Tamaflu availability on ship

Wondering is the ship infirmary has Tamaflu available for those passengers who may come down with the flu during their trip?

I am not sure if they have it. Every year I get the flu shot and then have my doc give me a prescription for Tamiflu so that if I get sick with the flu I can start it right away. The best results using Tamiflu are if you start it as soon as possible. Just took some with me on the Crown and the Regal and thankfully did not need it.

Wondering is the ship infirmary has Tamaflu available for those passengers who may come down with the flu during their trip?

It was very much available on Ruby Princess. I did the Ship Tour and asked that question. She (the head nurse) said that they had it. She always makes sure that a nice supply and orders more with each order she makes.

I would not count that they have it on board since the flu has been very high right now. They may have run out by the time you need it.

You might want to get a script before you leave just in case.

You might want to get a script before you leave just in case.

Second getting the script filled and bring the meds with you, just in case. Depending on your medical history, packing a z-pak antibiotic doesn't hurt either.

Always bring any doctor presdribed medicines with you. Even bring a few extra doses just in case. I aiways bring OTC meds that might be needed also.

Hi-

I think the CDC controls the distribution of tamiflu in case of a pandemic. So I would doubt it would be on board a cruise ship. I just had the flu earlier this month and was tamiflu. I still had a fever for 6 days and was not well enough to around others for 10 days. If you come down with the current strain of H3N2, I think the best course of action would be to medivac you from the ship.

-Paul

Hi-

 

I think the CDC controls the distribution of tamiflu in case of a pandemic. So I would doubt it would be on board a cruise ship. I just had the flu earlier this month and was tamiflu. I still had a fever for 6 days and was not well enough to around others for 10 days. If you come down with the current strain of H3N2, I think the best course of action would be to medivac you from the ship.

 

-Paul

See post #3 about the current availability of tamiflu on the Ruby Princess. Just like that poster we took the ultimate Ship Tour (back when it was a very new offering) on the Emerald Princess in 2009. That was the year of a swine flu pandemic and the doctor escorting us through the medical center specifically said they were well stocked with tamiflu (I think she told us how many doses but that number is lost in my memory; I do remember thinking wow, that's a lot!). Don't forget that in addition to thousands of passengers, the medical center provides services to the entire crew.

We were also on a Valparaiso to Rio de Janiero cruise last winter when fewer than 20 passengers came down with the flu. I know that because we met one of their spouses during the cruise and I was sitting in the medical center (for another reason) during disembarkation when the Brazilian medical authorities required that the most recent 10 (or so) cases come to the med unit to be cleared for disembarkation (in the meantime no one else was allowed to disembark). The spouse we met, plus some spouses I met in the med unit and staff in the med unit said that all the cases were doing better after doses of tamiflu. The sick passengers were all cleared in about 30 - 60 minutes.

Tamiflu is available on the Ruby. Cost is $119.90 for ten. The medical visit is another $95. Plus the cost of a ruined vacation and being placed in (voluntary) quarantine.

Wondering is the ship infirmary has Tamaflu available for those passengers who may come down with the flu during their trip?

Check out this review of the UST: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2589576 when they get to the infirmary.

Short answer is: yes.

Three years ago passengers on the Sun Princess were being hospitalised with the flu.

I developed a sore throat and went down to the medical centre that day. I was given Tamaflu after a consultation with the Doctor.

While a didn't feel 100 percent afterwards it was still better than coming down with the flu. Think a mild cold for the next few days.

Tamiflu was prescribed & given to my husband on the Crown Princess this past September when there was a large outbreak of some kind of nasty flu brought on board from Australia. The doctor even quarantined him to the cabin for 2 days.(According to the ships doctor.)

Off the Island 19 day Christmas/ New Years cruise and they were prescribing it and distributed it like candy ... MANY coughers and sick people on that cruise 😷🤧🤒

All 3 of us came down with the flu on our last day of our Christmas cruise. We confined ourselves to our cabin after breakfast at the IC. Never occurred to me to go to the Medical Center and get Tamiflu. Live and learn! If certainly would have been better than the l-o-n-g recovery we all suffered through.

The princess ships 100% have Tamiflu available, but don’t expect to be able to get it with out a diagnosis from one of the ships Doctors.

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Second getting the script filled and bring the meds with you, just in case. Depending on your medical history, packing a z-pak antibiotic doesn't hurt either.

Tamiflu is an antiviral. It does not kill the virus, just stops further spreading across the body.

Antibiotics are useless on viruses.

Tamiflu is an antiviral. It does not kill the virus, just stops further spreading across the body.

 

Antibiotics are useless on viruses.

But so useful for upper respiratory tract secondary bacterial infections which can often follow a virus.

I always bring a Z pak on any cruise for each of us. And some ciprofloxacin. And phenylephrine decongestant. And loperamide. And clotrimazole, antibacterial and hydrocortisone cream. Be prepared to self medicate.

According to the roll call thread after our cruise on the Caribbean Princess last August, the ship's infirmary had to ration its supply of Tamiflu on that cruise. I came down with the flu two days after getting home. Fortunately I went to my doctor right away, and the Tamiflu was a miracle drug for me--knocking out most of my symptoms other than my cough. DH did not get a confirmed diagnosis of the flu, but our doctor gave him a prescription for the Tamiflu as well.

The princess ships 100% have Tamiflu available, but don’t expect to be able to get it with out a diagnosis from one of the ships Doctors.

 

 

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Well, of course! Who would not expect otherwise? Tamiflu is not an OTC medication!

I always get a rx from my dr for antibiotics and tamiful when traveling.... esp. when flying.

Being a nurse I pack a emergency kit with otc stuff

Better to be safe than sorry.

Wonder if one gets sick on the ship and order to stay in their cabins if that is covered under travel insurance??

Wash your hands

Hubby is a physician and we bring a mini pharmacy kit with OTC and prescription meds for any emergencies hoping to avoid any trips to the ship medical. The flu has been horrible this year.

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When we are on Australian cruise, my husband had the flu on Princess and they gave him Tamiflu. It eased his symptoms a lot. I will be wearing gloves this week on our princess cruise when we pick up tongs in buffet.

But so useful for upper respiratory tract secondary bacterial infections which can often follow a virus.

 

I always bring a Z pak on any cruise for each of us. And some ciprofloxacin. And phenylephrine decongestant. And loperamide. And clotrimazole, antibacterial and hydrocortisone cream. Be prepared to self medicate.

Smart...we do the same.

Just off Grand Princess last week.

Quite a few passengers came down with the flu.

Friends we met on the ship saw DR and he was diagnosed with flu and given Tamiflu and so was wife who didnt have symptoms.

He was quarantined in his cabin until his fever went away. DW was not which we all thought was strange as she could easily have been a carrier.

Hi-

 

I think the CDC controls the distribution of tamiflu in case of a pandemic. So I would doubt it would be on board a cruise ship. I just had the flu earlier this month and was tamiflu. I still had a fever for 6 days and was not well enough to around others for 10 days. If you come down with the current strain of H3N2, I think the best course of action would be to medivac you from the ship.

 

-Paul

You are probably right except I do not know if they have the capability to do testing on the ship to identify the strain you have. Many pharmacies have a shortage of Tamiflu now so I would not bank on it being available at sea. You need to take Tamiflu within 72 hrs of symptoms, it is not a cure nor is it effective on all strains. It can reduce severity if taken in a timely manner. Most docs are very reluctant to write scripts prophylactically for Tamiflu or antibiotics. People can build up resistance to where the drugs are no longer effective. That is how Superbugs develop. Best to do a lot of hand washing & avoid the buffet!

My wife had the flu on Regal a couple of years ago. They can tell if it’s A or B.

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