pregnancy will be at the beginning
of the cruise and confirming that she is in good health and not experiencing a high-risk
pregnancy. The "Fit to Travel" note should be faxed to the Access Department at 1-954-628-9622.
Please contact Azamara at (877) 999-9553 or your travel agent if you have already booked a
cruise or cruisetour and do not meet this requirement.
- Cunard Line Cunard will not permit guests who will have entered the
24th week of pregnancy by the last day of the voyage to travel on their ships. All pregnant
women are required to produce a doctor's or midwife's letter stating that mother and baby
are in good health, fit to travel and that the pregnancy is not high-risk. The letter must
also include the estimated date of delivery (EDD) calculated from both the last menstrual
period (LMP) and ultrasound (if performed).
- Oceania Cruises Oceania Cruises cannot accept Guests who will have
entered their 24th week of pregnancy at the beginning of, or at any time during, the cruise.
- Windstar Cruises Due to limited medical facilities, Windstar will
not accept reservations for women who are 24 or more weeks pregnant at the time their travel concludes.
(Please be sure to confirm these with your agent / cruise line before booking, as they are subject to change.)
- Crystal Cruises Crystal Cruises is unable to accommodate women past
their 24th week of pregnancy.
- Paul Gauguin Cruises Pregnant women should consult with their doctor
prior to sailing with Paul Gauguin Cruises, as there is no prenatal care on board. Paul Gauguin
Cruises will not accept any guest six months (24 weeks) or more into pregnancy at the time
of sailing due to the lack of neonatal care facilities on board. Pregnant guests under six
months (24 weeks) must provide PGC with a doctor's written permission prior to sailing that
states she is fit to travel by sea and air (if PGC booked their air). This must be faxed to
Reservations, Attn: Special RequestsMedical at 1 (425) 732-7198. On the fax, please reference
the Guest's name, ship name, and sailing date. The permission must be dated within 30 days
of the cruise departure date. The Master in conjunction with the Ship's Doctor has the right
to deny boarding if in his professional opinion there may not be adequate shoreside medical
facilities available in port during their cruise.
- Regent Seven Seas Cruises Pregnant women should consult with their
doctor prior to sailing with Regent Seven Seas Cruises, as they cannot offer prenatal care
on board any of their vessels. Regent Seven Seas Cruises will not accept any guest if she
has entered her 24th week of pregnancy by the beginning of, or at any time during the, cruise
due to the lack of neonatal care facilities on board. Those guests under 24 weeks (six months)
must provide RSSC with a written doctor's permission prior to sailing that states she is
"fit to travel by sea and air (if RSSC booked air)." This must be forwarded by fax to
Reservations, Attn: Special RequestsMedical, Omaha, Nebraska at 1-402-493-2351. On the fax,
please reference the guest's name, ship name and sailing date. This permission must be dated
within 30 days of the cruise departure date. The Master in conjunction with the Ship's Doctor
has the right to deny boarding if in his professional opinion there may not be adequate
shoreside medical facilities available in port during the cruise.
- Seabourn Seabourn does not have on board its cruise ships the
specialized facilities and/or treatment required for childbirth, prenatal and early infant
care. Those facilities may also not be obtainable ashore in ports we call on. Accordingly S
eabourn cannot accept a booking or carry any guest who have begun their 24th week of
pregnancy at any time before or during the cruise. All pregnant women are required to
produce a physician's letter stating that mother and baby are in good health, fit to travel,
and that the pregnancy is not high-risk. The letter must also include the estimated date of delivery (EDD).
- SeaDream Yacht Club You must, at the time you book your cruise,
inform the Carrier, in writing, of any existing physical or mental illness, disability or
pregnancy or any other condition for which you or any other person in your care may require
medical attention or special accommodation during the cruise. If any such condition arises
after you have booked the cruise, you must report the condition to the Carrier, in writing,
as soon as you become aware of it. Pregnant guests who have entered their 24th week of
pregnancy prior to the commencement or during the voyage will not be permitted to embark.
Failure to report any such condition will release the Carrier, the Yacht's doctor, and any
other personnel affiliated with the Carrier in any way from any liability related to the
accommodation or treatment of such condition.
- Silversea Cruises At the time of booking, expectant mothers are
required to supply a medical certificate establishing their fitness for travel at the time
they are due to travel. Silversea is unable to accommodate women who have entered their
24th week of pregnancy and will not be responsible or liable for any complication relative
to any pregnancy during the entire duration of the cruise.
(Please be sure to confirm these with your agent / cruise line before booking, as they are subject to change.)
- Swan Hellenic Cruises Swan Hellenic cannot accept a booking or
subsequently carry any passenger who will be 28 weeks or more pregnant at the end of the intended cruise.
- Variety Cruises The Company retains the right to refuse to embark
any pregnant woman beyond the sixth month of pregnancy.
(Please be sure to confirm these with your agent / cruise line before booking, as they are subject to change.)
- AmaWaterways For the safety of parent and child, and depending on
various circumstances, passengers who are at an advanced stage of pregnancy (after 5 months)
may be subject to restrictions or exclusion concerning their ability to travel and/or board
a ship. Please inform us immediately, so we can assess your personal circumstances and possible
accommodation.
- Avalon Waterways Avalon Waterways is unable to accommodate women past
their sixth month of pregnancy. Avalon does not have specialized facilities and/or treatments
required for childbirth, prenatal, or early infant care on board its cruise ships, nor may
those facilities be available at ports of call or on land stays. Avalon strongly urges pregnant
travelers to consider the risks of traveling where necessary medical care for pregnancy may not
be available and may not be reachable in a timely manner to address potential medical complications,
problems, and emergencies that can occur during pregnancy.
- Uniworld Boutique River Cruises Guest may not sail if term is six months
or more. Under six months, Uniworld does require a fitness to travel letter from the pregnant
guest's physician.
- Viking River Cruises Viking River cruises is unable to accommodate women
past their sixth month of pregnancy. They reserve the right not to accept passengers who are in
an advanced state of pregnancy either upon commencement of or at any time during the river or
ocean cruise.
(Please be sure to confirm these with your agent / cruise line before booking, as they are subject to change.)
- Hurtigruten Women more than 28 weeks pregnant are required to notify at
least 14 days before departure and produce a medical certificate confirming fitness to travel.
Hurtigruten reserves the right to refuse or cancel a booking if the relevant certificate is
not produced.
- Lindblad Expeditions Lindblad does not have a policy in effect and is
taken on a casebycase basis. They rely upon the opinion and advice of the woman's own physician.
(It also depends on the destination and trip that is chosen.) Lindblad does have a consulting
doctor and, if a passenger will provide specifics, the information will be sent on to him for
his opinion.
- UnCruise Adventures Women in their third trimester (greater than 24 weeks,
but less than 30 weeks) must submit a letter from their physician granting permission to travel
by boat (and for air travel, if applicable).
(Please be sure to confirm these with your agent / cruise line before booking, as they are subject to change.)
- PONANT Women who are over six months pregnant are not authorized to sail.
- Star Clippers Any medical condition or physical disability that may require special attention or treatment must be advised to Star Clippers Americas at the time of booking. Star Clippers, Ltd. regards third trimester pregnancy as a travel risk and reserves the right to refuse passage to pregnant women. Star Clippers, Ltd. will not be responsible or liable for any complications relative to such pregnancy arising or occurring during the entire cruise vacation.
