Looking for a cruise that does not practice age discrimination

[timetraveler]

"Grumpy" describes me perfectly today. My buddy and I enjoyed diving with Captain Cook Reef Endeavor and with Paul Gauguin Cruises. But now National Geographic Expeditions has told me that I have to get a doctor's certification if I want to dive on any of their cruises because I'm over 55 (actually I'm over 70). I know that some other cruise lines won't let anyone dive who is over 70, doctor's certificate or not. For the most part, I don't like cruise ship dive excursions, but some ships offer unique itineraries. Does anyone know of any cruise lines that do not discriminate against older divers? I'm looking for a small to medium sized ship, but not a live a board.

 

[diversteve]

With Gauguin it would be but for other cruises that book thru local shops I wonder if it;s their rule and not the cruise lines?

I'll find out in a decade.

 

[Altamira]

Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, Princess, and Carnival, probably others also, have dive excursions, some of which have age restrictions, minimum and maximum. After doing a lot of research, I have found that the age restrictions do indeed come from the specific dive vendors rather than the cruise lines. The vendors at some ports put the age restrictions on the excursions, while vendors at other ports do not. What pisses me off is that if I go to Bonaire and other ports on a cruise ship, the ship's dive op may have a max age 65 or 70 restriction, but no such restriction applies to anybody else that just shows up to dive. Since I am over 70, I always carry a doctor's letter authorizing me to dive, which I am happy to show, but it is outrageous to be treated differently just because a diver arrives by ship vs air. Fortunately, there are usually other vendors that are happy to take me diving, and I am happy to give them the money.

 

[timetraveler]

I am diving at Buddy Dive in Bonaire this week. No one has questioned my age. Buddy is the dive op for RCL Freedom of the Seas this week.. A couple of years ago someone posted that he was being denied diving in Bonaire with a cruise ship dive excursion. I think it was Princess. I was here then also. The ship told him that the policy was not theirs, but that of their dive op which was Buddy Dive. DH asked Buddy's dive manager if they had upper age restrictions for cruise ship divers and was told "no". Could it be that the age discrimination is indeed cruise ship policy, but to deflect criticism they blame the dive operator?

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

I’d be interested to learn more about this...one would presume that any cruise policy that potentially stands in the way of them making a nickel would be driven by some form of liability issue as opposed to choice/‘discrimination’

Unless of course they have some sort of evidence that restricting 70 year olds from diving means they stay on the ship and spend more money

 

[timetraveler]

After doing a lot of research, I have found that the age restrictions do indeed come from the specific dive vendors rather than the cruise lines.

Thank you for posting the results of your research. I am curious to know, did you ask the cruise lines, or did you ask the specific dive vendors?

 

[timetraveler]

Since I am over 70, I always carry a doctor's letter authorizing me to dive, which I am happy to show,

I am wondering if I need to do the same thing, although it makes me angry. Can I ask you: Have you ever been required to show your doctor's letter? How often do you get it renewed? Is your doctor a dive medicine specialist?

 

[Dogbowl]

@timetraveler, why don't you make reservations directly with a dive op and bypass the cruise line altogether? That's generally the recommendation here anyway, I've done it many times, and unless logistics makes that not feasible, it will solve your problem.

I do recognize that sometimes the cruise schedule and port location makes it difficult to book directly with a dive op.

 

[timetraveler]

why don't you make reservations directly with a dive op and bypass the cruise line altogether? That's generally the recommendation here anyway, I've done it many times

I agree. I've done it many times also. I'm thinking now of booking cruises that have itineraries that make it impossible to book directly with a dive op. One example would be the Captain Cook Reef Endeavor's cruise of the Great Barrier Reef that my buddy and I took years ago.

 

[Dogbowl]

I agree. I've done it many times also. I'm thinking now of booking cruises that have itineraries that make it impossible to book directly with a dive op. One example would be the Captain Cook Reef Endeavor's cruise of the Great Barrier Reef that my buddy and I took years ago.

I see...