You Won't Believe This !!!

[kitty9]

Last night, as we left Aruba, the Cruise Director came over the loudspeaker to announce that there was a medical emergency on board ship and we would have to stay in the area until things were taken care of. He assured us that this event would not affect our itinerary. I was standing out on deck 4 watching our sail away when I saw a pilot boat rushing out to Constellation and pulling along side of the ship. I saw a man jump off and come on board. This afternoon we found out that they had brought on a specialist for a 6 month old baby that had stopped breathing and the doctor on board, who managed to revive the infant, didn't have enough training with babies, so they brought in someone who did. The doctor examined the baby and diagnosed a severe respiratory problem and had medication for them to give the child, who is reported to be doing better. Supposedly they advised the parents, who are VERY young, that they should leave the ship and return home, but they refused and they are still on board---they didn't want to spoil their vacation. Personally, I really question the judgement used here.

[DaytonGirl]

Supposedly they advised the parents, who are VERY young, that they should leave the ship and return home, but they refused and they are still on board---they didn't want to spoil their vacation. Personally, I really question the judgement used here.

 

What in world are these people thinking?!?! If this were my baby my vacation would have been spoiled already. How can they even pretend to enjoy themselves when their baby's health is being endangered. I wouldn't care about anything other than getting it home to US doctors!

 

Too bad a license isn't required before people are allowed to have children. :eek: These two would never pass the test.

[Karynanne]

Let's not rush to judge them. Maybe the baby IS doing just fine, and that hasn't been shared with other passengers. Children/Infants respond remarkedly quickly to medication.

[tom_uk]

Well, you could make some sort of case that perhaps it might be better for the baby to stay on board for a few more days. If the respiratory problem was an infection, and has now been treated; and if there are trained medical staff on hand to monitor the baby & administer further medication (which they can probably do, now that they've had the specialist's advice); then perhaps staying on board is better than going ashore with the baby, dragging it to an airport where it will have to wait some unknown time while the parents bought a plane ticket, before then taking a long flight home.

 

Indeed, it's actually possible that the airline might not accept the baby as a passenger if it's still very ill. And we don't know the exact details of the doctors' advice: 'you should take the baby home in an air-ambulance' is different from 'you should take the baby home and it's OK to do so in economy class on a scheduled flight'.

[Susan-M]

What a frightening thing to have happen. If they had been advised to leave the ship and take the baby to a local hospital, then I would wonder why they ignored the advice, but the parents might have felt that it was better to stay put rather than go through the ordeal (and risk) of being in airports, on flights, etc. when their baby was severely ill.

 

Glad to hear that the baby's condition is improving.

[Sea Island Lady]

All I can say is THANK GOODNESS that the baby was revived by the ships doctor and that the ship was still near port, so that the baby could get medical help. I am sure if the physician (or the Captain for that matter) thought that the child were in any further danger, they would have insisted that the family disembark the ship.

 

I do have to wonder what was going on with the baby earlier in the day and did the parents take an ill baby off the ship for shore excursions that day. :rolleyes:

[drfun48]

With all due respect to the OP,how much of this is hearsay? How much is fact? I've been on enough cruise ships to know that they are a hotbed for misinformation.

[JanineM]

If the point was to let us know that the ship's doctor responded appropriately and got a specialist on board, great. Bravo to the doctor and crew for their response!

 

But, if the point is to question the judgment of people we don't know, based on second/third/fourth hand information ... then BOOOOOO. None of us know what the real situation is/was. Let's just leave it at that.

[CruisinNewb]

Sometimes this info is like playing that kid's game. By the time it gets to the end of the line, the story is so different from the original that you would never realize its the same story.

[Gold Coast Cruisers]

Quite agree CruisinNewb, they call the game 'Chinese Whispers' by the time it gets to the end the story isn't the same as it was in the beginning.

 

Jillybean:)

[DaytonGirl]

Let's not rush to judge them. Maybe the baby IS doing just fine, and that hasn't been shared with other passengers. Children/Infants respond remarkedly quickly to medication.

 

Normally I would agree with this - it's just that the OP said they were advised by the doctors to take the baby home.

 

Of course, as many have pointed out, a lot of this info is second hand so it's hard to judge the true story.

 

I just know that if one of my babies had stopped breathing and I was advised to take him home there's no way I could continue on with my vacation. I would have been totally freaked out.

[mmp13]

as a pediatric nurse I have to say Dealing with children is very different than dealing with adults.. I would not be so quick to judge these parents without knowing the facts. the child may have had an allergy episode or any number of issues that once reversed are quite manageable. Flying may not have been in the best interest of the child. I'm sure for liablility reasons the child would not be allowed to remain on board unless it was in the child's (not the parents!) best interest. Everyone needs to lighten up. For all anyone knows the parents may have wanted to leave the ship and were advised not to move the child!

[bubbie617]

It's heartening to hear how well Celebrity handled this unfortunate situation. If it weren't for the expeditious and professional manner they handled this, the outcome may have been tragically different.

[FortyNinerLiz]

I had occasion to use the Constellation medical facility in November and the doctor and nurse were quite professional and also did personal follow-up on my condition. Kudos again!!

[sea-cruise]

I feel safe knowing that medical staffs onboard our ships are obviously doing everything within their power to help us in a time of need.

[moorefunn]

just throwing in my two cents

 

you said the parents were young

 

i am assuming they might not have passports so even if they got off in aruba they could not fly home to the us without much hassle especially with a sick child

 

we dont know all the facts here

[FinelyCruising]

I am hoping for the best for everyone in that family.

 

Speculation for one single moment in a situation like this is NOT an option for me.

[barryod]

Hi Darcie,

Glad to hear everyone is doing fine. I've spent many, many vacations in Aruba and watched the Island grow over the years. I remember when the only medical facility on the Island closed at night. Those parents can count their blessings that Aruba now has resident medical staff who are capable of responding to such emergencies. Enjoy the rest of the cruise Darcie.

 

Barry

[Seabee]

I certainly don't know anything about this situation but I do know that Darcie is a long time poster here and isn't one to post things that she hasn't checked out...therefore I give her credit for knowing enough about this to form an opinion.

 

Now for the other issue...I as well as others have often been blasted for stating our opinions about cruising with very young children. My advice has always been "No" and has always been based on this very thing...young children can easily contract things which can be devatating for them and which may not be so bad for an adult. And the fact that the medical staff on board may not be trained in pediatrics should not surprise anyone.

 

I would not consider taking a young child on a cruise given the often seen Noro as well as other potential medical problems which could occur.

[FinelyCruising]

Supposedly they advised the parents, who are VERY young, that they should leave the ship and return home, but they refused and they are still on board---they didn't want to spoil their vacation. Personally, I really question the judgement used here.

 

Here's the problem, even with opinions from long time posters, that seem to me to be speculation that fans the flames of so many others.....

[amanda blake]

I can never understand why parents would bring a young child/baby on a cruise...adults pick up viruses so easily ..young children that much faster...to be far from home and on a ship ...what a scary experience when you child falls ill...I would never risk it....when our son was small, we did the land type vacations, where if necessary you hop on a plane and you come home...

 

yes I will be flamed for this...but maybe it will cause someone to think twice about cruising with a small baby...

[tuggers]

IF the child should have been removed from the ship I feel very confident that the Captain would have MADE them leave the ship. The Captain, and the cruise line, is not going to open themselves up to unnecessary liability issues by allowing anyone to remain onboard against medical advice.

As for very young children being allowed on cruise ships, the one I just got off had a large number of infants and those under a year. Every time I would see some young mother or father pushing/carrying these children the thought that goes through my head is:

WHAT ARE THEY THINKING??????????????

And the number of children five and under at late seating dinner and 10 PM shows was unbelievable! With all the different germs, bacteria, virus', etc they are exposing these children to PLUS keeping them up till all hours so that their bodies are tired and run down it's amazing more of them aren't sick while onboard!

[FinelyCruising]

Many children in current times are in day care, or children's play groups, children's centers in church, library groups, or other children's activity groups that provide a fair amount of interaction with many other children and a variety of exposure levels to this that and the other thing, not to mention malls, grocery stores, and the pediatrician's offfice. All of which can easily be considered breeding grounds, though less likely to be schumpfed on by posters here for participation.

 

I find a majority of parents who post on these boards that indicate they never took their kids on a cruise until they were much older did not cruise when their kids were that much younger, that they probably had little idea of what a cruise vacation was at the time they were rearing their children, and went where their local friends recommended, which was on land, so it's kind of moot to suggest that they did not cruise because they had young children and wanted to keep them safe along with being considerate of other guests.

[Drew B]

If we're going to decide that young children shouldn't be on board because of their susceptibility to illness, then you should rule out the elderly, too. And yet, they still sail. Perhaps that because cruise lines couldn't stay afloat without them, even if a few of them die on many cruises...

[FinelyCruising]

Drew I have not had that experience to date..I hope I never do...would give me the willies....