Even though modern cruise ships are very stable, concerns about potential sea sickness arenโt uncommon – especially for first time cruisers.
However, for expectant mothers already suffering from morning sickness, that fear may be stronger – as is the case for an anonymous Reddit poster who is early in her second pregnancy.
While she didnโt specify which cruise line or voyage she was booked on, the poster said she would be sailing through the North Sea in Northern Europe – which is prone to choppiness due to its relatively shallow waters.
With embarkation day approaching, the woman asked if she should stay home and send her husband on a cruise vacation alone.
โAm I crazy? I feel so sick now and my last pregnancy lasted till about 10/12 weeks. Has anyone went on a cruise in the North Sea recently? Am I going to [be] miserable? So tempted to send my husband on his own,โ the poster wrote.
While this woman will ultimately have to decide what the best decision is for her, the Reddit community was supportive and thought she might even feel better once onboard.
โHavenโt done that route but my last cruise I was pregnant with bad nausea throughout. For whatever reason it disappeared on the boat. Fingers crossed,โ someone commented.
โHavenโt done that part of the world. But also went during pregnancy. Peppermint tea really helped with the morning sickness. Ginger chews can also help,โ added another Redditor.
While the womanโs apprehension about the North Sea isnโt unwarranted given its reputation for choppy waters and strong currents, it sounds like she is scheduled to sail before this ocean is at its roughest – which is typically in the winter (between November and March).
Modern cruise ships are also well equipped to handle rough waters, such as with built in stabilizing technology, and the crew members will usually reroute to avoid particularly intense storms or extreme choppiness.
Strict Rules for Sailing While Pregnant
Depending on how far along this woman is, this might be one of her last opportunities to sail before her new baby is born.
This is because most cruise lines prohibit pregnant women from sailing after they pass the 23 or 24-week mark in their pregnancy, or about six months, due to increased safety concerns.
While there is a medical facility onboard all ships, it wouldnโt be equipped to properly care for a mother and baby if a passenger unexpectedly went into labor or suffered complications – which puts both lives at risk.
Just to give an example, this is what Celebrity Cruises says about that matter, which is largely consistent across the cruise lines: โAfter 23 weeks, there are increased risks in pregnancies such as preterm labor and delivery, and onboard, we do not have the medical equipment and staff available to treat these types of emergency situations.โ
Read Also: Baby Unexpectedly Born on Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship
This also means that the passenger cannot surpass the 23 or 24 week mark during the sailing, with the cut off dependent on the specific cruise lineโs policy.
โSpecifically, due to safety concerns, pregnant Guests will be refused passage if they have entered their 24th week of pregnancy by the embarkation dateโor if they will enter their 24th week of pregnancy during the cruise,โ reads Disney Cruise Lineโs website, as another example.
Female guests will likely be asked if they are expecting during the check-in process, and may be required to provide a medical certificate or doctorโs note confirming their term of pregnancy and due date.
Indeed, guests have been turned away on embarkation before because they were too far along in their pregnancies.
In February 2024, a pregnant guest was turned away from Carnival Luminosa in Brisbane, Australia, because she was 26 weeks pregnant – which is two weeks past what Carnival allows.