Medical Information/Services & Special Dietary Requests

It is our goal to ensure that your Crystal® cruise is an enjoyable and rewarding experience. We will do everything we can to accommodate those who have physical challenges or disabilities and require special assistance. Guests who may need special assistance due to a mobility disability, hearing or sight impairment, or who require a service animal or oxygen should refer to our Onboard Accessibility Guide for help preparing for the upcoming cruise.

Medications

Guests requiring ongoing medication, or having specific dietary needs, are advised to bring an ample supply of medication or dietary supplements with them in their carry-on luggage.

Inoculations

Requirements for inoculations often change. Crystal informs you of the health requirements; however, it is your responsibility to have all required vaccinations with a signed International Certificate of Vaccination. We recommend that you contact your personal physician with any health concerns. Failure to comply may result in refusal of passage by Customs and Immigration authorities.

International regulations require Crystal to maintain a list that identifies guests who may require special assistance in the unlikely event of an emergency. In addition, Crystal strives to make certain all guests receive the highest level of personalized service possible while on board. In order to meet both objectives, we ask for your cooperation in providing us with information regarding any special assistance that you may require. Guests who have existing medical conditions and who may require treatment by the ship’s medical staff (aboard Crystal Serenity or Crystal Symphony), or those who may require other types of special assistance due to a mobility disability, must contact Crystal Cruises Onboard Guest Services Department by fax 310-785-3975, email onboardgstsvcs@crystalcruises.com, or complete and return the Special Assistance form provided in the document package prior to departure.

On Board Medical Services 

Crystal Cruises and Crystal Yacht Expedition Cruises sail with a professional medical staff on board to provide basic medical service/assistance; certain medications may also be available onboard for purchase at reasonable costs . 

Crystal River Cruises ships do not have medical facilities and do not sail with a dedicated medical staff onboard. However, medical service/s can be easily contacted from local shoreside facilities, if required. All medical services rendered are independently provided and are the guest’s responsibility.

Oxygen

Aboard Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity, Portable oxygen tanks and concentrators may be used on board. However, for safety reasons, Crystal’s Onboard Guest Services Department MUST be notified and a completed and approved Release and Indemnity Form received no later than 30 days in advance of the sailing. Liquid oxygen is prohibited on board due to safety concerns. A guest bringing his or her own oxygen equipment must make direct arrangements with an independent medical contractor who has agreed to undertake all required arrangements without involving the ship's onboard Medical Center and its personnel. For a list of approved vendors, please refer to the Onboard Accessibility Guide (also available in hard copy from our Onboard Guest Services Department). The oxygen-dependent guest should travel with a companion who is also completely familiar with the operation of the equipment. The guest is responsible to ensure that the equipment is off-loaded at the end of the cruise.

Oxygen-dependent guests are limited to those cruises on which they can be properly supported by equipment vendors and which have itineraries that will easily allow medical disembarkation if it should be required. The number of oxygen-dependent guests using portable equipment is very limited on any cruise. Requests for oxygen equipment for a specific cruise will be processed by Crystal Cruises’ Onboard Guest Services Department in the order of date received.

Please contact Crystal for use of the above equipment on Crystal River Cruises or Crystal Yacht Cruises voyages.

Wheelchair Access, Use of Electric Scooters, Motorized Wheelchairs, Other Mobility Devices, Facilities for the Physically Challenged

Crystal Cruises

Guests with any disability, including those primarily confined to wheelchairs or scooters, are medically oxygen dependent, are hearing impaired or use service animals, must notify Crystal Cruises at the time of booking as they may be required to submit forms for Release and Indemnity directly to Onboard Guest Services by fax 310-785-3975 or email onboardgstsvcs@crystalcruises.com prior to sailing.

For complete details and guidelines, guests who have special requirements, physical challenges or need oxygen should refer to our Onboard Accessibility Guide. If you would like a hard copy of the Onboard Accessibility Guide, you may request it through Onboard Guest Services department by calling 1-310-785-9300, or via email at onboardgstsvcs@crystalcruises.com .

Guests must bring their own wheelchair, electrically powered wheelchair or electric scooter that does not exceed 22" wide. Please note: Crystal Cruises reserves the right to limit the number of electric scooters on board.

Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity were designed to be accessible for the physically challenged, with ramp access to most decks and public areas. Ships’ elevators can accommodate most wheelchairs, motorized wheelchairs or electrically-powered scooters that do not exceed 22" wide, allowing access to all public decks. It is strongly recommended that the guest be accompanied by a traveling companion for better access to all areas on and around both Crystal ships, as well as ashore.

Certain staterooms offer extra-wide doors, fully wheelchair-accessible bathrooms and wheelchair-accessible closets with low-fitted hanging rods. Some suites offer limited wheelchair access to personal facilities. Staterooms and suites designated for guests with disabilities are subject to availability and must be reserved prior to boarding the ship.

Going Ashore: In select ports, the ship will be at anchor and not docked next to the pier. In these ports guests are taken ashore by small boats called tenders. Please be advised that even if the ship is originally scheduled to dock at a pier, it may need to be changed to anchored (as determined by the Captain) and tendering will be required. 

Guests in electric wheelchairs or those who are unable to take a few steps without assistance from a supportive device will be unable to board. 

Please note that collapsible wheel chairs are allowed, but the guest must be independently mobile to board and exit the tender boats. There will be crew members there to guide and steady guests who are embarking the tender, but they cannot support, carry or lift guests on board the tender for safety reasons. Motorized wheelchairs and electric mobility scooters are not allowed on tenders. 

In addition, weather, sea conditions and other factors may preclude any tendering at all. The safety of our guests and crew is always our primary consideration. Therefore, the Captain and his staff will make the final decision regarding transferring all guests based on safety reasons. 

If guests are unable to use the tenders due to weather or physical impairment, there will be no refund or credit for missed ports. We appreciate your understanding the safety of our guests and crew takes precedence. Additional conditions may apply and should be discussed in detail with Onboard Guest Services at time of booking.


Crystal River Cruises

Crystal River Cruises™ is dedicated to providing a comfortable experience for all our guests. We make every effort to accommodate the needs of persons with disabilities. Crystal River Cruises does not discriminate against any person on the basis of disability.
Guests requiring ongoing medication, or having specific dietary needs, are advised to bring an ample supply of medication or dietary supplements with them in their carry-on luggage.
Due to limited facilities, Crystal River Yachts do not have a doctor or nurse onboard so guests requiring medical care must seek local resources.

The suites and public spaces onboard the Crystal River Yachts have elevator access to all main guest decks with the exception of the Sun Deck, which may only be reached via stairs. However, there is no elevator access to board the river yachts. As a result, Crystal River Yachts may not be suitable for people relying solely on wheelchairs for transportation.
Going Ashore: Guest with disabilities/limited mobility should take note that not all ports are wheelchair accessible. Port access varies greatly around the world and in most instances, the river ports are not wheelchair accessible. River cruising is not recommended to guests in wheelchairs.

There will be no facilities provided for disabled guests; this includes no handicapped/wheelchair accessible rooms, nor any access or assistance given to disabled guests on embarkation or disembarkation. Embarkation/disembarkation is particularly difficult for people with reduced mobility, due to many reasons but primarily due to, narrow gangways and the frequent need to go across other river ships to get to the pier.

Guest’s should be aware that some tours include rough terrain, extensive walking over cobblestone streets, uneven pavement, and steps and locations which may not be easily accessible or accessible by wheelchair.

Crystal River Cruises reserves the right, without liability, to refuse to board or transport guests whose medical condition, limited mobility or disability is not compatible with security rules and requirements specific to the navigation area, or who, in Crystal River Cruises’ opinion is unfit for travel on the river yachts.

In the unlikely event of an emergency, all guests must be fully mobile and able to exit the river yachts safely. If guests are unable to meet the minimum safety requirements, even when provided with appropriate auxiliary aids and/or services, Crystal River Cruises may find it necessary to ask the guest to make alternative travel arrangements.

Crystal Yacht Expedition Cruises

Crystal Yacht Cruises is dedicated to providing a comfortable cruise experience for all its guests. Crystal Yacht Cruises does not discriminate against any person on the basis of disability and shall make every effort to accommodate the needs of persons with disabilities. Guests acknowledge and understand that certain international, foreign or local safety requirements, standards, and/or applicable regulations involving design, construction or operation of the vessel, docks, gangways, anchorages or other facilities on or off the vessel may restrict access to facilities or activities for persons with mobility, communication or other impairments or special needs.

The staterooms and public spaces onboard the Crystal Yachts do not have any elevators and there is no elevator access to board the yachts as they were originally constructed. As a result, the Crystal Yachts may not be suitable for people relying solely on wheelchairs for transportation.

Going Ashore:  Guests with disabilities should take note that not all ports are accessible. Gangways and port access vary greatly around the world and, in ports where the ship must anchor, guests are taken ashore tenders and/or ferries which may not be wheelchair accessible, as well as zodiacs, which are not wheelchair accessible.

In the unlikely event of an emergency, all guests must be fully mobile and able to exit the yachts safely. If guests are unable to meet the minimum safety requirements, even when provided with appropriate auxiliary aids and/or services, Crystal Yacht Cruises may find it necessary to ask the guest to make alternative travel arrangements.

Website Disability Assistance

If you are vision-impaired or have some other impairment covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act or a similar law, and you wish to discuss potential accommodations related to using this website, please contact us via email Contact_Legal@crystalcruises.com and specify your email subject line with "Website Disability Assistance".  

Special Dietary Requests and Kosher Meals

Dietary Requests

If you require a special diet, including any food allergies, or need specific food items during your cruise, we ask that you please submit your written dietary requests to our Onboard Guest Services Department by fax: 310-785-3975 or email the appropriate Onboard Guest Services team based on your cruise/ship at least 90 days (3 months) prior to sailing, and confirm your arrangements with the Food and Beverage staff on the day of embarkation. There may be a charge for some special requests, as well as any applicable shipping fees.

Please contact our Onboard Guest Services team with your special dietary requests at:

• Crystal Cruises: onboardgstsvcs@crystalcruises.com
• Crystal River Cruises: RiverButler@crystalcruises.com
• Crystal Yacht Expedition Cruises: YachtButler@crystalcruises.com

Kosher Meals

Aboard Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony, a wide choice of pre-packaged kosher-certified meals, including meats, seafood and poultry as well as white and red kosher wines is available on a limited basis, on every itinerary. All chefs, kitchen and dining staff have been trained in kosher food preparation, handling and servicing. Only kosher pots, pans and utensils are used, and plates, silverware and glassware are washed separately. Due to limited provisioning resources, the number of guests per cruise who may partake in our kosher-style program is restricted to 20. Guests whose diet requires or who wish to dine kosher-style must provide us with advance notice at the time of the initial reservation, and no less than 90 days prior to sailing. We will do all that we can to ensure your needs are met. Due to limited availability, kosher-style dining is subject to confirmation from Crystal Cruises.