…think one of the things they’re going to have to do is re-assess the whole medical centre, for example. Medical centres on cruise ships are really only designed to do basic triage and stabilise medical situations. As soon as they get to the next port, they basically will get patients out into the hospital if they need more treatment. What we discovered, of course, during this whole process is that ships will have to have larger, much more well-equ…
…end of the cruise. But beware, bad packing choices could have you banned. Medical Conditions The cruise lines have pretty few bans or exclusions for medical conditions, and are able to accommodate most with notice, although they do say “You must ensure that you are medically and physically fit for travel, and that such travelling will not endanger yourself or anyone else” You do need to check before booking, as they may require you to hire equipm…
…read anything without those. So I bring that because that’s a count in the medical area. So anything that’s important from a medical perspective, which brings me on to my all-time favourite thing, which is my first aid kit. First Aid Now, it’s just this little bag, but there’s some really important things that I pack in it and that I strongly recommend. One of the most important and most undervalued ones is the tooth repair kit. So, a tooth repair…
…laundry for personal clothes, uniform and laundry of that, and importantly medical. Crew typically don’t have to pay for medical bills related to illnesses or injuries on board. The cruise line usually covers medical costs, including prescription medicine. However, there are exceptions, such as for pre-existing conditions. Also, if disembarked for medical reasons, the line covers the cost of treatment. But there are more secrets to life on board I…
…people I followed. All were younger, healthy, and did not have any ongoing medical issues. This is important because the medical centre is not only costly, but it does not provide care for ongoing health issues and is designed to just deal with immediate injuries or small medical flare ups. It will not offer pharmacy services to fill regular prescriptions. It’s also important to consider that if you’re living on a cruise ship and have a major inju…
…rse….) And of course as mentioned, unlike Cheryl Cole check onlien and get medical advice and ensure you take preventative medication if needed. Be sure to cover up with socks, scarves and long sleeves to avoid infectious insect bites. There are some really good traveller clinics about, and I found the best are the ones that cater for backpackers as they seem to better understand the risks and the ebst things to take – and as anti-malaria tablets…
…you many encounter. You can then self treat minor issues without incurring medical centre charges or having to work through foreign medical systems. The on-board shops cannot sell over-the-counter medicines that you usually get from your local drugstore or pharmacy. If you are from Europe, and some of your cruise is in the European Union, apply for and take your EU Medical Card, which will ensure you can access free healthcare in those countries….
…r recourse with them for any issues you have with these. Non‐Liability For Medical Treatment Although there will be a medical centre on board, it is usually provided by a third party or specific organisation within the overall cruise corporation. If you access the service they will usually state that they will not be liable for any aspect of medical treatment provided including the advice, diagnosis, medication or treatment. If they have to refer…
…any encounter. You can then self treat minor issues without incurring high medical centre charges or having to work through foreign medical systems. The on-board shops cannot sell over-the-counter medicines that you usually get from your local drugstore or pharmacy. If you are from Europe, and some of your cruise is in the European Union, apply for and take your EU Medical Card, which will ensure you can access free healthcare in those countries….
…nd diarrhea and it’s clearly quite serious, is you normally just phone the medical centre. They don’t charge you for any of the medical consultations, or if they give you things like Imodium or whatever to deal with it. But don’t hide it from the cruise line and put your fellow passengers at risk. #3 Pregnancy The next series of things I want to talk about are related to children and pregnancy. So, the first thing that you should never hide from y…
…some non-COVID related issue, for example if you lose your baggage or need medical care, because obviously medical costs can be really high. It’s very tempting to book a cruise for 2021 right now, because all of us, of course are looking for hope, and dreaming and planning for the future once we’re through everything that’s going on. However, it may be a good idea to pause a little bit before you commit yourself to 2021. You may want to wait until…
