[billethkid]

I have always wondered how the "system" works when one needs to be disembarked from a cruise ship for emergency treatment or evacuation back home.

We have been on cruises when a passenger has had to be disembarked, but have no idea how subsequent events are coordinated (by whom?).

Over the years we average a couple of cruises per year. We always get the vacation interruption insurance which we have had to use for medical cancellation prior to a cruise. And now that we are old(er) need to know more.

Have you had such an experience? Willing to share with us?

[GpaVader]

We never had to leave the ship but I pulled out all my papers on it when it happened.

The first time we took the insurance, it paid for itself... My wife had a medical incident while the ship was out to sea, enroute to the first destination on the cruise. Basically, her blood sugar had bottomed out and she almost collapsed. The medics were called, they gave her some glucose but she was still a little thready, so they took her to the ships ER. They ran an EKG and didn't like what they say so they kept her overnight. The next day things were back in the normal range, and while she was a little weak they discharged her. The night she was in the ER I pulled all the paperwork and saw that they had a phone number to call for assistance. I never had to call it but I would expect that they would have made arrangements. What did happen is that I had a $10k medical bill I had to put on my CC and then submit both to my Medical Insurance and then the Travel Insurnace we took out. We had had to out of pocket the initial amount but between our medical insurance and the travel insurance, it cost us nothing but time and inconvenience... I always take the insurance now....

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

I have one experience as a witness and passenger on a ship with a medical emergency.

We were returning from Bermuda, during a storm. A passenger had a heart attack or stroke or something similarly horrible. They called the coast guard. Coast guard came with a medicopter, but the ship didn't have a helipad, it was too small for one. So they sent a cage in a cable down to the top deck, the guy was strapped to it, and cabled up into the copter. During a storm. The cage was twisting around and around, and it was horrifying to watch. I think if I had been the patient, I would've had a heart attack and died from the trauma while still in the cage.

The wife remained on board and met her husband in the hospital after the ship got to port.

[Shipping up to Boston]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

I have one experience as a witness and passenger on a ship with a medical emergency.

We were returning from Bermuda, during a storm. A passenger had a heart attack or stroke or something similarly horrible. They called the coast guard. Coast guard came with a medicopter, but the ship didn't have a helipad, it was too small for one. So they sent a cage in a cable down to the top deck, the guy was strapped to it, and cabled up into the copter. During a storm. The cage was twisting around and around, and it was horrifying to watch. I think if I had been the patient, I would've had a heart attack and died from the trauma while still in the cage.

The wife remained on board and met her husband in the hospital after the ship got to port.

Definitely an irrational fear for many....but something all should think about when booking. Sadly, some have passed while cruising as well

[ElDiabloJoe]

Do they just dump you over the side like they did OBL?

[Ecuadog]

Originally Posted by ElDiabloJoe

Do they just dump you over the side like they did OBL?

There are morgues on large cruise ships.

[oldtimes]

Originally Posted by GpaVader

We never had to leave the ship but I pulled out all my papers on it when it happened.

The first time we took the insurance, it paid for itself... My wife had a medical incident while the ship was out to sea, enroute to the first destination on the cruise. Basically, her blood sugar had bottomed out and she almost collapsed. The medics were called, they gave her some glucose but she was still a little thready, so they took her to the ships ER. They ran an EKG and didn't like what they say so they kept her overnight. The next day things were back in the normal range, and while she was a little weak they discharged her. The night she was in the ER I pulled all the paperwork and saw that they had a phone number to call for assistance. I never had to call it but I would expect that they would have made arrangements. What did happen is that I had a $10k medical bill I had to put on my CC and then submit both to my Medical Insurance and then the Travel Insurnace we took out. We had had to out of pocket the initial amount but between our medical insurance and the travel insurance, it cost us nothing but time and inconvenience... I always take the insurance now....

What insurance did you use?

[GoodOliveOil]

As a Pre Need Counselor and client of Baldwin Brothers Funeral and Cremation, I can tell you what happens if someone passes away while traveling (anywhere in the world) if they have Baldwin Brothers Travel and Relocation Protection Plan. Depending on what you purchase when setting up Preneed Arrangements, Baldwin Brothers will either fly the mortal remains back to Florida (to their facility) or make the arrangements to have the cremation performed closest to where the person passes. It’s the ultimate peace of mind, knowing my loved will not be burdened with the task or financial stress should I die while traveling or cruising or if I chose to move back to be near family in the future. Very affordable, one time purchase for peace of mind.

[Jhrath7@gmail.com]

I have been on ships where they had to take passengers off by helicopter, pulled into a port to disembark sick passengers and as a travel agent for almost 30 years, I always recommend taking out travel insurance

[admiral72]

It depends on what law applies. Board in a U.S. port, and you will be treated under U.S. Law. Board elsewhere, and the Country of Origin or maybe the Country of registry for the ship would apply. Finally, make sure you read the fine print on the passenger ticket.

[Ponygirl]

My husband had a medical emergency that could not be resolved on board

He was strapped onto a horizontal caged stretcher and pulled up to a helicopter. I had to hold onto a responder who was pulled on to the helicopter

We were dropped off in Puerto Rico and took the ambulance to the hospital. We were totally on our own to find food, get care, get to the airport and fly back to the US.

Sitting in the hallway of the emergency room and trying to find someone who spoke English and trying to get care was not for the faint of heart. Hospital care and staff and protocols certainly not what we encounter in the US

Insurance covered costs

[dtennent]

While we did not buy travel insurance when we were younger, we do now. Given what happened when Vantage Travel declared bankruptcy, I now purchase travel insurance through a third party such as Allianz. If you purchase the insurance through your travel company/cruise line, you may not like the result coming out of the bankruptcy court. In the case of Vantage Travel, another company agreed to give credit through their company but you could only offset the cost of the cruise by up to 50%. Since Vantage Travel did the insurance themselves, the insurance had no value in the end,

[MikePgh]

I had the misfortune to be emergency disembarked. Slipped on wet deck and dislocated and cracked my femur.

Thank God we were still docked in Key West. The next stop would have been Mexico.

The ship had KW EMS pick us up at the ship. The crew packed our cabin (missed several things but fortunately we had friends staying on board to get the rest) and left it with the Port Agent.

EMS took me to Lower Keys Medical Center. A much better facility than I was expecting. They took great care of me.
The port agent called my wife and asked which hotel he should take the luggage to. He arranged for a room at the now Opal resort right at Mallory Square.
Our travel (and our health) insurance paid for everything. Including Uber’s and meals for my wife.
The travel assist on our health insurance arranged for a car service and nurse to get us to the Airport a few days after surgery. They arranged for flights home (in first class) and for a car to pick us up and take us home.

We will never travel without travel insurance.

[ThirdOfFive]

"If you get sick or hurt on a cruise, the urgency of your condition will determine whether you are treated aboard, taken ashore at the next scheduled port, (more urgently) taken ashore at the nearest port, or require an at-sea medical evacuation." (Medjet).

It is my understanding that all cruise lines have wording in the cruise contract similar to what is above. They'll get you from the ship to medical services on land if you develop a condition that the ship's medical services cannot handle. They're not quite so clear on what happens AFTER such a disembarkation but from folks I've talked to, once you're at the land facility, you're on your own, and the services you get will depend on your ability to pay for them. Our insurance covers us internationally: if we need services, we pay but once home our insurance reimburses us for whatever we had to pay for at the prevailing rate for such services where we live, or the cost of such services incurred, whichever is less.

On one cruise we had a guy die at a cruise port (Labadee, Haiti), while on the beach. The resort, which is leased by the cruise company, is pretty close to the dock and we saw ship's personnel running to help the guy. They had a large screen-like thing that they used to encircle the guy and the personnel working to help him. They kept the screen in place when they carried him back to the ship as well. Talking to a crewmember afterward, we found out that there are terminally ill people who actually plan to die on a cruise ship, so while not exactly common, it is expected from time to time and they do have specific procedures in place for when it does.

[Dlbonivich]

Well never had an incident on a cruise, I did have a problem at a resort in the DR. 2 hours ride in a fake ambulance to the nearest hospital (a poor clinic here in the USA) and $3000 to leave said clinic later. If you have medical problems, be concerned about where in relation to your resort good medical care is. If this had been a heart attack or something more serious than a broken foot I am sure my daughter would have died. Also if your younger family is traveling in one of these places, be aware that the payment is required on the spot. No waiting for insurance authorization or travel insurance. Make sure they have a credit card with substantial charging power. If you have an extended stay I imagine things can be arranged. But for a broken foot they would not let us leave the hospital without paying.