Frequently Asked Questions: Health and Safety Protocols

All vessels owned by National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions (National Geographic Endurance, National Geographic Resolution, National Geographic Explorer, National Geographic Orion, National Geographic Venture, National Geographic Quest, National Geographic Sea Bird, National Geographic Sea Lion, National Geographic Endeavour II, National Geographic Islander II, and National Geographic Gemini), with the exception of National Geographic Delfina, carry a health professional.

In addition, our chartered vessels Sea Cloud, Sea Cloud II, Delfin II, and The Jahan carry a health professional, but Lord of the Glens, Oberoi Philae, and Sun Goddess do not. However, these vessels are typically no more than two hours from healthcare providers on land.

Some equipment is specific to the vessel. National Geographic Resolution, National Geographic Endurance, National Geographic Explorer, and National Geographic Orion have ventilators and ultrasounds. All ships have defibrillators and other emergency equipment. We can provide some acute interventional services and basic services such as providing antibiotics or suturing simple lacerations. Any complex medical needs will occur at shoreside facilities.

In the event of a medical condition that cannot be treated within the limited medical facilities on board the ship, it may become necessary for a patient to be evaluated at or airlifted to a nearby medical facility.

Guests should check with their insurance carrier to determine whether their insurance covers medevac. Where applicable, they should also inquire whether their insurance covers medical care occurring outside of the United States. If their current health insurance policy does not cover these services, it is recommended to purchase additional medical and evacuation coverage, as the fees for these services can be expensive and are typically due at the time of service.

National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions vessels are not equipped to manage guests on either hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. Guests requiring these services cannot sail with us.

Guests are permitted to bring oxygen concentrators on board, but should be advised of the following guidelines:

• Guests must make independent delivery arrangements with a third party for the rental, delivery, and return of oxygen concentrators or other medical equipment.
• Due to safety concerns and storage limitations, National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions does not allow carriage or use of liquid oxygen or oxygen cylinders.
• Guests are responsible for notifying their air carrier of any oxygen requirements.
• While some of our ships do have an oxygen concentrator on board, they are used for emergencies and can be neither rented nor loaned to guests who have chronic supplemental oxygen requirements.
• Guests may bring their own CPAP machines.

Guests requiring the use of a wheelchair or other mobility aids during the voyages are responsible for providing their own device prior to boarding the ship. National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions may have a limited supply of wheelchairs onboard for emergency use only. 

All mobility or medical equipment brought on board must be capable of being carried safely and must be declared 30 days before setting sail. We may impose limits on the number of pieces and value of equipment, and we may decline to carry any equipment where it is not safe to do so or where we have not been notified in time to enable a risk assessment to be carried out.

The crew is not obligated to lift guests or push wheelchairs, or to provide personal care such as assistance with eating, medication, personal hygiene, or using the restroom. We welcome guests who require such additional assistance, but we ask that they be accompanied by a companion to provide this support. In the event of an emergency, our crew will provide additional evacuation assistance to guests with disabilities and guests with reduced mobility.

National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions cannot guarantee that guests with disabilities or guests with reduced mobility will be able to participate in operations that require the use of rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) or other small boats. Please note that National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions offers experiences that involve cruising and landing at places with little or no infrastructure, including jetties, floating pontoons, gangways and slipways, as well as nature landings.

• Motorized wheelchairs or other motorized assistive devices are not permitted on board.
• Wheelchairs can be no wider than 24”.
• Guests requiring wheelchairs must be able to move independently around the ship or travel with someone willing and able to propel them as needed.

Guests who have entered their 24th week of pregnancy as of their embarkation date, or who will enter their 24th week of pregnancy during the trip, will be refused passage due to safety concerns.

Neither a doctor’s medical statement nor a waiver of liability will be accepted. In addition, Lindblad Expeditions cannot be held responsible or liable for any complications relating to pregnancy at any stage.

This policy is in place for the safety of pregnant guests and their fetuses. While the onboard physicians can handle many emergency situations, the ships are not equipped to provide post-birth care or care for newborns.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a travel alert for travelers to specific countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Bahamas, along with specific areas in Florida, due to the Zika virus, a mosquito-related illness. While the most common symptoms are usually mild and include fever, rash, joint pain and red eyes, pregnant women should pay special attention to the travel alert and take necessary precaution to avoid mosquito bites. Additional information can be found under the Travelers Health section of the CDC website at http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices and http://www.cdc.gov/zika.

The minimum age requirement for infants to sail varies depending on the voyage itinerary.

• For most itineraries, the minimum age to sail is 6 months at time of embarkation.
• For Antarctica and a few other select voyages, including voyages aboard Sea Cloud and Sea Cloud II, the minimum age to sail is one year old at the time of embarkation.
• For Lord of the Glens, the minimum age is 9 years
• For Oberoi Philae, the minimum age is 7 years
• For The Jahan, the minimum age is 5 years

Your health and well-being are most important to us. There are many conditions which may prove challenging for travelers.

Guests with the following issues may not be appropriate for this type of travel:

Guests with cognitive limitations, including:

• Severe disorientation and agitation in unfamiliar surroundings
• Delusional, paranoid or aggressive behavior
• Severe incontinence
• Wandering behavior

Even those with less severe impairment should often not travel alone.

Guests on cancer therapy or after a transplant:

Because our voyages are often to very remote areas with limited sophisticated medical care, it is suggested that travelers on chemotherapy, or who are severely immune compromised, discuss expedition travel with their personal physician. There may be occasions where the Lindblad Expeditions medical team may be able to assist. The onboard Lindblad Expeditions medical team is not able to administer chemotherapy drugs. Decisions concerning travel are made on a case-by-case basis. Please notify Lindblad if this applies to you, at the time of initial booking.