- Medical Emergencies
The shipboard medical centers are primarily intended to provide acute care for illness and accidents that may occur while on vacation and are not intended to provide long-term care for patients with chronic illnesses or as a substitute for regular health care.
The medical centers are intended to provide quality maritime medical care for guests and crew members aboard the ships; initiate appropriate stabilization, diagnostic and therapeutic maneuvers for critically ill or mentally unstable patients; support, comfort and care for patients onboard; and facilitate the timely medical evacuation of patients, if appropriate.
Charges for medical services will be added to guests' shipboard account. Guests will be provided with an itemized account to submit to their insurance company. Please note that Princess ships are registered in Bermuda. Guests should verify with their insurer if coverage applies outside the United States, or purchase appropriate travel insurance.
- Pregnancy Policy
Pregnant women entering the 24th week of pregnancy by the last day of the cruise are not allowed to sail.
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) calculated from both Last Menstrual Period (LMP) and ultrasound (if performed).
It is strongly recommend that pregnant guests review their health insurance coverage before cruising. Many policies, including Medicare, will not pay for services or hospitalization outside of the country or for emergency evacuation.
Guests may want to consider Princess Vacation Protection, which is available for purchase up to the time of final payment of the cruise fare. If the guest did not secure Princess Vacation Protection, it is recommended that they secure other travel protection.
- Smoking Policy
Keeping the comfort of guests a priority, Princess has implemented the following smoking policy:
Designated Smoking Areas
Clearly marked "Designated Smoking Areas" are available onboard and include a sufficient number of ashtrays that are emptied regularly. Generally, these areas include cigar lounges, a section of the nightclub and casino, as well as a portion of the open decks. As a safety precaution, passengers are reminded to properly dispose of cigarettes, cigars and pipe tobacco, which are never to be thrown overboard as this may be sucked back into the ship and cause fires.
Stateroom Smoking Policy
Smoking is prohibited in all passenger staterooms and on stateroom balconies. Violations to this policy will result in a $250 fine for each occurrence, which will be charged to the guest's stateroom account.
Electronic Cigarettes
The use of electronic cigarettes is permitted in all areas onboard with the exception of dining areas and the Princess Theater. However, should a fellow guest in the vicinity feel inconvenienced and complain, even after being told the difference between electronic and real cigarettes, the guest will be asked to refrain from smoking the electronic cigarette.
- Special Dietary Needs - Advance Notice Required
Princess is happy to meet your request for low-sodium, low-fat, low-sugar, and vegetarian diets. Guests may visit Cruise Personalizer® on the Princess website (https://book.princess.com/cruisepersonalizer/) to indicate dietary preferences.
In addition, kosher meals and baby food are available upon advance written request. Any other special diet requests must be authorized in advance by the Princess corporate office.
Guests or their travel agent must advise Princess, in writing, of any special diet, allergies, or medical needs. Requests must be received no later than 35 days prior to departure for cruises to Alaska, Canada/New England, Caribbean, Hawaii, Mexico, Panama Canal and Coastal Getaways. For all other cruises, requests must be received no later than 65 days prior to departure. Once onboard, please check with the Maitre D' to confirm the request.
- Wheelchair Access & Special Needs
Princess makes every effort to accommodate guests with disabilities. Guests can ensure a successful trip by working with them in advance. Guests or their travel agents should notify Princess of wheelchair usage, special needs, and/or service animals before the voyage. Notices and requests must be made in writing and faxed to the Princess Access office at 661-284-4408 at least 30 days prior to sailing. For answers to any questions about the program, please call the Princess Access office at 661-284-4521.
All Princess ships have wheelchair-accessible staterooms, but it is highly recommended that guests bring collapsible wheelchairs, as the widths of the stateroom doors vary. Guests may bring their own, or they can pre-reserve a wheelchair and have it and other medical equipment delivered to the ship by contacting Special Needs at Sea at 800-513-4515 (outside the US 954-585-0575), or by visiting Special Needs at Sea's website (http://www.specialneedsatsea.com/). Alternatively, guests may contact CareVacations at 877-478-7827 or cruiseshipassist.com. Some areas on some ships are not wheelchair accessible.
Passengers utilizing mobility devices with batteries are advised that the batteries must be a dry cell type, and must be stored and recharged in the stateroom. Mobility devices of any kind, like any other items, may not be left outside the stateroom. Because of staffing limitations, it is recommended that guests travel with a companion who is physically able to assist them both onboard and onshore.
Travelers with disabilities should check in with the onboard Tour Office to ensure all shore excursions can accommodate them. Not all port facilities are accessible for those using mobility devices. Ports may be accessed by a variety of methods including a ramped gangway, a series of steps or by tender. In some cases, you may be able to access the tender, but the shoreside facility will not be accessible. Many ports of call use a mechanism known as a “stair climber” to assist passengers up and down the gangway. Passengers must transfer to a Princess wheelchair, which is connected to the stair climber and operated by the ship’s personnel. Guests may be precluded from going ashore if they cannot transfer or if their personal mobility device cannot be easily disembarked. With the safety and comfort of guests in mind, the decision to permit or prohibit passengers from going ashore will be made on each occasion by the ship’s Captain, and the decision will be final. Ports that normally use tenders to access the shore are noted on the itinerary.
The maximum weight of the wheelchair including guest cannot exceed 600 lbs. on transportation lifts. If the guests has purchased a Princess Transfer at the start or end of the cruise, they must be made aware that lift-equipped transportation may not be available in their port of embarkation or disembarkation.
Tender Port Policy
The goal of Princess Cruises is to provide a safe comfortable cruise experience for all guests. If a guest will be using a mobility device during their sailing, it is strongly recommended that they travel with a person physically fit to assist with the guest's needs both onboard and ashore. Embarking and disembarking can be challenging for those with limited mobility. Many major ports of call provide easy access for wheelchairs and scooters. However, due to various conditions - steepness of the gangway, weather, shore-side facilities, tidal and sea conditions - passengers using mobility devices may be required to transfer to a stair climber or be precluded from going ashore. Princess staff will make every effort to assist but are not allowed to individually physically lift more than 50 pounds (22 kg).
Some ports of call require the ship to anchor off shore. Passengers are then taken to shore by small boats or tenders. When tendering is required, passengers using mobility devices will not be transferred into or out of the tender, if lifting in excess of the above limitation is required. Many tender ports do not provide wheelchair access so even if the passenger can board the tender they may not be able to disembark ashore. Again the shore-side facilities, movement of the tender, weather and tidal conditions can also preclude tendering.
The decision to allow any passenger to board a tender or disembark the vessel will be made by the Captain on the basis of the safety and welfare of all involved and is final.
If passengers are unable to tender or disembark because of circumstances outlined above there will be no refund or credit for missed ports. While Princess recognizes guests' disappointment, the safety of both guests and crew takes precedence.
Entry regulations for service animals vary by port. Passengers are advised to consult authorities at each port prior to departure for more information. Princess does not have food onboard for animals. The choice of dog litter material is limited and varies by ship.
Electronic Assistance Devices
Princess ships are equipped with “All-in-One Kits” with TTY that can be used in most passenger cabins and at Princess wilderness lodges. Most televisions onboard provide closed captioning and most onboard theaters have assisted listening devices. Electric outlets in most staterooms are limited to one and it is helpful to travel with an extension cord for electrical equipment. Princess also offers JAWS Professional software with a KOSS-TD/80 headset on one terminal in each Internet Café on every ship.
