Interesting Article

[Guest arowe6]

Controversial? Maybe....but it does give merit to purchasing travel insurance.

 

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/mar/04/cruise-ships-doctor-puts-elderly-man-ashore/?news-breaking

 

-Andrew

:cool:

[chrysalis]

I can't believe that anyone in their 80s (or anyone of any age) would ever consider getting on a ship without medical insurance.

[Guest arowe6]

I can't believe that anyone in their 80s (or anyone of any age) would ever consider getting on a ship without medical insurance.

 

Very interesting indeed. In the article it said he always had except for this specific time.

:rolleyes:

[chasinraynbowz]

I have to agree about the insurance. We never travel without it.

 

It was a no win situation for the cruiseline. Let him stay onboard and possibly get sicker, maybe even die or make him get off the ship and seek medical attention. They are going to be blamed either way.

 

I am glad to hear he is doing better and receiving medical attention here in the states.

[Guest arowe6]

I have to agree about the insurance. We never travel without it.

 

It was a no win situation for the cruiseline. Let him stay onboard and possibly get sicker, maybe even die or make him get off the ship and seek medical attention. They are going to be blamed either way.

 

I am glad to hear he is doing better and receiving medical attention here in the states.

 

I see both points of view from the article but I tend to agree with the cruise line. But it's hard to tell if anyone is truly at fault or if the cruise line is just trying to do what's best and the passenger was upset and blew this out of proportion.

[chasinraynbowz]

I see both points of view from the article but I tend to agree with the cruise line. But it's hard to tell if anyone is truly at fault or if the cruise line is just trying to do what's best and the passenger was upset and blew this out of proportion.

 

 

I agree with you, and didn't mean to sound unsympathetic with the passengers. How horrible for them to be in that prediciment. But, had they bought insurance, this would not have been an issue. And you really can't blame the cruiseline. It was a no win situation for all.

[caribill]

Actually, the cruise line should have helped make (but not pay for) arrangments to fly him home.

 

Since the cruise line said he needed to get home (if not using the local medical facilities), it should not have been left to the passenger to figure out how to do do in a strange country. The fact that he could not fly home immediately or even in just one day shows how difficult it was.

[Murphey]

Insurance or not..

 

What does this really say to passengers who wonder whether they should or should not seek medical help on board...

 

I could easily see a situation where a passenger would not seek help...because of what could happen....even if they had insurance!!!

Even if someone had insurance...the thought of being forced off the ship in a foreign country could be very unsettling....

[Princess Chatterer]

Good thing that would have never happened on a Princess Cruise.

[chasetf]

Insurance or not.. What does this really say to passengers who wonder whether they should or should not seek medical help on board....... I could easily see a situation where a passenger would not seek help...because of what could happen....even if they had insurance!!! Even if someone had insurance...the thought of being forced off the ship in a foreign country could be very unsettling....

It is a fact of life..... Things happen and they usually happen to older folks. Given that, in my mind the ship did what it had to do.

 

The article sensationalizes the whole situation with "It's his birthday cruise" but the fact is he had a very potential medical problem that could get seriously worse. The ship is not equipped to handle the problem. Sorry it was Belize.... but anywhere would be better than hundreds of miles at sea with insufficient equipment and expertise. They did what they had to do.

 

As far as making a choice to not seek medical help because you may be put off the ship..... Why would you jeopardize your life for a few days of vacation. Anyone who would is a fool and taking an unnecessary risk. There is always time to cruise again. There certainly will not be if you end up dying at sea.

[Princess Chatterer]

Insurance or not..

 

What does this really say to passengers who wonder whether they should or should not seek medical help on board...

 

I could easily see a situation where a passenger would not seek help...because of what could happen....even if they had insurance!!!

 

Even if someone had insurance...the thought of being forced off the ship in a foreign country could be very unsettling....

 

Cruise Rule One: NEVER get sick onboard.

 

Cruise Rule Two: Reread Cruise Rule One.

[grandmato4]

The cruiseline doesn't just "dump you at the dock" when you become ill as is stated by the family in the article unless you give them no choice. The man refused to even consider being seen, let alone treated on the island. The doctor determined that the man had internal bleeding which could be extremely dangerous. For some strange reason the passenger and family didn't seem to understand how serious this could be seeing as the man apparently seemed fine other than spitting up blood and having blood in his stool :eek: :confused: They need to count themselves extremely lucky that the man didn't quickly become much worse. When the man and family refused to understand the seriousness of the situation they gave the cruiseline no choice other than to do what now comes out looking like they "dumped them at the dock".

[lvtotrvl1]

The cruiseline doesn't just "dump you at the dock" when you become ill as is stated by the family in the article unless you give them no choice. The man refused to even consider being seen, let alone treated on the island. The doctor determined that the man had internal bleeding which could be extremely dangerous. For some strange reason the passenger and family didn't seem to understand how serious this could be seeing as the man apparently seemed fine other than spitting up blood and having blood in his stool :eek: :confused: They need to count themselves extremely lucky that the man didn't quickly become much worse. When the man and family refused to understand the seriousness of the situation they gave the cruiseline no choice other than to do what now comes out looking like they "dumped them at the dock".

 

 

I have to agree..there are always two sides to a story...if CCL had kept him on the ship and he dies, I'm sure a lawsuit would follow. It seems like this family just wanted to continue cruising....maybe CCL had no choice than to just put them off on the Island. I'm sure there is alot more to this story tha what is in the article...but then if both sides were told, the newspaper probably would have had to scrap the article,.

[cruzfiend]

We are about to pay our deposit for our next cruise. The insurance that is being offered is Travel Insured, has anyone used this insurance before?

[Colo Cruiser]

I agree we are only hearing one side. :rolleyes:

[chrysalis]

I agree we are only hearing one side. :rolleyes:

 

....and I find it amazing that people run off to the press with "tales of woe" like this

[martini cruiser]

I never leave home without it, not American Express but travel insurance.

Out of all the international trips I have taken I only used the insurance 3 times, but the 3 times I used the insurance it more than paid for all of the times I have purchased it. I have always bought Travel Guard. I was part of a group where an elderly lady fell in the Vancouver airport after an Alaskan cruise, they assisted her not only with the medical portion but made her and her companion's arrangements to get home.

 

Martini Cruiser

[Guest arowe6]

Cruise Rule One: NEVER get sick onboard.

 

Cruise Rule Two: Reread Cruise Rule One.

 

hahahaha. Words to live by. :D

[Guest arowe6]

I never leave home without it, not American Express but travel insurance.

 

Lol. Good point. But I have to say that anytime we've traveled over seas and there was a problem with money (which oddly has happened often) American Express has always been so helpful and accommodating. Perhaps even more so then my real bank. "Don't leave home without it!" :p

 

-a

[jak378]

I agree that travel insurance of some kind is very nearly a necessity. On the other hand I am a little unclear just how much help the insurance would have been in this case. It would/should have paid expenses, but insurance would not have made it any easier or more convenient to get home from Roatan.

 

Good thing that would have never happened on a Princess Cruise.

 

Yeah, right!

 

 

...As far as making a choice to not seek medical help because you may be put off the ship..... Why would you jeopardize your life for a few days of vacation. Anyone who would is a fool and taking an unnecessary risk. There is always time to cruise again. There certainly will not be if you end up dying at sea.

 

I am not being facetious when I say that there are worst places to die. I do believe that whether or not one leaves the ship to seek additional medical assistance should be the passenger's choice, assuming that the passenger is possession of his faculties. There are not very many islands in the Caribbean on which I would choose to be hospitalized. It sounds to me like the line simply did not want to bother with the situation for whatever reason. I know that many will post about the superior knowledge of the doctor on board, and the lack of proper testing facilities available, and many other arguments in favor of going to a hospital on the island. The fact remains however, that the passenger apparently did not want to use the hospital in Roatan, and told the ship MD that if put off was going to head home. That being the case it would seem that the line owed him at least some assistance in getting home. The article doesn't say what the stop was after the next 2 days at sea, but I would assume that it was headed back to Tampa, or maybe to Grand Cayman. I think most of us would much rather be hospitalized in Grand Cayman or at home in Tampa. I do agree that the cruise line is kind of between a rock and a hard place. It the passenger dies they would probably get sued either way.

 

I wonder what the ship authorities would have done if the passengers simply refused to leave.

[Pia1913]

I didn't read the article, but I did see the video interview with this gentleman and his son. This passenger is 89 years old and said he saw a "drop of blood", which in no way constitutes internal bleeding. He wasn't sick, he was very coherent, he wasn't in a life threatening situation and the ship was 12 hours from Tampa. Would you want to attempt medical intervention of any kind in a 3rd world atmosphere, when you are so close to civilization? Probably not. I think Carnival very much overreacted.

 

Pia

[AliceJ]

Good thing that would have never happened on a Princess Cruise.

 

In April of 2004 we were on the CB with our then 5 y.o. daughter. One night she fainted, briefly convulsed, then regained consciousness (sp?) and threw up.

 

We visited the infirmary and the doctor said that we needed to see the pediatrician in St. Maarten the next day and that we could not board the ship to continue the cruise without the pediatrician's okay. His reasoning was that we were at sea for the next 2 days and if the problem turned into something serious, she wouldn't have access to the care she may need.

 

Princess arranged for their port agent to drive us to and from the doctor's. Our luggage was packed (but still in our stateroom) and ready to go if need be, and the agent was prepared to help us find hotel arrangements until we could get home.

 

Everything turned out fine in the end and we finished the cruise. We did have trip insurance (though we didn't end up needing it). Moral of the story - you just never know what may happen, no matter what your age or health or cruise line!!

[Sanibel*Gal]

The article stated that he had blood coming from his mouth & stool, the ship doctor was concerned about internal bleeding. Sounds to me like he did not like what he was told about getting medical attention off the ship or to fly home so he got "testy" with the whole ordeal. Of course he has to blame someone because it is certainly not his fault for any of this and the media just eats this kind of stuff up.

 

IMHO - We buy Travel Insurance - have never had to use and hope we never will.

[NthernLgts]

Actually, the cruise line should have helped make (but not pay for) arrangments to fly him home.

 

Since the cruise line said he needed to get home (if not using the local medical facilities), it should not have been left to the passenger to figure out how to do do in a strange country. The fact that he could not fly home immediately or even in just one day shows how difficult it was.

 

Perhaps the cruise line should have given him some informational assistance, but it never ceases to amaze me how many people are truly unprepared for international travel. And it seems like Americans are generally the worst. If you are in a foreign land and do not know enough to call the american counselate for accurate information and assistance then you shouldnt be traveling! I dont mean to sound harsh to the old-timer but while the cruise line should have offered some help, I for one would not want to HAVE to depend solely on a cruise line for help in that situation. And to be 89 and not have travel insurance??? I'm not even 49 and I always buy it!

[chasetf]

.....I am not being facetious when I say that there are worst places to die. I do believe that whether or not one leaves the ship to seek additional medical assistance should be the passenger's choice, assuming that the passenger is possession of his faculties..

I disagree. It is not the passenger's choice to foist that responsibility on the cruise line. It matters not whether the passenger has a concern of what the available facilities are on shore. Sure we all would not want to end up in a third world hospital, but it is not a matter of choice for the passenger. It is also not in the best interests. If in the OPs described situation the bleeding became life threatening there is nothing they could have done for them while at sea for two days.

 

If the patient made that choice, the bleeding got life threatening..... then the patient (and their family) would be demanding where is the helicopter to evacuate them.

.....I wonder what the ship authorities would have done if the passengers simply refused to leave.

They would have been forcefully evicted I am sure. There is no choice. The cruise line does not want to be responsible for the safety and health of someone that has a potential problem that they cannot cope with.... nor should we ask them to be.

 

We all know the ship board medical clinic is there for the first line of defense. Passenger or crew will be evacuated when the situation becomes (or has the potential to become) critical. Anyone sailing today has to understand that and accept it. The ship is not set up to be a hospital ship.

 

Why do you think that young women was evacuated to the aircraft carrier a few months ago. The carrier had the facilities and expertise to operate and the ship didn't.