serious medical issues on TA's

Just wondering, how would a serious (unexpected) medical issue be handled on a TA once we had set off on the days at sea. On our last cruise, one companion had a heart attack (he is OK now:)) but he had to leave the ship early, it was not a TA. We buy medical insurance, including evacuation, but I'm thinking that would not happen in the middle of the Atlantic. I know from reading these boards, issues happen, but never have read of one on a TA.

Just wondering, how would a serious (unexpected) medical issue be handled on a TA once we had set off on the days at sea. On our last cruise, one companion had a heart attack (he is OK now:)) but he had to leave the ship early, it was not a TA. We buy medical insurance, including evacuation, but I'm thinking that would not happen in the middle of the Atlantic. I know from reading these boards, issues happen, but never have read of one on a TA.

To put it bluntly, if it is really serious and not treatable on board and you are out of the range of evacuation helicopters - you will die. That is the chances that you take. If you can't handle that very slight risk, don't cruise to places that are very far from medical help.

Imagine if you were doing trans Pacific and you were thousands of miles from anywhere.

DON

Just wondering, how would a serious (unexpected) medical issue be handled on a TA once we had set off on the days at sea. On our last cruise, one companion had a heart attack (he is OK now:)) but he had to leave the ship early, it was not a TA. We buy medical insurance, including evacuation, but I'm thinking that would not happen in the middle of the Atlantic. I know from reading these boards, issues happen, but never have read of one on a TA.

At least on a ship you have two doctors, some nurses and a medical clinic. So better off staying there I would think until they could get you to an airport.

It's said the farthest place from anywhere is Point Nemo in the Pacific , it's about 1000miles from ANYTHING. Point Nemo is located over 1,000 miles equidistantly from the coasts of three far-flung islands. Ducie Island (one of the Pitcairn islands) is to the north, Motu Nui (of the Easter Island chain) is to the north-east and Maher Island (off the coast of Antarctica) is to the south

It really depends on how far from land your are when the incident happens. The Crown Princess turned back on a Transpacific cruise a few years back when a crew member had a ruptured appendix. It took about 16 hours to get to an island in the French Marquesas where an evacuation could be accomplished. It cost Princess huge $$, since the ship arrived a full day late back in LA, meaning travel plans for thousands of passengers were disrupted. (By the way, the captain was happy to later report that the crew member survived!)

The decision on whether to turn back rests with the Captain after consultation with the medical staff. My guess is that they would consider turning back if they were within 24 hours of an evacuation possibility, but it probably depends on lots of factors. We've thought about the possibility of being in that situation. At our ages we probably wouldn't let the slight risk change our minds about travel, but each person has to decide that for her/himself.

It really depends on how far from land your are when the incident happens. The Crown Princess turned back on a Transpacific cruise a few years back when a crew member had a ruptured appendix. It took about 16 hours to get to an island in the French Marquesas where an evacuation could be accomplished. It cost Princess huge $$, since the ship arrived a full day late back in LA, meaning travel plans for thousands of passengers were disrupted. (By the way, the captain was happy to later report that the crew member survived!)

 

The decision on whether to turn back rests with the Captain after consultation with the medical staff. My guess is that they would consider turning back if they were within 24 hours of an evacuation possibility, but it probably depends on lots of factors. We've thought about the possibility of being in that situation. At our ages we probably wouldn't let the slight risk change our minds about travel, but each person has to decide that for her/himself.

WOW! That was quite an incident costing $$$$$$.

We were on a 30 day HAL South Pacific cruise a few years ago. When were were in Hawaii the captain came on the loud speaker and told anyone with any kind of health issue to disembark. He stated that we would be out of range of medical care until we reached Tahiti. I saw people leaving with their luggage that day. Later someone we'd met had to disembark in Tahiti. After leaving the last of the islands, there were six sea days before San Diego. During this time one poor couple learned of the unexpected death of their son and of course had to wait until San Diego before heading home.

These are the risks we take on long cruises involving great expanses of ocean between ports. Made myself think twice about doing one of those world cruises....didn't enjoy being in the middle of the Pacific when the Costa ship went down. Would have been no coast guard or other ships to come to our rescue. On Transatlantics we would see other ships daily but only saw ships in port in the Pacific.

This is really scarey. Haven't been on TA or TP yet. We were looking at Hawaii to Australia cruise, not so sure I want to.

This is really scarey. Haven't been on TA or TP yet. We were looking at Hawaii to Australia cruise, not so sure I want to.

Tens of thousands of people do it a year and are just fine. You're more likely to get run over crossing the street at home than to have a life-threatening medical emergency at sea, unless you're already sickly.

Just wondering, how would a serious (unexpected) medical issue be handled on a TA once we had set off on the days at sea. On our last cruise, one companion had a heart attack (he is OK now:)) but he had to leave the ship early, it was not a TA. We buy medical insurance, including evacuation, but I'm thinking that would not happen in the middle of the Atlantic. I know from reading these boards, issues happen, but never have read of one on a TA.

On the NCL Star TA in November we had a serious medical issue about two thirds of the way to Miami.

We were informed that the ship would be motoring at flank speed and we arrived in Miami a full 12 hours ahead of our scheduled 7:00 AM arrival, where the person was off-loaded to a waiting ambulance. Due to protocols, we were informed that we could not disembark until the regularly scheduled time the next morning. It was comforting to know that in life threatening situations, they will do everything within their powers get you through. You could feel the vibration of the ship's engines going all out on board.

I've been on a TA with 7 continuous days at sea and don't recall any kind of announcement to advise people with medical issues to not continue on.

Getting ready for another one in April - now I'm curious, so I'll pay closer attention.

WOW! That was quite an incident costing $$$$$$.

We were on a 30 day HAL South Pacific cruise a few years ago. When were were in Hawaii the captain came on the loud speaker and told anyone with any kind of health issue to disembark. He stated that we would be out of range of medical care until we reached Tahiti. I saw people leaving with their luggage that day. Later someone we'd met had to disembark in Tahiti. After leaving the last of the islands, there were six sea days before San Diego. During this time one poor couple learned of the unexpected death of their son and of course had to wait until San Diego before heading home.

These are the risks we take on long cruises involving great expanses of ocean between ports. Made myself think twice about doing one of those world cruises....didn't enjoy being in the middle of the Pacific when the Costa ship went down. Would have been no coast guard or other ships to come to our rescue. On Transatlantics we would see other ships daily but only saw ships in port in the Pacific.

Shouldn't the time to advise this be before booking, not when you're in the middle of a cruise?

I had a life threatening health issue on the Equinox last year but in Panama. Taken back to the ship and an abundance called after 10 hours when the Panama City group had charged us $15,000.00 on VISA as a guantee of payment stilll had not transferred me to hospital The doctor and captain kept me in the infermerary until the next day and port in Costa Rica where I was taken to hospital

Six months later and a major surgery later I am feeling fine

Celebrity did a great job helping myself and my wife even paying the hotel bill, cab fare and caretaker crew while in SAN Jose for Joni while I was in hospital

I am externally grateful

Ps I did not have any Celebrity insurance.

I was on a TA a couple years ago and when looking at my GPS saw that the ship had changed course and we were heading north instead of east. A couple hours later the Captain came on and advised that we had a medical emergency and that we would be heading north for about 15 hours until we got close enough to Greenland for the Canadian Air Force to get a helicopter out for an evacuation of the passenger.

The ship rendezvoused with the helicopter about 5:00 AM for a successful evacuation. Many got up to watch the evacuation but I slept in.

The Captain cranked up the speed and we arrived Halifax, Nova Scotia on schedule.

Just an example of how the crew might handle a medical emergency during a TA Crossing.

I had a life threatening health issue on the Equinox last year but in Panama. Taken back to the ship and an abundance called after 10 hours when the Panama City group had charged us $15,000.00 on VISA as a guantee of payment stilll had not transferred me to hospital The doctor and captain kept me in the infermerary until the next day and port in Costa Rica where I was taken to hospital

 

Six months later and a major surgery later I am feeling fine

 

Celebrity did a great job helping myself and my wife even paying the hotel bill, cab fare and caretaker crew while in SAN Jose for Joni while I was in hospital

 

I am externally grateful

 

Ps I did not have any Celebrity insurance.

Am I reading this correctly that the hospital would not help you due to a missing payment. That’s so disgusting to hear.

I've been on a TA with 7 continuous days at sea and don't recall any kind of announcement to advise people with medical issues to not continue on.

 

Getting ready for another one in April - now I'm curious, so I'll pay closer attention.

Same here, but HokiePoq was referring to a South Pacific Cruise, not a TA.

Shouldn't the time to advise this be before booking, not when you're in the middle of a cruise?

The time for all of us to consider this possibility should be - like the OP - before booking. It’s possible the Captain meant the announcement for persons who may have developed a medical issue during their 30-day cruise, or who had experienced an exacerbation of a pre-existing condition.

In 2007 on a Celebrity Century Westbound Transatlantic we had a stern cabin.

I was sitting on the balcony watching the sunset when I realized that the Ship was going in the wrong direction.

Then the Captain announced that we had a serious medical situation and we were heading back to the Azores.

Later came another announcement that in the morning we would be met by a Aircraft carrier that would take off the patient and family.

The next morning USS Wasp pulled up opposite us and the people were transferred by tender.

Has the Carrier sailed away the crew lined the flight deck and saluted us.

We eventually made Miami about 6 hours late having made up much of the lost time.

Things on cruise ships are much more advanced than even a couple years ago.

Most cruise ships now have direct contact with a major hospital for remote diagnostics / exchange of information.

Who knows, maybe in years to come a remote doctor in say Houston could operate on a patient in mid TA using a robot doc . Fancy waking up to see Arnie the Terminator bending over you.:o

We buy medical insurance, including evacuation, but I'm thinking that would not happen in the middle of the Atlantic.

Regardless of whether a medical evacuation was even possible or not, make sure you read the fine print on your evac policy. Some, like MedJet Assist, will only arrange and pay for your evacuation once you've been admitted to a hospital. Being in the's infirmary doesn't count as being admitted to a hospital so you'd be out of luck.

On a TA from Ft. Lauderdale to Southampton two years ago we made an unscheduled stop in the Azores to remove a passenger with a medical emergency. The ship didn't dock - a boat came out to the ship to take the passenger to port.

On the same cruise the ship turned around and went back to Vigo Spain an hour after departing to drop off another sick passenger.

And a third passenger had an ambulance waiting when we docked at another port.

I guess the ship's medical people were busy on that cruise.

Not on a TA but on a cruise from Norfolk to the Caribbean the hotel director had a heart attack. The captain sped up to get to San Juan early, arriving in the morning rather than the scheduled afternoon.

I've always wondered why they didn't do a helicopter since we were just off the US coast.

At least on a ship you have two doctors, some nurses and a medical clinic. So better off staying there I would think until they could get you to an airport.

 

It's said the farthest place from anywhere is Point Nemo in the Pacific , it's about 1000miles from ANYTHING. Point Nemo is located over 1,000 miles equidistantly from the coasts of three far-flung islands. Ducie Island (one of the Pitcairn islands) is to the north, Motu Nui (of the Easter Island chain) is to the north-east and Maher Island (off the coast of Antarctica) is to the south

We were once in the middle of the Pacific on Princess when a man fell and broke his hip in the buffet. We were on our way to Pitcairn from Tahiti. The man had to spend two days in the sick bay while the ship negotiated an airplane to fly from Papeete to Mangareva in the Gambiers.

It was a little bit out of our way, but not too bad. It was the closest we could get to anywhere with an airstrip. We all felt so bad when he puttered away in the tender to shore to start what had to have been a grueling journey back to Papeete for surgery. He was a solo traveler, so didn't even have anyone to negotiate the hospital for him except the Princess shore agent in Papeete.

We learned from his experience that while his insurance paid for all of that because he had the evacuation from the 'emergency' to the nearest hospital, it wouldn't pay to get him home from Papeete after that. He would have to be well enough to fly commercially on his own. I learned about Medjet from these boards, and have always had a yearly policy since then.

In March 2012 we were on the Oceania Marina doing a trans Atlantic from Florida to the Med. A couple of days out to sea. I passed out and arrived in the infirmary (for 6 hours) It was determined that I had gone into atrial fibrillation (which I am still in, for the second time in my life) The doctor recommended that I disembark in Barcelona and return home rather than stay on for the following 10 days. Concierge looked after all the details, even arranging wheelchairs at airports. My bill for the treatment on board was 6 hrs X $600.00 = $3600, plus the return airfare. Cancellation insurance picked up the cost of the last 10 days of the sailing and private insurance reimbursed me for the medical portion. Unfortunately, my wife won't go on any trans ocean voyages since then!!

On a TA from Ft. Lauderdale to Southampton two years ago we made an unscheduled stop in the Azores to remove a passenger with a medical emergency. The ship didn't dock - a boat came out to the ship to take the passenger to port.

 

On the same cruise the ship turned around and went back to Vigo Spain an hour after departing to drop off another sick passenger.

 

And a third passenger had an ambulance waiting when we docked at another port.

 

I guess the ship's medical people were busy on that cruise.

Believe that I was on that cruise and if I remember correctly 3 passengers along with a team from Celebrity left the ship. On another cruise we diverted to the Azores and docked to let off a passenger.

To put it bluntly, if it is really serious and not treatable on board and you are out of the range of evacuation helicopters - you will die. .

 

DON

Would they bury you at sea? :halo:

These are the risks we take on long cruises involving great expanses of ocean between ports. Made myself think twice about doing one of those world cruises....didn't enjoy beingg in the middle of the Pacific when the Costa ship went down. Would have been no coast guard or other ships to come to our rescue. On Transatlantics we would see other ships daily but only saw ships in port in the Pacific.

Ironically, had the Costa Concordia been on a Transpacific, she wouldn’t have had any problems. It was only being close to shore that caused her idiot captain to put a hole in the ship and make a whole series of bad decisions.