Medical Facility on Princess Ships

Thanks to Flatbush Flyer for mentioning about the pre-existing conditions and the fine print. I decided to review the information and ended up calling Aon Travel (the company that provides the Princess Insurance.)

I found out there is a lot I didn't know. First, although we indicated that we wanted the insurance when we initially booked the cruise it does not become effective until it is paid for (in this case final payment). So anything that happens in the 60 days before final payment is not covered.

I was also told by the insurance company that since this was a pre-existing condition that they would not pay us back in cash if we canceled (but probably could get the credit for a future cruise) butalso that if she required care on the ship for something gall bladder related they would not cover the cost.

So most likely we will be canceling the cruise and hopefully will get the credit to use for a future cruise. I may be the only one that did not realize when the effective date of the policy is but in the event I am not passing on the information.

Again thanks to all for your help and assistance.

So most likely we will be canceling the cruise and hopefully will get the credit to use for a future cruise. I may be the only one that did not realize when the effective date of the policy is but in the event I am not passing on the information.

I think a lot of people are confused on this. When someone says they pay for insurance upfront, everyone asks why. This is why!

Honestly - with your Mom's age, I would only buy 3rd party insurance. Princess's insurance only covers $10K and $20K. This is nothing in today's world. It is not cheap but it is better to get good coverage.

I would like to offer my experience from my husband heart attack on board our last cruise and what I did to better assist me in keeping track of all the information etc that I became overwhelmed with. I set up folders for the different Medical expenses, correspondences, copies of individual Dr's bills etc plus our Insurance Company payouts, so any future calls from the different companies, I could pull out and refer to. I noted the times, date and person I spoke with. I had never been put in this situation before so a fast learning experience for me. We all hope a loved one doesn't have a medical emergency during our cruise, but being prepared in the event it happens is very important along with having excellent Insurance to help us out when it does happen.

Gay

Thank you all for the information on the medical facility, much, much appreciated. Yes, this is a Panama Canal cruise and yes the issue is gall stones. If it was like her prior situation she would not require surgery but would require fluids, pain medication, and antibiotics.

 

I have looked into regular travel insurance and Med-Vac Assist but the cost is very high because of her age. That is main reason we chose the Princess Insurance because it is the same cost no matter the age. Of course that was prior to her gall bladder attack and even if she wanted to consider it now it likely would be considered a pre-existing condition and not cover her anyway.

 

Her GI Doctor has said there are no easy answers. He said she may never have another attack or she could have one tomorrow. He also encouraged us to go on the cruise so we are now leaning in that direction.

 

Again thanks for all of the information - while much of it backs up what I think I already knew it does confirm some of the information and I learned a few new things.

 

Jill

I don't understand why when she had the attack they didn't remove her gallbladder and be done with it. Even if it was inflamed and needed antibiotics to calm it down for a few days, gallbladder surgery is a day surgery which means it's done in the morning and you go home that night. Eating rich cruise ship food would not be a bet I would want to take. If she has another attack on the ship she would most likely have to be evacuated because although they could treat her pain, they could not be sure she didn't have a common bile duct stone which could be more serious and require a special scope procedure which I am sure they don't do onboard. Just my 2 cents!

I asked about surgery on board and the Doctor said they could do simple stuff. Of course I had to ask what simple meant and she laughed and said sutures, removal of foreign bodies and non compound fractures. She said appendix and gall bladders were out and they made arrangements to move those patients to a land based hospital.

Had a lady who got off a Princess ship that returned one Saturday from an Alaskan cruise in Seattle about 4-5 years ago and was walking very slowly toward a bus in the bus lot. To make a long story short, she told me that they had done an emergency appendectomy on her on the cruise. I guess that for one reason or another they were unable to get her off the ship and had to do it on board. I figured she must have known whether they operated on her or not. Like many things, sometimes emergencies call for changes in normal procedures! But I can understand why they wouldn't want to do them under normal conditions!!

Tom

For the person that was asking about costs -

Costs vary but we paid between $100-$210 for our 4 visits on 4 different cruises for 4 different reasons. Last one was in 2012 so I'm sure they've gone up since then. None of them were that serious - just tests, an immunization and medications. Worth every penny.

For the person that was asking about hospital care in Mexico & Costa Rica - I only have experience in Mexico. That's where I sustained a head injury and we refused treatment there despite the fact that I almost lost consciousness. I preferred to be treated on the ship by a doctor who was up to US standards in a setting I was more familiar with near my comfy cabin.

Costa Rica is supposedly a great place to be in hospital from what I hear - clean, cheap, well-trained doctors with well-equipped facilities.

Unfortunately I had to use the Regal's medical Center a few days ago. They have beds with the equipment to monitor vitals, an x-ray machine and well stocked pharmacy. They may have more but that's all I saw first hand.

 

 

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Took the ultimate ship tour and got to see the rest. The Regal also has an intensive care room, plenty of equipment for cardic issues, and orthopedic supplies to handle anything that breaks. They also have confined space rescue gear should the crew get into trouble.

They have plenty off stuff to keep a patient stable until you get to a port with better services but I'm not sure what a gallstone attack would require.

Not to be noisy - but 'approximately' how much did that visit cost including x-ray and med, etc - and obviously you can ignore - but it might help the forum posters to get an idea of the cost as compared to on land:cool:

I had to have the Regal open up the Medical Center after hours, take an x-ray, and monitor me for about 4 hours while their pain meds took effect. Total cost including a follow-up appointment the next day was must less than I expected, $1720.46.

OK, strap in for a bumpy ride. There is nothing in writing on this matter. First is the doctor: great,OK, so-so, retired from practice, can't get work in the U.S., or unable to work in U.S. but can on foreign flagged ship?

Sunburn, sprained ankle or broken finger no problem. However, if you present yourself with something serious, the "doctor" makes decision if you could POSSIBLY turn sour mid ocean and could require the ship to return port. Any question in doctors mind and your off the ship.

Story from these boards, couple on Mexican cruise, he has cardiac history. On port day he has tightness in chest and stops by medical. Zero tests performed by doctor, but within two hours security packed pax cabin and escorted them off the ship. Husband put in taxi and sent to nearest hospital while wife stood on dock amid luggage watching ship leave. Bottom line, nothing was wrong the husband and they had to arrange their own way home after paying for hospital

I did the UST on the CB last year. First stop was the sick bay where we met the MD on duty (one of 2 on ship) the RN and others. They showed us the 3 fully equipped ER rooms. So imagine what one can get in an ER which does not include surgery of course.

OK, strap in for a bumpy ride. There is nothing in writing on this matter. First is the doctor: great,OK, so-so, retired from practice, can't get work in the U.S., or unable to work in U.S. but can on foreign flagged ship

 

Why does the doctor have to be from the US.

Just off the Golden today.

We had to go to the MC and were advised that the X-ray equipment was out of service.

So just cos they say they have it ...............

OK, strap in for a bumpy ride. There is nothing in writing on this matter. First is the doctor: great,OK, so-so, retired from practice, can't get work in the U.S., or unable to work in U.S. but can on foreign flagged ship

Why does the doctor have to be from the US.

You do NOT want a doctor from the USA. Back in the days when ships staffed their medical centers with an endless rotation of short-term vacationing medical personnel in exchange for several free cabins for their families, my mother (office manager of a surgical practice) was acquainted with both a physician and a RN who did so regularly. There were very far removed from caring for casualty/trauma patients and really didn't care how unprepared they were for actual emergencies, complaining endlessly each time they returned home. If you would have presented with nothing more than a case of noisy gastritis you would likely be medically disembarked rather than just told to take an antacid and eat lighter--that's how little they wished to deal with patients.

You do NOT want a doctor from the USA. Back in the days when ships staffed their medical centers with an endless rotation of short-term vacationing medical personnel in exchange for several free cabins for their families, my mother (office manager of a surgical practice) was acquainted with both a physician and a RN who did so regularly. There were very far removed from caring for casualty/trauma patients and really didn't care how unprepared they were for actual emergencies, complaining endlessly each time they returned home. If you would have presented with nothing more than a case of noisy gastritis you would likely be medically disembarked rather than just told to take an antacid and eat lighter--that's how little they wished to deal with patients.

There are bad apples in every group. I suspect that such medical personnel are the very small minority in any country and would seriously doubt that they are representative of any medical personnel found on any cruise ship (or anywhere else for that matter) regardless of nationality. Extension of your rationale would preclude treatment by any US medical personnel anywhere!

Tom

I don't understand why when she had the attack they didn't remove her gallbladder and be done with it. Even if it was inflamed and needed antibiotics to calm it down for a few days, gallbladder surgery is a day surgery which means it's done in the morning and you go home that night. Eating rich cruise ship food would not be a bet I would want to take. If she has another attack on the ship she would most likely have to be evacuated because although they could treat her pain, they could not be sure she didn't have a common bile duct stone which could be more serious and require a special scope procedure which I am sure they don't do onboard. Just my 2 cents!

From what I read, it's her age. At some point, what would be simple and routine for younger people becomes much more risky. Just the anesthesia can be a problem.

Extension of your rationale would preclude treatment by any US medical personnel anywhere!

My point was simply that doctors and nurses from the USA who are many years' removed from their emergency medicine residencies generally lack the stamina and motivation to meet the demands of working on a cruise ship. In the same way that housekeepers, bar waiters, galley staff, skilled maintenance crew, and many other positions onboard cannot be filled by US workers so unused to the unique requirements--make that "hard work"--of a cruise ship position.

you do realize that because these ships are flagged in other countries, that they do NOT have to abide by the USA minimum wage, overtime and hours worked per week, correct? hard work - totally agree from what we have seen - long hours everyday, with no 'days' off, only some hours?

and from what I understand - the 'doctors' are mainly OD's and not MD's