Dawn Princess Medical

Hi. First post so please be nice!

Im sailing on my first cruise in a few weeks on the Dawn and starting to get REALLY excited. One thing has come to my thoughts after chatting with some mates. I have heart condition, atrial fib which flares up from time to time. I have travel insurance and thats ok and I have told them about the heart and they have covered me (eventually). My question is, do any of you have experience of the medical centre on the Dawn? I know Im probably working myself up about nothing and suppose I would just like some reassurance they can handle heart problems and the like should something come up. Thanks

Vic

:confused:

Hi. First post so please be nice!

Im sailing on my first cruise in a few weeks on the Dawn and starting to get REALLY excited. One thing has come to my thoughts after chatting with some mates. I have heart condition, atrial fib which flares up from time to time. I have travel insurance and thats ok and I have told them about the heart and they have covered me (eventually). My question is, do any of you have experience of the medical centre on the Dawn? I know Im probably working myself up about nothing and suppose I would just like some reassurance they can handle heart problems and the like should something come up. Thanks

Vic

:confused:

Haven't had a need for that kind of service, but I would imagine they would be able to cope. To put your mind at ease, why not email Princess for a response?

I did e mail and was told they are fully kitted out to deal with emergencies. I dont doubt them however I was interested if anyone actually had first hand experience and could give me some more reassurance than company line.

They say that on a ship they have the best response time to an emergency than on any other type of holiday. We have had a few code alphas on cruises we have been on, but the one I remember was coming back from Europe on the dawn and a gentleman collapse on deck..... Within minutes of the code alpha call the medical staff arrive and after a period of time revived him.... Luckily the next day we were arriving back in Darwin and as soon as we docked the paramedics boarded and he waved to everyone on deck as he was stretchered off. The medical centre is very well equiped.

Another thing we have learnt is if you have a blood donors card to take it with you..... They don't carry blood supplies and rely on passengers donating in case of emergency..... You have to show your card as they don't have testing facilities

I travelled on the Dawn about 3 years ago and did the ships tour, which included the hospital. I am also an RN. Rest assured they are more then equipped for most medical emergencies and would be able to deal with AF with no problem. They have facilities and can run a mini ICU if need be, until medivac can be organised ( though hopefully your AF shouldn't lead to that :eek:)

The cost may be enough to send you back into AF however.....but that's what you have travel insurance for.

My father developed scarlet fever during the trip we were on and required antibiotics and they also advised aspirin throat gargles....they antibiotics were around $80 and the packet of aspirin around $40, the medical visit was in the hundreds... But Travel Insurance sorted it all:D

If you think about the demographic that can most afford to cruise, the on board medical team are used to dealing with cardiac issues ;)

My wife &I were on DAWN for the NZ Xmas cruise last year and contracted gastroenteritis (norovirus) 2 days out of Sydney

We were quarantined to our cabin with the medical staff visiting 3 times a day. The care and professionalism shown were excellent

We found exactly the opposite with the fees for care and medication

It came to just over $90 for the two days care and medications I was so surprised I went to the Medical Centre after we were fit again and queried their account but it was correct. It was not worth putting in a claim to our travel insurance as the excess was greater than the medical bill

I don't think there will be any issues if you have a defib issue

John

I haven't been on the Dawn but have been in the medical centre on smaller Princess ships and can assure you they are equipped to deal with pretty much anything, including your heart condition.

a fully equipped hospital ready for any emergency or to sustain you until medi-vac helicopter arrives or ambulance at the nearest port.

Rest assured if you have appropriate travel insurance then you can go with ease of mind

have a wonderful trip :)

My friends had cause to use the medical facilities on our Dawn cruise in May, she is a nurse and they couldn't fault the service, costs were not too bad at all, I saw the bill:D

Also saw the team in action when someone fell off a barstool and opened his head, they were good.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to reply. I didnt really feel too bad about their ability to take care of me should the worst happen but I have been reading these boards for quite a while whilst we were deciding to take a cruise or not and found that there is such a wealth of experience here that I would be daft not to say G'day and ask for your input. We are sòoooo excited to be heading off for a new adventure in couple of weeks and you have been very reassuring. My AF has been stable most of the time but I get one or two episodes per year, I wont worry about it and just have a briliant holiday.

Thanks again to you all.

Safe Sailing

Vic

Thanks to everyone who took the time to reply. I didnt really feel too bad about their ability to take care of me should the worst happen but I have been reading these boards for quite a while whilst we were deciding to take a cruise or not and found that there is such a wealth of experience here that I would be daft not to say G'day and ask for your input. We are sòoooo excited to be heading off for a new adventure in couple of weeks and you have been very reassuring. My AF has been stable most of the time but I get one or two episodes per year, I wont worry about it and just have a briliant holiday.

Thanks again to you all.

Safe Sailing

Vic

That's best.

Enjoy Vic.

.... We have had a few code alphas on cruises we have been on, but the one I remember was coming back from Europe on the Dawn and a gentleman collapsed on deck..... Within minutes of the code alpha call the medical staff arrived and after a period of time revived him.... Luckily the next day we were arriving back in Darwin and as soon as we docked the paramedics boarded and he waved to everyone on deck as he was stretchered off. The medical centre is very well equipped.

We were also on the Dawn Princess for this cruise in 2013 and know the person who had the cardiac arrest. The first person to assist him was the Security Officer who was nearby. Our friend was revived and was stabilised overnight in the ship's hospital. He was taken off next day in Darwin and a few days later sent to Adelaide for a bypass. After about 6 weeks, he was fit enough to fly home to New Zealand.

Princess staff were very helpful and assisted his wife with the initial formalities for early disembarkation in Darwin. Over the last days of the cruise, they were still concerned about his welfare and allowed another friend (at Princess expense) to ring his wife in Darwin for updates.

I guess he owes his life to the initial prompt action by trained staff on the Dawn Princess.

Last week we were on the Diamond Princess cruising around Japan and one night, a passenger was evacuated by helicopter. I don't know what was wrong with the patient.

We were also on the Dawn Princess for this cruise in 2013 and know the person who had the cardiac arrest. The first person to assist him was the Security Officer who was nearby. Our friend was revived and was stabilised overnight in the ship's hospital. He was taken off next day in Darwin and a few days later sent to Adelaide for a bypass. After about 6 weeks, he was fit enough to fly home to New Zealand.

 

Princess staff were very helpful and assisted his wife with the initial formalities for early disembarkation in Darwin. Over the last days of the cruise, they were still concerned about his welfare and allowed another friend (at Princess expense) to ring his wife in Darwin for updates.

 

I guess he owes his life to the initial prompt action by trained staff on the Dawn Princess.

 

Last week we were on the Diamond Princess cruising around Japan and one night, a passenger was evacuated by helicopter. I don't know what was wrong with the patient.

And that treatment and Evac would have cost more than every travel insurance they ever took out combined.

Sorry i have to disagree with other posters re dawn princess.

My father in law collapsed on the first morning of a 28 night cruise. He was put in ICU and misdiagnosed with pneumonia but actually had an aneurism.

The cruise started in Sydney and the next port was Brisbane. The ambulance met the ship in Brisbane and he was transported to hospital where he passed away that afternoon.

The bill for 24 hours in the medical centre was $6000 and what the Drs thought was pneumonia was blood from the aneurism. The staff also messed up the paperwork that they gave to my mother in law - they gave her another passengers paperwork who was also taken off the ship in Brisbane from a fall.

Unfortunately they did not have travel insurance as he had heart condition including a defibrillator installed.

Princess / carnival cruise did not care, the cruise was $20,000 as they had a mini suite plus the $6000 medical bill - no refund after one night on the ship nor offer of a credit not even a part credit - nothing.

Please no flaming about no travel insurance - it was their choice to cruise and because it was s circumnavigation around Australia he thought it would be ok.

We don't blame the cruise line for the passing it was his fate however there were mess ups and it was very expensive medical care that was misdiagnosed.

The CEO of Carnival who own princess just did not care ... The letter of reply was cold and heartless.

We don't cruise with princess, carnival or P&O - our choice as a protest.

Very sad to read MiaMia65 bad experience and the tragic outcome. My husband has a chronic medical condition and we have used the medical/hospital facilities on a number of Princess ships out of Australia. Being an RN (ED trained) I am acutely aware of what is going on and have never had a concern. I think this is a timely reminder to others cruising around Australia that Medicare does not cover any costs while you are on board the cruise ship, even it is only sailing into Australian ports.