KDam medvac;d twice on 12/4--12/14

[easyboy]

Just off this cruise and I need to report that the lady that was helicoptered off in Half Moon Cay was able to rejoin the ship a few days later (according to her husband who I met and also the Captain who mentioned it in during his presentation).

Nice to know.

[slabeaume]

We were on that cruise, too. Glad to hear the person from Half Moon Cay was able to rejoin the cruise. We've been on over 10 cruises, not all with HAL, and there have been evacs on every one of them. As for the people being older, I find them very interesting. Most have led really interesting lives and are interesting to talk to.

[Boatdrill]

oh, i didn't know someone died. I must say there were a ton of older people on this cruise ship. I felt like i was part of a nursing home excursion. And I am glad these folks are up for taking cruises but there were a lot of wheel chairs, scooters and walkers around ship. It definitely is the last time we sail with HAL.

 

Just to be clear on why you won't return to HAL...

You're glad those older folks were taking a cruise so that's not it.

 

Instead your complaint specifies wheelchairs, scooters and walkers.

Was it a storage problem ? Did you mention it to the Hotel Department ?

If there are too many cluttering the hallways, it becomes a safety issue, and they should know about it.

 

Sorry to hear that the amount of equipment will keep you from sailing with HAL again. But I sincerely hope you enjoyed your cruise, all else considered.

[RoyalVisit]

Medical emergencies happen on every line and frequently. My parents were on a Carnival cruise recently and a very young girl died in the ship's pool. What is truly disgusting is the stories I heard about how many passengers stood around, took photos and videos and watched the medical team trying to revive her. Instead of getting out of the way and area, they stood there like it was a car accident and watched. A child died for god's sake, some people have simply lost their decency.

[pattyj 1204]

Thanks for this post, my sister and her husband were on this cruise and I just called them and they are ok. Report is that the ship is beautiful, but bigger than they are used to. They are both in their late 70's, no walkers or scooters yet, but they have found a home with HAL and will be cruising again with them. They like the smaller ships.

[igraf]

I see that you have taken some flack for your comments, but I also dislike the scooters on a ship. Scooters are heavy and can easily injure another passenger. There was a guy in a scooter on our recent cruise trying too force his way through a crowded corridor. He was calling out for people to get out of his way so he could catch up with his wife.

 

igraf

 

 

 

oh, i didn't know someone died. I must say there were a ton of older people on this cruise ship. I felt like i was part of a nursing home excursion. And I am glad these folks are up for taking cruises but there were a lot of wheel chairs, scooters and walkers around ship. It definitely is the last time we sail with HAL.

[SC_GAY_Cruiser]

I see that you have taken some flack for your comments, but I also dislike the scooters on a ship. Scooters are heavy and can easily injure another passenger. There was a guy in a scooter on our recent cruise trying too force his way through a crowded corridor. He was calling out for people to get out of his way so he could catch up with his wife.

 

igraf

 

Funny story. I recently had major surgery on Oct 27. If anyone needs an expert on diverticulitis and the surgery, let me know. Anyway.....I went to the grocery store about a week later, and made the decision to use the scooter in the store instead of walking. WRONG! I was a danger to all. It was more stressful on me trying to maneuver that scooter around than if I had just sucked it up and walked the store.

[cervezadrinker]

I'm 38, brand new to cruising and not knowingly booked a trip on Holland America thinking all cruise lines are the same. I just wanted to go to certain ports. My wife and I had a great time on Holland America regardless of the age of the other guests. I have to admit I was apprehensive after researching that there is older clientele and I might be bored but I loved it and want to continue to cruise to more places. I would cruise Holland again if they are going where I want to go. Looking forward to trying all the other lines to compare but no matter what line your on I'm sure it's going to be fun. Life's good no matter what cruise ship your on. Your on vacation!!!

[Ken the cruiser]

I'm 38, brand new to cruising and not knowingly booked a trip on Holland America thinking all cruise lines are the same. I just wanted to go to certain ports. My wife and I had a great time on Holland America regardless of the age of the other guests. I have to admit I was apprehensive after researching that there is older clientele and I might be bored but I loved it and want to continue to cruise to more places. I would cruise Holland again if they are going where I want to go. Looking forward to trying all the other lines to compare but no matter what line your on I'm sure it's going to be fun. Life's good no matter what cruise ship your on. Your on vacation!!!

 

What a great attitude! You're our kind of guy!!

[oatbagg1]

Funny story. I recently had major surgery on Oct 27. If anyone needs an expert on diverticulitis and the surgery, let me know. Anyway.....I went to the grocery store about a week later, and made the decision to use the scooter in the store instead of walking. WRONG! I was a danger to all. It was more stressful on me trying to maneuver that scooter around than if I had just sucked it up and walked the store.

 

A fellow diverticulitis sufferer. Welcome. It's a fairly big club. I had a foot of colon removed 2 months before a planned cruise. We ended up canceling because of complications. Glad you're healing well. M

[oatbagg1]

Just to be clear on why you won't return to HAL...

You're glad those older folks were taking a cruise so that's not it.

 

Instead your complaint specifies wheelchairs, scooters and walkers.

Was it a storage problem ? Did you mention it to the Hotel Department ?

If there are too many cluttering the hallways, it becomes a safety issue, and they should know about it.

 

Sorry to hear that the amount of equipment will keep you from sailing with HAL again. But I sincerely hope you enjoyed your cruise, all else considered.

 

I did enjoy 10 lovely days with my husband, seeing beautiful ports and eating delicious food. As i said--we go where a ship itinerary takes us. Having sailed HAL a few times, the Boston to Bermuda cruise interests me, but onboard cruise booking was priced almost tripe what this 10-day Koningsdam cost.

[cruising cockroach]

Remind me of a HAL cruise some acquaintances took last year from Tampa to Europe. They reported 2 deaths (at drill) before the ship even sailed, and someone being carried off at each port along the way.

[sail7seas]

Remind me of a HAL cruise some acquaintances took last year from Tampa to Europe. They reported 2 deaths (at drill) before the ship even sailed, and someone being carried off at each port along the way.

Iam Hopeful, most people reading here KNOW it could be any one of us at any time. having had heartarttacks andanther emergency illnesses, I can attest, you don't get to choose whenand where you may be the one who is stricken or it is sommeone you know a and love. Don't get too smug and superior in describing what happerned to' t hem'.

 

THEM could be any of us. You do not necesssarily select when and where to have accident and get broken bones. WithSo much violence in the world now, anything can happen to any of us. nc luding sc scooters and medi cal emerrgenc ies.

Edited December 17, 2016 by sail7seas

[Tennessee Titan]

you are dead wrong. I'm in my 60's. I cared for my mother with Parkinson's that eventually killed her. My father is in his 90's with dementia. Still, i wouldn't take them on a cruise. I saw people fall on this ship. What a dangerous situation if they had fractured something. How dare you make assumptions about me.

And this is the ship's fault? How?

[RuthC]

...I went to the grocery store about a week later, and made the decision to use the scooter in the store instead of walking. WRONG! I was a danger to all. It was more stressful on me trying to maneuver that scooter around than if I had just sucked it up and walked the store.

Grocery store scooters have an entirely different feel to them when driving, as compared to scooters rented to use on the ship. The "touch" on the throttle is a lot more sensitive on the ship scooter, plus you don't have that large grocery basket to try to fit when making turns. You don't have the tight turns of grocery aisles.

 

I consider scooters on a ship a Godsend.

[cruising cockroach]

It's undeniable that everyone will die, but the elderly demographic that seems to make up some but by no means all HAL sailings also undeniably increases the likelihood of a death onboard. You could make a good actuarial bet on it too. On my 1st HAL sailing, the average passenger age must have bee late '70s. Not sure what the actuarial stats up for remaining life when one gets to that age (reportedly a man who has reach 82-83 in North America or Germany (due to my source not being specific) has on average remaining life of 3 years.

[OceanTraveller4ever]

Scooters are also necessary for folks on oxygen,

 

Never was inconvenienced by scooters or walkers on any HAL ships. No rush to get anywhere.

 

A bit unfair to compare HAL to nursing homes; in any context.

[sail7seas]

e

It's undeniable that everyone will die, but the elderly demographic that seems to make up some but by no means all HAL sailings also undeniably increases the likelihood of a death onboard. You could make a good actuarial bet on it too. On my 1st HAL sailing, the average passenger age must have bee late '70s. Not sure what the actuarial stats up for remaining life when one gets to that age (reportedly a man who has reach 82-83 in North America or Germany (due to my source not being specific) has on average remaining life of 3 years.

 

 

All your 'facts aside, if you wish, reread- whatd I said and if you wish, try t ger 'the message'. It was not about actuairial tables. It is about those who have been mocked in this of this sortof thread on this HA L forrum so many times. Those that are mocked are us....... they just got old before we did b ut if we are fortunate to live as long as some, we may be THEM one day soon. Stop discussing those who died or had medical emergencies on the ships as though they chose to die on board. I have not read anny thing about suicide in this thread though that does means it has nevrr happened. THEY are US..... one day. S tark REAL ity. It is hurftful to speak of those who delayed the sailing of tthe ship because of their meedical emergency and slowed down people rushing to a meal because they neeed to use a scooter or walker.

Edited December 18, 2016 by sail7seas

[cruising cockroach]

I was mentioning the mere fact, as reported by an acquaintance of mine, of the number of deaths that he observed onboard the ship. Unfortunate but that's life. Stress of travel and I am sure respiratory illnesses picked up travelling to the starting point of the cruise do not help. Not mocking but making a factual observation.

 

By contrast, my 2nd-but-last cruise would have eliminated the ill, less-mobile and/or infirm as this was one of two near-identical ways on and off the ship....

 

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[sapper1]

Funny story. I recently had major surgery on Oct 27. If anyone needs an expert on diverticulitis and the surgery, let me know. Anyway.....I went to the grocery store about a week later, and made the decision to use the scooter in the store instead of walking. WRONG! I was a danger to all. It was more stressful on me trying to maneuver that scooter around than if I had just sucked it up and walked the store.

 

You are quite right. Scooter manoeuvring is not as easy as it looks. A few years ago, following surgery on my foot I used a scooter for the first time when we went to a Home Depot. Fortunately the store was not crowded and my clumsy efforts didn't inconvenience (or maim) anyone. I can't imagine using a scooter for the first time in a confined and crowded space like a cruise ship.

[mame42]

It's undeniable that everyone will die, but the elderly demographic that seems to make up some but by no means all HAL sailings also undeniably increases the likelihood of a death onboard. You could make a good actuarial bet on it too. On my 1st HAL sailing, the average passenger age must have bee late '70s. Not sure what the actuarial stats up for remaining life when one gets to that age (reportedly a man who has reach 82-83 in North America or Germany (due to my source not being specific) has on average remaining life of 3 years.

 

Since I also cruise NCL, it would be the luck of the draw whether I expire on HAL or NCL. Frankly, I can't think of a better way to go than during the excitement of boarding and sailaway, the exhilaration of exploring new destinations, or even the thrill of rough seas.

 

As for accidents, I could fall off the treadmill, as I did recently, or get shot in the mall parking right here at home lot just as easily as I could have an accident aboard. My closest brush with tragedy while cruising had nothing to do with age or infirmity, and everything to do with paying more attention to a beautiful sunset than to the uneven stone stairway in front of me.

[bUU]

I can't imagine using a scooter for the first time in a confined and crowded space like a cruise ship.

I think you'd have to be some kind of maven to be any good at using a scooter for the first time. There is a burgeoning industry in renting scooters to vacationers, land or sea, who for one reason or another find themselves reliant on such assistance. They bill these scooters as easy to learn to use and easy to maneuver, and they are comparatively-speaking, but like most things there is a substantial learning curve during which you get better. For folks using scooters incidentally, due to the challenge of the specific circumstance they're going through (i.e., a vacation) the entire time is learning curve and warrants substantial caution, something that is hard to stomach when such caution eats away at scarce vacation time.

 

Folks who rely on scooters day-in and day-out can get remarkably good at it. I'm amazed by how our church's youth director zips around through some rather tight passages, often with things precariously leaned up against the walls and such, and it is as if she's an accomplished seamstress threading a needle. That came after months if not years of cautious practice.

Edited December 18, 2016 by bUU

[whogo]

oh, i didn't know someone died. I must say there were a ton of older people on this cruise ship. I felt like i was part of a nursing home excursion. And I am glad these folks are up for taking cruises but there were a lot of wheel chairs, scooters and walkers around ship. It definitely is the last time we sail with HAL.

I cannot criticize your decision to avoid HAL, but it is probably best not to mention it. A nursing home excursion is not the atmosphere that most people want on a cruise. I have seen a few HAL cruisers who are overwhelmed trying to deal with their spouse's condition.

[Lizzie68]

You are quite right. Scooter manoeuvring is not as easy as it looks. A few years ago, following surgery on my foot I used a scooter for the first time when we went to a Home Depot. Fortunately the store was not crowded and my clumsy efforts didn't inconvenience (or maim) anyone. I can't imagine using a scooter for the first time in a confined and crowded space like a cruise ship.

 

I've been hit from behind by a scooter on a HAL ship - and the "driver" just threw a "sorry" over the shoulder and drove on, while I was lifted back on my feet by others, and which left me sore and bruised. So I agree, a crowded cruise ship is not the place for scooters. My DH could use one, but we take a wheelchair instead.

[OceanTraveller4ever]

I've been hit from behind by a scooter on a HAL ship - and the "driver" just threw a "sorry" over the shoulder and drove on, while I was lifted back on my feet by others, and which left me sore and bruised. So I agree, a crowded cruise ship is not the place for scooters. My DH could use one, but we take a wheelchair instead.

 

One incident by a rude scooter rider should not override all the others who do need them.

Not good to generalize.