I was going to comment just to the poster on trip insurance, but thought some people might not read that and benefit from our experience. Anyway---I wanted to let you know what may happen in case of a medical emergency while on the cruise.
If you have really good insurance, you may be able to forego the trip insurance. Not considering this, we didn't buy the insurance. Now we'll see how good my Dad's insurance is!
My 72 year old father and I were on a Disney Cruise earlier this month. On the Castaway Cay day of our cruise, my dad and I went on the Seahorse Catamaran Snorkel Trip. That's when the "accident" happened. My dad nearly drowned! He took in water through the snorkel gear and through his mouth---he's not a beginner, so this was sudden and quite unexpected. He did make it back to the catamaran ship---by himself---where he was helped out and collapsed into unconsciousness. Fortunately he was still breathing on his own, but very rapidly.
The catamaran phoned ahead and we were met by medical staff back at the ship. There his stomach was emptied, he was heavily sedated and put on a breathing machine to slow his breathing and not tax his heart, and medicine was administered to remove the water from his lungs.
At that point, arrangements for getting him off the ship and to a hospital were in the works. It did take about 9 hours to get to the hospital---something else to consider if you already have a life threatening problem! It was determined a helicopter would take too long. It was also kicked around that he would go to the hospital in Nassau or Freeport. To my relief, they arranged for him to go straight to Ft. Lauderdale-----by way of a tug boat meeting the cruise ship at sea, the tug taking us to Freeport where a lear jet medical ambulance was waiting, then the trip by jet to Ft. Lauderdale. I've heard the jet trip alone would be around $15,000! I believe trip insurance covers all the transportation, as well as the medical expenses on board---which happened to be $4000 (payable before leaving) for my dad. There's also the matter of customs---yes, you still have to clear customs in both the Bahamas and USA even in an emergency. Also, if the patient is transported by helicopter, there is no room for a passenger. On the jet, I was able to go, too (along with all our luggage).
All this while, my Dad was on the breathing machine and drugged up heavily---keeping him unconscious and unable to breath on his own.
Once in Ft. Lauderdale, an ambulance took us to North Ridge Medical Center---a very good hospital! Everyone there was very professional and personable. The customer relations volunteer was also extremely helpfull in helping me with accommodations, shuttles, and food from the cafeteria. Disney did try to help with finding a hotel too, but it was a sold out week and they didn't have the connections the hospital did.
My dad was hospitalized for 5 nights (2 in ICU, 1 in CCU, and 2 in a regular room).
Then came the fun of rescheduling the flights back to our homes (him to Oregon, me to St. Louis). Disney tried again, but came back with $200@ to fly us to St. Louis, or over $1000 for my dad to go Oregon. So I called the airlines myself and paid an exchange fee to use our original tickets. But the first available flights were 3 days later and out of Orlando.
So I rented a car for 3 days, kept the Hampton near the hospital for 2 extra nights after my dad was released. Then we made our way back to Orlando for another night.
I also recommend you take a cell phone!!! It'll come in extremely handy in such circumstanses!
It's a LONG TOUGH ordeal!!! THank God my dad recovered!!!!
Hopefully you'll never have to go through any of this! But this was the first cruise for either of us----and quite a memerable one!
SUe
If you have really good insurance, you may be able to forego the trip insurance. Not considering this, we didn't buy the insurance. Now we'll see how good my Dad's insurance is!
My 72 year old father and I were on a Disney Cruise earlier this month. On the Castaway Cay day of our cruise, my dad and I went on the Seahorse Catamaran Snorkel Trip. That's when the "accident" happened. My dad nearly drowned! He took in water through the snorkel gear and through his mouth---he's not a beginner, so this was sudden and quite unexpected. He did make it back to the catamaran ship---by himself---where he was helped out and collapsed into unconsciousness. Fortunately he was still breathing on his own, but very rapidly.
The catamaran phoned ahead and we were met by medical staff back at the ship. There his stomach was emptied, he was heavily sedated and put on a breathing machine to slow his breathing and not tax his heart, and medicine was administered to remove the water from his lungs.
At that point, arrangements for getting him off the ship and to a hospital were in the works. It did take about 9 hours to get to the hospital---something else to consider if you already have a life threatening problem! It was determined a helicopter would take too long. It was also kicked around that he would go to the hospital in Nassau or Freeport. To my relief, they arranged for him to go straight to Ft. Lauderdale-----by way of a tug boat meeting the cruise ship at sea, the tug taking us to Freeport where a lear jet medical ambulance was waiting, then the trip by jet to Ft. Lauderdale. I've heard the jet trip alone would be around $15,000! I believe trip insurance covers all the transportation, as well as the medical expenses on board---which happened to be $4000 (payable before leaving) for my dad. There's also the matter of customs---yes, you still have to clear customs in both the Bahamas and USA even in an emergency. Also, if the patient is transported by helicopter, there is no room for a passenger. On the jet, I was able to go, too (along with all our luggage).
All this while, my Dad was on the breathing machine and drugged up heavily---keeping him unconscious and unable to breath on his own.
Once in Ft. Lauderdale, an ambulance took us to North Ridge Medical Center---a very good hospital! Everyone there was very professional and personable. The customer relations volunteer was also extremely helpfull in helping me with accommodations, shuttles, and food from the cafeteria. Disney did try to help with finding a hotel too, but it was a sold out week and they didn't have the connections the hospital did.
My dad was hospitalized for 5 nights (2 in ICU, 1 in CCU, and 2 in a regular room).
Then came the fun of rescheduling the flights back to our homes (him to Oregon, me to St. Louis). Disney tried again, but came back with $200@ to fly us to St. Louis, or over $1000 for my dad to go Oregon. So I called the airlines myself and paid an exchange fee to use our original tickets. But the first available flights were 3 days later and out of Orlando.
So I rented a car for 3 days, kept the Hampton near the hospital for 2 extra nights after my dad was released. Then we made our way back to Orlando for another night.
I also recommend you take a cell phone!!! It'll come in extremely handy in such circumstanses!
It's a LONG TOUGH ordeal!!! THank God my dad recovered!!!!
Hopefully you'll never have to go through any of this! But this was the first cruise for either of us----and quite a memerable one!
SUe
