Posts Tagged ‘travel restriction’
Restrictions On Cruising While Pregnant
Your third trimester has just arrived and you could no doubt use some rest and relaxation, right? Well, although most airlines allow you to travel right up until the very end of your pregnancy, most cruise lines impose more severe restrictions during this period and you just might be out of luck. Maybe traveling during pregnancy isn’t the best idea anyway, but you’ve had enough of just sitting around and waiting and you’re in need of some serious pampering, so you decide to go for it and book a cruise.
Have no fear, so long as you cruise before your third trimester (weeks 28-40), you should easily be able to find a cruise line that will allow you to sail. Although the majority of cruise lines require that you are no more than 23 or 24 weeks along at the time of disembarkation, you can find a few that will allow you to stretch it out a bit…or indefinitely, although that isn’t necessarily recommended.
There are only a couple of mass-market cruise lines that provide a bit more flexibility. Costa Cruise Lines will permit you to sail as long as you’re 24 weeks or less at the time of embarkation, which depending upon the length of sailing, could bring you right up to your third trimester. MSC Cruises also has a more liberal policy, allowing you to cruise if you’re 27 weeks or less on the day of disembarkation. In both cases, your doctor will still need to demonstrate your fitness for travel.
Moving into the specialty market will definitely grant you more flexibility. Fred Olsen Cruise Lines. Star Clippers and Swan Hellenic all allow pregnant women to sail right up to 27 weeks (based upon disembarkation date). You’ll even find a handful of cruise lines that have no formal written guidelines or allow you to cruise throughout the third trimester (AMA Waterways, Cruise West, Peter Deilmann and Viking River Cruises). However, this does not necessarily mean that there are no restrictions. At the very least, you’ll need to demonstrate your fitness for travel by providing a physician’s report and you should also fully understand the risks associated with traveling during your third trimester.
No matter which cruise line you choose, you should plan on visiting your physician the week prior to sailing. Because cruise ship medical facilities are not equipped to handle medical emergencies, you should not travel if you are experiencing a high risk pregnancy or if you are not in perfect health at the time of departure. Be sure to contact your travel agent or cruise line well in advance to confirm their policies and requirements.
Bon Voyage!
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Travel Restrictions During Pregnancy
The majority of airlines impose some sort of travel restriction or requirement on women who are pregnant. Traveling during pregnancy should be planned carefully and you should always consult your physician in advance to make sure that it is safe for you and your unborn to travel. Your physician can also explain what to do in the event of an emergency while away from home. A little advance planning and preparation will give you great peace of mind.
In order to protect your safety as well as their liability, many airlines require women who are more than 36 weeks pregnant to provide a physician’s clearance to travel. However, the restrictions vary widely amongst airlines, so we’ve included a chart below that will help you sort through the maze of requirements imposed by domestic airlines. Note that although some airlines have no restrictions, you should always consult your physician if traveling in the final stages of pregnancy.
|
Airline |
Requirements |
| AirTran Airways | For travel within 30 days of due date you must provide a Doctor’s certification dated within 72 hours of flight. |
| Alaska/Horizon Airlines | No Restrictions |
| American Airlines | Medical certificate required for travel within 4 weeks of due date. Travel within 7 days (domestic under 5 hours) and 10 days (International) requires AA Special Assistance Coordinator clearance. |
| Continental Airlines | Travel within 7 days of due date requires Doctor’s certification. |
| Delta/Northwest Airlines | No Restrictions |
| Frontier Airlines | No Restrictions |
| Go! Airlines | Travel within 7 days of due date requires a Doctor’s certification obtained within 72 hours of flight. |
| Hawaiian Airlines | Travel within 7 days of due date requires a Doctor’s certification obtained within 72 hours of flight. |
| JetBlue Airways | Travel within 7 days of due date requires a Doctor’s certification obtained within 72 hours of flight. |
| Midwest Airlines | No Restrictions |
| Southwest Airlines | No Restrictions |
| Spirit Airlines | No Restrictions |
| Sun Country Airlines | Travel within 7 days of due date requires a Doctor’s certification obtained within 72 hours of flight. |
| United Airlines | For travel in your 9th month, you must provide a Doctor’s certification dated within 72 hours of flight. |
| US Airways | Travel within 7 days of due date requires a Doctor’s certification obtained within 72 hours of flight. |
| Virgin America | Travelers at 7 months or more must provide a Doctor’s certification. |
Of course, airline personnel and crew always have the final authority when determining if an individual is fit for travel. So, even though you obtain a medical certificate, you may still be denied boarding if you are determined to be unfit for travel due to health or safety reasons. Traveling while pregnant is generally safe so long as you’re prepared. Look for more upcoming articles on this topic, including tips for making your trip more comfortable and cruise line restrictions on pregnant travelers.
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