Yes, it's gross but i'm wondering for two different reasons....

[MsSoCalCruiser]

Does anyone have a dollars and cents answer to the OP's question?

 

I'm curious as to pricing. My only "hearsay" on pricing was a snippet of a conversation at guest services: "We were billed over $1,500 in medical center..."

Wow! That's crazy expensive!

[MsSoCalCruiser]

A friend was on NCL earlier this year and visited the medical center the last day of the cruise with flu symptoms. The visit, meds and a breathing treatment totaled about $2,000. I do know just to see the doctor is just under $200 on NCL. I would presume other cruise lines are in the same ballpark.

 

Btw- this is in line with the retail price of visiting a land based doctor. My primary bills $175 for an office visit, then insurance allows about half of that, plus my co-pay, so the net is about $100 or so to the dr. office.

I'm used to paying a $20 co-pay so I had no idea how expensive it is to see a doctor. Wow, just wow.

[MsSoCalCruiser]

The mistake you made was telling Princess your problem. If your food allergies are mistaken for noro, you could be confined to your state room for a few days. You will not be allowed to leave your stateroom. I don't think there's a medical lab on board to test whether it's noro or a food allergy, but to be safe they'll treat it as noro/quote]

 

The medical staff are competent and can definitely tell the difference between a viral infection and a reaction to a food (my husband has the same problem with mushrooms).

 

Princess is excellent for handling food issues for those with dietary restrictions based on health.

 

Your poor husband. Has he been diagnosed with FPIES???

[pris993]

I had an ear infection a few years ago, causing ringing in my ears, went to medical facility... had actaually 2 or 3 treatments... total costs about $300. You/I paid on board then billed my insurance when I got home... it was paid in full. Charges on board reasonable. I work in a doctor's office.

[MsSoCalCruiser]

Do you bring an EpiPen and Benadryl and Imodium for allergic reactions so you can self treat before going to getting medical.

I do have an EpiPen for other allergic reactions. My reaction to food cannot be taken care of with an EpiPen and unfortunately it is just something that has to run its course. It's some weird condition that's rare. If you knew me you would just say... of course it is :')

[MsSoCalCruiser]

I had to visit the medical center on Princess about 4 years ago .... so take this for what it is worth. My bill came to $131 total. This covered an exam for a torn ACL, a knee brace, anti-inflammatory meds and pain meds. I was waiting in the reception area for quite a long time ... seems like $131 was pretty much their standard charge for a visit with meds, as I talked to 3 other patients that said the same ... again, about 4 years ago. I thought the charge was pretty reasonable and it even covered a follow up visit a few days later.

Now, IV hydration ... I am absolutely sure this wouldn't be covered under that standard charge, although the shot might be. I've heard some real horror stories about high charges on cruise ships for medical care when there are more complex illness in play.

That had to hurt :(

Maybe I will just say give me a shot and skip the IV. Hopefully, it won't happen again.

[MsSoCalCruiser]

About 18 months ago I was seen by the ship doctor (Celebrity) and paid $126 for the office visit plus medications and lab work—$168 total.

I could handle that amount.

[jennypuccinelli]

If everyone in your cabin is stricken with Norovirus and there is only one bathroom then I'm sure it will be a very long couple of days. If you go to the medical facility and ask for a shot to help relieve your symptoms, how much do they charge you? Is it affordable?

 

 

 

Luckily, I have never had this happen but I do have a food allergy that causes the exact same symptoms. The specialist said if it happens again I have to seek medical attention so I'm just wondering how expensive are we talking for a shot and possibly IV rehydration? I sent an email to princess telling them about my severe food allergy but I have not received a response yet.

 

 

 

Two years ago on the Grand I was suffering from extreme nausea and stomach pain. I went to the medical facility during off hours (around 10 pm). They gave me IV fluids, anti-nausea and anti-acid meds (both through IV and pills I took with me), and ran a bunch of blood work. I was there for about 3 hours. Total cost was around $1000 and was charged directly to my state room. What my health insurance didn’t reimburse for, the travel insurance did in a fairly easy process. I was absolutely impressed with the medical facility and the care I received.

 

Good luck and have a great cruise!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[MsSoCalCruiser]

Two years ago on the Grand I was suffering from extreme nausea and stomach pain. I went to the medical facility during off hours (around 10 pm). They gave me IV fluids, anti-nausea and anti-acid meds (both through IV and pills I took with me), and ran a bunch of blood work. I was there for about 3 hours. Total cost was around $1000 and was charged directly to my state room. What my health insurance didn’t reimburse for, the travel insurance did in a fairly easy process. I was absolutely impressed with the medical facility and the care I received.

 

Good luck and have a great cruise!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

It's nice to hear such good things about the medical facility. I'm glad everything turned out OK with you.

 

Thank you! I cannot wait for my cruise :)

[hm9912]

I could handle that amount.

 

Our four year old grandson.

A fall in the dining room at dinner on the first night. A bump above the eye on the corner of the dining room table. Unable to stop the bleeding. A quick trip to medical. Total cost $247 covered by insurance. No charge for the chocolate chip cookies delivered to his cabin.

 

 

 

The medical department on the Regal did a great job.

Take the Ultimate Ships Tour which includes a visit and tour of the facility.

We never travel without insurance

 

Howard

[OFAS]

We take a year travel insurance to cover any travel we take.

Quick question: What company do you use for your yearly travel insurance and approximate cost?:)

[Kingofcool1947]

Pack these in your luggage: They will help you if you have “the runs”. And, most important, stay close to your toilet. It’s a DIY med kit. No need to go to the ship’s Dr. if you do not have to.

 

1. peptobismal -- contains clay, which absorbs fluid and helps to make stools more solid.

2. metamucil fiber cookies ("wafers") -- look in your grocery store. eat two a day - likewise help to solidify your stools.

 

3. take 2 TUMS twice a day -- the calcium often helps to slow the bowel down.

 

4. Immodium -- much much more safe than Lomotil (the atropine product that you are taking). take two pills when you wake up, then take two after lunch -- every day.

 

Good luck. Enjoy your cruise.

Edited December 30, 2017 by Kingofcool1947

[gooch47]

To avoid getting the food you are allergic to, make sure to contact the head waiter the first night you dine. He/she will bring you the menu for the next night and together you can choose foods that are safe and even plan for specialized preparation for foods that aren't. I guess the first night you can still consult with him/her but might not be able to get anything specially prepared.

 

Our DIL is severely allergic to onions, something that seems to be in everything. We are talking major complications, not just something minor. She has been on two cruises with us, once on Princess and once on RCI. Both times she has been really well taken care of.

[MsSoCalCruiser]

Our four year old grandson.

A fall in the dining room at dinner on the first night. A bump above the eye on the corner of the dining room table. Unable to stop the bleeding. A quick trip to medical. Total cost $247 covered by insurance. No charge for the chocolate chip cookies delivered to his cabin.

 

 

 

The medical department on the Regal did a great job.

Take the Ultimate Ships Tour which includes a visit and tour of the facility.

We never travel without insurance

 

Howard

Poor little guy! I bet he enjoyed his cookies.

[MsSoCalCruiser]

Pack these in your luggage: They will help you if you have “the runs”. And, most important, stay close to your toilet. It’s a DIY med kit. No need to go to the ship’s Dr. if you do not have to.

 

1. peptobismal -- contains clay, which absorbs fluid and helps to make stools more solid.

2. metamucil fiber cookies ("wafers") -- look in your grocery store. eat two a day - likewise help to solidify your stools.

 

3. take 2 TUMS twice a day -- the calcium often helps to slow the bowel down.

 

4. Immodium -- much much more safe than Lomotil (the atropine product that you are taking). take two pills when you wake up, then take two after lunch -- every day.

 

Good luck. Enjoy your cruise.

Thank you for sharing but unfortunately this allergy causes me to be violently ill, nonstop, for several hours straight so unfortunately the above medications are of no help. Sad, but true.

[MsSoCalCruiser]

To avoid getting the food you are allergic to, make sure to contact the head waiter the first night you dine. He/she will bring you the menu for the next night and together you can choose foods that are safe and even plan for specialized preparation for foods that aren't. I guess the first night you can still consult with him/her but might not be able to get anything specially prepared.

 

Our DIL is severely allergic to onions, something that seems to be in everything. We are talking major complications, not just something minor. She has been on two cruises with us, once on Princess and once on RCI. Both times she has been really well taken care of.

Great idea. Food allergies are nothing to mess around with. It's great to hear that the cruise lines take good care of her.

[lolane1]

Luckily, I have never had this happen but I do have a food allergy that causes the exact same symptoms. The specialist said if it happens again I have to seek medical attention so I'm just wondering how expensive are we talking for a shot and possibly IV rehydration? I sent an email to princess telling them about my severe food allergy but I have not received a response yet.

 

I also get a delayed reaction to shellfish exactly 48 hours after ingestion. Vomiting, high fever, diarrhea, but I keep myself dosed up with antihistamines from days before the cruise, until days after the cruise. It's a simple solution to a hospital situation because I cannot ingest anything once it hits, No meds, not even a drop of water. I will just lose it to the throne. At that point, it must be treated with IV. There used to be antihistamine medication that dissolved on the tongue and that would help, shortening my reaction to about 8 hours. They no longer make it. So, I am careful anytime I eat out or cruise.

Have you tried taking antihistamines as a prophylactic?

[MsSoCalCruiser]

I also get a delayed reaction to shellfish exactly 48 hours after ingestion. Vomiting, high fever, diarrhea, but I keep myself dosed up with antihistamines from days before the cruise, until days after the cruise. It's a simple solution to a hospital situation because I cannot ingest anything once it hits, No meds, not even a drop of water. I will just lose it to the throne. At that point, it must be treated with IV. There used to be antihistamine medication that dissolved on the tongue and that would help, shortening my reaction to about 8 hours. They no longer make it. So, I am careful anytime I eat out or cruise.

Have you tried taking antihistamines as a prophylactic?

I haven't tried that but I will definitely ask my specialist. Ask your doctor if you have an allergy called FPIES (for short). My reaction usually begins within 1 to 3 hours but your reaction sounds pretty similar to mine.

[runnerodb83]

Many credit cards include travel insurance for medical issues that would require cancelling a trip or treatment during a trip. If I'm reading their documents correctly, it would cover treatments like these but does anyone have any experience? I personally have the United mp explorer card.

[goldie099]

For what it's worth, I was just on the Regal Dec 17-28 and had dropped my heavy laptop on my toe, which was bruised at the cuticle and quite swollen and sore. Being from Canada, I have travel medical insurance any time I travel, so I went to the medical centre just to ask about cost. The nurse told me that an initial consultation was $95, plus whatever treatment. From what I could see the facility seems to be state of the art. To be honest, coming from a place where I literally only have to show my government health card and I can then see a doctor with no bills/anything, I didn't want to have to deal with submitting to insurance and so I chose not to see the doctor (toe ended up being fine after a couple of days).

[ar1950]

Also, FWIW, on our November cruise on the Star I had the misfortune of coming down with the flu (a variant not included in the flu shot this year) along with my sister and mom who were traveling with us. To see the doctor was a charge of $95.00 during regular hours (posted in the Patter). It would have been around $160.00 or so if you went during off hours. The drugs were additional as was the diagnostic test given to my mom since she came down with it first. Also, we were quarantined for a couple of days until our fevers broke. It struck me that the medical facility, the treatment and the followup was first rate.

 

Somehow my wife avoided getting sick until the day we got home. All in all an interesting(?) process I hope to never repeat.

[kitkat343]

I don’t know if this would be possible, but have you ever contacted your doctor to ask if they can give you a prescription for the shot you need? Our pediatrician and primary care doctor wrote all of us a prescription for pinkeye when it hit my sons preschool class two days before we traveled on a cruise. Thankfully no one got pinkeye, but it was a huge relief to have the medicine on hand. Since it’s a shot I don’t know if that’s possible, but just thought it might be something to look into. I’m undergoing ivf now and am giving myself 3 shots a day so I wondered if this would be possible for you

[MsSoCalCruiser]

Also, FWIW, on our November cruise on the Star I had the misfortune of coming down with the flu (a variant not included in the flu shot this year) along with my sister and mom who were traveling with us. To see the doctor was a charge of $95.00 during regular hours (posted in the Patter). It would have been around $160.00 or so if you went during off hours. The drugs were additional as was the diagnostic test given to my mom since she came down with it first. Also, we were quarantined for a couple of days until our fevers broke. It struck me that the medical facility, the treatment and the followup was first rate.

 

Somehow my wife avoided getting sick until the day we got home. All in all an interesting(?) process I hope to never repeat.

The charge to see the doctor sounds fair. I'm sorry you were all sick but happy to hear you were happy with the treatment that you received.

[MsSoCalCruiser]

I don’t know if this would be possible, but have you ever contacted your doctor to ask if they can give you a prescription for the shot you need? Our pediatrician and primary care doctor wrote all of us a prescription for pinkeye when it hit my sons preschool class two days before we traveled on a cruise. Thankfully no one got pinkeye, but it was a huge relief to have the medicine on hand. Since it’s a shot I don’t know if that’s possible, but just thought it might be something to look into. I’m undergoing ivf now and am giving myself 3 shots a day so I wondered if this would be possible for you

Thank you. Great idea! I have an appointment before my cruise so I will ask. Thanks again!

[lolane1]

I haven't tried that but I will definitely ask my specialist. Ask your doctor if you have an allergy called FPIES (for short). My reaction usually begins within 1 to 3 hours but your reaction sounds pretty similar to mine.

 

 

OMG, I have lived with this for 40 years and no one, not even my doctor could explain it. 40 yrs ago, another doctor said that it was allergic reaction and forced me to look back at my diet for 2 days rather than just one) THat's how I related it to shellfish. I just looked up FPIES and I think you hit it right on the head. My doctor swears I am not allergic, yet I KNOW that taking an allergy pill will avoid a reaction.

Last summer on the Royal, I actually ate a rice dish with shrimp. I ran back to the room, forced myself to throw up (disgusting) continued my allergy meds, and waited 48 hours. BIngo. No reaction. If I hadn't been on allergy meds, I would have been so ill and perhaps require hospitalization. I should fire my allergist. (but he's really old, and has done right by me otherwise).

I can't thank you enough for putting some sort of name to my bizarre condition. :)