Princess with a pacemaker

[TupeloHoney]

We leave in a couple of weeks for our first cruise since my daughter has gotten her pacemaker. She turns 3 in May, and it was actually immediately following our cruise last year that we discovered she was in total heart block and almost died while we were sailing! Yikes!

 

Anyway - I've been doing my research and we will ask for pat downs at airport security and ship security as her cardiologists have told us we should (I understand some cardiologists say the machines are okay, but we will follow the advice that her cardiologists have given us). And we will have her implant card with us.

 

I'm just looking to see if anyone has any additional advice or thoughts for us. I had totally forgotten about ship security, just wondering if i'm forgetting anything else! I know thousands of people sail with pacemakers everyday so I'm not concerned really, just want to make sure i'm not forgetting anything!

 

edited to add - i'm posting this here rather than in disabled cruising because I get the impression it varies by cruise line. We'll be on the Royal Princess.

Edited February 17, 2014 by TupeloHoney
clarity

[NeurosurgeryNP]

While I don't have a pacemaker, I have seen them hand search/use a wand on those who couldn't go through the magnetometer (metal detector). No issues that I have ever seen with it.

 

I do sail with an insulin pump, syringes, etc. Never had an issue with Princess security getting off and back on the ship.

 

What sailing? We will be on the March 2nd sailing of the Royal. :)

Edited February 17, 2014 by NeurosurgeryNP

[sunlover5]

My husband has had one the last 12 years. Just got a new one this past week (battery was low, but they updated his to a newer model)

We have been on many cruises, including Princess. We just told them when getting on ship. They never asked to see his card...not even at any airport we have been on. They wand search him, except with the new xray machines at the airport he can go through those.....which he loves.

You should have no problems!!

Have a great cruise and so glad your daughter is doing well.

[Roses2]

I have had a pacemaker for several years and quite a few cruises. The only caution is with security. At airports, and security screenings ashore and on the ship it is important to avoid passing through magnetic screening and/or manual magnetic wanding.

 

I have not had any problems with Princess security screenings. Princess security personnel are quite familiar with the procedures and use "pat down" rather than either of the magnetic processes.

 

Since you will be taking yourchild through security, it will be up to you to explain your daughter's pacemaker implantation to them. If you should happen to run across any personnel that do not know the proper procedure, just ask to speak to a supervisor.

 

There should be no problems.

[Pam in CA]

I agree. My BIL sailed for a couple of years with a pacemaker and he just stepped aside and they did a pat-down with a wand. It takes longer so you just need a little patience but it's not something to be concerned about. Many passengers have hips, knees, pacemakers, etc. so the personnel is familiar and prepared.

Edited February 17, 2014 by Pam in CA

[Coral]

Princess security are pretty good at remembering who needs "special attention". They are some of the most polite security people we have encountered.

 

So glad your daughter is doing well now. Have a great cruise!

[Roses2]

I agree. My BIL sailed for a couple of years with a pacemaker and he just stepped aside and they did a pat-down with a wand. It takes longer so you just need a little patience but it's not something to be concerned about. Many passengers have hips, knees, pacemakers, etc. so the personnel is familiar and prepared.

 

Just a slight correction from someone with a pacemaker: A magnetic field shuts down a pacemaker. The wand searches by use of a magnetic field. Under no circumstances should a wand be used on a person with a pacemaker.

[TupeloHoney]

Wonderful. Thank you. I figured they did this all the time so it wouldn't be a big deal. I just wanted to make sure!

[skyline]

:)Because she is so young, you might explain how "pat downs" are done, and even sort of simulate the process at home. We teach our little ones about "bad touching". Then we go to an airport and sometimes the process can be confusing to them. Have a wonderful cruise.

[Bentley5700]

I just walk on through the scanner. Never had a problem or felt anything.

Scheduled for a replacement sometime this summer.

[shorefolks]

While "some" pacemakers supposedly are OK with either wands or walk-through magnetic metal detectors, many others are not- especially when traveling overseas where equipment standards are often different. My electro-cardiologist advised me explicitly to avoid all such devices and insist on a pat-down if a walk-through, back-scatter machine is not available (the kind that people got so upset about because the image essentially showed you half-naked at best).

 

Cruise ship personnel are well-trained to handle these situations and should give you no problem whatsoever. In general, TSA also handles this well with one recent, glaring exception. In their push to convince people to sign up for the Pre-Check program (no shoes or jacket off, shorter lines), they are randomly giving Pre-Check privileges to people on a flight-by-flight basis. Unfortunately, these separate lines end up at a magnetic metal detector. Worse, the poorly-trained agents stationed there have no clue about pacemakers and will sometimes wrongly say that the machine poses no risk to a pacemaker. Under NO circumstances should their advice be followed. Insist on either a back-scatter machine or a pat-down, and get a supervisor if need be.

[TupeloHoney]

Thank you! We will insist on a pat down. She's only 2 (3 in May) so I don't think she can use those newer machines yet anyway.

 

I will definitely be taking her cardiologists' advice and pat downs only - no matter what the TSA folks tell us! I am taking no risks!