You MUST have travel insurance

[Sherwoodforest]

We were on the Oosterdam Feb.5 thru Feb. 10 and put off the ship in Cabo San Lucas due to a medical emergency. The medical staff on the ship was wonderful and saved Zoltans life. The clinic in Cabo was filthy and everybody there lied to us. We were informed our travel insurance was called and we would have to pay $20,000.00 for an air ambulance back to Tucson. If we didn't have the money we should call our family. And we had to make up our minds in a hurry because the airport was going to close. (It was an International Airport, we found out later). I wanted to call our travel insurance and they said they only had one phone line , so they would have to set up a conference call and that never happened. I finally got in touch with my insurance and they had never heard from those people and they would send a plane for us. The clinic used dirty equipment on Zoltan and there was an open sewer not 10 feet from his bed. He was served no food or water during the 28 hours we were there. Zoltan had congestive heart failure, renal failure and pneumonia. For that fine service we were charged $5000.00. Zoltan is still in the hospital in Tucson, but he is doing better. We want to thank all of the passengers that seen us off , it was touching that so many cared about him. I just had to write so people know that when you have travel insurance, you speak to them yourself or you can get stuck with a huge bill. I will post again to let you know how Zoltans is doing. Since the air ambulance could not take our larger luggage, we had to leave the suitcases at the clinic in Cabo and they were going to ship them to us. Do you think we will see that luggage again?

[RuthC]

I am so sorry for your difficulties; my best wishes to Zoltan---and to you.

Thank you for coming here to remind others that cruises don't always go as planned and we need to be prepared.

[zdude]

Glad to hear Z is OK, but I still have a problem believing the story.

[wblynch]

I'm so sorry to hear of the troubles and happy to hear that Zoltan is recovering.

I am curious about the phone thing though. With so many cell phones available and international calling cards, it seems a shame that it took 28 hours to get a call placed to your insurance company.

I'll remember to keep my international-capable cell-phone handy on our Oosterdam cruise. One just never knows.

[Sea Island Lady]

So sorry to hear of your friends illness and sorry that your cruise ended so abruptly and with problems.
Rev - Did you see any of this?

[mojodani]

Zoltan may have been better off without their food and water, especially since he was in failure. Did he suffer a heart attack that caused his CHF? I only hope their intravenous fluids and medication were administered using a "clean" technique.

This is not the important issue of your misfortune but did the ship offer you an alternative with your luggage? Keeping it onboard and having someone else pick it up or have you pay for shipping it? I'm sure it all happened so fast, there wasn't time to think out different scenarios.

Thanks for the heads-up and I am hoping for a speedy recovery for the both of you!

[jhannah]

Very fishy.

[Iggipolka]

Very fishy.

Why?

[iluvcruzin]

Wow.. what a scarey event to happen to your family. I was at the dentist last week and he was telling me about a similar incident that happened to his parent on a Panama Cruise where Dad & Mom had to get off the ship. They had a heck of a time getting back to the US and the facilities in Panama were horrendous. Thank goodness Zoltan made it back and hope he's back in good health soon.

[CanadianMAG]

Why?

ya... why? :confused:

[Ziggy7]

Zoltan is in our prayers :) Speedy recovery!:)

[zdude]

Frankly it could be true, but I don't believe it. If true, my thoughts are with Z. Why do I not believe it? 1st post. No clinic name, no doctor name, if you wish to help people avoid them in the future please list the name of the clinic to avoid. I have never *heard* of an open sewer in Cabo, let alone one 10' ft from the bed, which is the same room btw. If you are so set on insurance, why no mention of the company. Many of the Cabo clinics appear to be pretty decent and never personally heard of a story like this before. Not that it could not be true, I just tend NOT to believe extreme stoies like this on the net without some facts to back them up. Person could work in the insurance industry for all we know. I'd rather be proved wrong, than buy into a scam. So many urban legends and net stories start like this it amazing.

[Esme]

Very fishy.

Kind of agree. How come no mention of the Port Agent helping pax after they were off the ship - this is one of his jobs - making sure medicevac patients are taken care of. Anyone else notice that this is OP's 1st post and she hasn't returned to answer any of the questions.

[pollux]

The cruise from 29-5Feb. also had a emergengy in Cabo. They stopped tendering for awhile to transfer the PAX.
The other PAX did not get information on the emercency.
Maybe that PAX can answers us what happen to him/her.

[freddiebud]

Kind of agree. How come no mention of the Port Agent helping pax after they were off the ship - this is one of his jobs - making sure medicevac patients are taken care of. Anyone else notice that this is OP's 1st post and she hasn't returned to answer any of the questions.


Hey, maybe she hasn't come back to post because it has only been a few hours since her first post!

[xpcdoojk]

I have been to Cabo 3 times since 1996 and have spent a total of 4 weeks there. While I wouldn't rush to get sick there, I have a hard time believing the medical conditions were as bad as posted. By Mexican standards Cabo is very modern. With all of the rich Americans in Cabo playing $200 rounds of golf it is hard to imagine that there isn't a clinic and hospital there that would be of at least satisfactory standards. :rolleyes:

jc

[wblynch]

Cabo San Lucas has very advanced medical facilities, at least for cosmetic surgery.

It is an extremely popular destination for people seeking minor touchups to full extreme makeovers.

There should not be a lack of clean modern facilities.

Who knows what all went wrong in this case? At least the patient survuved and is apparently recovering back home.

[TYMAN]

I believe him...but then again I believe everything about Sherwood Forrest. :rolleyes:

[xpcdoojk]

What was the name of the fortune telling machine in the Tom Hanks movie "Big"?:D

jc

[DFD1]

I just don't know what to think about this one........

[bookworm0911]

What was the name of the fortune telling machine in the Tom Hanks movie "Big"?:D

jc
Zoltar ;)

[Sherwoodforest]

I need to go pick up Zoltan at the hospital and when I get him home I will answer all your question. Please bare with me. Jacqueline

[TYMAN]

Quick recovery...thank goodness!

[Cracker Ken]

Isn't it just possible that Sherwoodforest is actually telling the truth, is sincere, and wanted to make the point she made? Maybe she was really trying to be helpful to others by relating a bad experience she had as an example. She writes about some issues she had with a clinic, tells of the sickness of her DH, and encourgages people to get trip insurance, and out comes the torches. Is everyone sure there isn't such a clinic in Cabo, staffed by a bunch of nitwits? She wrote the message last night, and by noon today people are wondering why she hasn't returned to defend herself. Some (a lot) of folks have something to do other than to lurk on the boards all the time (I do too, but I'm off on med leave right now). I note that she returned to make a quick note, and was still nice about things, despite how she's been flamed already.

Ken

[zdude]

This is not flamed, this is legitimate skeptisism. People categorically buying into this stuff is what gets scams started. Its been a day now and no response and like I said, I'd rather be proven wrong than a fool. In about 2 minutes of research I could list 100 net legends of this sort.

If the poster wants to convince me, give me the name of the clinic and the insurance company-- thats only a start. Without that there are no real tangible facts to prove this right or wrong and I remain unconvinced.

However Z, if you ARE in a bed at Tuscon, best wishes.

[Sea Island Lady]

tells of the sickness of her DH
The OP's profile says that she is a widow traveling with a widower. That's why I referred to Zoltan as her friend. ;) Of course, they could be married.

Isn't it just possible that Sherwoodforest is actually telling the truth, is sincere, and wanted to make the point she made?
I agree! I can't believe all the doubt on this thread. What purpose would the OP have in publishing such a bogus thread?

Let's wait and hear what she has to say. It will not be the first time I have read a review where the cruise line's Port Agent was no help. We don't know what clinic they were sent to. Sure there are nice hospitals and clinics around the island, but there could also be terrible clinics.

Its been a day now and no response and like I said
The OP responded at 12:35. ;)

[zdude]

There is no mention of DH, widow or widower in the original post.

I am not saying it is not true. I am not saying it is true.

I am saying I do not believe it to be true at this particular moment in time.

[xpcdoojk]

Cabo is not an island. It is the tip of the Baja of California. There are some rocks sticking out at the tip, but other than sea lions and gulls no inhabitants. ;) :D

Are there bad clinics in Cabo, possibly. How in the world they would end up at one is simply beyond my imagination. I can not imagine that the HAL folks would transport them to one as described. Between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose Del Cabo are an amazing run of golf courses, resorts, condominiums, million dollar homes that are not mostly filled with Mexican nationals, but wealthy Americans. This 20 mile corridor is simply loaded with folks that can afford to pay for medical services. Would I prefer to get really sick outside the Cleveland Clinic or a hospital in Cabo?:D No contest.

Here is a link to one of the new hospitals in the area it opened in 2001. It looks like some of the emergency medicine places in my town. Or the hospitals in small town USA.

http://www.amerimed-hospitals.com/cabo_san_lucas.htm

jc

[Sea Island Lady]

There is no mention of DH, widow or widower in the original post.
Not in the original post, but in her "Profile".
Biography:
Widow traveling with widower

[wander]

If the situation was as described, how terrible to be in such awful circumstances in such a lovely area.

That said, I am puzzled by the reference to an open sewer near the clinic room. Cabo San Lucas was specifically built tourists, with potable, treated drinking water and a good sanitary system. I have spent hours several different years riding dune buggies through-out Cabo and particularly the area where the poorer people of Cabo San Lucas live. Even there with the dirt roads and hugh pot holes there are no open sewers.

I agree with an above poster, while such clinics may exist in Cabo San Lucas, I seriously wonder why one like that would be selected by HAL. That said, I do second the OP message about insurance. The one time I needed to use it paid for the insurance on many future cruises.

[Sherwoodforest]

I will try to answer some of your questions: The Hopital in Cabo San Lucas was Hospital de Especialidades. The Doctor was Dr. Miguel Tolosa V., I don't know the name of the air ambulance that Holland America's Ship Agent, Gillermo Lopez, got to lie to me about the cost of the air service. But here is his phone numbers 52.612.1254614, 52,612.1431819, 52,612.1240338, 52.612.61956 Cell phone#1, 52.612.34.88436 Cell phone #2. Everybody have more than on cell phone because calls got dropped all the time. The Travel Insurance we bought was thru Access America PO Box 90315 Richmond Va 23230-9315, Phone 1-800-284-8300 Fax# 1-804-673-1491.
We were at the hospital for 28 hours, it took 8 hours for me to speak to my travel ins. and then it was to late to send a plane so we had to wait until 1:00PM Friday afternoon for them to arrive and the hospital did not take us to the airport until 3:30 PM. So two pilots, 1 doctor and 1 paramedic had to wait at the airport for us for 2 1/2 hours, so the filthy clinic could run up more charges. Also Mr. Lopez said he would ship the luggage to us, but today Holland America called me and said the luggage was my problem and I would have to send more money to have it shipped. I called UPS today and I will have to have a person I trust, place the tracking numbers on the luggage and besides the shipping I have to pay export or import tax. I am running out of space, so I will get to the other questions soon. This is not a hoax its a warning.

[Ziggy7]

Oh my gosh people, if you dont believe it then ignore it, it's a warning that possibly could happen anywhere in the world. Take it for what it is, a caution about whether you should get travel insurance or not. If you dont believe it, then dont heed to the warning and dont buy travel insurance. Sherwoodforest, I for one thank you for the warning, get well Zoltan and I hope I will never have to go thru that kind of experience! :)

[zdude]

I saw that hospital before. Never saw a sewer around it. I hope Z gets better, but an incident like this is about the last reason *why* I would get travel insurance. I would get travel insurance for something a little more likely to happen, but thats just be. Wish you and Z the best.

[Sherwoodforest]

Did we see this coming? Zoltan went to bed Wed night and he was fine as he had been the entire trip, but at 3:30 AM he woke me up and he couldn't breathe. The doctor in Tucson said he had an infection in his lungs and it built up fluid around his heart and that led to all the problems, they think.
ZDUDE: I never posted before and I didn't know what infor. I should post, but I have learned my lesson. This clinic is a very old building and in the (ICU) room as it was called there was a door at the foot of Zoltans bed and Zoltan thought it was a bathroom. I opened the door and it had been a bathroom but the toilet had been removed. All that remained was the open sewer and outside the wall was more of the open sewer. Our luggage that was sitting by Zoltans bed was covered with bugs coming out of that open sewer (I will save them for anyone that wants them since I don't know their names) if I get the luggage back.
SEA ISLAND LADY: I didn't know what to put down on our OP's profile so I put Widow traveling with a Widower. Zoltan and I met in Jan. 2000 after our spouses died in 1999 in a hospice support group. We supported each other during our time of grief. Since I am disabled and Zoltan has health problems (6th pacemaker) we just started taking care of each other. We just feel safe with each other. This was our 4th cruise and more than likely our last. I have called Holland America Customer Relations Dept. two times since Monday and have heard nothing from them. I will let you know what happens (with Names)
I brought Zoltan home from the hospital (Tucson Heart) (Dr. Dietmar Gann)this afternnon and he is real weak and just needs lots of TLC which I think I can give. Thanks for your good wishes and prayers.

[goforfun]

Sherwood--

My heart goes out. You and Zoltan have both recently suffered losses in your lives. How wonderful that you have each other for support now. Thank you for telling us your story. I am sorry that several readers misinterpreted your reason for posting this information--these boards are anonymous, and it's easy to distrust.

My husband and I buy travel insurance now for just the circumstance you describe--a medical emergency in a part of the world with less sophisticated medical facilities. In fact, that's all that we purchase--basic medical and medical evacuation insurance. We "self-insure" for trip cancellation, our reasoning being that over time what we pay for insurance will equal or surpass any loss from a cancelled trip.

[Ryndam2002]

Have you checked to see if your travel insurer will arrange for the return of your luggage? They should at least pay for the cost of the return and I would hope they would handle the details. I'm sure you have enough else to deal with right now.

Thanks for sharing your story.

[TYMAN]

I too am concerned for Zoltar....how often do you have to take him for Dialysis?? With Renal failure occuring in a foreign country with little resources I'm sure they must want to see Zoltan daily or atleast every other day. That, in itself, is a costly sum! Who did you talk to at HAL?? I have to call today for my booking and I also want to voice my concerns! Thanks for taking the time to warn us...

[Sea Island Lady]

SEA ISLAND LADY: I didn't know what to put down on our OP's profile so I put Widow traveling with a Widower.
You really didn't need to put anything in your profile and you can also go in and change it by going to the top of this page to the blue tool bar, where it says "User CP". Click on "Edit Profile" in the left hand column. However, I wouldn't change a thing as I think it is a cute profile. It's great that you have someone to share your life with since the loss you both suffered.

I am curious as to how you found the Cruise Critics and what made you post here? Glad you did as we are heading to Cabo a week from tomorrow on the Oosterdam. We will be traveling with my late 70's parents who are not in that good of health. We do have insurance for anything that may come up with any of us....you just never know. :eek:

I too think that your travel insurance pays for the shipment of your luggage. Save any receipts you get and turn them in along with everything else.

I hope Zolten is on his way to a recovery and you two get to cruise once more. :)

[Cathy p]

Thank you so much for your warning. I too have bought the travel insurance since between my DH and myself we take 11 pills a day. Hopefully we will not need it as this is our first cruise. I cannot believe the comments people have written as I don't see where a bank was listed for everyone's donations. What type of scam can be run by a warning on insurance. She did not even want to sell you the insurance. The both of you have a wonderful life together and God bless you.

[Sherwoodforest]

Tyman , Zoltan has not started Dialysis, last year his kidney was at 10% and he started drinking water like he should and he got his number up to 25% and he had been doing fine. Since they had to give him diuretics for the fluid around his heart it threw the kidneys into a tail spin.
Sea Island Lady: You wanted to know how I found Cruise Critic, Zoltan and I was sitting in the lounge on the ship and this official looking guy from Holland America came up to us and ask if we were from Cruise Critic. Com. I told him we had never heard of them. But I wrote the web address down and thought I would check it out when we got home.
Zoltan is still very weak and he is resting most of the time, and I hope he will be up an about soon.
Will keep you posted about his health.

[Sea Island Lady]

I was sitting in the lounge on the ship and this official looking guy from Holland America came up to us and ask if we were from Cruise Critic. Com.
What about that!
Little did that official know that you would be posting some "ill will" about HAL. :eek: