Injured Passenger Left in Turkey (2 Threads Merged)

[Janet524]

Just one more case of somebody not wanting to take personal responsibility. It's always someone else's fault or problem these days.

[Ashland]

Strongly agree with those above....Why should anyone (regardless of age) expect any more from RCI than they provided...As "avid" cruisers they "didn't hope for any thing to go wrong"...Of course not...none of us do but we all know it can and plan accordingly:

[sky0000547]

It was an unfortunate incident but I have to agree with everyone that RCI doesn't have to do anything for the couple. This is exactly why people buy travel insurance.

[RevSmith]

Unfortunately that how it works. You always go after who ever has the money. Let's say a guy stole a truck from Fed Ex and in the escape he hit and injured you, where you could no longer walk. When he saw what he did he jumped out of the truck and ran. He was never caught. Who pays for your hospital bills. Well you go after Fed Ex of course. Because they, were negligible and left their truck where it could be stolen.

Sounds silly, but that's how it works.

[Lynnees]

Just over a year ago I fell and broke my wrist on an RCL ship. I received excellent care onboard and when we docked I walked off the ship and took care of myself. I would never have expected RCL to do more than it did.

 

January 2012 a group of us were on the Reflection. One of our group had to be medi-vaced from the ship. US coast guard would not let his wife go with him so she stayed onboard with us. Celebrity opened the telephone to her any time any hour. She was able to speak to him at all times as well as her family back home.

 

When we returned home, he was already here. His complaint - unclean hospital and poor English - his location, San Juan.

 

No, it didn't dawn on any of us that Celebrity/RCL should be held responsible. He was safely evacuated to a hospital. The cruiseline rep was in contact with him onshore and helped him. This is all that should be expected.

[orville99]

Strongly agree with those above....Why should anyone (regardless of age) expect any more from RCI than they provided...As "avid" cruisers they "didn't hope for any thing to go wrong"...Of course not...none of us do but we all know it can and plan accordingly:

 

 

Watched all of the videos, and didn't see anywhere where the couple was asking for anything. One of our crack politicians (or is that a politician on crack - sometimes I can't tell the difference:D) was demanding the cruise line "make them whole". Somehow the old song lyric - "fools rush in..." comes to mind whenever a politician opens his mouth;)

[Let'sGo!]

Watched all of the videos, and didn't see anywhere where the couple was asking for anything.

 

I agree... even the last soundbite with the wife indicates next time she will be more particular about the insurance she chooses. If you ask me, I think their beef is really with CruiseCare or whatever it's called.

 

And of course the senator who spoke up has no idea what he is talking about. As a former news journalist, I'm sure this reporter was told to get a soundbite with a "famous face" so she grabbed him. From experience I know there are some politicians out there who make themselves available just about anytime to go on camera, even on topics they know very little about.

 

I do feel sorry for this couple -- I'm sure it was an ordeal.

 

Ann

[tserface]

I don't know these people, but if they've been to over 200 countries nad over 30 cruises on lines like Azamara I'd guess they are pretty financially well off anyway. And the article says they had travel insurance. Wouldn't the insurance be responsible for this sort of thing? It sounds a lot like an accident to me.

 

I also think if you travel to unfamiliar countries where the language is different you are taking some risk. That doesn't mean the risk isn't worth it, but it is still your risk to take.

 

I feel sorry for the guy who broke his hip and the couple's situation, but I think it was just incredibly bad timing and luck and it sounds like RCCL were pretty gracious in their handling of the situation. Unless, of course, RCCL did something that cause the guy to fall (like left a broom in the middle of the floor), but I'm sure they would have mentioned that if there was negligence involved.

 

Tom

 

Why do these people think that RCI is responsible for them? The husband had an unfortunate accident and he was evacuated to the nearest hospital. No one in the hospital spoke English. Um, yeah, you're not in an English speaking country. The senator thinks they should be made financially whole - why? By whom? If you were broke your hip on a plane, in a hotel, etc, would you expect someone from corporate to stay with you, pay your medical expenses etc?

[gerif]

Isn't one of the functions of out Embassy to aid in situations like this? The cruiseline did all they could and the couple are fortunate they were near port and not on a TA.

[avw]

How many have tried to buy travel insurance at age 89? It is almost impossible. Most carriers won't sell it to anyone over 84 because the risk of needing medical care during the trip is very high. So, they bought whatever plan the cruise line has arranged to make available to them. Not necessarily because it is cheaper, but because it is AVAILABLE. Can't fault them for that. Someone suggested MedJet Assist. Sorry, they cut off at age 75.

 

When you sail to a very foreign place at age 89, you take a big risk. I don't fault them for that. I commend them for continuing to go on adventures as long as possible. Good for them! But it is a RISK at that age! Stuff can, and eventually will happen, especially at their ages. By the way, they look FANTASTIC for their ages! Have you seen their pictures? Mrs M looks more like 60's in the photo in the Istanbul hospital. http://www.miaminewsday.com/national/18417-elderly-couple-left-stranded-by-royal-caribbean-in-a-small-turkish-town-at-hospital-with-no-english-speakers-after-husband-broke-his-hip.html

 

My husband is 83 and we still travel as much as possible (will be in Turkey later this year), but there are some places we will not go because of the risk of needing medical care in a place where the standards are very different than in the US. We can't expect the world to meet our US standards. But, we would rather take reasonable risks and enjoy life than sit at home and watch the clock tick by. That is our choice and not the responsibility of the cruise line.

 

A cruise line does not assume full responsibility for a passenger when they board the ship. If they did, they would probably decline to take 89 year old passengers. However, they will divert the ship and transfer a passenger to shore so they can get to a medical facility when needed. I doubt that cruise lines know every hospital up and down the coast of every country. That would be impossible! They were probably sailing off the coast of Turkey and could not risk waiting many more hours to get this 89 year old man to Istanbul, as the man may have gotten worse in that time period. I am quite certain that there was no port agent in this small town in Turkey.

 

So, what else could/should they have done. Perhaps they could have located an English speaking interpreter to assist them. It is not the business of the cruise line to contact the US Embassy about this couple (privacy issues), but they might have given the couple the telephone number so they could call. They directed them to call the insurance company to make a claim so they could get in the loop and help them. That would be the proper procedure, and that is what they told them to do.

 

I have sailed Azamara several times and I am very confident that they acted properly. Azamara truly cares for its passengers. There are many facts missing from this poorly reported story.

 

It looks like the gentleman is resting well in a very modern hospital in Istanbul. The most recent article says that they are looking forward to their next cruise.

[pspercy]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2401034/Elderly-couple-left-stranded-Royal-Caribbean-small-Turkish-town-hospital-English-speakers-husband-broke-hip.html

 

Sounds like the TA and local guide did a great job.

[erbunny]

I am not sure what the Senator meant by "financially whole", but unless the fall was due to RCCL negligence, I don't know why they should. Lesson learned is definitely to be aware of my insurance coverage.

[Paulxyz2004]

This is no RCI Story at all. They sailed on Azamara Club Cruises, not RCI. So it´s a Story about RCCL and Azamara CLub Cruises, but not RCI.

[JasonTehGreat]

Travel insurance, like the insurance sold by Azamara/RCI to this couple, should have had translation services provided. That was the biggest fault of RCI in this instance, they need to make sure that the insurance these people pay for is what they actually get.

 

As far as the couple goes.....buy EVACUATION INSURANCE. I have health issues, so if I travel far outside of the country I make sure I have Evacuation Insurance. Airmed costs like $25/month and if I become very ill while traveling more than 150 miles from home (or fall and break a hip) they will transport from whatever hospital I am in to a hospital of my choice.

 

So if I were in that dingy hospital in Turkey, I could call Airmed (or have the US Consulate call, or my partner, etc...) and they would bring me back to my hospital here at home.

[worldspan]

Notice RCCI would not do an on camera interview!

 

Sorry, just another black eye for cruising, the garbage vacation of our times!

 

Worldspan

132 cruises strong

[lcguy]

The point being missed here in this entire thread, is that this couple's cruise fare was $0.00 as compensation for a fire on a previous cruise in which they purchased insurance. Since insurance is based on fare paid, they were unable to secure insurance.

 

IMHO, insurance paid for their previous cruise should have carried forward to this cruise. Rci and the insurance company need to pony up which they will.

[boulders]

The point being missed here in this entire thread, is that this couple's cruise fare was $0.00 as compensation for a fire on a previous cruise in which they purchased insurance. Since insurance is based on fare paid, they were unable to secure insurance.

 

 

That may be true for vacation insurance, but not for medical insurance.

[Eurobikefan]

By the way, they look FANTASTIC for their ages! Have you seen their pictures? Mrs M looks more like 60's in the photo in the Istanbul hospital. http://www.miaminewsday.com/national/18417-elderly-couple-left-stranded-by-royal-caribbean-in-a-small-turkish-town-at-hospital-with-no-english-speakers-after-husband-broke-his-hip.html

 

Not that this changes the situation at hand, but it should be noted that reports that Mrs. Melkonian is 89 are incorrect. Mr. Melkonian is indeed 89, but Mrs. Melkonian is 65 and is a successful business woman (realtor) in Clearwater, FL. Little wonder she looks that age. :)

[boulders]

Notice RCCI would not do an on camera interview!

 

Sorry, just another black eye for cruising, the garbage vacation of our times!

 

Worldspan

132 cruises strong

 

If it's such a garbage vacation, why have you done it 132 times? :confused::rolleyes:

[lcguy]

That may be true for vacation insurance, but not for medical insurance.

 

Hello? It does cover evacuation and medical care.

 

Problem is, they couldn't get insurance due to the fact they did not pay for this cruise due to a fire on their last cruise which they did pay for insurance. Grandeur?

 

Glad all is working out for these people.

[Mark_K]

Watched all of the videos, and didn't see anywhere where the couple was asking for anything.

in one of the print articles, they were quoted as saying 'RCI needs to be held accountable', generally speaking that's code for we want compensation.

 

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[wineandbeach]

Getting hurt or sick on a cruise is definitely a tough situation. My BIL was taken off the ship in San Juan by ambulance with appendicitis. He was taking to a hospital and left sitting on a stretcher for hours. One patient sitting in the hallway, asked my sister why they brought him there since that hospital was only for people without insurance. They had health insurance and cruise insurance. After sitting for hours in a hospital that seemed less then sanitary and in no hurry to help, she finally made the difficult decision of taking the chance of flying home to Florida with him to get the surgery. Thankfully all went well. Royal Caribbean had no fault in this but to possibly have a list of better hospitals for emergencies. They don't need to send people to the closest hospital (except in severe emergencies) but to a good hospital to give the people care. You don't realize until you are in the situation just how important that is.

[phoenix1181]

This is no RCI Story at all. They sailed on Azamara Club Cruises, not RCI. So it´s a Story about RCCL and Azamara CLub Cruises, but not RCI.

 

You're correct but I heard a news report last night that referred to this incident & the Celebrity Millennium cancelled cruises as Royal Caribbean troubles.

[xrvlcruiser]

AVW . . .MedJet does have a policy for 75-85 called Diamond. And I know for a fact although I could not find it on the web site that they cover travelers over the age of 85. My husband had a policy until he was 97.

 

I agree that the non-cruise company policies are very expensive and that the ones provided by the lines (usually Berkley) are more reasonable although not inexpensive.

 

I didn't mean to change the subject

[ptiprof]

I agree with JasonTehGreat--we also carry medical evacuation insurance alongside travel insurance with primary coverage. If we were to have a medical issue, our travel insurance would pay from first dollar without any advance money from us. There is also a 24/7 contact number for assistance. In the event of hospitalization, MedJetAssist would evacuate the injured party to his/her hospital of choice either by chartered air ambulance or business class air, depending on the seriousness of the injury. We have medical conditions that make this a no-brainer, but it's worth thinking about for everyone. We would never take cruise line insurance. Our choices are expensive (!) but we feel the peace of mind is worth it.