One World Pregnancy on a Cruise Ship - Policies and Experiences

A crew member seeking information about the rules and policies regarding pregnancy and maternity leave sent us the following message:
“Can you please tell me what rights pregnant crew members have? It’s a taboo topic. I’ve looked everywhere, and everything seems so ambiguous. I thought maybe you could help me. Thank you.”


What are the cruise lines' policies if a crew member becomes pregnant on a ship?

• Do they offer maternity leave?
• Can the crew return to the ship after maternity leave?
• Until which week of pregnancy can a crew member continue working on board?

Here are some of the messages we received some time ago:

For CCL they let me stay until 5mos and gave me 555days maternity leave.

The moment you confirmed it, you have to visit the medical center to take another PT and they'll ask you if you wanna stay or leave.

You have to sign a waiver if you decide to stay stating that whatever happens during your pregnancy onboard, they don't have any liabilities..

They sent me to Amerimed (Cozumel, Mexico) for 3 OB visits and cover the cost.

I work onboard as a Youth Staff and my husband is a Print Shop Technician.

--------------------------

My experience getting pregnant on Royal ship: they signed me off immediately because of past fertility health issues but I believe you can work until 26 weeks. They paid for my first couple of doctor visits in port but after I signed off everything was my responsibly. I did get a maternity leave one time payment and the option to come back to work within one year of the birth of the baby. My experience was straight forward and the HR and Medial team onboard were very helpful. Good luck to this future

Please share your experiences in the comment box.​

On NCL they are disembarking you immediately if you are positive on test or if you get pregnant onboard. They are giving you a flight to home and nothing else. Whatever is your decision, they will give you nothing. They do not care. When you want to come back onboard after a while, you have to provide a home test and newest OB, but they do deny even if you want to come back. They are cuting the manning without hesitation.

These are Princess Cruises MATERNITY BENEFITS FOR Crew

In the event that Employee becomes or learns she is pregnant while signed on to the crew list, Employee must advise the onboard medical team as soon as the pregnancy is confirmed. As failure to do so may endanger the health and well-being of mother and child, lack of disclosure may result in disciplinary action.

Employees who are pregnant may remain working onboard a vessel until 24 weeks as long as they are able to maintain their normal job duties and have the approval of the shipboard medical doctor. Any medical care that can be provided by onboard medical staff will be provided without charge.

As our ships generally do not have specialized equipment for prenatal care and our shipboard physicians do not specialize in obstetrical care, most prenatal care will need to be obtained off of the vessel. The Company will provide assistance in identifying care providers but the cost of the care off of the ship is the responsibility of the Employee.

A pregnancy is not considered an injury or sickness and Employee is not entitled to maintenance, cure or sick pay benefits when signing off due solely to a pregnancy. Company shall pay the costs of repatriation so long as Employee timely informed the onboard medical team of the pregnancy.

Employees who are repatriated for the birth of a child are entitled to six weeks maternity leave pay at their guaranteed monthly wage, upon presentation of the certificate of birth.

If Employee advises Company within two years following the birth of her child that she wishes to return to sea, she shall be afforded priority in filling a suitable vacancy in the same or equivalent position should such vacancy be available.