dwillyrice Posted July 6 #1 Share Posted July 6 Hi fellow cruisers, I'll be on the Volendam later this year and hear they do not have mini-fridges in the cabins. Does anyone have any insight into how I can store my insulin on this ship? Perhaps see if the medical center can store it or buy a cold pack, thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare POA1 Posted July 6 #2 Share Posted July 6 The suites have mini fridges. Ocean view and interior do not. You can rent a fridge for about two dollars a day or store your insulin in the infirmary. The latter may not work with your schedule though. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Mary229 Posted July 6 #3 Share Posted July 6 You can store in the medical center. From what I hear you should never store in the mini fridge as it doesn’t get to the correct temperature . go here and fill out a special needs form https://book.hollandamerica.com/specialServices/login.action 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cccole Posted July 6 #4 Share Posted July 6 Have you thought about a portable insulin cooler? I'm sure the medical center would be great but, as indicated in post #2, if they are not open 24/7 and the temp of the mini frig is not adequate...maybe a portable insulin cooler would give you peace of mind. Cherie 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hhalliv Posted July 6 #5 Share Posted July 6 I’m on the Volendam July 20th and need to similarly store refrigerated medication. I also filled out the special needs form, and basically was told to contact the medical center once onboard. I’ll report back with my experience if helpful! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hhalliv Posted July 6 #6 Share Posted July 6 I found the e-mail I received after submitting the special needs request: Fridge Access: Some stateroom types have mini-bar coolers; however, it is important to know these coolers are not intended for cooling medication and are not cold enough to keep medication fresh. Guests who need to keep medication refrigerated should contact our Medical Center for storage. The Medical Centers on the ships are typically open 8:00am-Noonand 2:00pm–6:00pm each day. Guests may pick up and drop off their medicines during those hours or call the front office to page medical staff if it is an emergency. Please note, our Stateroom Stewards are not allowed to handle or store medication for guests. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cccole Posted July 6 #7 Share Posted July 6 I have friends who always travel with insulin. If they need it, they need it. They cannot be dependent on a facility with limited hours. hhalliv, what are you planning to do to store insulin for your use when the Medical Center is closed? Will an ice bucket be sufficient? I would definitely not want to depend on the Front Office to page medical staff if it is an emergency. By the time all that happens...well... I'm sure there are members of this forum who can comment from personal experience. This cannot be the first thread on emergency meds for passengers that need refrigeration. Personally, if I was cruising with someone who needs insulin or another emergency medication I would pay the $139 for a portable cooler. JMO. Cherie 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hhalliv Posted July 6 #8 Share Posted July 6 I use an insulin pump, so I have the ability to plan a bit ahead on when I’ll need the actual vials, just to refill my pump, so it’s not quite as inconvenient as those who might still be doing daily (or several times daily) injections. With that said, putting the vials in a plastic bag and storing them in the ice bucket would probably be fine as well, and something I was considering. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftygrandma Posted July 6 #9 Share Posted July 6 I purchased a mini fridge from Amazon that weighs only a couple of pounds. It takes up minimal space on the desk. I used it on the grand and it worked great. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackduck59 Posted July 6 #10 Share Posted July 6 My wife stored her insulin in the mini fridge in the suite, she had no issues. We are in the middle of planning a very long overseas adventure and she bought a a Travel medication cooler. It looks like a thermal stainless steel water bottle but has a small cooling unit for a lid. It will run from a regular outlet or a USB port. Hopefully you find something to suit your needs. 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruise NH Posted July 6 #11 Share Posted July 6 3 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said: My wife stored her insulin in the mini fridge in the suite, she had no issues. We are in the middle of planning a very long overseas adventure and she bought a a Travel medication cooler. It looks like a thermal stainless steel water bottle but has a small cooling unit for a lid. It will run from a regular outlet or a USB port. Hopefully you find something to suit your needs. Could you or craftygrandma provide a link on amazon? We'll be dealing with a similar issue on this year's world. thanks. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackduck59 Posted July 6 #12 Share Posted July 6 3 minutes ago, Cruise NH said: Could you or craftygrandma provide a link on amazon? We'll be dealing with a similar issue on this year's world. thanks. Just search Insulin Travel Cooler on Amazon. My wife went with the 4allfamily brand. There are other choices. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cccole Posted July 6 #13 Share Posted July 6 1 minute ago, Blackduck59 said: Just search Insulin Travel Cooler on Amazon. My wife went with the 4allfamily brand. There are other choices. You can also go directly to the 4allfamily.com. I like to buy directly from the company. But, if you have Amazon Prime there is no shipping fee. Cherie 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon in AZ Posted July 7 #14 Share Posted July 7 (edited) I purchased one of the 4allfamily pen injection cooler on Amazon for my pen injection to take one pen on our last cruise but only to use while traveling to the ship. Once in our cabin I stored it in the mini fridge (this was the Koningsdam). I think if I was sailing on a ship without a fridge I’d rent one just for peace of mind and convenience. Edited July 7 by Sharon in AZ 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackduck59 Posted July 7 #15 Share Posted July 7 We are booked in a veranda cabin on Westerdam for 43 days next year. I'm pretty sure veranda cabins have fridges like the suites do. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Catlover54 Posted July 7 #16 Share Posted July 7 (edited) Depending on the kind of insulin you have, note that some insulins don't even need to be stored in the fridge anymore, and are just as effective at room temperature after several weeks (though the pharmacy always stores it refrigerated and that's what patients are told to do and are thus mostly in the habit of doing). Knowing this could provide some peace of mind as a backup, if there is a short-term problem with refrigeration. Here is a useful guide so you can check on your type of insulin. Note the chart which shows efficacy, comparing fridge vs room temperature, can be roughly the same for several insulins. https://www.goodrx.com/conditions/diabetes/how-long-can-insulin-be-out-the-fridge Edited July 7 by Catlover54 Clarity 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crystalspin Posted July 7 #17 Share Posted July 7 2 hours ago, Blackduck59 said: We are booked in a veranda cabin on Westerdam for 43 days next year. I'm pretty sure veranda cabins have fridges like the suites do. All of the cabins on the Vista Class ships have "fridges" but they are not actually refrigerators, they are coolers. (I forget the name for the type, but they cool X-number of degrees cooler than ambient temp. Perfect for white wine, maybe not so for medications.) Only the Volendam and Zaandam have cabins without coolers -- only cabins with balconies have coolers -- Insides and OVs do not. On those ships. They can be rented for a nominal fee, though; arrange ahead of time. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riversedge Posted July 7 #18 Share Posted July 7 I’ve been storing my insulin pens in the mini fridges for 15 years and never had a problem. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilvertoGold Posted July 7 #19 Share Posted July 7 12 hours ago, Blackduck59 said: We are booked in a veranda cabin on Westerdam for 43 days next year. I'm pretty sure veranda cabins have fridges like the suites do. I hope you will do a Blog again. Your last one was a great read. BTW: How is the weather over there. Here on the mainland by the ocean the breeze is very good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare terrydtx Posted July 7 #20 Share Posted July 7 A friend uses this rechargeable insulin cooler when she travels. She got it on Amazon 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutchman48 Posted July 7 #21 Share Posted July 7 22 hours ago, Mary229 said: You can store in the medical center. From what I hear you should never store in the mini fridge as it doesn’t get to the correct temperature . go here and fill out a special needs form https://book.hollandamerica.com/specialServices/login.action Never had an issue with mini fridge not being in the acceptable range for our meds Did check the temperature every few days on some of our early cruises but stopped a few years back. We do store meds at the medical center on longer cruises and only keep the currant weeks med in our room. Since the medical center is not always open for non-emergencies you just need to coordinate when you pick up your meds. As @Mary229 suggested I would fill out the special needs form. Since my wife and I request a sharps container pre-cruise they usually ask us to complete the form. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruise NH Posted July 7 #22 Share Posted July 7 3 hours ago, terrydtx said: A friend uses this rechargeable insulin cooler when she travels. She got it on Amazon Thanks I'll take a look at it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isosika Posted July 8 #23 Share Posted July 8 Does anyone know if the Westerdam has a refrigerator in all cabins? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alberta Quilter Posted July 8 #24 Share Posted July 8 22 minutes ago, isosika said: Does anyone know if the Westerdam has a refrigerator in all cabins? Yes, Westerdam has fridges in all cabins. It is only the R class ships (Volendam & Zaandam) that do not have fridges in the inside/OV rooms. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare terrydtx Posted July 8 #25 Share Posted July 8 (edited) 12 minutes ago, Alberta Quilter said: Yes, Westerdam has fridges in all cabins. It is only the R class ships (Volendam & Zaandam) that do not have fridges in the inside/OV rooms. We had one on the Noordam and Oosterdam, but they were more of a cooler than a refrigerator, they kept the cans of soda cool but not really cold. Better for keeping our wine at a proper temperature. Edited July 8 by terrydtx 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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