What happens with medical emergencies on board?

[dolphinlover2]

Of course, everyone hopes this never happens on vacation and I know there's a doctor on every ship who handles regular emergencies. But what happens if you're all the way out at sea and need emergency surgery for something like appendicitis. Would the ship divert its course to the nearest land or do helicopters go all the way out to evacuate? Would the decisions be made by the ship's doctor or the ship's captain? Is the policy different on every cruise line? Thanks!

[G'ma]

Ship's physicians handle the basics.....

 

Anything serious is handled as an emergency. Quick evacuation to the nearest medical facility will be done....if close to port, perhaps a return...in other cases, evacuation by helicopter is done.

 

These emergencies can be expensive, too. Many travel insurance policies will cover them... No insurance means out-of-pocket expense.

[SarasMommy]

On a sea day on our recent cruise, the captain announced around noon that we would be arriving in our next port early due to a fellow passenger's medical emergency. We were supposed to arrive in port at 7AM the following morning, but instead arrived at 7PM that same night.

 

My mom had a medical emergency 2 years ago but fortunately didn't have to be evacuated from the ship. Also, we were in port overnight at the time so at least it would have been quick if she had had to leave.

 

I am sure each case is examined on an individual basis and the decisions are mutually agreed upon by the doctor and captain, with the patient's best interest being the most important factor.

[cb at sea]

The ship's medical facility can handle basic stuff, like cuts, bruises, tummyaches, etc...Anything else, and they will send you elsewhere. They are NOT equipped to handle major emergencies.

[Essiesmom]

A couple of years ago a ship had a surgical emergency off Mexico...young child with perforated appendix. They evacuated her to an american aircraft carrier (after steaming toward each other for a number of hours to get within helocopter range). She had surgery onboard the carrier and was returned to LA. EM

[kitty9]

My mom fell and broke her hip on Celebrity. The ship's doctors were not good at all, and incorrectly treated her other injury from the fall--a head injury where instead of taking an xray of her head and suturing the two inch cut on her scalp, they glued the wound shut, not even bothering to shave her head. Mom was evac'd off the ship to Ft Lauderdale the next moring and the doctors at the hospital there (by the way, a fantastic set of doctors and nurses) were amazed by how poor of care mom received on the ship. Three weeks after the hip replacement, mom had to undergo another surgical procedure to cut away the thick glue, and her glued hair, from her scalp. Not a pretty procedure.

[runner15km]

We have been diverted to the Bahamas once and another time a helicopter lowered a basket to evacuate a passenger.

[G'ma]

My mom fell and broke her hip on Celebrity. The ship's doctors were not good at all, and incorrectly treated her other injury from the fall--a head injury where instead of taking an xray of her head and suturing the two inch cut on her scalp, they glued the wound shut, not even bothering to shave her head. Mom was evac'd off the ship to Ft Lauderdale the next moring and the doctors at the hospital there (by the way, a fantastic set of doctors and nurses) were amazed by how poor of care mom received on the ship. Three weeks after the hip replacement, mom had to undergo another surgical procedure to cut away the thick glue, and her glued hair, from her scalp. Not a pretty procedure.

 

• <LI itxtvisited="1">Once on the high seas, it is seldom practical for cruise ships to turn back in a medical emergency; helicopter evacuation is extremely expensive and useful only if the patient is adequately stabilized by the shipboard staff. <LI itxtvisited="1">Most shipboard infirmaries are set up to handle sunburn and seasickness and may or may not be able to deal with a serious illness or injury, even though heart attacks are the most frequent cause of death at sea. <LI itxtvisited="1">Infirmaries are usually staffed by doctors who are not licensed in the United States. Regulation of shipboard medical care is largely non-existent. Most cruise lines have no formal procedure for reviewing doctors' work. <LI itxtvisited="1">Doctors and nurses are independent contractors, not employees. Thus, the cruise lines are generally not legally liable for their actions.
  
• There is no international oversight of medical care because martime law does not require cruise ships to provide medical care for passengers, only for the crew.
   
  Read more: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/travel/cruise_safety.html#ixzz0Jwb6PWP8&C
  
• 
  
• Then, there is always Article 4 of the passenger contract.....
  

[kitty9]

G'ma, I think a lot depends on the cruise line when it comes to doctors. Every time I've been on Crystal and had medical issues, such as as asthma attack, their doctors and nurses have been remarkable. Perhaps it's because of their smaller ships, but the care I've gotten from Crystal's doctors has been wonderful.

[JoKen1]

My last cruise I went with a friend who ended up having to go the ER on board the ship. The costs are SUPER high and you MUST pay for them before they let you off the ship. We even had the insurance! The insurance is only good for reimbursement.

 

So be sure you have the money either in cash, a credit card. Most ATM Debit cards have a limit as to how much can be withdrawn per day. You never know when it could happen to you.

 

Joanne

[uvasag]

What about general treatments like cuts, bruises and sea sickness ? Is that expensive on board too ? Should I be bringing my own first aid kit ?

[paul929207]

What about general treatments like cuts, bruises and sea sickness ? Is that expensive on board too ? Should I be bringing my own first aid kit ?

As with your question about beverages, this is better asked on the ages for your cruise line. What one gives free another could charge an arm and a leg for.

[kitty9]

What about general treatments like cuts, bruises and sea sickness ? Is that expensive on board too ? Should I be bringing my own first aid kit ?

 

Whenever you're seen by the ship's doctor, there's a basic charge---I've found the charge to run anywhere from $40 to $60. Then you are charged for any treatments or medicine---you're even charged separately for bandages.

[GlendaleCruiser]

Leaving Catalina Island, we went back to Los Angeles instead of straight to Ensenada because someone on board had a heart attack. Then we resumed our cruise.

 

You will find that on most cruises, they are not racing to the next port. Indeed, in many of them (Mexican Riviera) they swing way out into the ocean so passengers have a full sea day before heading to port. Of course, that flexibility also allows them to dodge hurricanes and evac medical emergencies.

[cherylandtk]

As the majority of these posts show, the usual response is to get the ill passenger to a land based hospital as quickly as possible. Most of the time the ship will go to a nearby port. Sometimes if the situation is time critical AND a helicopter is close enough and available, an evacuation can be arranged.

[JoKen1]

What about general treatments like cuts, bruises and sea sickness ? Is that expensive on board too ? Should I be bringing my own first aid kit ?

 

 

Just to be seen by the Dr. is going to end up costing at least $75. YES! Bring your own 1st aid kit. Much cheaper and faster then going to the Dr on board the ship. Plus the Dr. is not always in and then the cost is even more.

 

Small injury like a cut can be treated very easy with your own kit. For sea sickness just take a pill then you won't get sea sick. Easier to prevent the sea sickness then to try to treat it after you are already sick.