Has anyone sailed with a CPAP machine?

[jenfromjersey]

We are sailing NCL for the first time and my husband uses a CPAP machine for sleep apnea. I know they will provide distilled water for us, but does anyone know if they will provide an extension cord?

 

Thanks!

[Fins2theleft]

They do have them at the front desk but it is a first come first serve. I usually bring a 15 footer and I find that the length is fine for my machine.

Edited July 28, 2014 by Fins2theleft

[nets33]

Have sailed many times with DH and his CPAP machine. We keep a 15 to 20' extension cord in the bag that holds the CPAP and have never had a problem.

[WWLL]

I have cruised many times with a CPAP. Bring a plug adapter. Many rooms have an outlet behind the headboard. Ask your room steward.

[jenfromjersey]

Okay, we will just be sure to pack one then, which since we aren't flying, should be easy.

 

Thanks! Now if only they would reply to my questions regarding food allergies. They only responded to my CPAP question.

[jaja]

Okay, we will just be sure to pack one then, which since we aren't flying, should be easy.

 

Thanks! Now if only they would reply to my questions regarding food allergies. They only responded to my CPAP question.

 

I always keep an extension cord in the cpap bag....

 

Re: allergies...NCL is very good about them...I do notify then ahead BUT have always found that upon arrival it is much easier to contact the food and beverage department..and they can handle everything...(ps-on the Gem they had a wonderful person in charge of allergies/dining ...he was great..)

[CruiseIreland]

I have cruised many times with a CPAP. Bring a plug adapter. Many rooms have an outlet behind the headboard. Ask your room steward.

The electric sockets in an Epic balcony room are under the dressing area, opposite the sofa, so a fair bit from the bed. You will need the long extension lead. Ken

[garycarla]

Have been doing extensive travel with CPAP for many years.

 

1 - Always take an extension cord. You never, ever know what you might run into. It can be a thin one since it takes so little power.

 

2 - Every ship has at least one outlet. Assume it will not be in the place you need it. We usually run the cord under the bed. It might also have a few other things plugged into it - sell phones, ipad, etc.

 

3 - Water. Distilled water is of course best. But not REQUIRED, even though everyone says you need it. The more non distilled or well filtered water you use, the more mineral deposits will build up. I only request distilled water when in a suite, otherwise we use tap water.

[floinnc]

We always bring an extension cord but lately have brought duck tape. Depending on where the outlet is, you might want to tape the cord down to avoid tripping over it in the middle of the night. There's never enough outlets in the cabins.

[negc]

We are sailing NCL for the first time and my husband uses a CPAP machine for sleep apnea. I know they will provide distilled water for us, but does anyone know if they will provide an extension cord?

 

Thanks!

 

When my son sails on RCI the line provides both the distilled water and an extension cord, but he was told by several different NCL personnel that, while they will provide the distilled water, he must bring his own extension cord. Not a big deal but just a bit of difference in how guest needs are accommodated.

[calex]

I have used my CPAP on six cruises with no problem. As everyone mentioned, bring a long extension cord. I keep it in my CPAP case and have never had any issue with it at the airport with the TSA. Since there is only one outlet at the desk, you may want to also bring a power plug splitter in case you need to plug in electronic device chargers.

 

The tap water on the ship is produced onboard using a distillation process. They do add chlorine to the water. But, it dissipates quickly. I fill my humidifier chamber with tap water and leave the top off for about 30 minutes to allow the chlorine to escape. Then I just use it normally. On another thread, some one mentioned they got distilled water through medical, but they were charged for it. With the purity of the tap water, I wouldn't waste the time or money hunting down bottled distilled water.

[garycarla]

The the cruise line may tell you they will provide an extension cord... keep in mind they could run out, or give you some heavy duty thing.

 

Or, since you are traveling, you could wind up in a hotel room, etc.

[soaringfalcon]

Everyone has it covered for you but make it a carry on...do not put it in checked luggage. On our last cruise, someone did that and they never did find the machine. NCL covered them and did fly one into the next port but as you know, they need adjusted to the individual person.

[jenfromjersey]

Thanks everyone for all of the input. We only have our experience on RCI to compare with, I appreciate the help.

 

He will definitely carry it with him, he travels a lot of business and it is never out of his site on the plane. We will be driving to the port this time, as we are sailing on the Breakaway and as you can tell from my screen name, we are in NJ.

 

They have told us they will have the distilled water waiting in the cabin at no charge, I will just make sure he packs a long extension cord, as I believe our bed is by the balcony. On our honeymoon cruise, we just unplugged it each day when we woke up so I won't worry about packing duct tape to tape it down.

 

Thanks for being so welcoming to this forum :)

[tray98]

I called NCL about my son's peanut allergy. I rec'd an email the next day with a attached form to fill out and instructions on who to talk to while on board

[SailawayKC]

I always get a cord from the front desk but do carry a short one just in case. On my Carnival cruise my CPAP died with two nights to go. They had one I could rent but wanted $350 for the rest of the cruise, which was the same rate as the whole cruise. I tried to fix it but it was beyond repair. I miss that machine as it was a small travel machine that was easy to pack. Now I have a bigger travel machine that is as large as my home machine without the humidifier. I find not using the humidifier for a week is not a problem.

[TwinMommyByGrace]

My husband uses a cpap, as well. As far as arranging for distilled water do I just give them a call and let them know our needs? Also, do they charge for it? Thanks.

[Magickpyggie]

I made a lightweight power cord with a single socket that I use on my travels. However, I have always found a usually European socket behind the bedside tables in the Jewel class ships and on the Star. I accept we always travel in a Suite, but worth a look.

I usually just leave it plugged in.

 

John

[galleycook]

Since most have answered the question about the extension cord, I would only add (if it's not obvious) to carry on your CPAP machine as opposed to packing it in your checked luggage. Just in case.

[negc]

My husband uses a cpap, as well. As far as arranging for distilled water do I just give them a call and let them know our needs? Also, do they charge for it? Thanks.

 

Call NCL and ask to be connected to the "Special Needs" department (or some such name). Explain your need and they should provide the distilled water at no charge.:)

[calex]

Since most have answered the question about the extension cord, I would only add (if it's not obvious) to carry on your CPAP machine as opposed to packing it in your checked luggage. Just in case.

 

Just so people are clear, the problem with checking in your CPAP on an airplane is that the baggage compartment is not pressurized and the machine is very sensitive to pressure. The change in pressure can cause your CPAP to stop working. But since the OP is driving to the port, this is not an issue on this cruise.

[garycarla]

Just so people are clear, the problem with checking in your CPAP on an airplane is that the baggage compartment is not pressurized and the machine is very sensitive to pressure. The change in pressure can cause your CPAP to stop working. But since the OP is driving to the port, this is not an issue on this cruise.

 

I have never heard that. My CPAP has been checked 10-20 times I guess. Is it really sensitive to pressure when turned off?

[galleycook]

I suggest carrying on your machine as opposed to checking it with your luggage, just in case it goes missing. If you really require it to sleep, having it go missing on the ship may not be good.

[garycarla]

I suggest carrying on your machine as opposed to checking it with your luggage, just in case it goes missing. If you really require it to sleep, having it go missing on the ship may not be good.

 

That really is good advice, and advice I would give. I have checked it some times to avoid dealing with it. Never lost luggage going somewhere and really should know better. Not sure what I was thinking.

[jenfromjersey]

Thanks for all of the input. We did receive the form and will be sending them back today. They did say that the water will be provided at no charge, but that we should bring our own extension cord.

 

He would NEVER let anyone handle it by checking it anywhere. For those who check it while flying, it is always a risk it won't get to your destination. Since it is medical equipment, it does NOT count towards your carry on allotment on a flight. For ease of travel, just put on a tag that says "Medical Equipment." My husband has never had an issue getting that on board in addition to a personal item and carry on bag.

 

I will be sending in a form re: my rosemary allergy, it still just makes me nervous that I will have to explain it every night, as there is rosemary in a LOT of dishes and sauces. My last cruise, on RCCL, our waiter would give me the menu for the next night so I could make my selection and ensure it would not be made with rosemary. The NCL rep from the Access desk that emailed me, noted there was no guarantee for no cross contamination, which was not reassuring :(