Queensland woman refused Carnival cruise holiday and given no refund over pregnancy

At 26 weeks pregnant, Kaylee Farrington said she thought it was a joke when she was refused embarkation on the Luminosa. Photo / 123RF

A passenger and her family are in disbelief after being stopped embarking on a cruise holiday and refused a refund because she was pregnant.

Kaylee Farrington from the Gold Coast was boarding the Carnival Luminosa for a family celebration when she was turned away at the gangplank.

She told 9 News she and her mother thought the cruise line was joking when it said she could not sail due to her condition. Farrington was 26 weeks pregnant when she intended to join the three-day sailing from Brisbane.

Her mother Robyn Betts said they had also been denied a refund, leaving her $2000 out of pocket after the company cancelled the birthday celebration at sea.

“My obstetrician is giving me the all-clear and they still wouldn’t let me on board,” Farrington told 9 News.

Under operator Carnival Australia’s conditions of carriage, it will not accept guests who are past the end of the second trimester of pregnancy.

The family said they felt let down and this condition had not been clear when they planned the trip.

“To not be prompted at the time of booking is wild,” she said.

The Carnival Luminosa in Brisbane. Photo / CTOAN5, CC

A spokesperson for Carnival Cruise line told the Herald it operated a “strict pregnancy policy, in line with global industry standards”.

Any passenger due to enter their 24th week of pregnancy during the sailing cannot sail.

The cruise line said ships were not equipped with medical facilities to deal with complications of pregnancy and the measure is designed with the “safety and wellbeing of both mothers and their unborn babies” in mind.

“The policy is outlined on the Carnival website and within the cruise contract,” they said.

And because the condition is outside the terms of the cruise contract, a refund could not be granted.

Can I cruise while pregnant?

Pregnancy is not normally a disqualifying medical condition for cruise ships but this depends on many factors, include where the excursion is going, underlying conditions and how far advanced the pregnancy is.

Most cruise lines will not accept passengers who will enter their 24th week of pregnancy during a sailing.

Many liners require medical disclaimers to join, especially if they are going to remote destinations such as Greenland, Alaska or Antarctica. One notable exception where pregnancy is rarely an issue are river cruise operators, such as Avalon or Viking, whose itineraries are normally close to shore and land-based medical assistance.

What if I get pregnant after I’ve booked a cruise?

Some cruise guests book holidays up to a year in advance, especially for exotic or popular itineraries. It’s entirely possible your conditions may change in this time.

If you’ve not paid your final instalment it’s normally easy to cancel. However, most operators don’t consider pregnancy as a cause for refund. So depending on how far along or how late you cancel, you may be out of pocket.

A final back-up can be travel insurance. Depending on your policy, you may be able to claim against being refused embarkation.