My Top 6 Health Tips for Cruisers

I Have 6 Top Health Tips for Cruisers when planning Senior citizens and mobility-impaired travelers

Here are 6 top health tips for cruisers. Traveling can be a great way for seniors to travel. This eliminates the need for flights or trains between cities and the need to unpack and repack luggage multiple times when moving from one destination to another.

You always have a good place to sleep and eat and there’s free entertainment, plus plenty of shore excursions to enjoy at or near the ports. For older travelers, this is an easier, more convenient way to get around and still enjoy vacation adventures.

For some seniors, you have to make sure you don’t make mistakes that younger travelers typically don’t have to worry about. This doesn’t mean you can’t have a great trip. This means you need to plan ahead and make solid decisions.

Here are my six top health cruise tips, especially for seniors who want to go on a cruise.

Before booking, seniors, especially seniors 70+, should discuss potential cruises with their physician to make sure they will be okay on the cruise.

Get your cruise health certified by your doctor:

Before booking a cruise, seniors should check with their doctor to make sure they are fit for cruising. Discuss with your doctor about specific cruises you are considering. My senior friends got checked by their doctor. He told them they could handle most trips well, like most seniors, but also told them to abandon two mid-summer Mediterranean trips they were considering because of the extreme heat.

During the COVID pandemic, senior citizens who were 70+ and/or suffered from serious chronic health conditions required a “fit to travel” letter to be permitted to sail. Today, most cruise lines do not require this, but they do have health questionnaires that require filling out shortly before the cruise departs. Do not skip them or you will not be allowed boarding.

If you have a serious health condition, are chronic and/or are over the age of 70, before booking I suggest you check directly with the cruise line to see if you need a doctor’s letter certifying that you are fit to take the cruise. Ask the cruise line to send you confirmation of their terms. If necessary, make sure your doctor gives you a signed letter before you book. Also, I suggest that even if not absolutely necessary, get the letter when you are close to departure. This could save your cruise, especially if the cruise line changes its rules without your knowledge.

Choose the right cruise itinerary:

Senior citizens, especially those with mobility challenges, need to look seriously at the itinerary of any cruise they are considering. As we age, we all no longer have the stamina we used to have. Therefore, most cruise ships with challenging shore excursions are generally not good choices for seniors 70+. Ports that require a tender to bring passengers ashore can be a problem for mobility impaired passengers of any age. Check with the cruise line about tendering before booking.

Don’t forget to consider weather-related issues, especially heat, as this is a problem for many seniors. Before choosing a cruise, senior citizens should honestly assess the itinerary as per their capabilities.

Cruise lines have absolute limits on the size of scooters due to cabin door size. You should ensure that your scooter is acceptable well in advance of your trip as you may need to rent a scooter for the trip.

Mobility scooter size rules:

Senior citizens, or anyone who uses mobility scooters, need to understand that cruise lines have limitations on the size of scooters. Unfortunately, many domestic scooters are often too wide to fit through the cabin doors of cruise ships. On many, if not most, ships, the cabin door width is approximately 22″ (55.9 cm). Many scooters are wider than 21″ (53.34 cm), which is the maximum allowable width of cruise lines. To be safe, ask your cruise line what their scooter size limits are and make sure your scooter fits.

Carnival Cruise Line says,

“Scooters that will not fit in the stateroom will not be allowed to board. If a guest is unable to make alternative arrangements to rent a smaller scooter or travel without one, they will be denied boarding, and no compensation will be given.”

Carnival is not alone in facing such severe restrictions. On board, if the passenger’s scooter is too wide and they cannot rent an appropriate replacement and will not travel without the scooter, the cruise line will not allow them to board and will not refund any of their fare. It is also possible that travel insurance will not pay a claim for a missed cruise. Travel insurance will pay for unexpected issues, but not for pre-existing device limitations, which travelers should be aware of in advance.

Choose the right cabin:

For senior citizens or any traveler with mobility issues, choosing the right cabin is the key to a great cruise. Passengers with mobility difficulties should choose a cabin that is easy to access. If necessary, cruise lines have a limited number of fully accessible cabins. Some ships also have ambulatory access cabins, which is good for passengers who use assistive devices like a cane or walker, but do not need a fully accessible cabin. To cut down on walking, seniors 70+ and disabled travelers may want to live near elevators or public areas they use frequently, such as dining rooms or pools. Fully accessible, mobility aid cabins do not have wide doors to allow entry for wheel chairs and wide scooters, but you should still be certain that your scooter will be allowed in your cabin.

Generally, senior citizens 70+ and travelers with definite mobility impairments should not book a “Guarantee Cabin”. They are a discounted cabin option where you book a specific cabin class, but not the exact cabin. You want to make sure that your cabin meets your specific needs.

Medicare and many supplemental health insurance policies for seniors do not cover Americans traveling internationally. Senior citizens should purchase travel health insurance for cruises that includes medical evacuation and pre-existing coverage.

Buy travel insurance that includes health insurance:

For seniors, while most major cruise lines do not currently require travel health insurance, I highly recommend it and always purchase it myself for each cruise. Medicare and many supplemental senior health insurance policies do not cover Americans traveling internationally. If a senior has a serious medical emergency on a cruise, it could easily cost $100,000 or more to medically fly you home. Only a few of us can afford that expense.

Not only should you purchase travel health insurance, but to ensure that it will properly pay your medical bills, you need to purchase it early enough that it covers pre-existing conditions. Insurance should also cover medical evacuation. I recommend a complete travel insurance package that includes travel health coverage.

You can’t count on being able to purchase prescription or over-the-counter medications while traveling.

Bring your pharmacy on your cruise:

It is your responsibility to obtain the specific medication you need during your trip. It may be impossible for you to purchase prescription and nonprescription medications on your ship or at a port. I recommend bringing all the medications you need for the entire trip, as well as at least 5 extra days in case of delays. Make sure they are all in their original bottles. Prescription medicine containers must have a prescription label. If you’re bringing any restricted medication, make sure it’s allowed at your destination before you book your cruise and bring a letter from your doctor stating you need it. Last year in New Zealand, if I did not have that letter, I would not be allowed to enter the country.

While there are other issues that seniors should consider when planning and booking a cruise, I believe these six issues are the most important for seniors to understand and keep in mind.

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