[mikemalloy]

Originally Posted by Rainger99

There was a recent article in which a passenger on a cruise ship had $20,000 of medical insurance that he bought from the cruise company. However, he had a three day stay in the ship hospital and the bill was $47,000!!!!

Minnesota man wins free Norwegian cruise vacation -- then catches the flu onboard and gets hit with $47K medical bill

I usually get travel insurance when I go on vacation. However, can a cruise ship charge whatever it wants for the treatment?

For example, if you go to the doctor for a minor injury - a couple of stitches, etc. - and the cruise ship charges $75,000 for the bill, does your travel insurance pay the $75,000? Or do they pay a reasonable amount, and are you stuck with the rest? I would think that $20,000 would be enough insurance for almost any treatment that a cruise ship would provide - but after seeing this story, I am not sure.

I called a travel insurance company and the representative could only tell me that the insurance company would have to review the bill and the policy after the treatment.

Does anyone have any experience with this issue? Thanks.

We took a cruise in Asia last year. Though we rely on travel insurance provided by my credit card we purchased a medical only policy through Allianz. It cost a little under $400. I had an accident on an escalator and have some cuts on my back. I was seen at the ship's medical area. Bill for treating the wounds was $471. Filed a claim from my cabin online. Check for the bill was in the mail 2 days after I got home.