Refrigerating medication

[Felidae]

I am a diabetic and I need to refrigerate my medication. I'm pretty sure my cabin doesn't have a refrigerator. Is there any provision for this situation?

[CaptData]

You don't say which cruise line. But when I went Holland America in Feb I had to go to Doctor's office to refirg my meds. They were only opened until six. so I used ice during the night, while most of it was in Doctor's office. You can also contact Special Service and have a frig put in your room (at a cost). You may have to provide proff that you need it. This should be done more then 60 days in advance.

[Felidae]

Thanks. I'm going on RCCL "Splendour of the Seas"

[Sheffie]

Thanks. I'm going on RCCL "Splendour of the Seas"

 

Our last cruise was on the Splendour and I also have medication that needs to be refrigerated. When we originally booked, we were in an inside room w/o a refrigerator. My TA contacted RCI and had a refrigerator ordered for our cabin. There was to be no extra charge for this. (We later changed categories and had a refrigerator in that cabin.)

 

Call your TA, or RCI and this can be done easily.

 

You will love the Splendour!

 

Have a great cruise!

[springtxbill]

My wife uses the heavy plastic laudry bag in the room and hangs it on the showere knobs filled wih ice. She gets the steward to keep it filled with ice. Works great.:)

[momofmeg]

I am a diabetic and I need to refrigerate my medication. I'm pretty sure my cabin doesn't have a refrigerator. Is there any provision for this situation?

 

Hon your insulin does not have to be refrigerated- just kept cool. My Mom was a diabetic for over 50 years (she was diagnosed at age 15)-this woman never let that stop her from going on trips and believe me 35 years ago there were no refrigerators in hotel rooms and no smaller coolers like we have now. She would keep her insulin on top of the airconditioner in the summer and in the winter in the ice bucket.

 

Many diabetics now just get the smaller lunch bag coolers. Instruct your steward to keep your ice bucket filled and then keep ice in your lunch box cooler with the insulin. That will work.

 

Most of the cruislines I have been on only give you a refrigerator if you have a balcony cabin or better so you are probally right that you will not have a refrigerator unless you book a balcony or better.

 

Even if you have a refrigerator in your cabin you will still need a lunch box cooler to tranport your insulin from home to the cruiseship-so get one anyway. I recently bought one for $3 at Ross.

[jewelea]

Felidae

 

 

When I was on Leggend there was a lady at the pursers desk complainint that she had pre arranged for a fridge to be in her cabin not an ice bucket (which is what she got) because she needed it for her meds.

 

There was no available fridges so the purser called someone up and told him to go to her room and take her fridge and give it to the lady.

 

So goes to show they do listen and take the issue seriously ;)

 

So i suggest phoning your TA and asking them to make a request on medical grounds

[Felidae]

momofmeg--

Thanks for your info and concern. I know that insulin doesn't need to be refrigerated. I am on a new medication called Byetta and it does need to be kept refrigerated. I do have a lunch bag cooler that I will most likely bring. I hope this doesn't come across as snotty:D It certainly wasn't meant to be.

[Seacruise2]

I am a Diabetic also and 1 of the things my dw and I like about Princess is that the cabins all have refridgerators in the cabins. We have been on 5 Princess ships and no matter what type of cabin we book it has a fridge. LOL:)

[momofmeg]

momofmeg--

Thanks for your info and concern. I know that insulin doesn't need to be refrigerated. I am on a new medication called Byetta and it does need to be kept refrigerated. I do have a lunch bag cooler that I will most likely bring. I hope this doesn't come across as snotty:D It certainly wasn't meant to be.

 

No you do not sound snotty. I only know about insulin-absolutely nothing about the other medication you mentioned. But in your question you only mentioned diabetic medication-if I had known it was something besides insulin which I have no knowlege of I would not have posted what I said. I only posted that because many new diabetics do not realize that insulin can be kept in a cooler.

Now this may be more help to you- I saw recently in Big Lots- a mini fridge just big enough to hold a six pack of cola or beer-it could be plugged into a cigerette lighter and also had an adapter so it could be plugged in the wall. It was only around $25 or so. Maybe you should check into that.

[momofmeg]

I am a Diabetic also and 1 of the things my dw and I like about Princess is that the cabins all have refridgerators in the cabins. We have been on 5 Princess ships and no matter what type of cabin we book it has a fridge. LOL:)

 

The orginal Pacific Princess did not have them-but that was their oldest ship which they no longer have-it was pretty old fashioned-but I loved the PP anyway-kept thinking I could run into Julie or Gopher any time.

[CruisinMatt]

I have a related question - I have recently been put on a refrigerated injection as well but not for diabetes. How do you transport your medication on flights? Do you simply carry a small cooler?

[Sheffie]

Matt - My medication is also not for diabetes, but for a type of arthritis. I have a small softsided cooler into which I put ice packs with my medication. I got the cooler from the drug company that I get my medication from.

[CaptData]

CruisinMatt: There is a couple of options that you can use.

 

One buy a soft sided cooler with gel pacs. Freeze the gel pac and bag (yes it sounds funny). Take bag out carefully let stand at room temp for about 5 mins. Put gels and meds in along with a couple of small ziplocks bags head for airport immediately. Once on plane (med are with carry-on of course) check to see how the pacs are doing since it will be approx 2 hours since you took them out of frig. If they have thawed ask the FA to fill up a zip lock with ice and put that in the bag. Check once an hour. Just before you land have them refill the ice bag, this is so well you get your bags and head either to the ship or hotel it is still kept cool.

 

If you stay at a hotel you can ask if they can refreeze your gel packs if not use ice method again before leaving hotel for ship.

 

Two: I do not know about the US but here in Canada we can have our medication profile changed to another Province easily so that when I visit family, I just go to the local pharmacy and get my prescription filled there that way I do not travel with it (except what I need for the day). You could maybe have it delivered to your hotel so that you do not need to carry it all. But this method is very expensive, and if a glitch happens you could have problems.

 

Personally, for cruises, I use number one as I'm from Canada and to do the other one I have to see an American Doctor and as we all know, you pay for every visit up front.