Medical Emergency on Independence 4/11/09

[GWK]

Cruising back to Ft. Lauderdale was expedited due to a medical emergency. We were in port by 1 am. Sunday morning. Casino closed early due to gaming regulations but the bars remained open. Rumor has it that a passenger that boarded the ship had a pre-existing condition that got worse on Saturday. Does anyone know what the medical condition was that caused the ship to have to dock early? I hope that the passenger is ok.

[uksimonusa]

Was wondering the same thing myself, sure hope they are OK

[GWK]

Was wondering the same thing myself, sure hope they are OK

 

we looked to see if anyone got off as soon as we docked but saw nobdy disembark.

[toothy26]

They did take someone off on a stretcher but the person appeared to be sitting up and stable.

I don't know the circumstances.

[ziggypup]

I guess it wasn't a life/death sitiuation. If that were the case they would have sent a helicopter out to meet the ship.

[CorL]

That's good!

[Cruisin' Ron VA]

I have always though that people in such situations deserve privacy and it is nobodys business including mine.

 

I would hate to have my fellow passengers gawking at me and whispering and pointing and taking pictures if I had to be removed from a ship.

 

How sad.

[catwoman1]

We were on the sailing and heard that a passenger had some kind of heart failure but was stabilized. That's why they were not taken off by helicopter. Hope the passenger is OK.

[lissa42886]

if this happens on any cruise.. are u allowed to stay on board till the actual time of normal departure.. IE 9am.. or wat have you.. or.. if the ship returns a day early or so.. would it go back out and cruise local waters so you get your full sea time? i know hangin out on a ship docked in NJ is not so hot.

 

ps i know if somthing happens on our cruise.. gettin home faster wont be so easy as we have a bum propeller.. and it will take us 2 1/2 days to get home from our last port.. hope we have no problems

[ziggypup]

Since pre-existing conditions were just mentioned, does RCCL have a list of what type of conditions would not clear you for sailing?

[Coralc]

I have always though that people in such situations deserve privacy and it is nobodys business including mine.

 

I would hate to have my fellow passengers gawking at me and whispering and pointing and taking pictures if I had to be removed from a ship.

 

How sad.

 

We weren't taking pictures of you! We were taking photos of the helicopter! :D:):D

It is pretty amazing when they come in at sea. :)

[lovesublime]

I have always though that people in such situations deserve privacy and it is nobodys business including mine.

 

I would hate to have my fellow passengers gawking at me and whispering and pointing and taking pictures if I had to be removed from a ship.

 

How sad.

 

 

 

Just what I wanted to say. It's no one's business what is wrong with someone. Also, if any crew is reporting to other pax what is wrong with a patient-I consider it to be a gross invasion of privacy. In the U.S. we have laws regarding medical privacy and I think it should extend to cruise ships who do business in the U.S. as well (it may well). Mind yo own business:p

[aqhacruiser]

if this happens on any cruise.. are u allowed to stay on board till the actual time of normal departure.. IE 9am.. or wat have you.. or.. if the ship returns a day early or so.. would it go back out and cruise local waters so you get your full sea time? i know hangin out on a ship docked in NJ is not so hot.

 

ps i know if somthing happens on our cruise.. gettin home faster wont be so easy as we have a bum propeller.. and it will take us 2 1/2 days to get home from our last port.. hope we have no problems

 

On the Ex. they do many medivacs by helicopter as we are so far out from land and we have to sail toward land just to meet the helicopters. If there was a medical emergency and we were very close to land we could return to Bayonne earlier but on the way sailing out more then likely we'd be met by helicpter and if on the way home and they decided to come into Bayonne early your cruise would be over. A medical emergency is one of those things that can't be helped and devastating for the person who is ill or injured and devastating for the family with them. We've had ports cancelled on the Ex. due to medical emergencies or bad storms but everyone does understand when these things happen. When at sea you have to expect the unexpected at times.

[MyNameIsGermy]

I have always though that people in such situations deserve privacy and it is nobodys business including mine.

 

I would hate to have my fellow passengers gawking at me and whispering and pointing and taking pictures if I had to be removed from a ship.

 

How sad.

 

Well said!!

[megr1125]

they pretty block off the front 1/3 of the ship....all you can see are the chopper, plane and MAYBE the basket drop....generally the chopper hovers and doesn't actually land-would throw too much ocean spray (that's what a retired CG person told me...........)

 

it's cool to see......we couldn't see the person.....the bridge cam was on..my mom saw it in the cabin...i took pix... but i have to find the film (we had a medical evac in november...appendix i think!)

[g8rmomx2]

I have always though that people in such situations deserve privacy and it is nobodys business including mine.

 

I would hate to have my fellow passengers gawking at me and whispering and pointing and taking pictures if I had to be removed from a ship.

 

How sad.

 

I absolutely agree with you! There's really no such thing as "we were too far back to see the person." People have so many megapixals that you can count shoe laces on some of these photos. How about a little compassion in a terribly trying time. I'm afraid with all of the picture sites and youtube, we're going to have to start teaching "ethical and responsible photo taking and posting" in our local schools.

[GWK]

Just what I wanted to say. It's no one's business what is wrong with someone. Also, if any crew is reporting to other pax what is wrong with a patient-I consider it to be a gross invasion of privacy. In the U.S. we have laws regarding medical privacy and I think it should extend to cruise ships who do business in the U.S. as well (it may well). Mind yo own business:p

 

When someone travels with a pr-existing condition that causes anothers vacation to be cut short or islands to be missed, I believe that their right to privacy goes out the window. They chose to take the chance and travel with an ailment that jeapordized the vacation of others. Sorry to sound cold and uncaring but I know the cruise line puts restrictions on pregnant women travelling depending on how far into the pregnancy they are. If someone has a pre-existing heart condition subject to relapse then they are best served to stay close to home/hospital.

 

I go fishing in Canada every year, deep into the back country that takes an SUV several hours to travel 75 miles on a dirt logging road to get to the fishing camp. One of my fishing companions no longer goes after having triple bypass surgery and experiencing blackouts due to a heart ailment. He made a responsible decision and not a selfish one. The privacy the other poster refers to has to due with medical records and not one passenger talking to another about information surrounding the ailment of another passenger.

[yogimax]

Medical emergencies happen all the time. The only issue is the well bring of the passenger

[g8rmomx2]

Cruising back to Ft. Lauderdale was expedited due to a medical emergency. We were in port by 1 am. Sunday morning. Casino closed early due to gaming regulations but the bars remained open. Rumor has it that a passenger that boarded the ship had a pre-existing condition that got worse on Saturday. Does anyone know what the medical condition was that caused the ship to have to dock early? I hope that the passenger is ok.

 

 

Rumor has it???:confused: Cruisers are expected to forfeit their privacy based on rumor?

[Gracie115]

While I certainly wouldn't want my vacation cut short by a FEW hours, the only issue is that the affected person was taken care of properly by RCL and medical personnel. The analogy of being in the back woods away from civilization does NOT apply here, this is a floating city for heavan's sake. If a Dr. has certified someone fit to travel and the cruiseline let them on board and then something happened at the END of the cruise the only thing that matters is getting care for that person.... Would hope I would be treated with the same basic decency..and given the privacy I should be given in the situation................

[Cruisin' Ron VA]

When someone travels with a pr-existing condition that causes anothers vacation to be cut short or islands to be missed, I believe that their right to privacy goes out the window. They chose to take the chance and travel with an ailment that jeapordized the vacation of others. Sorry to sound cold and uncaring but I know the cruise line puts restrictions on pregnant women travelling depending on how far into the pregnancy they are. If someone has a pre-existing heart condition subject to relapse then they are best served to stay close to home/hospital.

 

I go fishing in Canada every year, deep into the back country that takes an SUV several hours to travel 75 miles on a dirt logging road to get to the fishing camp. One of my fishing companions no longer goes after having triple bypass surgery and experiencing blackouts due to a heart ailment. He made a responsible decision and not a selfish one. The privacy the other poster refers to has to due with medical records and not one passenger talking to another about information surrounding the ailment of another passenger.

 

How do you propose finding out if a sick passenger had a pre existing condition? Would you hunt down the ships doctor and demand answers?

 

By your reasoning everyone, INCLUDING YOU, should submit to a physical exam and post the results on a public bullentin board on the ship.

 

Be nice.

 

Stuff happens that cannot be helped. If you are inconvenienced then suck it up and then you should thank your lucky stars that it is NOT YOU or someone in your family that is being flown away.

[Gracie115]

Cruisin' Ron VA-

 

Exactly what I was trying to say....

[gotbeer]

By the way, It was not a passenger, but a crew member. And by what we were told the reason to com back early was precautionary.

[GWK]

By the way, It was not a passenger, but a crew member. And by what we were told the reason to com back early was precautionary.

 

I hope they are ok. How is the family feeling? Have a great time in WDW.

[spbflseas]

Interesting story...we were staying on Sunny Isles Beach over the weekend and from the balcony of our hotel, I saw what appeared to by an RCL ship. I thought, being just south of Port Everglades, that they had made it back to the area fairly quick. Now we know the story...