MEDICATION Question for those quarantined on Westerdaam

[mamaofami]

I always take an extra weeks medication with me when I cruise and was wondering what happened to those passengers on Westerdam who didn’t have an extra 14 day supply of their meds?

[Reagan0712]

I don’t know about the Westerdam but a local couple was quarantined on the Princess ship in Japan and they were able to video to local news stations. They said they also had extra meds but were worried about running out.  Seemed to indicate that not all meds would be made available in a timely manner.  

I’m definitely going to start carrying more that I usually do in the future.  May even check into a paper script for my thyroid medicine. Fortunately, the heartburn I can buy OTC.

[MAVIP]

I understood earlier that HAL would take care of medicine supplies when needed. I do not know how insurance works in USA, Canada, Australia etc, but in our case we always have (and luckily never had to use it) the possibility to call a central organisation and they can take care of sending by express mail/courier or whatever is best, medicaments, parts of medical appliances etc. Of course if in serious need. 

But we always take extra and I learned the last week: take for a few weeks extra. 

Edited February 16, 2020 by MAVIP
last sentence

[mamaofami]

My drug plan doesn’t allow,for a vacation override so I might have difficulty getting enough extra meds. I’m hoping someone on or recently off Westerdam will tell us what actually occurred.

[RuthC]

Carol, since the cruise wasn't scheduled to disembark until yesterday, most of the people on board never went past their originally planned date, so no need for extra meds (unless there was an unusual circumstance). 
It's really too soon to know about the meds situation for those remaining on board. The infirmary would stock some supplies, so would likely make those available should the need arise. 

I learned after 9/11, when people couldn't get back home from overseas, that I should always have an extra supply of every drug with me. Even going ashore in a tender, it's a good idea to have a supply of meds with you. Remember when passengers had to be left overnight in the Falklands when they couldn't be tendered back to the ship? 

[mamaofami]

Thanks for that information, Ruth. I never thought of taking meds when going on a tender, but it’s a good idea. Because my plan doesn’t do an override, I could find myself having to pay out,of,pocket if I need to take extra meds along.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Roz]

If I ever decide to take a long cruise, I will probably have to spend weeks on the phone arguing with my insurance company about allowing me to have extra meds.  Apparently no one who works at insurance companies takes vacations that are over a week long. 

[rkacruiser]

5 minutes ago, Roz said:

If I ever decide to take a long cruise, I will probably have to spend weeks on the phone arguing with my insurance company about allowing me to have extra meds.  Apparently no one who works at insurance companies takes vacations that are over a week long. 

 

When I sailed on my world cruise, it was not as difficult as I expected in explaining why I needed sufficient medicine for such a long cruise.  I know that insurance companies that handle prescription plans surely differ, but mine was cooperative.  It did take more than one phone call, but the approval was not unpleasant to try to obtain.  I started the approval process many months before sail date; maybe that helped?

[rubytue]

This was just in the news recently. They brought in a bunch of pharmacists for the princess ship. 

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article240273221.html

[rkacruiser]

2 minutes ago, rubytue said:

This was just in the news recently. They brought in a bunch of pharmacists for the princess ship. 

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article240273221.html

 

That was a good idea and surely guest friendly.