Injuries and the infirmary

[Jalex63]

Just a question of curiosity. Has anyone ever sustained an injury aboard HAL, say due to a slip and fall where you had to seek medical attention at the infirmary? If so, were you charged a fee to see the doctor?

[sapper1]

Just a question of curiosity. Has anyone ever sustained an injury aboard HAL, say due to a slip and fall where you had to seek medical attention at the infirmary? If so, were you charged a fee to see the doctor?

 

I have never visited the infirmary but I know their services are not free.

I have read on CC that if you have Noro you will not be charged because they want to encourage reporting to stem the spread of the illness. Reporting Noro Is compulsory.

[james'mommy]

Not on HAL but I think it was Princess where we took DS to see the ships doctor. It cost about $60 and then $20 for a rx. I guess we could have submitted it to our insurance but because was so little we didn't.

[RuthC]

I had a slip & fall in a restroom one time. I don't recall being charged for any services, but I could have been. :confused: I do remember Security was very interested in what happened (there was a greasy film on the floor), so it would not happen again.

 

Another time I tripped going into an elevator. The elevator stopped about 6" higher than the decking, and I didn't spot it until I hit hard on my bad knee.

I clearly remember that I was not charged for Infirmary services, including follow-up and x-rays, that time. Again, Security got involved fairly quickly.

[Jalex63]

Thank you all for responding. It was really my way of determining policy's among lines regarding infirmary treatment following an accident on board. I had an accident on Seabourn a couple of weeks ago, tripped over my own feet, but cut my arm and had to go to the infirmary about three times to have it treated, mainly changing dressings. I was absolutely shocked when I was told there would be no charge for the medical treatments because it was due to an accident on board, even though it was my own fault.:)

 

So, this must be HAL policy as well?

[sapper1]

I had a slip & fall in a restroom one time. I don't recall being charged for any services, but I could have been. :confused: I do remember Security was very interested in what happened (there was a greasy film on the floor), so it would not happen again.

 

Another time I tripped going into an elevator. The elevator stopped about 6" higher than the decking, and I didn't spot it until I hit hard on my bad knee.

I clearly remember that I was not charged for Infirmary services, including follow-up and x-rays, that time. Again, Security got involved fairly quickly.

 

It sounds as though they don't charge if there is a liability issue. Probably a good practice.

[rkacruiser]

I was injured during a HAL shore excursion during a long cruise with many days yet to go before the cruise ended. I had several visits to the infirmary for the rest of the cruise involving the nurses and both doctors. X-rays, pain medicine, office visits, ace bandages, and even an appliance to stabilize my knee were offered if I chose to use it. The care that I received was excellent. One of the nurses who cared for me was a ship's shore tour escort that I happen to book after my accident and she shadowed me and made sure that I was doing OK. I remember that I did have to sign a waiver of some sort, but I was charged nothing for all of the care that I received. And, it was quite alot.

 

When I was injured, upon returning to the ship, I was almost certain that my cruise was over and I would be disembarked because of the injury. That did not happen and I credit the medical staff of the Amsterdam in treating in such an excellent manner that I was able to complete by cruise.

 

I was, and am, so grateful for the care that I received!

[jtl513]

See http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1557918 particularly posts 6 & 7.

Edited December 13, 2013 by jtl513

[sail7seas]

I was injured during a HAL shore excursion during a long cruise with many days yet to go before the cruise ended. I had several visits to the infirmary for the rest of the cruise involving the nurses and both doctors. X-rays, pain medicine, office visits, ace bandages, and even an appliance to stabilize my knee were offered if I chose to use it. The care that I received was excellent. One of the nurses who cared for me was a ship's shore tour escort that I happen to book after my accident and she shadowed me and made sure that I was doing OK. I remember that I did have to sign a waiver of some sort, but I was charged nothing for all of the care that I received. And, it was quite alot.

 

When I was injured, upon returning to the ship, I was almost certain that my cruise was over and I would be disembarked because of the injury. That did not happen and I credit the medical staff of the Amsterdam in treating in such an excellent manner that I was able to complete by cruise.

 

I was, and am, so grateful for the care that I received!

 

 

So good to hear what good medical attention you received.

Thank you for sharing with us.

 

[IRL_Joanie]

Just a question of curiosity. Has anyone ever sustained an injury aboard HAL, say due to a slip and fall where you had to seek medical attention at the infirmary? If so, were you charged a fee to see the doctor?

Aboard Westerdam a couple years ago I slammed the fingers of my right hand in our verandah door, sustaining what appeared to be serious crushing injuries to 3 of the fingers.

 

Room stewards rushed me to the Medical Center where the Passenger Dr stitched me up and wrapped the affected fingers in bandaging and placed me on antibiotics for the next 10 days. They changed the bandaging every day also. I think I might be one of the few people who've been able to get away with giving "the finger" to the Captain:D

 

It was an injury that I caused and even though it was my fault HAL refused to charge me 1 cent.

 

I must add that during one of my bandage changings another passenger came in and asked the nurse what they charged for n ace bandage, answer was $86.00 USD.

 

Joanie

[Krazy Kruizers]

I slipped on the wet floor of a bathroom on HMC and banged up my knee pretty badly. We went right back to the ship and the concierges called and had the Crew Doctor take xrays of my knee and leg. I never got a bill for anything.

[Typhoon1]

Nice to know onboard injuries are attended at no charge.

[jtl513]

I slipped on the wet floor of a bathroom on HMC and banged up my knee pretty badly. We went right back to the ship and the concierges called and had the Crew Doctor take xrays of my knee and leg. I never got a bill for anything.

 

Was that a different injury than this one?

When I had to see the doctor -- his bill and the medication were charged to my shipboard account.

 

I was given a reference number to contact HAL in Seattle to get the itemized bill and codes and for my insurance company.

 

When we got home I did all that -- took about 2 months but I got everything I paid back.

Edited December 14, 2013 by jtl513

[smileyface1948]

I contacted the Noro Virus on the Westerdam on a 2 week B2B. I was quarantined for 48 hours. Medications and injections were given. I was charged $200.00 on our shipboard account. I turned the papers into our travel insurance provider (TravelGuard) and received reimbursement. The virus was as sick as I had ever been!

[nutensteve]

My Mom suffered a nasty leg injury when getting off the tender. The medical staff took good care of her injury, They put her on antibiotics and changed the dressing daily. We never received any billing for the treatment. We were surprised that they even followed up with a phone call after Mom was home to check on her. Holland America even covered any out of pocket expenses incurred from her doctor at home.

[CaveDiving]

Several years ago I cracked a rib from a fall on an excursion. X-rays were taken on the ship and read by a Radiologist in Houston (by E-mail) and pain medication was supplied. There was no charge for the service.

 

Scott & Karen

[Padraic]

My wife was injured going from the tender to dock at St. Helena in the south Atlantic. The seas were a bit rough and as she stepped up the tender went down. The tender took my wife back to the ship (Prinsendam) where she was met by doctor, nurse and a wheel chair. There was no charge and received chocolate covered strawberries!

[sevenseasnomad]

We booked a cabin for our son on a Bermuda cruise several years ago. We had our own cabin. Our then 25 year-old son, who was diagnosed with Asperger's at 14, was hanging with a group in the Crow's Nest one night. He doesn't generally drink because of his medications. Asperger people are very trusting, extremely immature, and generally believe the best about people. Our son ticks all of those boxes.

 

One of the people in this group had a flask with rum. He thought it would be "fun" to see how an Asperger person reacted to alcohol. This person proceeded to "doctor" my son's coke each time he left the table to dance.

 

Long story short, my son consumed so much alcohol that he passed out. Luckily, some other passengers who were EMTs noticed my son's pallor. One called medical while the other induced vomitting. Security and medical arrived on the scene. The person responsible had split, and none of the other people admitted to knowing who he was. Medical took my son to the infirmary where they started IVs and alerted security that we should be called.

 

So, security woke us. When I walked into the infirmary and saw my son, I was aghast. You've heard the expression, "white as a sheet," well that describes his lips and skin. His stats were so low, the nurses had called the doctor. While we were waiting for him, one of the nurses told us what had happend, which had come out as security had questioned the other passengers who had hung around.

 

Later, security informed us that this person had obviously chosen his table carefully because no camera was positioned in that area. Thanks to the excellent care our son received, both from the fast-thinking EMTs and to the ship's medical staff, he eventually woke up and fully recovered. Whatever medications the nurse had given him prevented any real hangover effects.

 

The bill was over $400, a small price to pay, we felt, for our son's life. But, yes, medical will charge for their services. I guess it depends upon the circumstances.

[peaches from georgia]

My Mom suffered a nasty leg injury when getting off the tender..........

 

My wife was injured going from the tender to dock at St. Helena in the south Atlantic. The seas were a bit rough and as she stepped up the tender went down...........

One of the main reasons I hate tender ports and often if the seas are choppy I will stay on the ship. We have seen many nasty falls when a pax, especially a senior, is getting on and off a tender, one in particular very bad when a woman slipped down between the tender and the dock. :eek:

[mamaofami]

For the past several years, I have remained on board at any tender port.Not taking any chances.

[sherilyn70]

So it seems the common theme here is if you get sick is you're bill. If you get injured they don't take chances and cover it all.

 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4

[Krazy Kruizers]

One of the main reasons I hate tender ports and often if the seas are choppy I will stay on the ship. We have seen many nasty falls when a pax, especially a senior, is getting on and off a tender, one in particular very bad when a woman slipped down between the tender and the dock. :eek:

 

About 4 years ago we saw a man fall at the pier in Grand Cayman and his foot got caught between the tender and the pier. The tender was rocking is badly his foot was actually broken. He was screaming in pain.

[Krazy Kruizers]

For the past several years, I have remained on board at any tender port.Not taking any chances.

 

Same here -- plus I find it very hard to maneuver a walker/rollator for tenders.

[Krazy Kruizers]

So it seems the common theme here is if you get sick is you're bill. If you get injured they don't take chances and cover it all.

 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4

 

Just from my experience it seems that HAL doesn't want to take any chances when people fall on their ships, tenders and HMC.

Other wise -- you pay.

[mamaofami]

Just from my experience it seems that HAL doesn't want to take any chances when people fall on their ships, tenders and HMC.

 

Other wise -- you pay.

 

That makes sense because if you go to your doctor you would pay too.