First time cruiser-probably silly question

[Paja]

Hello!

We have never been on a cruise before, and with it just over a week away, we are getting very excited. :D :D :D We will be on the Volendam and I am wondering if you can buy drug store kinds of things on board. For example, antacids, allergy pills, that kind of thing? I don't want to take a whole bunch of "just in case" things if I don't have to. These boards have been so helpful in answering most of my questions, but the search feature doesn't seem to work. Thanks very much!

[cruisinjudy]

They do have a variety of those items, but it is limited. As far as antacids they only had rolls of Tums. They did have aspirin and toothpaste. Don't remember seeing allergy tablets. Maybe someone has a better list. It seems best not to count on them having something you may need.

[Copper10-8]

First of all, there's no such thing as a silly question; only silly answers;) Like Judy wrote, they have/sell the basics onboard each HAL ship, usually in the store that sells the liquor. Each HAL ship will have one of those and stuff like toothpaste, mouthwash, aspirin, etc. If you are looking for something specific, better buy it at home and take it with you! Enjoy your first cruise and Volendam; She's a beaut and it's a great experience! :)

[cruz chic]

I get heartburn about once every five years so I don't bring antacids. I couldn't even get tums in the store. I had to go to the infirmary:mad:

[sail7seas]

I usually bring at least a minimal supply of those sort of items with us. We have our favorite brands etc and the selection is VERY small. I would think in terms of they probably won't have it so come prepared.

 

 

 

[Paja]

Your answers have really helped. I will take things I think we might need. Thank you all!

[sail7seas]

Hope you have a great cruise, Paja.

 

Volendam is a beautiful ship.

 

[MercedMike]

There are basic items in the boutique. However, over 30+ cruises, we have accumulated an emergency kit which we always carry. It has stuff like eyeglass repair and emergency dental patch, as well as the usual sewing kit and pills and so on.

 

An important note: They DO NOT sell immodium in the boutique.

 

Have a GREAT cruise!

[luv2cruz4fun]

I needed cough drops or syrup on last years cruise and none to be found. I had to go to ship infirmary to get some cough syrup so I could get some sleep as I picked up a cough and cold 8 days into our 11 day cruise. My medicine bag as we call it is soon to be a full sized carryon!:o

[flashdog_1]

Depending on where you're going you might or might not need anti-malarial drugs etc. (and even for countries that do have malaria you will probably not be going into those remote, roadless areas!). My doctor had just finished a 2 week missionary doctor volunteer thingy in S. America, so he said he'd give me prescriptions for everything in case I could not get to a doctor or pharmacy: seasickness patches, anti-diarrheal meds, antibiotic for noro. I guess I was nervous and he had been deep in the jungle, so I got everything. I took the pre-cruise anti-malaria meds and wore the patch, and then discovered I did not get sea sick, so they've just been backups to take for others! Hope your cruise is smooth and fun.

[KCat]

Would suggest taking your own first aid kit, we always do, especially if you're doing excursions...with bandages, antibiotic cream, alcohol wipes, advil, pepto bismol, laxatives, & bynedril (I know I didn't spell that correctly). It only takes a few inches of space in your luggage; but when you need it, it's priceless.

[bluehorizonlover123]

Just back from the Veendam and I was shocked at how little they actually had on board in their shops. They sold 8 Ibuprophen tablets for over $8.00. Very expensive. We were able to find a pharmacy type store on one of the islands we visited and bought some there for $4.00 for 20 pills. Always bring a big bottle of cough medicine, sucrets, tylenol, ibuprophen, lotion, immodium AD, tums, pepcid AC, sunscreen, first aid spray for sunburn etc. Don't expect the ship to have any of this stuff. Also buy Bonamine at home for sea sickness. Never know what you are going to need. Better to be prepared and never need the stuff, then to need it and not have it.

[KCat]

Paja...welcome. I think you might be on our ship leaving Feb 01st? If so, please join our roll call: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=665446

 

(I hope that link works, I've never done this before.)

 

If I were you, I would take a travel first aid kit. Everyone has their favorite pills/medicine. Plus it's just better to be safe than sorry, how much room does it take to pack this stuff anyway? For me, I'd rather have what I need than want what I can't get, especially when it comes to medical things.

[KCat]

Apologize...double post.

[cnvh]

Depending on where you're going you might or might not need anti-malarial drugs etc. (and even for countries that do have malaria you will probably not be going into those remote, roadless areas!). My doctor had just finished a 2 week missionary doctor volunteer thingy in S. America, so he said he'd give me prescriptions for everything in case I could not get to a doctor or pharmacy: seasickness patches, anti-diarrheal meds, antibiotic for noro. I guess I was nervous and he had been deep in the jungle, so I got everything. I took the pre-cruise anti-malaria meds and wore the patch, and then discovered I did not get sea sick, so they've just been backups to take for others! Hope your cruise is smooth and fun.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Noro is a VIRUS and not a bacteria, correct? In which case, an antibiotic would be useless, right?

[Krazy Kruizers]

Paja

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

Knowing that the ships carry very limited supplies of items, we always bring along our own as there are certain brands we prefer.

If you arriving in Ft Lauderdale a day before the cruise, you can also go to Publix and get some of these supplies if you don;t want to haul them with you.

[VTcruisenut]

I now carry an emergency kit of medical items. Our last cruise I got a respiratory illness (I think on the flight down to FL) and I suffered! in some ports I couldn't even find cough drops and I bought all the pkgs they had in the gift shop! I resorted to buying small bottles of Ameretto and Brandy to use for cough syrup in ports and putting them in my purse! Yes, I was the one sipping from a small bottle on the shore excusion bus!

I now will take sudafed, cough syrup, advil etc. One tip: utilize those hand sanitizers or carry your own. They really do cut down on the spread of germs

 

You will LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your cruise!!!!! I had never been much of anywhere, living in Vermont it is so hard to "get there from here" you know! Now after 3 cruises and our 4th coming up, I am still excited! enjoy your trip! and stay healthy!

[cruz chic]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Noro is a VIRUS and not a bacteria, correct? In which case, an antibiotic would be useless, right?

 

I was thinking the same thing.

[peaches from georgia]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Noro is a VIRUS and not a bacteria, correct? In which case, an antibiotic would be useless, right?

Yes and yes. And by taking antibiotics you don't need you are more apt to not have one work when you have a bacterial infection and do need it. Maybe there was a misunderstanding as to what the doctor gave or for what potential ailment he gave it.

[BaumD]

They probably don't sell imodium "over the counter" on the ship because if you need it they want you to see the doctor to determine if you have the dreaded Norovirus so they can quarantine you.

[JolieMadam]

It's always a good thing to bring a small supply of OTC drugs you might possibly need...most of this comes vacuum-packed and is easy to carry in a little kit. This gives you some time to reach a port where you can buy more. I would also include some kind of anti-histamine in case of an allergic reaction to something you ingest or that comes in contact with your skin.

 

Somehow, these problems for which you may need the meds always seem to crop up in the middle of the night...it's handy to have them available to meet your needs. It seems to be one of life's little quirks, that when you go prepared, you rarely need these things!

[flashdog_1]

Yes and yes. And by taking antibiotics you don't need you are more apt to not have one work when you have a bacterial infection and do need it. Maybe there was a misunderstanding as to what the doctor gave or for what potential ailment he gave it.

 

As I was typing it I thought to myself "antibiotics don't work with viruses" but I guess I don't remember what the doctor prescribed them for! Sorry. I never used the pills because we didn't get sick, but on that cruise there were people hacking and sneezing, so maybe the doc meant the antibiiotics for any of the infectious diseases one would be more prone to get in the enclosed environment of a ship.

[RetiredMustang]

One thing I found -- if the ship's shops don't have what you need, try the infirmary. Of course, if there is a real problem, you will want to see the doctor, but there is a nurse or physician's assistant who does triage and can help you with some OTC drugs.

 

Case in point - I got an insect bite on last fall's Panama Canal cruise, and reacted as I sometimes do, with some swelling, redness and itching. I used the benadryl we had brought, but ran out after a couple of days.

 

The ship's store did not have any, so I went to the infirmary, first to make sure the bite was not infected (no, thankfully), and then to get some benadryl. The nurse issued me a few pills, which he charged me for on my room account. Interestingly enough, a couple of days later, they had benadryl in the ship's store -- the price was about what the nurse charged me per pill.

 

Dave

[mamaofami]

I always travel with a small supply of emergency type meds and hope I won't need them. Invariably, I need something I don't have, so every year we add to our kit.

[countrygal52]

We also carry our own small supply of OTC meds with us when traveling. Something usually "hits" in the middle of the night when you need the stuff the most or are too sick to try to get to a drugstore right away.:o

Better to be safe than sorry!