Dr's visit on the ship for non-emergency

[happy cruzer]

We have only had to go to the Dr's office on the ship once. DH caught a terrible flu with fever. Dr was great and provided meds at a normal price compared to our doctor. Never even filed with my insurance company.

 

Years have passed and now I have a strange question.

 

Can you visit the Dr on a ship for a non'emergency condition like an allergy attack? Will he write a prescription? Would it be good for like a year?

 

the reason I am curious is that my medical insurance does cover me when I travel but it has a really high deductible so typically I end up paying for my doctor's appts./typical office visits with cash/out of pocket even in the US. So I might have to do that on a ship.

 

Thanks in advance.

[cruisead]

Yes, you can go for any medical reason such as seasickness, a sore throat or asthma attack. The charges are quite high for any visit for any reason.

[4275princess]

my sister saw the ship doctor for an allergic reaction she had to hair color. she got enough antibiotics and a cream to last the entire cruise. there was no need to see her doctor after returning home since the problem had cleared up. the total bill was less than $100.

 

i saw a ship doctor because my throat was very sore & thought it might be strep. it wasn't. i got some meds that could have been bought over the counter. i really was more concerned about the throat culture. my bill was less than $75 and it was reimbursed by my bc/bs when i returned home.

[sail7seas]

Do you mean you want the ships' doctor to write you a refillable Rx that you could keep refilling at home month to month for a year? If that is what you mean, I think the answer is No. I seriously doubt that would happen.

 

[blindrid]

They don't do it here so why would they on a ship?

[cb at sea]

I doubt they would "write" an Rx at all--they will just give (sell) you the meds that you need. Where would you fill a prescription????

[eandj]

On one of our cruises, I was given enough antibiotics for the days left on the cruise. I think it was 8. The dr said if I continued to have problems, see my own dr for more when I got home. I don't believe any prescriptions would be written out on the ship.

[cruisead]

The main reason is that doctors on a ship aren't usually American, and don't have medical licenses in the US, so they cannot write prescriptions that are filled in the US. Most of the doctors seem to be from Norway, Sweden and Italy and not the USA.

[happy cruzer]

Hey, thanks everyone. You gave me the info I needed about the prescriptions. I thought that would be the case. That they just distribute what you need till you get home but it doesn't hurt to check.

 

I got lucky just checking a pharmacy in Canada last cruise. It turns out that Allegra is non prescription in Canada even though you still need a prescription for it in the US. So I was able to purchase some allergy relief.

 

Thanks again.

[sail7seas]

The main reason is that doctors on a ship aren't usually American, and don't have medical licenses in the US, so they cannot write prescriptions that are filled in the US. Most of the doctors seem to be from Norway, Sweden and Italy and not the USA.

 

 

Almost all of the doctors on HAL (all that I have met/seen aboard) are either American or Canadian.

[cruisindoggie]

It sounds to me that you are looking for a 1 year script???

[GRBlizz]

Hey, thanks everyone. You gave me the info I needed about the prescriptions. I thought that would be the case. That they just distribute what you need till you get home but it doesn't hurt to check.

 

I got lucky just checking a pharmacy in Canada last cruise. It turns out that Allegra is non prescription in Canada even though you still need a prescription for it in the US. So I was able to purchase some allergy relief.

 

Thanks again.

 

How much do doctors charge in your area for a routine office visit????? If someone who can afford to take 3 cruises in 2007 alone can't afford basic medical care, what do ordinary people in your town do?!

[happy cruzer]

GRB

 

To debate the US health care system, let's go to another board.

 

I'm glad to find work arounds when I can. And appreciate everyone's sharing their experiences.

 

Cheers.

[crayphish]

Hiya, does anyone know what is required or if it's possible to fill a prescription in cozumel? I would love to purchase a year of birth control and a few months of chantix (super for quitting smoking....but 120 a month)? Quitting smoking AND being off chantix will save me plenty enuf for a cruise each year but till I get a few more months under my belt, I need the chantix. :)

 

thanks,

crayphish

[happy cruzer]

When I am going to a port, I check on the port of calls boards to see if anyone knows of a pharmacy near where you will be. I had great luck with the pharmacy in Belize.

 

I think Belize and Mexico are no prescription needed for most meds.

 

You will get some warnings etc, but you will also get straight aswers from folks in your situation.

 

when I was in cozymel there were two pharmacies with alot meds available. Just not the one I was looking for. It is an island so it is more limited than mainland ones.

 

Good luck!

[firefly333]

On Carnival I was told that if you bought insurance thru Carnival the visit to the ships doctor would be free, no charge. Only if you bought insurance thru Carnival.

 

Same with Princess.

 

Just what we were told by someone on the ship.

[werchy]

we were in Ensenada in august for a royal caribbean cruise. We purchased generic ambien from 2 different pharmacies there. We went to 10 different pharmacies in the town and realized ALL of the bottles, pills, labels, etc were identical. We finally decided on buying from 2 of the largest pharmacies, that also had quite a few cruise passengers also buying meds there. Well, BOTH prescriptions were fake. When we returned home, I looked up the medication online, saw what the pills should look like, and realized they looked nothing like that at all. We finally sent the bottles to TEVA pharmacuticals where their lab did testing. They were sugar pills. We were out over $200.00, with absolutely NO recourse. Just be careful.

[sail7seas]

There have been several television investigative report shows done re: counterfeit drugs. Some of them look so good and the packaging is so well done the REAL manufacturers had to do chemical analysis to determine they were, in fact, fake. Most of them have little to none of the active ingredients expected to be in the particular drug.

 

Just not worth it IMO........ Certainly not for critical medications. Or birth control either. :eek:

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

There is no way I would consider byying any kind of medications from Mexico.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Many of the ship doctors charge big fees -- and they want it in cash.

[miami]

On the NCL Dawn 2 years ago, I developed a very itchy rash. The dr wasn't in and I called the # listed. I was told that if I wanted to see the dr it was a $400 minimun.

[cruiseco]

On Carnival I was told that if you bought insurance thru Carnival the visit to the ships doctor would be free, no charge. Only if you bought insurance thru Carnival.

 

Same with Princess.

 

Just what we were told by someone on the ship.

 

Unfortunately, not true.

[MEcruzr]

Happy Cruiser... that's a really good point. Buying your BC pills in Mexico might mean you'll be Happy Momma next year instead. I wouldn't trust pills from Mexico!!!