Accident while on Cruise

Not asking but just sharing this news, especially for new cruisers. Importance of passport and insurance, among others.

http://www.wral.com/concord-woman-survives-shark-bite-loses-arm/16757232/

Yikes

More than a little unnerving.

Definitely unnerving. But not enough for me to cancel my snorkeling excursion in Cozumel in September. Prayers for this poor woman.

Doesn't sound good.

That's definitely being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I can't even count the number of times I have been in the ocean and have never seen a shark. All it takes is once time though. Thankfully, the odds are slim.

Sharks are in every body of salt water...and even, in some "brackish" water or freshwater in rivers! They are everywhere! It's rare to see them...and even rarer to be bitten! But, it can happen!

Good result with the insurance kicking in, could have been much worse.

Sharks are in every body of salt water...and even, in some "brackish" water or freshwater in rivers! They are everywhere! It's rare to see them...and even rarer to be bitten! But, it can happen!

Not so rare to see them around here.

Beaches closed a few days each year, see them in the Lake all the time.

Biting not so common

I have seen them biting and not biting and I know what I prefer.

Thank you for the link.

Feel sorry for the poor woman.

This was a local story yesterday in our news. They also showed a shark on the beach side of the breakers in the beach town next to us, Atlantic Beach, NC. Used to have sand sharks bump into me swimming on Long Island too. Don't know why the shark attacked her though, did she have a sparkling bathing suit on?

We have snorkeled all over the Caribbean don't remember if we saw sharks or not. This won't stop us from snorkeling or swimming!

Oh, security can get passports out of any safe and get them to the harbor master in situations like this.

Sharks can attack for many reasons and one of them may just be curiosity. Unfortunately a shark's curiosity can still cause a lot of damage.

This was a local story yesterday in our news. They also showed a shark on the beach side of the breakers in the beach town next to us, Atlantic Beach, NC. Used to have sand sharks bump into me swimming on Long Island too. Don't know why the shark attacked her though, did she have a sparkling bathing suit on?

 

We have snorkeled all over the Caribbean don't remember if we saw sharks or not. This won't stop us from snorkeling or swimming!

 

Oh, security can get passports out of any safe and get them to the harbor master in situations like this.

Yes security can and does do this

That is why it is so important to not just throw your valuables in the safe but rather put them in a large gallon size plastic zip lock bag and write on the bag...

"Bug out bag"

However I doubt the security need to be told this as they will fully understand the purpose of that bag when they see it

It does help to have your name etc. on the bag though

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She's lucky to be alive. She could have bled out right then and there.

This is why I ALWAYS get trip insurance, and ALWAYS carry my passport - even on closed loop cruises when I don't need to carry it.

A medical evacuation by helicopter can easily bankrupt someone.

This is why I ALWAYS get trip insurance, and ALWAYS carry my passport - even on closed loop cruises when I don't need to carry it.

 

 

 

A medical evacuation by helicopter can easily bankrupt someone.

Medivac is done by US Coast Guard so its taxpayers dollars

Not at all sure how it would work if it's a medivac by a foreign govt but one would realistically think there are reciprocal agreements in place or perhaps a US military installation nearby such as in Italy or Germany

Any pax with serious issues is going to be medivac off the ship regardless of ability to pay and will not be bankrupted because of this. This has been posted ad naseum (sp) btw

Where this differs is when you are brought to that hospital in say Norfolk Virginia and you live in California

Or you wind up in Bermuda or the Bahamas or the Azores or London or Rome etc

Or who knows where on a transpacific

Or if your your cruise is in an area where you might want to visit but would never drink the water or trust their medical facilities

It's how you get from there to your home or home hospital that will cost you out of pocket and that is why you need travel insurance

They will send an RN to the foreign hospital who will accompany you home with the needed methods and precautions in place

Plus insurance will pay for your family members hotel so they can stay with you

And the will get you home asap once you are stabilized as they want you home just as much as you want to be back home. Try working this out on your own!!!

You need the insurance company to be your advocate if you are hurt while traveling.

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Medivac is done by US Coast Guard so its taxpayers dollars

 

Not at all sure how it would work if it's a medivac by a foreign govt but one would realistically think there are reciprocal agreements in place

 

Any pax with serious issues is going to be medivac off the ship regardless of ability to pay and will not be bankrupted because of this. This has been posted ad naseum (so) btw

 

Where this differs is when you are brought to that hospital in say Norfolk Virginia and you live in California

 

Or you wind up in Bermuda or the Bahamas or London or Rome etc

 

 

It's how you get from there to your home or home hospital that will cost you out of pocket and that is why you need travel insurance

 

 

They will send an RN to the foreign hospital who will accompany you home with the needed methods and precautions in place

 

Plus insurance will pay for your family members hotel so they can stay with you

 

And the will get you home asap once you are stabilized as they want you home just as much as you want to be back home. Try working this out on your own!!!

 

You need the insurance company to be your advocate if you are hurt while traveling.

 

 

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I believe what is being discussed is medevac from a foreign port via air ambulance and that is where it can get pricey.

Oh, security can get passports out of any safe and get them to the harbor master in situations like this.

I did not check the itinerary, but they might not have been traveling with passports.

I believe what is being discussed is medevac from a foreign port via air ambulance and that is where it can get pricey.

Yes you are correct and that is why I mentioned those scenarios in my above post but the poster I responded to was talking about helicopter medivac that why I went with that scenario

Because that is where medivac is needed but it really needs to be understood that pax are medivac off a ship at no cost Some posters don't know that unfortunately

Imho travel insurance is an absolute requirement

Heck I buy it when flying to Disneyworld

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Obamacare doesn't cover that?

On a cruise to Grand Cayman, did the stingrays and snorkeling... a large moray eel attacked a cruiser and it was vicious. I saw it and still have a picture of the eel. He ended up getting rushed to the hospital and something like 100 stitches on his arm. I think the boat that came and got him was with the operator and not necessarily considered a medevac. I'm not sure how the bill was paid at the hospital. Insurance is a good thing to have. He was in a sling/cast the rest of the cruise. These things do happen.

Obamacare doesn't cover that?

Doesn't kick in until the $350,000 deductible has been met.

Obamacare doesn't cover that?

Nope. And, Trumpcare won't, either... And, pre-Obamacare didn't cover, either.

Medevac off a ship may be gratis if the US Coast Guard is involved. I honestly haven't heard/read that before.

BUT, you will pay many other places. And, you will pay for repatriation via air ambulance...

Shark sightings are getting more prevalent in Southern California lately, also. More closures already around Newport Beach to San Clemente than normal and it's just the start of summer. The sharks have always been around, but it seems they are gathering more frequently closer to shore - warmer waters breed more food for them to feed on, I guess.

Nope. And, Trumpcare won't, either... And, pre-Obamacare didn't cover, either.

 

 

 

Medevac off a ship may be gratis if the US Coast Guard is involved. I honestly haven't heard/read that before.

 

BUT, you will pay many other places. And, you will pay for repatriation via air ambulance...

 

 

 

Shark sightings are getting more prevalent in Southern California lately, also. More closures already around Newport Beach to San Clemente than normal and it's just the start of summer. The sharks have always been around, but it seems they are gathering more frequently closer to shore - warmer waters breed more food for them to feed on, I guess.

Yes just as I posted in my previous post about medivac

Thanks for reiterating it

Oh and that posters comment about the "care" insurance was just bait. No need to bite

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