Our Experience With medical On the Disney Dream. Get Passport and Insurance. Amazing !!!

[teroot]

While we were on board the September 7th sailing of the Disney Dream my sister awoke suddenly with a sharp pain on her left side of her body and her arm went numb. She woke me up and we called down to medical and they came promptly and had a Dr. waiting to see her and asses the situation. They were able to take and EKG all was good, Draw blood and All was good BP a little High but not alarming. The Dr. then suspected a possible TIA (Mini Stroke) We were on our way to Nassau. She spent the rest of the night in medical being monitored. That day in Nassau after thinking the possibility we had to go into the hospital in Nassau very scary considering we had never been thru a situation. The Dr. In medical needed us to get a CT scan and possibly and MRI which they don't have on the ship. We needed to be cleared before we could reboard the ship and continue on with our cruise. Her symptoms seemed to decrease as the day went on. Thank goodness. Disney was so great the transported us to the Bahamas gate and then escorted by a Disney Liaison named John he was so kind and caring. He took us over to the hospital gave us his number to have the hospital call when we were cleared to come back on ship. While at the hospital they were rather slow and it was very scary but they were doing everything to get us back on board by the cut off time and thankfully they did. The hospital is old and what you would expect kind of dirty but everyone spoke English. this was the private hospital in the Bahamas. All expenses on ship and in the Bahamas had to be paid in full up front and then they give you a bill to send into your Insurance. Thankfully we have that and took out Disney's Insurance. ( I highly Advise This Now That I Know What I Know.) The really scary part was when they told us we may not return to the ship and have to stay in the Bahamas. They explained all procedures to us about flying out of the Bahamas and connected us with a team to help in this process. We had people calling and checking on us while we were at the hospital for 5 hours. Thank You Disney. They had started the paper work for us to prepare to stay and be able to fly home from the Bahamas. ( Thank God We Had Passports.) We were released form the hospital around 3:30pm in plenty of time to resail at 5:30. As soon as we returned to the ship within 30 min we had to report to medical to then give them a release letter and safe to sale letter and for Dr. Arno on the ship to then agree that it was safe to sail further as there would have been no way for us to get to land for 72 hours as we were heading to Castaway Cay and then a day at Sea. If something else would have happened while we were on board we then would have been air cared off and only my sister would have been able to go and I would have had to stay on ship. They would have sent her to the nearest available hospital. Very Scary. I just have to close with Disney Followed Us Thru All These Processes and checked on my sister thru the rest of our cruise. My sister is doing much better they found nothing on her CT scan and is pain free. Following up with her Dr. this week. Best Advice From The Scariest Event is Get The Insurance well worth it and get a passport. If you have any questions let me know I will be glad to answer. Disney Is Amazing and so is there medical team from Vanta Medical in the UK who runs ther medical center on the ship.

 

[anricat]

I'm so relieved your sister is okay! What a scary thing to happen on what should have been a magical trip. I'm glad that you had such a positive experience with Disney.

I agree. We sail with passports and insurance!

Something like this happened with my DH (not on a trip) awhile back, except he also lost consciousness. They never really did figure out what happened to him. He's fine now. It was hellish for a few days though while they ran every test in the book.

 

[teroot]

Yes we believe she wound up with a pinched Nerve in her neck. The scariest part would have been if we would have had to stay in the Bahamas and have a procedure done and then fly home but Disney assured us they would be with us thru it all because we had the Insurance plus they could fly us out from there. Our friends had no passports with them had it been them they would have been in a pickle. They also never take the cruise Insurance but vowed they would now after seeing what we went thru. Huge Lessons learned. Disney even said they would have packed all our stuff and sent it back to the USA. They truly wee amazing with all the help and support that was there and what they said they would do had we had to stay.

 

[bumbershoot]

I'm glad she's OK.

You got the Disney insurance and that's great, but there are other insurances out there, so the message could be to "get trip insurance".

While at the hospital they were rather slow...

FWIW, my MIL has a history of strokes (7 hospitalizations for them in the last 3 years) and at US hospitals with medicare and 100% supplemental insurance (excellent supplemental) it's still very very slow. She doesn't have the "clotbuster drug" type, and it's AT LEAST 3 hours before she even gets slotted into the CT or MRI schedule, at 5 before they are finished and read.

So don't think that's just a Bahamas thing; the US, even at really decent hospitals (and the one she goes to most often has a Neuro ICU!), aren't very fast for things like that.

 

[teroot]

Agreed with the Insurance thing for who ever you go thru just get it.

 

[MunFam]

I also am in agreement to get insurance. As a travel agent, I would never buy DCLs insurance or advise a client to pay that premium, but there are other options... like http://www.travelguard.com/ that cover the same stuff for a lot less money.

 

[FindMeAFishingSpot]

Glad she's ok. I have another tip for folks - make sure you call your credit card companies ahead of time to let them know where you'll be sailing. A few years back, my mom dislocated her knee in the Carribean. They also wanted payment then and there. She tried the credit card and it didn't go through. Many phone calls later, they were paid up and on their way.

And a quick submit to her regular health insurance company and they were paid minus their deductible. But a lesson learned for the family!

 

[princessjadesmom]

You said you had to pay for everything up front, can I ask how much that cost you? If that's too nosey you don't have to answer. I'm just worried now that I wouldn't have that kind of money if something like that happened. What in the world happens then?

 

[CalDisneyMomof2]

You said you had to pay for everything up front, can I ask how much that cost you? If that's too nosey you don't have to answer. I'm just worried now that I wouldn't have that kind of money if something like that happened. What in the world happens then?

While I didn't have the same experience as OP, when we were in the Bahamas this last February DS4 had a constant fever and was very lethargic. We took him to the doctor AT Atlantis and the doctor visit was $100 cash. I thought it was well worth it for the peace of mind. I'm sure OP's was MUCH more but I thought what they were asking from me was very fair. Turned out he just had an upper respiratory infection that couldn't be treated with antibiotics but I had Motrin on hand (never leave home without it!) and his symptoms were gone in about 24 hours (so about 72 hours total).

 

[jburge12000]

Very happy to hear that it worked out. We had an emergency after we got off the Dream last year while at WDW with my daughter and Disney took care of everything. Ambulance, transportation back from the ER, follow up, delivery of mess, they did a really great job. Our medical insurance covered almost all of the costs. I had not purchased insurance in the past on our cruises but after having an emergency away from home, it really got us thinking and we have purchased it on our recent cruise and our future trip.

 

[SnowWhite2]

You said you had to pay for everything up front, can I ask how much that cost you? If that's too nosey you don't have to answer. I'm just worried now that I wouldn't have that kind of money if something like that happened. What in the world happens then?

My DD was taken to the medical center, had an IV inserted and stayed for about 1 hour. The bill was around $1600. It was added to our on-board account and had to be paid before we left.

My dad had to visit the hospital in Cancun on a land-based trip and they wanted $5000 in order to see him. No money, no service. Good thing my mom had a high limit on her credit card so she could get a cash advance to pay the hospital. He was eventually life flighted to Miami which was arranged by his health insurance company. They had no issue with not admitting him if he couldn't pay. No one would look at him until the $5000 was provided to the hospital.

 

[teroot]

My sisters cost in Medical on the ship fro her stay starting at 2:15 am then leaving for hospital was $1400 & Hospital in Nassau puts automatic $1500 hold on CC but her bill wound up being $1475 Fortunately for us we had the cruise Insurance which will cover the costs and or will her own medical for the visit to the hospital in Nassau. the Dr. warned us if she had not had the Insurance or if she had to stay in Nassau at the hospital it could be around 40 grand. I don't carry that much with me when I travel either we would have had to wire home for money and again the trip insurance would have covered some of it. So the amount you pay for trip insurance is priceless. the Rep who handles Disney's Insurance has already started the process for the loss of a day of our trip and for medical expenses to be reimbursed. A lot of Us Insurance companies won't cover ship expenses but hospital is a member of her Insurance and she will be reimbursed all of that. They charged our ship board account for their part and they then put that on her CC. Our friends traveling with us never get the Insurance they will now they said it was a truly eye opening experience and very scary with all the scenarios they give you of what could happen but at least Disney's reps walk you thru every step and give you lots of contacts to get help if needed.

 

[darkwing818]

Agreed with the Insurance thing for who ever you go thru just get it.

Totally agree

OP: Glad everything worked out..... (Trust me I know the feeling)

 

[shelbell77]

So glad your sister is okay and everything worked out for you guys. Trip Insurance is definitely a must! We do it in case of medical emergency and need for evacuation. I would recommend in future however looking at a non-disney plan as they tend to be much more comprehensive. Personally I use Allianz as I have a TA friend who recommends them - and has had to use them herself when she had a stroke in Egypt and had to be hospitalized there and then medivac back to the US once she was stable enough.

 

[CalDisneyMomof2]

I have a question regarding trip insurance for cruises: Our cruise would be taking off and returning to Vancouver. A majority would be in Alaska though. I'm not seeing a price difference for domestic vs. International. Would it matter which one I got?

 

[MaleficentRN]

Sound advice. Always get insurance and passports! Glad it wasn't something serious.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I have a question regarding trip insurance for cruises: Our cruise would be taking off and returning to Vancouver. A majority would be in Alaska though. I'm not seeing a price difference for domestic vs. International. Would it matter which one I got?

Not sure I'm understanding your question. Are you asking whether the insurance is different if you have an international flight vs a domestic flight? If so, it shouldn't matter, you are only covering the non-refundable parts of the the whole trip, regardless of where the costs occur.

 

[CalDisneyMomof2]

Not sure I'm understanding your question. Are you asking whether the insurance is different if you have an international flight vs a domestic flight? If so, it shouldn't matter, you are only covering the non-refundable parts of the the whole trip, regardless of where the costs occur.

I'm asking more for medical expenses. Not reimbursement of trip. I will be flying into Seattle, taking a train to Vancouver where the cruise embarks to Alaska.

I looked up Allianz like a PP suggested and they have domestic and international options as well as a cruise option. Just wasn't sure which was accurate for my specific trip since it's a combination (we'll be in Vancouver for a day BEFORE the cruise as well).

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I'm asking more for medical expenses. Not reimbursement of trip. I will be flying into Seattle, taking a train to Vancouver where the cruise embarks to Alaska.

I looked up Allianz like a PP suggested and they have domestic and international options as well as a cruise option. Just wasn't sure which was accurate for my specific trip since it's a combination (we'll be in Vancouver for a day BEFORE the cruise as well).

Well, the trip would be considered an international trip, as you're leaving the US (at least for part of the trip).

But, I'd probably select "cruise" as that's the primary focus of the trip.

When we cruise, we have to select a "destination". After calling and asking a representative, they said, just pick one of the ports for that option.

 

[MunFam]

Well, the trip would be considered an international trip, as you're leaving the US (at least for part of the trip).

But, I'd probably select "cruise" as that's the primary focus of the trip.

When we cruise, we have to select a "destination". After calling and asking a representative, they said, just pick one of the ports for that option.

I know with Travel Guard, you pick cruise. The front and back ends of your trip (land based) are also covered as long as you include them on the original quote (or add them as you book them).