Incident on DCL at sea?

[DisneYE]

Just read on social media from a person that I follow that someone died onboard
She's currently in one of the DCL ships that sailed out of PC on Sunday (my guess is the Fantasy)
She reports the ship stopped mid ocean to allow for the coast guard to retrieve the person. Apparently helicopter involved.
If true, wow! That's a mega trauma I wish I never get to experience.
Anyone hear about this?

 

[mep57]

I don't think they would be conducting a med-vac had the person already passed. Hopefully, with prayers, they are being well care for at a hospital.

 

[lunaland]

We had 2 people pass away (separately) on our Fantasy cruise last year. They didn't do anything dramatic like helicopter the body out. But they did have a medical examiner board the ship in St Thomas. Rumor was it was to declare the person?

 

[bbel]

I don't think they would be conducting a med-vac had the person already passed. Hopefully, with prayers, they are being well care for at a hospital.

That's why ships have a morgue. I don't think coastguard would come out for a body. I think it would have been a medical evacuation.
Unfortunately it's quite common for people to die on cruises, even Disney ones.

 

[DisneYE]

We had 2 people pass away (separately) on our Fantasy cruise last year. They didn't do anything dramatic like helicopter the body out. But they did have a medical examiner board the ship in St Thomas. Rumor was it was to declare the person?

Holy smokes.
I can't fathom the thought of a person (let alone 2) dying in the same cruise as me.
It goes to show how fragile life is.

 

[DisneYE]

That's why ships have a morgue. I don't think coastguard would come out for a body. I think it would have been a medical evacuation.
Unfortunately it's quite common for people to die on cruises, even Disney ones.

wow I didn't know that. dcl has a morgue? that's eerie.

 

[truck1]

We had 2 people pass away (separately) on our Fantasy cruise last year. They didn't do anything dramatic like helicopter the body out. But they did have a medical examiner board the ship in St Thomas. Rumor was it was to declare the person?

Most likely the ME came onboard to sign off on the death certificate as accidental, natural cause etc. The doctors onboard can pronounce, especially if there is a living will or DNR, but as far as a death certificate, it may have depended on whos waters the ship was in at the time.

 

[lklgoodman]

Earlier today I saw on the news about a passenger being taken off a ship by a helicopter. It wasn't on a Disney ship though. It was some cruise line I've never heard of before. Are you sure this person is on a Disney ship? Maybe she's on Disney and they saw it happening on another ship they were sailing next to?

 

[mcd2745]

On out last DCL cruise (Fantasy), someone passed away early in the week. Then, later in the week on our way to Castaway, we had to detour toward Grand Turk so they can get someone else to a hospital there. We ended up not getting to Castaway until after noon. They did let us stay ashore on Castaway later than normal (6 or 6:30pm, IIRC) although all excursions were cancelled and there was no lunch bbq. These things probably happen a lot more than people realize.

 

[Mainsail Minnie]

Holy smokes.
I can't fathom the thought of a person (let alone 2) dying in the same cruise as me.
It goes to show how fragile life is.

Most cruises (though DCL not so much) have a lot of elderly people on board, so it isn't uncommon.

 

[otten]

I agree that it probably wasn't a death if a helicopter was brought in. More likely a serious medical emergency. If someone dies they would be placed in the morgue until the next port of call at least. Like medical centers, morgues are pretty standard on cruise ships because things do happen.

 

[Marc D]

DCL death stats are probably low for the industry, because of the average age of guests, but guests dying of natural causes on cruise ships is a very common occurrence.

 

[hmsTigger]

2 in the news One last Sunday near Jersey and one yesterday cruise ship Mein Schiff off Jersey coast Thank you Coast Guard!

 

[DisneYE]

On out last DCL cruise (Fantasy), someone passed away early in the week. Then, later in the week on our way to Castaway, we had to detour toward Grand Turk so they can get someone else to a hospital there. We ended up not getting to Castaway until after noon. They did let us stay ashore on Castaway later than normal (6 or 6:30pm, IIRC) although all excursions were cancelled and there was no lunch bbq. These things probably happen a lot more than people realize.

wow... do these things get announced on the PA system? it's pretty dark if they went 'someone died on the ship today'... I'd rather they'd keep it under the radar and let CM's inform during dinner or something.

 

[DisneYE]

Earlier today I saw on the news about a passenger being taken off a ship by a helicopter. It wasn't on a Disney ship though. It was some cruise line I've never heard of before. Are you sure this person is on a Disney ship? Maybe she's on Disney and they saw it happening on another ship they were sailing next to?

she's on a DCL ship for sure, she's been posting pics of food and the atrium.. but she's the type that craves attention so maybe she's making it up I dunno..I agree with what everyone says here that there's no way they'd bring a helicopter to retrieve a body... I'll ask her when she gets back

 

[Rob1872]

wow... do these things get announced on the PA system? it's pretty dark if they went 'someone died on the ship today'... I'd rather they'd keep it under the radar and let CM's inform during dinner or something.

Why would there be any need for any announcement?

 

[mcd2745]

wow... do these things get announced on the PA system? it's pretty dark if they went 'someone died on the ship today'... I'd rather they'd keep it under the radar and let CM's inform during dinner or something.

They had to announce why we were being detoured and would be late to Castaway. They didn't announce that someone had passed. We found that out another way.

 

[DisneYE]

Why would there be any need for any announcement?

Another fellow DISer said when one cruiser was disembarked due to a medical issue they had to inform as that affected the itinerary. in that case it makes sense.
But you're right, if someone dies on the ship I'd rather not know.

 

[lanejudy]

.I agree with what everyone says here that there's no way they'd bring a helicopter to retrieve a body

Could be a Medevac but the person died after leaving the ship. The passenger would likely be in very serious condition for a Medevac rather than pushing to a nearby port.

do these things get announced on the PA system?

I believe there is a code... maybe “rising star” or something. It may depend on circumstances whether that gets announced.

 

[smadath]

Is it possible that they would do a medevac if the person who passed away was an organ donor? Maybe heart or kidneys needed? I don't know if they would be able to get there quickly enough, though, even with a helicopter.