Cruise Problems: What To Do When These 5 Things Go Wrong On Your Cruise

Last week I was messaged by a follower (Chris) with a cruise problem he was facing on his cruise from the UK to Iceland in a panic. Somewhere between leaving home and boarding the ship, his daughter’s prescription medication had disappeared. They’d been down to the ship’s Medical Centre and discovered something many cruisers don’t realise, that the medical centre is not a floating version of your doctor’s surgery nor local pharmacy. They couldn’t, and wouldn’t, replace the prescription.

He asked, “Do I have any advice ?”. Fortunately, I did, because something like this has happened to me.

I’m going to reveal how to deal with cruise problems that happen to many cruisers like losing medication, a tooth breaking, a suitcase not arriving, losing a passport and many more.

So, what about that lost medication problem?

Lost Medication Problem

I discovered how to solve this when my mother-in-law left her medication on a flight to Sydney Australia, we were on to join a cruise.

The airline lost and found couldn’t help us, and to get replacement fast before departing the next day I found an online video doctor service, did a video call, and they forwarded a prescription to a pharmacy close to the hotel.

I suggested Chris do the same. He found a local online doctor service, did a video call from the ship, and they were able fetch the medication from a pharmacy in the next port, Kirkwall Orkney Islands..

If you can’t find an online doctor service, the next best thing that has also worked for me is to check ahead for the closest walk-in medical centre at the next port. If you can’t find one online, contact the cruise line port agent whose details will be in the daily program, as they will be able to suggest the best and closest one.

What helped in both cases for me was having a photo of the medication bottle to show the physician. I have those photos on my phone in a folder of those and other important documents like my passport and any visas.

Tooth Problem

Another nightmare that happens to many cruisers I have met is teeth problems. Something the on-board Medical Centre also cannot help with as ships do not have dentists.

A few years back, the night before boarding a Miami Oceania Caribbean cruise, a tooth cracked in half.

Here’s how I dealt with that. First, I always travel with a tooth repair kit. It’s not a solution that can last the whole cruise but can assist if a filling or cap falls out or patch up a cracked tooth.
Then I found an emergency dentist. I have found that most ports have dentists that will see emergency cases for cruisers and land-based tourists.

I found cruise lines do not have contacts for these, and so I searched online and found one in our next port (Key West).

I recommend calling the dentist ahead of time to explain to them the issue and time constraint you have, and I have found most dentists will see you around the timing limits in port.

The problem is you need to call a landline number, and you will not have mobile phone connection. So, I have downloaded an app called Yolla which is inexpensive to use and works with ship Wi-Fi to call a landline.

Again, if you can’t find an emergency dentist online, contact the port agent as they should be able to suggest an emergency dentist closest to the port.

As well as taking that tooth repair kit, before I go on a longer trip, especially ones to remote areas or more exotic locations, I have a dental checkup.

Losing Valuables Problem

Another nightmare I’ve suffered is when I have lost valuables, like my brand new, expensive varifocal prescription sunglasses and the Osmo Pocket camera I use to do most of my videoing.

Of course, if I lose something onboard, there is a lost and found box at the Guest Services Desk, where crew or passengers finding items hand things into.

But if I dropped, left or lost something in port that used to be the end of that. And after losing my new prescription sunglasses costing over $600, I found a solution that has worked for me.

I put a little sticker with a QR code from a company called Boomerang Tag on all my valuables, including my glass cases, cameras, phone, EarPods, and even on my wallet. I then set up through their App so when anyone finding the item scans the QR code it lets them WhatsApp, Text or call me to say they have found it.

That’s how I recovered my camera. In fact, I got a WhatsApp message even before I realised I had lost it from someone who had found it on the floor under the table in a restaurant that I had been eating lunch at.

These are worth having because if you leave something in a port, you’re only there for a limited amount of time. So, the ability for people to know who the item belongs to and being able to message right away is perfect.

In my wallet and also in the plastic folder I travel with that holds my passport and key documents like my USA ESTA and copy of my insurance policy, I not only have that sticker on, but also bought tracker cards, which are the size of a credit card and they operate a bit like an Apple AirTag, that help me locate and find them.
This proved worth the investment when I once dropped that plastic wallet with my passport on the floor in the lounge at the airport, and as soon as I realised it was missing could track it down using the Find My app on my phone without having to retrace all my movements at the airport.

I saw a post recently about a couple who had to miss a cruise as they could not find their passport and thought they had lost it between the airport and the cruise terminal. They later found it slipped in a hidden pocket in a bag. If they had a passport holder with their passport and a tracker in, they would have immediately been able to locate it and not miss the cruise.

Credit Card Problem

Another nightmare is if you lose or have your credit or debit cards pickpocketed or stolen. On a recent excursion in Rome two people on our tour were pickpocketed and their credit cards were taken. They were freaked out and panicking about having to call the issuer long distance to stop the cards.

There is a simpler trick that I found they did not know about. Almost all bank and credit card phone Apps have the ability to put an immediate freeze on your card. Usually for 7 days. It will mean no transactions using your card will process, stopping the thieves straight away. But transactions using your phone on something like Apple or Google Pay will still process. And it won’t cancel any existing standing orders and direct debits.

A useful stop gap in case you have just mislaid your card and find it shortly afterwards and then can just take the freeze off.

These days, I do not take cards out with me. I have all my cards on Apple Pay and found even small stall holders in remote places these days take Apple and Google Pay as the technology is now so inexpensive for them to use.

Missing Luggage Problem

A nightmare that happened to me recently is when my luggage did not arrive with my flight for a cruise from Venice on Windstar Wind Surf.

That is another reason I always fly in at least one day before the cruise, two if long haul, to allow time for any missing bags to get forwarded on to me before boarding. As once a cruise has departed it gets challenging to arrange with an airline to get bags to the right port on the right day.

Though I have found that some lines will take on working with the airline to co-ordinate getting missing bags to a future port stop. In fact, on that same cruise, Windstar Guest Services desk did that for a guest whose bags had not arrived on their flight from the USA in time.

There are a few other things I do and recommend to avoid and work around this nightmare.

First, if I’m travelling with my partner, we split our clothes between two suitcases, so even if one suitcase arrives, we both some clothes and other items.

I also have some basics in my hand luggage, like change of clothes, underwear and a few toiletries to tide me over.

All medications and a set of chargers I always have in my hand luggage, as my cameras as I must have those. So. whatever the equivalent is for you.

Second, I have an Apple AirTag in all my cases so I can then track where my suitcase is.

I could see when they arrived at the airport and even follow its journey to my hotel by the courier bringing it to me.

Third, I have a photo of my case, and it has ribbons and things to make it distinctive to show to the airline lost and found when reporting it.

And fourth, I have my name and phone number on a luggage tag on the outside and inside a piece of paper with my too. So, even if the name tag comes off , my contact details are on the inside too.

If your bag is lost, always check with the airline lost and found what they will and won’t pay for as a tide-over before you get your suitcase back, keep receipts and check how quickly you need to claim, as many have fairly short deadlines to make a claim.

Also, when packing for a cruise have as few valuables as possible in any bags you check in, as most cruise lines will only compensate you up to a maximum of $250 per bag for any items that you claim are missing or for any damage to a bag, and they explicitly exclude any high-value items, jewellery, electronics, cash, and delicate items.

Issues In Port Problem

If you ever have an issue in port, crime, accident, running late or miss the ship, contact the cruise line’s Port Agent.

Before going out in port, take a picture of the port agent details or take the daily program it is listed in, so you know who they are.

They will be the liaison between the ship and you. And so, for example, if you miss the ship in a port, the line can and will leave things like your passport, and essential medications, with the port agent who should be able to help you with contacts to arrange to get to the next port.

It’s important to understand, though, that if you have missed the ship, it’s going to be your responsibility and cost to get home or to the next port.

And, if you ever have a nightmare or issue onboard, every senior crew member always tells me is you must make sure that the crew on the line knows about it and get it recorded and documented, escalating as needed through Guest Services to the Hotel Manager.

They will try to solve it, but once you leave the ship you will find it almost impossible to resolve any issue without having done all that.

 

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