The Diamond Princess Hospital Ship

[Princess Chatterer]

Cruised the Diamond Princess (hospital ship) last week on the Mexican Riviera route. First an unscheduled medical stop at Cabo to send a guy on a stretcher to shore in the tender. Then as we sailed to P.V. an urgent ship wide call was made for passenger blood donations. Then three that were sick left the ship when we docked. Finally after leaving our scheduled stop at Cabo to return to LA there was yet another urgent call for passenger blood donations. Shortly after that, still a long way south of San Diego, the Coast Guard was summoned for a helicopter medical evacuation. Everyone was restricted to the inside of the ship and off of veranda's during the helicopter evacuation. Oh yes, I forgot to mention that on the way to DFW to get to LA for the cruise on American there was an in flight heart attack.

 

So many leaving the ship for medical reasons was a real cruise surprise, especially when one was evacuated via Coast Guard helicopter. This has never happened, to our knowledge, during our last seven Princess cruises..

[AZPam]

Did you ever hear why the call for blood?

[trip42]

Okay not sure why the blood donation was called for but acording to CNN a woman and her husband were taken to the hospital due to early labor pains.

But havent been able to find any updates. I believe the site reported that she was 9 weeks before her due date.

 

Sorry cant help with the rest:o

[cynbar]

We were on the Diamond the week of 1/22 , and we also stopped at Cabo on Monday for an ill passenger to be taken off. We later heard that she was a young mother, cruising with her husband and toddler daughter, and she developed appendicitis. We heard this from the husband -- he got off the ship with her, she had an appendectomy in Cabo and then flew home to LA. He reboarded the Diamond on Thursday with his little girl, and the two of them completed the cruise! This really does seem to be a hospital ship.

[wrkfire911]

Cruised the Diamond Princess (hospital ship) last week on the Mexican Riviera route. First an unscheduled medical stop at Cabo to send a guy on a stretcher to shore in the tender. Then as we sailed to P.V. an urgent ship wide call was made for passenger blood donations. Then three that were sick left the ship when we docked. Finally after leaving our scheduled stop at Cabo to return to LA there was yet another urgent call for passenger blood donations. Shortly after that, still a long way south of San Diego, the Coast Guard was summoned for a helicopter medical evacuation. Everyone was restricted to the inside of the ship and off of veranda's during the helicopter evacuation.

 

So many leaving the ship for medical reasons was a real cruise surprise, especially when one was evacuated via Coast Guard helicopter. This has never happened, to our knowledge, during our last seven Princess cruises..

 

someone sounds a little ungreatful or disgusted or vacation interrupted? or am I reading this wrong? you should be thankful that you yourself didnt get sick! One day, that emergency helicopter may be for You...and for that you should appreciate those in the positions to make that happen. Ships have doctors and medical protocols in place in order to treat everything from minor illnesses or injuries to Death. Your KEY words were "to our knowledge"..many times other passengers aren't aware of issues when they have happened. I have been on a ship that had to turn around and GO BACK to another port (in Alaska where the closest hospital was) to meet the Coast Guard for an emergency medivac off the ship(man was having a heart attack). Did it put me out on my vacation? NO we made up the time and didnt miss a minute of our trip. I've seen a ship delay leaving port for a passenger that was injured on a shore excursion & on the same trip an ambulance met the ship when arriving in the same port for a different problem. I even watched a Hurse pull up to a ship when returning from our caribean cruise just last year. I happen to know from our fellow passengers that befriended the Pastor on the ship that the elderly gentleman took sick and spent 3 days in the infirmary until he passed almost 2 days prior to our return. Yes, ships have a morgue. I felt very sorry for that gentlemans wife who was traveling alone with her husband.

 

I'm fortunate that none of these things have ever happened to me nor any of my family members while cruising. One should be THANKFUL that such emergency services exist on these floating "cities" at sea. I'm sure these people didn't plan on their vacations being ruined by illness or injury or even death.

 

THANKS to anyone involved in the emergency services for DOING WHAT YOU DO !! (you guessed it, read my screen name) I for one know first hand that they are often thankless jobs :)

[Chris I]

someone sounds a little ungreatful or disgusted or vacation interrupted? or am I reading this wrong?

 

 

I think you're reading it wrong. The person just posted some facts. No griping or complaining that I could detect. Maybe a little bewilderment.

[Colo Cruiser]

Why the confrontational attitude????

[wrkfire911]

In another thread humboldt74 posted a link to a pic of his daughters on the balcony with the medivac in the background. On this thread wokie responds with

"The captain strongly ordered everyone to not go onto their balconies during the helicopter evacuation. Twice. He sounded very serious. I guess some passengers didn't obey his orders" and he adds " I'm sure Princess doesnt want your picture to appear in CC"

 

I read that thread,then another by humboldt74 which discussed the complaining passengers aboard this same cruise where others on the ship were in agreement with hearing the same negative comments all over the ship.

Then I read this thread.

To me, it reads negative especially with the other postings.

[cynbar]

Does anyone have any more info about how the evacuated passengers are doing??

[smudge's mom]

he got off the ship with her, she had an appendectomy in Cabo and then flew home to LA. He reboarded the Diamond on Thursday with his little girl, and the two of them completed the cruise! This really does seem to be a hospital ship.

Whether or not the wife suggested he complete the cruise - he made a poor choice in doing so. I'm betting he's going to pay for it - when she gets mad at him for other things. :D

[smudge's mom]

On our January 2005 Mexican Riviera Celebrity cruise, we also had three medical emergencies requiring turning back - I don't think we had a helicopter pad on the Mercury. Fortunately for us (if I can look at this selfishly) - we did not have any itinerary changes because of these incidents.

 

I think the higher incidents of medical emergencies may have something to do with the longer the cruise, the older the pax mix.

[rucruizin]

Some friends of ours were on that Diamond cruise it was their first cruise. Cori told me that a man had a an uncontrolable nose bleed and that's why the urgent call for blood donation. She said he got off the ship in Cabo but rejoined at the next port. When the same thing occured the call went out again for blood donors, the man was bleeding to death and they had no choice but to send for the Medivac chopper.

 

Poor guy, I've never thought about anything horrible like that happening to me, or anyone for that matter while on the ship. I worry more about breaking a leg, having the flu, infected tooth, nothing ever that life threatening.

 

One time in San Juan they wouldn't let anyone off the ship, it was real hush, hush and people were starting to get mad and pushy. Finally we were told that they had to take a body off before they would let any of the passengers off. People were complaing about how this was interfeing with their cruise and whining in general about having to wait. I said, "you think your cruise is ruined, think how the poor woman who's husband just died feels."

[cjh]

In February someone on the Star Princess got off in San Juan and was taken by rescue squad.

[azipod]

Some friends of ours were on that Diamond cruise it was their first cruise. Cori told me that a man had a an uncontrolable nose bleed and that's why the urgent call for blood donation. She said he got off the ship in Cabo but rejoined at the next port. When the same thing occured the call went out again for blood donors, the man was bleeding to death and they had no choice but to send for the Medivac chopper.

 

 

I was on that sailing, and I distinctly recall that the two calls for blood donors were for two different types of blood. Now I am not a medical person but it sounds to me that they either made a mistake the first time in determining blood type or the calls were for two separate individuals. Either way, a very bad situation, I hope everyone is doing well.

[star gazer]

I think the higher incidents of medical emergencies may have something to do with the longer the cruise, the older the pax mix.

 

About a year ago in PV on the Diamond, passengers from another line were commenting about their experience.

Their ship had several passengers expire before reaching the first port. The cruise had left FL going through the canal and consisted mainly of senior citizens.

[CRUISER94044]

Hi, I was also on the Diamond. A member of the cruise staff said the call f or blood donations was for two different individuals... and it was for two different blood types.

[JimC]

We were on the Diamond the week of 1/22 , and we also stopped at Cabo on Monday for an ill passenger to be taken off. We later heard that she was a young mother, cruising with her husband and toddler daughter, and she developed appendicitis. We heard this from the husband -- he got off the ship with her, she had an appendectomy in Cabo and then flew home to LA. He reboarded the Diamond on Thursday with his little girl, and the two of them completed the cruise! This really does seem to be a hospital ship.

 

I think I'd rather die first than have an appendectomy in Cabo. That had to be one of the most disgusting ports we've ever visited.

[elliair]

We were on the 1/22/05 Diamond cruise and experienced the Cabo stop. No big deal!! When people get sick, the cruise lines cover all basis, and if I were to get sick, I trust in the medical staff fully. People who whine about being "inconvenienced," should show some compassion for those who are truly suffering. The reality is, people who have fallen ill need the attention more than I do. Therefore, I donate my cabin steward, waiters, etc. to care for the fallen, I can fully take care of myself.

[elliair]

I think I'd rather die first than have an appendectomy in Cabo. That had to be one of the most disgusting ports we've ever visited.

 

My daughter got married in Cabo, and we stayed there several days at the Shearton resort. On the cruise ship, you are only there for a few hours, and you did not even begin to see the beauty of the areas and what it has to offer. I have cruised the Mexican Riveria many times, and out of all the ports, Cabo is the most beautiful, but sadly, the least amount of time spent for cruise passengers to explore. Would I go back to Cabo someday without being on a cruise ship? Yep.

[star gazer]

I think I'd rather die first than have an appendectomy in Cabo. That had to be one of the most disgusting ports we've ever visited.[/quote

 

What was disgusting about Cabo?

[cynbar]

I think if you need an emergency appendectomy, you don't have a lot of choice --- Cabo probably looked pretty good to that woman at that point!! I agree with ellair that stopping at Cabo was not an inconvenience at all, but we assumed (like a lot of other passengers) that it must be an elderly person with the medical problem, but that wasn't the case. It really could happen to any of us on any cruise--

[Coral]

In Alaska last year, after visiting College Fiords we had a helicopter evacuation also. We were told to stay away from the aft top decks and had a very stern warning to "not take pictures" from the Captain. He did handle the situation very well. He came on the intercom and said that "we had a medical emergency, that a helicopter is going to come and lift 3 people up in 20 minutes and to stay away from certain areas of the ship". When the evacuation was done he came back on the intercom and said that it was successfully done.

 

This past December, we also had a call for blood on the Star Princess. On the day we were supposed to stop at San Juan at 4 pm, I was on deck at 2 pm and I could see San Juan. I asked someone why we were getting there early and was told medical emergency.

[JimC]

I think I'd rather die first than have an appendectomy in Cabo. That had to be one of the most disgusting ports we've ever visited.[/quote

 

What was disgusting about Cabo?

 

Unfortunately, as a cruise ship passenger, you don't get to go out to the areas where the fancy hotels and condos are. The town itself is absolutely filthy.

[azipod]

 

Unfortunately, as a cruise ship passenger, you don't get to go out to the areas where the fancy hotels and condos are. The town itself is absolutely filthy.

 

 

JimC, Are we talking about the same Cabo San Lucas? The one with a well developed marina that had a number of restaurants and shops? Pretty clean downtown area (relatively speaking, at least cleaner than many parts of Sacrameto)? Or are you confusing this little sleepy fishing village with another port? And if not, what is your definition of "filth"? I'm not trying to be confrontational or anything but..... I thought Cabo was really nice, especially as far as Mexico goes. Please elaborate. :)

[BCHappyGal]

I have been on several cruises that have had medical emergencies & each time am only thankful that the medical staff can help the ones in need. Selfishly I am glad it is not one of my family members! WE have turned around and gone back to ports - had helicopters come to airlift those off. Some Captains are very good about keeping the passengers informed and others are not. For privacy reasons they cannot tell us what is wrong witht he person or who it is. They can tell us whether or not that person is OK later on which is always appreciated by the passengers who are praying for their unknown fellow guest.

The reason we were not allowed to take flash photos of the helicopter evacuation was the flash could blind the pilot - we werre invited to take videos and to watch from the comfort of the Constellation Lounge. WE could also watch by turning on our TV's to the channel showing the photos from the "Bridge Cam".

Believe me NO ONE gets sick on a cruise on purpose so for those complainers & grumblers out there where is your compassion???

Remember the shoe might be on the other foot someday.