Need concentrator for cruise

[JackieS]

Does anyone know the process for getting a concentrator on a cruise? I am going on an Enrichment cruise on the MV Explorer from Nassau to the Amazon on 12/18/08 - 1/09-09. My doctor has told me that the FDA has approved a small machine. I only need the concentrator at night. I would appreciate hearing from anyone with experience with this matter.

Thanks Jackies

[arlodog]

I had posted a question about this and it is down on page 2. The link did not post correctly--sorry! The thread is titled cost for an oxygen concentrator. My mom is making the arrangements. HAL will only allow one company to supply them with the 02 so we are using their company. My mom is still checking with her secondary to see if they will pick up the tab after medicare denies.

 

Hope this helps!

[Sueseb]

This is an easy process. Different cruise lines prefer different providers. HAL uses Care Vacations; RCCL uses Special Needs at Sea. Check with your cruise line. Previously, we have dealt with Care Vacations and have been very satisfied. The concentrator is in the cabin when you board. You may need extra tubing, depending on where the concentrator is placed. If you are on Medicare and have private secondary insurance, check with that company as this may be covered since you are considered to be in a foreign country as soon as you board the ship if it is foreign flagged. Medicare will not pay for it if you are out of the country.

Hope this helps.

[JackieS]

Thanks for your reply re: concetrator on cruises....thankfully, my doctor has said I can go on a 3 week cruise without oxygen......I am very happy since the company I called was charging $600, because the cruise was leaving from Nassau. I hope your mom has good luck.

Jackie

[JackieS]

Thanks for your reply re: concetrator on cruises....thankfully, my doctor has said I can go on a 3 week cruise without oxygen......I am very happy since the company I called was charging $600, because the cruise was leaving from Nassau. I hope your mom has good luck.

Jackie

[daveco58]

I highly recommend Special Needs at Sea - they will bring the concentrator to your cabin before you board, and pick it up after you leave....and they are really great people besides.

[susibell2]

Thanks for the info we were considering taking my 94 yr old FIL on a cruise and he's on oxygen 24 hrs. So from what i'm reading you have to use the company the ship wants you to. Are the cabins big enough for the machines and still get around?

[Red-Bird]

Thanks for the info we were considering taking my 94 yr old FIL on a cruise and he's on oxygen 24 hrs. So from what i'm reading you have to use the company the ship wants you to. Are the cabins big enough for the machines and still get around?

 

I had occaision to rent a concentrator for a cruise to Alaska from Care Vacations in early September. The size should not be a problem as they are only about 15/16 inches square and a little over 2 feet high. One suggestion however, if you have the option of having a 'QUIET' model or type of concentrator - take it. Some of the older models can be noisy especially if you are all sleeping in the same cabin or are a light sleeper. Also you should check into renting a small portable unit but most of them are only pulse type supply.

D.

[dscott68]

Renting oxygen concentrators is an expensive and chancy thing. Some airlines have oxygen for passenger use and nearly all cruise lines can provide concentrators, but they cost a lot: $100 or more per airline segment and $500 or more to rent for the ship. Some airlines, such as Southwest, do not make oxygen available to passengers at all and others, such as Continenetal, only offer it on domestic flights (we've had great success with Delta and Virgin Atlantic, though). Plus, the question of noise is important--as stated by the previous poster.

 

We finally addressed the problem by purchasing a portable concentrator. It was expensive up front--$3,000 or more, I recall--but it came with various power options (auto adapter, three rechargable batteries and 110-220 volts power), all possible supplies and a cart for wheeling it around. It's approved for use on aircraft, so it's ideal in every way. It can even be used long-term at home, so it can be your only concentrator, if you wish. And, it's very quiet and will run in pulse and continuous modes with pressure as high as 5 or 6 liters.

 

The FAA is very strict about what brands and models of portable concentrators are allowed, so be sure to check their web site or the airline's for the official list of devices approved for use on planes. Ours is one of the larger and heavier ones (a Sequal Eclipse weighin nearly 15 pounds), but it's also the most versatile model and is very reliable.

 

Another possibility: some durable medical equipment providers will lend or rent portable concentrators to their customers as a customer service. It's certainly worth checking.

 

You'll need a letter from your doctor authorizing purchase and use of your concentrator. You may find them hard to find locally--we had to purchase ours on-line. Check prices closely because there can be a difference of $1,000 or more between dealers with similar differences in extra equipment provided. Good luck!

 

Dick S.

[Joy2Day]

I've looked into the portable concentrators. Most of the portables are pulse -- not continuous flow, which is what I need. Furthermore, the airline policies for flying with a concentrator assume that the machine will be used during the flight -- not a requirement for many of us on night-time only O2.

 

For now, renting one for delivery to the ship works best for me. During the day, I roll it into the closet to get it out of the way. Thanks to the companies mentioned above, t is actually easier to handle this for cruise travel than for a week in a hotel somewhere.

[JackieS]

Thanks for all the answers to my question about concentrators on cruises. My M.D. has agreed to let me travel without oxygen.....ya ya. I am very thankful!!!!!!!

JackieS