Nebulizers on board?

[Chinprin]

We'll be sailing on the jewel in October. My boys don't need a nebulizer on a regular basis, only when they get sick and have a cough. Just wondering if we should bring ours just incase, or if we should just bring our masks/tubes and albuterol if they have nebulizers for rent from the medical center. Anyone have any experience with this?

[jbscoggins]

I'm sure they have a nebulizer on board, but it would involve a trip to the infirmary. The best thing would be to ask your pediatrician for an albuterol MDI with a mask and spacer and have someone show you how to give it to a child (which is a bit different than for an adult). It's pretty easy to do, packs more easily, and works as well or better. It's all I prescribe for my patients any more.

[Chinprin]

Great, thanks for the advice...I'll definitely ask about that

[garycarla]

Medical center onboard is very basic. I would not trust them to have anything. (not meant to come across as harsh...sorry)

[Guindalf]

Medical center onboard is very basic. I would not trust them to have anything. (not meant to come across as harsh...sorry)

 

Actually, it's a fully stocked operating room and very advanced! You would be surprised at what they DO have in there.

 

We had a medical emergency on the Majesty in November 2007, where we had to rescue someone from a sailing vessel in 30 foot waves. The Majesty had to respond for that very reason - and that's a ship that has been sold on as it was the oldest in the fleet at the time (it's also the one that got hit by a wave in the Med after the new owners bought it and two people died).

[mia10010]

They have nebulizers in the medical center, but your child would have to be seen by the doctor first, which involves a large fee. Even if you have travel insurance you need to pay the doctor up front, and then get reimbursed by your insurance.

 

My son has very bad asthma, and I used to always bring his nebulizer with me. He has recently only been using the mask/pump which the other poster mentioned, and has been fine.

 

Have a great cruise!!

[Chinprin]

Medical center onboard is very basic. I would not trust them to have anything. (not meant to come across as harsh...sorry)

 

I can't speak for the medical centers on ncl because I've never used them, but my dad (who was only 57) died very suddenly in 2007 on board a princess cruise, so we spent a lot of time in the medical center and with the medical staff and I can attest to the fact that they do in fact have all the life sustaining equipment they need and a very state-of- the -art center. I was honestly very impressed with their medical facility, despite the fact they couldn't save my dad...not their fault..they were to him within minutes of our 911 call, with a full crash cart and worked on him for close to 45 minutes, but he was gone instantly.

So, although I believe the ship will have a nebulizer, i guess we would just be better off bringing our own.

[Natmar]

We always brought our own with us - our sons doctor wrote us a script for a small compact handheld nebulizer machine to take with us when we traveled.

[willysgrandma]

I also vote for bringing your own because you are going to be charged for going to the Dr. if you need one and it isn't cheap to see the Dr.

 

Make sure you have purchased travel insurance too if there is the possibility the kids could get sick before they leave or while on the cruise.

[dseeman]

I can't speak for the medical centers on ncl because I've never used them, but my dad (who was only 57) died very suddenly in 2007 on board a princess cruise, so we spent a lot of time in the medical center and with the medical staff and I can attest to the fact that they do in fact have all the life sustaining equipment they need and a very state-of- the -art center. I was honestly very impressed with their medical facility, despite the fact they couldn't save my dad...not their fault..they were to him within minutes of our 911 call, with a full crash cart and worked on him for close to 45 minutes, but he was gone instantly.

So, although I believe the ship will have a nebulizer, i guess we would just be better off bringing our own.

 

oh my goodness...what a horrible thing to have happen to your family and in such a traumatic way! Hope you have all found a way to find joy in cruising/life after that :(

[Chinprin]

oh my goodness...what a horrible thing to have happen to your family and in such a traumatic way! Hope you have all found a way to find joy in cruising/life after that :(

 

Thank you! This will be the 1st cruise for my husband and I since that cruise. My mom and sister aren't ready to do a cruise yet, but I really miss cruising...we used to go Atleast once a year, if not more, as a family. I'm sure there will be a few hard moments on my first cruise back, but I'm hoping to make lots of happy memories with my 3 year old twins!