Prescription Drugs Question

Whenever we travel, we usually travel with our prescription medicines (blood pressure, cholesterol, etc.) in a pill box that sorts them daily. On Carnival's site, they said you have to bring the bottles with your name on it. We really don't want to pack 6 to 7 bottles.

Has anyone have any issues with Carnival regarding prescription medicines not in their original bottle?

I've always taken mine in a weekly pill box. I don't want to carry 8 bottles with me. The one I do carry is the one that's a controlled substance. I've never had anyone even look at them tho.

You'll be fine with the pill box.

Could you imagine what embarkation would be like if they hand checked everyone's prescription bottles?

The first time I cruised I took my medicine bottles. It was nearly a suitcase in itself. I had them questioning me about what was in it. They acted like they'd never seen medicine bottles before. I got the impression that it wasn't something they were use to.

This would not be a Carnival policy.

This would be a federal law enforced by the DEA when trying to re-enter the US.

Having said that, on Caribbean cruises, I just take my weekly pill box.

If I'm traveling internationally, I bring the original container along with photo copies of the original prescription.

I may be 60, but I'm still too cute for prison.

While there may be contradicting information in other areas of the Carnival website, one area relates this:

You will need to bring enough medication and medical supplies to last the duration of your cruise. Our medical centers cannot refill prescriptions or provide the use of medical equipment. If your medication is a prescribed narcotic you must hand carry the original container and prescription. Please hand-carry your medications and medical supplies and not place them in your checked luggage.

Bringing medication with the original bottle will facilitate identifying you and your meds if there is an emergency. It only appears, where Carnival is concerned, to be required for narcotics.

I take a total of 9 prescriptions and vitamins a day and just take two pill bottles full of pills for cruise and about a week extra.

None are narcotics and never a problem in 30 plus cruises.

I also use the handy weekly pill sorting boxes for all of my RX medications. BUT... I also bring a print out of my prescription medicines that my pharmacy was happy to print for me. This will show I have the correct paperwork to carry those, and if I should need a refill for any reason, this will also allow me to provide the correct RX drug info to whoever is dispensing it (onboard medical centre, shoreside pharmacy, etc.)

And that part about the onboard medical centre not being able to refill a prescription? Depends on what it is and the circumstances. Moving from cabin a to cabin b once during a B2B, my case went missing - the onboard medical centre happily provided me with a full weeks supply of my medication.

if something happens to you and you can no speak (pass out, fall, etc), will someone know every medication you are on and the exact dosage so medical personnel can make sure they give you some help without conflicting with the medication you are on? its best whenever traveling to make sure you have the original bottles or a detailed list (best from the pharmacy) of all the medications you are taking.

it could end up saving your life. at minimum take a list from the pharmacy. there is no worry about packing a list

Thanks for the input.

I'll use the weekly pill box since none of our medicines are a narcotic.

You might want to bring along a print-out from the pharmacy of the drugs. Takes up a lot less room than carrying around multiple pill holders!

DH takes a bunch of pills every day ... some am - some pm - some both :)

He takes them in those daily pill boxes others mentioned.

He also has a list he carries with the pill boxes detailing which pills, when and how much.

In 14 cruises he's never been asked about the pills - he always has them in his carry on luggage.:)

I take a picture of each of my pill bottles with the prescription showing but don't take the pill bottles with me. I take each of the pills in a small plastic bag labeled with the prescription name and when to take.

Also I keep a list of meds, doctor and emergency phone numbers on my iPhone in case of emergency. I also make sure I have enough pills for at least a week after the cruise with me.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

From a practitioner point of view, people just don't get what can happen in an emergency. Having an official list (pharmacy, MD summary etc) is best. Something else people neglect to consider is the interactions of drugs. Some are affected by contact with others, some disintegrate with light etc etc. Boxes are usually filthy, "stuff" in the corners etc. (I've seen plenty) :) I'm not a fan of them. The pill bottles offer way more information. I find it hardly an inconvenience to bring the bottles in a zip lock bag.

A few thoughts regarding the pill boxes.

1. The ones I've seen have only seven sections, one for each day of the week. Most trips I go on are seven night cruises. You come in the day before, and you may not get home until the day after. So that's nine days, but only seven sections. Do y'all put two Friday doses in the Friday container, for example?

2. And what if you're delayed getting home? Does anyone run out of their medication?

By the time my next cruise comes around, I'll be on three different pills and two types of insulin. And they are all going with me in their original containers.

Everyone, who has multiple medications, should have a printed list with medication name, dosage and number of times per day in their wallet, purse, travel wallet, etc. I have a Medic Alert necklace that lists my issues and one line says to "Check Wallet" for medication info. You can only fit so much on a dog tag. :) I carry my med information with me everywhere. There are Medic Alert Necklaces that have a USB drive with your information on it but they are often not practical because of language and computer compatibility.

For a cruise I carry at least twice the number of days medications in a two week pill container and carry the prescriptions for the Schedule 2 and 3 prescriptions. I leave the bottles at home.

If I am doing an International Land vacation then I bring the pill container along with the original bottles and photocopies of the prescriptions.

Make a document and print it. You can resize it to fit and carry it with you.

Take care,

Mike

A few thoughts regarding the pill boxes.

 

1. The ones I've seen have only seven sections, one for each day of the week. Most trips I go on are seven night cruises. You come in the day before, and you may not get home until the day after. So that's nine days, but only seven sections. Do y'all put two Friday doses in the Friday container, for example?

 

2. And what if you're delayed getting home? Does anyone run out of their medication?

 

By the time my next cruise comes around, I'll be on three different pills and two types of insulin. And they are all going with me in their original containers.

My DH has more than one box and always takes enough for a few extra days/nights. The boxes cost around $3 each so it's not a big deal to have more than one. Taking multiple boxes so each section is only one day helps keep track of whether you took that day's pills - not always a given in different settings with different routines :)

Thanks for the input.

 

I'll use the weekly pill box since none of our medicines are a narcotic.

You would only need to bring a pill bottle or prescription proof is you are taking a "controlled substance" (if you don't know what this is, then you are not taking any controlled substances) :)

Whenever we travel, we usually travel with our prescription medicines (blood pressure, cholesterol, etc.) in a pill box that sorts them daily. On Carnival's site, they said you have to bring the bottles with your name on it. We really don't want to pack 6 to 7 bottles.

 

Has anyone have any issues with Carnival regarding prescription medicines not in their original bottle?

Carnival is full of it , we always take it in pill boxes.

I bring prescription and non-prescription medications in a weekly pill box inside a travel bag with my portable first aid kit with all the essentials inside, which is in my carry-on or backpack. I've never had an issue with on while cruising. I recently went through a secondary inspection at TSA flying out of Orlando, but it was to check out/test my toiletries. They didn't even look at the pill box, or other items in the first aid kit.

Whenever we travel, we usually travel with our prescription medicines (blood pressure, cholesterol, etc.) in a pill box that sorts them daily. On Carnival's site, they said you have to bring the bottles with your name on it. We really don't want to pack 6 to 7 bottles.

 

Has anyone have any issues with Carnival regarding prescription medicines not in their original bottle?

Carnival is full of it , we always take it in pill boxes.

carnival is not full of it. Here is the quote from their site

You will need to bring enough medication and medical supplies to last the duration of your cruise. Our medical centers cannot refill prescriptions or provide the use of medical equipment. If your medication is a prescribed narcotic you must hand carry the original container and prescription. Please hand-carry your medications and medical supplies and not place them in your checked luggage.

Whenever we travel, we usually travel with our prescription medicines (blood pressure, cholesterol, etc.) in a pill box that sorts them daily. On Carnival's site, they said you have to bring the bottles with your name on it. We really don't want to pack 6 to 7 bottles.

 

Has anyone have any issues with Carnival regarding prescription medicines not in their original bottle?

I use the Sunday-Saturday pill holders and have never had a problem. :)

We bring our meds in pill boxes and some extra in ziploc for extended cruise duration. We also bring the individual pharmacy receipts with patient and med info.

On our way to our cruise when my DH had a stroke in the airport. After being taken to the hospital I was able to hand the Nurse/Doctor his bag of pills (original bottles included). So glad we had them so I didn't have to try to remember all pills and dosages while a bit flustered. It was not a day at the beach.

You never know!

We have taken over 39 cruises, and nobody has ever question our 7 days  pill containers. We take BP, Cholesterol plus vitamins. I won’t carry my medicine bag along with my luggage besides the 7 days is a reminder if you took your pills or not. I also ask the pharmacy for a print out, but my pills always come with us in our carry on.