doctor/pharmacy/air conditioning on board.

[mrsvixen]

our first cruise is next week, and we got the extra medical for it. So i was wondering if there is a doctor & pharmacy online and it is covered by that medical....

Also are thete areas that have ac....

[Keith1010]

All ships have a doctor on board.

 

If you get sick they can prescribe some type of medication that they can dispense themselves.

 

The cost for any doctor visit and prescription will be charged to your shipboard account and if you have insurance you can then send the bills to the company after you return.

 

At the same time most ships carry some basic items for sale in their shops such as aspirin,cough syrup, throat lozenges and the like but they won't carry a wide range of items but just some basics.

 

Ships are air conditioned.

 

Keith

[paul929207]

There are one or more doctors and nurses in the ship's medical center. At least one is on call 24 hours a day to handle emergencies.

 

There is a pharmacy in the medical center, but it has limited supply. They will only have those that would be perscribed to sick passengers and crew. They will have medicine for gastointestinal disease, but not for high colestorol.

 

All cabins and public rooms are airconditioned

[Krazy Kruizers]

The ships do have one doctor who is available 24 hours -- usually just for the crew. But they can be summoned in case of an emergency.

Then there is also another doctor for the passengers -- hours are limited -- times listed in the daily program -- but can they can get him in an emergency.

Depending on the size of the ship, there will be at least 2 nurses on board -- times listed in the daily program when the infirmary is open.

The ship's carry very little in medicines -- they are not a pharmacy. If you have medications that you need to take every day -- you need to bring them with you. I also bring a least a week's worth of medication beyond the number of cruise days since we do have to fly home and need to be prepared for emergencies.

If you do become ill, the doctor's can prescribe a medication and give you the name of a drug store in the next port. It is up to you to go and get the medication.

As for payment -- all ship doctors fees and anything they may give you -- medicine or supplies -- all charged to your shipboard account. You will need to get an itemized account from them to turn into your own insurance.

[Gunner22aa]

My wife receives employment offers from one of the major lines about once a month. As a nurse she was interested in seeing the medical facilities on one of our cruises and got the grand tour as well as a job offer. Most cruise lines are looking for nurses with ER/ICU qualifications and most recruite almost exclusivly from the US, Canada and the UK due to the professional standards imposed by these countries. Contracts go from as short as 3 weeks to 6 months. Most of the Drs I have met onboard have been from the UK. The medical staff is well trained.

[trish1c]

There is a pharmacy on board but I wouldn't count on them having whatever you need. Bring your own meds. Think of the doctor's office more like a floating ambulance. They can provide immediate lifesaving help to get you stabilized enough for transport to a real hospital and they can treat minor stuff -- sprains, sunburns & of course, sea sickness.

Whether treatment is covered by your insurance is a function of your insurance contract. Most major US plans do not cover treatment outside the US, which is why these boards encourage you to purchase travel insurance with appropriate medical coverage for you. Read your policy or talk to your carrier because my statement is a blanket generalization; you may have better coverage.

You can control the temps in your cabin. I have always found the public rooms on board -- the dining rooms, the bars, & the theaters -- to be cold. I always bring a wrap & DH wears a jacket.

[Steviewonder1]

From real experience on one of our Alaskan Cruises, my wife had a Gall Bladder attack. They diagnosed it and we were med-evacuated an hour later along with all of our luggage which was packed by 5 people in our suite. She spent 3 days in the shore hospital in Sitka. We made it back to Seattle for our flight home on time. The bill was well into 5 digits. We always buy insurance on each cruise. We got half our cruise cost back, medical fully paid (no co-pay) and the flight back to Seattle was paid for. The medical facilities on the ship are small but efficient. The staff was wonderful.

[PennyAgain]

Some insurance plans cover cruise ship medical care, but most do not. Most Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans pay nothing.

 

That's why smart folks buy travel medical insurance coverage.

[ldubs]

Re the travel insurance, even a minor issue requiring a visit to the ship's doctor is going to run hundreds. Have an ear ache, that will be $350 thank you very much. JMO, the cost of basic travel insurance makes it well worth it.

[paul929207]

My wife had bronchitis on the Grand Princess. One doctor visit. Two perscriptions. Total was $141

[ldubs]

My wife had bronchitis on the Grand Princess. One doctor visit. Two perscriptions. Total was $141

 

That is very reasonable. I thought the minimum they cite to visit the doc is >$100. We've had to use the med facilities twice in recent history for what were, thankfully, minor issues. One exceeded $300 and the other exceeded $400.

 

Happy sailings.

[paul929207]

That is very reasonable. I thought the minimum they cite to visit the doc is >$100. We've had to use the med facilities twice in recent history for what were, thankfully, minor issues. One exceeded $300 and the other exceeded $400.

 

Happy sailings.

I believe it was $60 for the doc visit & $81 for the two perscriptions.

[kietzmanbc]

our first cruise is next week, and we got the extra medical for it. So i was wondering if there is a doctor & pharmacy online and it is covered by that medical....

Also are thete areas that have ac....

 

Very ill. They can quarantine you for various reasons.

 

But they are on board for eessary reasons.

[paul929207]

They can and will quarnetine someone if their disease is contagious. They have special personnel to clean the cabin. They have an expanded roomservice menu. They make it clear that if you are out of your cabin they will disembark you at the next port.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I have ended up in the infirmary 2 times.

Firsy time I slipped in the ladies room on HMC and badly hurt my knee. The ladies were too busy talking instead on constantly keeping the floor dry. I needed help back to the ship -- staff on the island saw the conditions of the ladies room floor. I had to have ship xrays right away -- crew doctor did that. Nothing broken. Because the staff on the island saw the condition I described before helping me back to the ship, I owed nothing - they documented everything.

Second time - my knee (different one) would not bend when I got up from the table after breakfast -- I have arthritis in both knees. Trip to the doctor -- $80. Needed something better than my pain killers - he gave me codine -- 8 pills -- $8. I could have submitted it to Security Blue when I got home -- but the bill was so little that I didn't bother. Had this happened at home and I had gone to my own doctor -- without Security Blue and Medicare -- it would have cost me $225 for the doctor's visit, probably xrays and about $125 for a prescription.

[Cru1s1ng2009]

oh we frequent the dr fairly often. DD is a paraplegic and had some kind of catheter blockage. dr was an army medic who was schooled on doing more with less. vinegar and a wire coat hanger took care of that. FREE!!!

 

oh and I was 'baking bread' once after being on antibiotics and that cost me $18. as anyone who has ever 'baked bread' before knows, it was worth every penny.

 

and the motion sickness meds they have are awesome. I dont know why they work better but they do. free also. pursers desk, dr office, and cabin attendant have them.

[brillohead]

About ten years ago we took my son for suspected motion sickness (he was only 3yo and didn't want to treat him with OTC meds without someone more "in the know" having input). As I recall, the visit and the bottle of Benadryl was about $60.

 

I've never heard anything about having doctors who are "just for crew" and doctors who are "just for passengers" -- there is ONE medical facility on board, and all the staff treat all the patients, regardless of business/leisure status. There is someone on-call for medical emergencies 24/7, but the clinic itself is typically only open for a few hours each morning and afternoon -- times will be listed in the daily newsletter.

 

 

 

And "baking bread" totally cracked me up -- will have to add that to my long list of favorite euphemisms!!!

[Cru1s1ng2009]

About ten years ago we took my son for suspected motion sickness (he was only 3yo and didn't want to treat him with OTC meds without someone more "in the know" having input). As I recall, the visit and the bottle of Benadryl was about $60.

 

I've never heard anything about having doctors who are "just for crew" and doctors who are "just for passengers" -- there is ONE medical facility on board, and all the staff treat all the patients, regardless of business/leisure status. There is someone on-call for medical emergencies 24/7, but the clinic itself is typically only open for a few hours each morning and afternoon -- times will be listed in the daily newsletter.

 

 

 

And "baking bread" totally cracked me up -- will have to add that to my long list of favorite euphemisms!!!

you're welcome. comic relief is what I am here for.

 

you are right, one for the ship. $60 is worth having the piece of mind to know you are doing the right thing. Besides, isnt that how much the bottle costs in the sundries shop? lol

[notentirelynormal]

My mother has used the doctor's office a couple of times. Once on a cruise out of San Juan before 11:00 pm that night, she was hospitalized with pneumonia. She spent 3 days in the ship hospital. The crew doctor was the one on duty when she was checked in and he stayed her primary care doctor. Her bill was, I think, around $2500 but she received excellent care. She submitted her bill to Medicare when she got home. Considering the 24 hour a day care and monitoring the price was more than fair. Her biggest complaint.... she didn't get her cheesecake for dessert. I had a whole cake delivered to her cabin.

 

On a ship sponsored shore excursion in Costa Rica my daughter got something metal in her eye while swimming in the river. We went to the doctor's office and they had to do minor surgery to remove it. It was free.

 

Lost our luggage for 10 days of a 12 day cruise and needed prescription cough medicine. It was also free.

 

My 1 YO granddaughter fell and ended up with a goose egg size bruise on her forehead. I think it was around $35 for a quick visit to verify she was okay.

 

Any care our family has received on board has been excellent. One thing to remember though, the prescription name/brand you have at home is not necessarily the one they will have on board. They are not a pharmacy like your local one. They are for emergency use only.

[ldubs]

The charges you guys are quoting are very low considering. Our last cruise on Celebrity, the minimum for a doctor's visit was >$100 (I'm about 99% sure of this as they warned people up front). Went for what turned out to be an ear infection. Cost was about $350. That was for one visit and meds. Fortunately, between our med insurance and the travel insurance, we were 100% reimbursed.

[Krazy Kruizers]

If my bill had been larger -- you can bet that I would have submitted it to Security Blue.

[Krazy Kruizers]

oh we frequent the dr fairly often. DD is a paraplegic and had some kind of catheter blockage. dr was an army medic who was schooled on doing more with less. vinegar and a wire coat hanger took care of that. FREE!!!

 

oh and I was 'baking bread' once after being on antibiotics and that cost me $18. as anyone who has ever 'baked bread' before knows, it was worth every penny.

 

and the motion sickness meds they have are awesome. I dont know why they work better but they do. free also. pursers desk, dr office, and cabin attendant have them.

 

Love it!!

[brillohead]

The charges you guys are quoting are very low considering. Our last cruise on Celebrity, the minimum for a doctor's visit was >$100 (I'm about 99% sure of this as they warned people up front). Went for what turned out to be an ear infection. Cost was about $350. That was for one visit and meds. Fortunately, between our med insurance and the travel insurance, we were 100% reimbursed.

 

FYI, an after-hours visit to the local emergency room would probably have cost twice what you were charged on the ship.

[spunkyhungry]

I suggest not only bringing perscriptions with you but also bringing some over the counter medications you'd want if you got sick. On our last cruise my husband was sick and really wanted Nyquil. Carnival sells it in the gift shop for $17. He said to buy it, he really needed it. I bought it for him and told him to bring a bottle with him next time, just in case he needs it again.

[ldubs]

FYI, an after-hours visit to the local emergency room would probably have cost twice what you were charged on the ship.

 

Oh certainly. I was just comparing my recent experience to what others indicated they paid for onboard med service. Seemed to be a big disparity, though at least one example was a long time ago.