Cruise Talk: Sickness at Sea (but not sea sickness!)

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»	Cruise Talk » Cruise Ships » Sickness at Sea (but not sea sickness!)

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Topic: Sickness at Sea (but not sea sickness!)

Jules
First Class Passenger
Member # 1529

posted 10-03-2000 06:35 PM

I have just returned from a week in hospital. The only good thing about the surgery was that I have just made it for getting approval from the consultant to travel on my next cruise by a margin of 1 day. (A note to anyone having an operation, insurance companies can be difficult about travel during a period of recovery, even where the insurance was taken out long before the problem occurred).

Having time to ponder last week it struck me that the only other time I have been in a hospital was onboard a cruise ship. The unit seemed to be well equipped and the Doctor competent but then I only had a minor ailment which was no real test of the facilities.

I wonder if anyone out there knows more about the standards that prevail. How do ships doctor's deal with a real emergency.

The other point of interest is the Doctor / Nurse's terms of employment. On the ship I mentioned above they were both self employed, hence the beatific smile from the Doctor every time there was a swell and passengers needed sea sickness injections at £35 a shot.

Does self-employment have an impact on the level / quantity of treatment which is prescribed, particularly when travel insurance pays the bill and not the passenger.

Any views?

Posts: 136 | From: Scotland | Registered: Aug 2000 | IP: Logged

Laura
First Class Passenger
Member # 924

posted 10-03-2000 08:31 PM

Well, we had a serious accident on our cruise on VOTS this past winter that the onboard staff could not handle... A man fell while ice skating aboard the ship and suffered serious brain injury. They actually had to turn the ship around and head back to Grand Cayman where he could be flown to Miami for surgery. We were out on deck when the ship made a relatively abrupt turn around (you can imagine the reaction of the guests all around us on board, not to mention the fact that practically the entire pool emptied out onto the deck soaking everybody due to the abrupt turn!!!)We heard a little later what had happened. Scary! I guess flying you home is usually the best option for them if the situation is life threatening and hospitalization is required, vs. sending you to a hospital in Jamaica, for example!!!

Posts: 114 | From: Ohio | Registered: Nov 1999 | IP: Logged

DianaD
First Class Passenger
Member # 1010

posted 10-03-2000 10:03 PM

One of the best Cruise lines if you have a major problem is Princess. There medical facilities are on line with Medical Centres in the US.

Posts: 308 | From: Whitby, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 10-03-2000 10:07 PM

All HAL'S doctors are either American or Canadian Borad certified and also certified in Emergency services. The doctors are usually on for 1-2-3 weeks, but the nurses are on for 4-6 months. I have a friend whose daughter is a Head Nurse with HAL. The doctors are self-employed but the rates charged are set and no one doctor can charge more than another. Fortunately, being Canadian, we get our money back for part of the hospital visit and our Insurance takes care of the rest.
I have been on a couple of HAL ships when we have had air/sea rescues and the crew do a fantastic job. I would never worry about being ill on a HAL ship as I know the staff are very well trained.
On one of my Hawaii cruises we had an air/sea rescue just before arriving in Kaui and on the return trip home we had another emergency just as we left Hilo. This patient was taken back to Hilo by tender.

Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

DianaD
First Class Passenger
Member # 1010

posted 10-03-2000 11:11 PM

I do agree with you about HAL, we had quite a few medical emergencies on board when we did the Panama Canal cruise 2 years ago including an emergency evacuation off the coast of Mexico, 3 passengers taken off in the Panama and a visit by a Helicopter. The medical services seemed very efficient. The reason I quoted Princess was that all their Doctors are British and are employed on Contract by Princess cruises and are not just Doctors who have decided to do a few weeks on a cruise ship. They all have at least three years post graduate medical training, including experience in primary care, minor surgery, energency medical care and cardiac care and are certified in Advanced Life Support. Princess medical centres are equipped and stocked to the standards of a typical county hospital emergency room, with X-ray machines, computerised EKG machines, portable oxygen cylinders, cardiac monitors, oxygen saturation monitors, volumetric infusion pumps, cardiac defibrillators and external pacemakers. There pharmacies are stocked with medications approved by the UK Committee on Safety medicines. Also the fact that they are on line with Medical Centres in the US. Another important fact is all their Doctors are fluent in English. This is not always the case on some ships.

Posts: 308 | From: Whitby, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

gohaze
First Class Passenger
Member # 586

posted 10-04-2000 05:22 AM

Hi..one thing to keep in mind is that the facilities on a ship are for Emergencies Only, and you will be evacuated to shore as soon as possible. This is where your insurance kicks in - if you have it, and if you don't, be prepared to obtain BIG dollars in a hurry.
In my case, where I was sent to hospital from the ship and stayed flat on my back for a month before they could repat me, all we had to do was give them our 'travel assist' phone # and everything was taken care of from there on. For you people who don't bother with insurance...that little episode was over $100g and that's a lot of cruises.
I hate to think what it would have been in the US.
...peter

Posts: 1909 | From: Vancouver.BC | Registered: Sep 99 | IP: Logged

DianaD
First Class Passenger
Member # 1010

posted 10-04-2000 09:26 AM

Peter, I do so agree with you. It really dosn't matter where you get the Insurance from but NEVER NEVER NEVER travel without it, we in the office have seen the results of "I never take insurance, its a waste of money". Even when travelling within Canada to other Provinces it can be useful, otherwise you can end up paying out of your own pocket where the cost varies between Provinces.

Posts: 308 | From: Whitby, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

James
First Class Passenger
Member # 1351

posted 10-04-2000 12:02 PM

Ship's doctors I have found friendly snd usually competent. I was badly misdiagnosed by the physician on HAL, received medication that made the condition worse instead of better and have a ruined knee as a result. Had it been on land I'd be bringing suit. On the other hand we had a heart patient evecuated from Antarctica by the ship's helicopter, so some life saving does go on.

Posts: 202 | From: Illinois, Home of Lincoln and great graft | Registered: Jun 2000 | IP: Logged

Jules
First Class Passenger
Member # 1529

posted 10-05-2000 05:40 AM

Diana - your comments about insurance are interesting. Here in the UK you can't travel without it as most agents will simply not make the booking for you (which is sensible).

We also have E111 provision which means that our National Health will pay for treatment within the EEC, but I still take private insurance for travel.

Gohaze - this question was posted out of academic interest only. The particular condition I had has been completely removed by the surgery (thankfully)and the recovery is purely from the affects of that.

I would not dream of travelling if I did not feel 100% fit, have adequate insurance provision, or in this particular case my Doctors full approval. I have seen too many people taken off ships in places where hospital facilities are questionable to want to join them.

Just for everyone's interest the period of "recovery" from surgery in insurance terms is considered to be 6 months (I have found 1 or 2 companies on the net who are different but not many). If you are like me and book your cruises a year or so in advance then fall ill 5 or 6 months later you will be very lucky to get your holiday, not for any pertanant medical reason, but because of this clause in most policies.

Posts: 136 | From: Scotland | Registered: Aug 2000 | IP: Logged

DianaD
First Class Passenger
Member # 1010

posted 10-05-2000 05:42 PM

Jules, we cannot force a person to take Insurance when they travel. Some people are carrying Insurance with their Credit Cards, others have firms ie General Motors who cover health when out of the country. We do however ask a client to sign to say we offered it to them. We also have clients here in Canada who are British Pensioners, who when travelling in England are covered by the National Health. (just a comment: I am British Born but have lived in Canada for nearly 26 years)

Posts: 308 | From: Whitby, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

Jules
First Class Passenger
Member # 1529

posted 10-06-2000 07:04 AM

DianaD - I am not quite sure of my facts ( perhaps someone else will know) but I think the insurance at point of sale is a legal requirement in the UK now. If you have your own annual insurance, or cover from a mastercard etc then you must produce it before the booking is confirmed.

Companies used to insist that you had to take their insurance package as part of any booking as they made large commisions on it. The law changed last year so that they could no longer force you to do so (but most large agents still try to get round this whenever possible)

I have family in Canada who went there decades ago as well. You would find a lot of changes in the UK if you ever came back.

Posts: 136 | From: Scotland | Registered: Aug 2000 | IP: Logged

Scottylass
First Class Passenger
Member # 420

posted 10-06-2000 08:30 AM

Jules, I think you are right about it being law in the UK, because we have an Annual Insurance Policy that I get through the company I work with, but I have always to give details of the Policy and the Contact Telephone Number when making any booking with Travel Agents.

Cheers
M.

Posts: 648 | From: Stirlingshire, Scotland | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

bubbles
First Class Passenger
Member # 1415

posted 10-09-2000 05:01 PM

It is not illegal to travel overseas without insurance from the UK but most travel companies are unhappy about taking bookings without it in case you become their liability while overseas. If you book anything individually flights etc you do not have to have insurance, of course you would be foolish to travel without it but people do. Almost every summer there is a sorry tale through the media of an unhappy traveller flat on their back overseas after some sort of accident hoping that their own Government will repatriate them by air ambulance, which the British Government certainly do not do. You then see their poor families talking about selling their homes in order to raise sufficient funds to bring back their loved ones. Stupid to travel without it but people do.

Posts: 133 | From: England | Registered: Jul 2000 | IP: Logged

Scottylass
First Class Passenger
Member # 420

posted 10-10-2000 02:48 AM

Bubbles

If it is not law, then it should be, what a risk to take to travel anywhere without Insurance, I think I would be a nervous wreck without it, but it just goes to show how stupid some people can be.

Cheers
M.

[This message has been edited by Scottylass (edited 10-10-2000).]

Posts: 648 | From: Stirlingshire, Scotland | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

DianaD
First Class Passenger
Member # 1010

posted 10-10-2000 10:08 AM

I put a comment on here a few months ago about a client who was on a cruise with us (he had insurance) and was airlifted back to Toronto from Mexico, the final bill was approx $50,000 Cdn. I had people answer saying the only reason I had posted was to make large commissions for my agency by scaring people. I can assure you that is not the reason we sell Insurance. There is also cancellation insurance. We had a client who booked last minute a couple of weeks ago, he was going to Las Vegas, said he did not need cancellation as he was going, come hell or high water, guess what, the morning of his departure his daughter was taken into hospital for emergency surgery and he lost his vacation.
As I said before we offer everyone insurance and make them sign to say they dont wish to accept it but there is no law that says we can force them to take it and as I said before some feel we only sell it for our own profit. What more can I say!!!!

Posts: 308 | From: Whitby, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

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