Kassandra Posted March 25, 2014 #1 Share Posted March 25, 2014 My mom is going with us on her first cruise (wish me luck, sharing a cabin!) on the NA this spring. She has a gel knee icing sleeve that she would like to pack, as she knows all the walking will likely aggrevate her knee a bit. I know the room fridge will not be sufficiently cold to chill it well enough. Is there a way to contact the ship medical facility to see if they can keep it cold and we can pick it up/drop it off daily? I cannot imagine she is the first person needing this. I tried, without success, to use the Search function for an answer.. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruiserBruce Posted March 25, 2014 #2 Share Posted March 25, 2014 (edited) How about an ice pack made from fresh ice regularly? DW was 10 weeks post knee replacement on our cruise last month, and working with the cabin steward for regular fresh ice worked well. Two, sometimes three times a day. Edited March 25, 2014 by CruiserBruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kassandra Posted March 25, 2014 Author #3 Share Posted March 25, 2014 How about an ice pack made from fresh ice regularly? DW was 10 weeks post knee replacement on our cruise last month, and working with the cabin steward for regular fresh ice worked well. Two, sometimes three times a day. I am trying to convince her that this is a viable option. She really likes her gel sleeve thingy. Maybe I will tell her she won't have room enough to pack it. Or the weight allowance (it is heavy!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare cbr663 Posted March 25, 2014 #4 Share Posted March 25, 2014 This falls under the general heading of Passengers with Disabilities. You should contact HAL for guidance. They may be able to offer you a solution that meets your needs. You may also wish to read the Know Before You Go document on HAL's website. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kassandra Posted March 25, 2014 Author #5 Share Posted March 25, 2014 This falls under the general heading of Passengers with Disabilities. You should contact HAL for guidance. They may be able to offer you a solution that meets your needs. You may also wish to read the Know Before You Go document on HAL's website. Thanks cbr; I did a search and read documents and the disabilities form (which is more for wheelchair/service animal/oxygen needs) and didn't find anything, so thought I would ask here first to see if any had experience. I will likely contact HAL if mom decides to pack the gel sleeve. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alberta Quilter Posted March 25, 2014 #6 Share Posted March 25, 2014 When I fell and had back issues, a week before an Alaskan cruise, I used a regular ice bag. The room stewards did fill it with ice daily. (And then I sat on the balcony, in a winter jacket, looking at the scenery, with an ice bag down my back!:eek:) It sounds worse that it really was but I tend to like it on the cool side! While I understand that the gel pack would be better for her knee, the ice bag works well and is much easier and lighter to pack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfish Posted March 25, 2014 #7 Share Posted March 25, 2014 A couple of years ago a friend accompanied me on a cruise. She had a similar apparatus for her back. She wore it on the plane and once on board ship she went to the medical department. They did chill it for her and she picked it up when cold enough and dropped it off when it needed chilling. I don't know if there was any charge for this or not. I think the advice to contact HAL is your best bet. Debbie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthC Posted March 25, 2014 #8 Share Posted March 25, 2014 I suggest you call Seattle, and ask to speak with someone in Access & Compliance. They should either know the answers, be able to find out, or be able to work out a solution. This is a huge ship, with a lot of walking. Consider renting a scooter. Even if your mother doesn't need it all the time, it could prove handy if/when she does need it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hrhdhd Posted March 25, 2014 #9 Share Posted March 25, 2014 First, good luck sharing a cabin with your mom. Mine has recently discovered a love for cruising, and I fear the day that she asks to cruise with me. :D Second, can't she put the gel thing in the ice bucket to freeze it? Throw the ice bucket with the gel thing into the fridge, and it should get pretty cold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtl513 Posted March 25, 2014 #10 Share Posted March 25, 2014 Throw the ice bucket with the gel thing into the fridge, and it should get pretty cold.Since the coolers only get down to about 45 degrees at best, putting the bucket (with the gel pack) in there would do nothing more than slow the melting of the ice ... it won't help get it any colder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimknyzer Posted March 25, 2014 #11 Share Posted March 25, 2014 I am also dependent upon a fridge to keep my insulin and meds in a cool environment. I contacted Ship Services and arranged for a small fridge to be in my room. They charge $2 per day for a fridge. Reasonable considering the need. Bear in mind, these "refrigerators" are not very cold. In fact, they are more of a cooler than a fridge. But, it is all we need and there is room for a few bottles of water or whatever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtl513 Posted March 25, 2014 #12 Share Posted March 25, 2014 (edited) They charge $2 per day for a fridge. That's only true in the R & S class ships. OP is on the Nieuw A where every cabin has a cooler. Edited March 25, 2014 by jtl513 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Vict0riann Posted March 25, 2014 #13 Share Posted March 25, 2014 We rented a small fridge for our last cruise on the Volendam (as you said, $2 a day). I seem to remember that it had that little enclosed space in the top corner where you could put an ice tray - there was no ice tray there, but it reminded me of the little fridges we used to buy for children in university, and there was a small space for making ice/storing frozen food. So you might be able to freeze an ice pack however, if you're on a ship or in a room that has the mini-bar type of fridge, I don't think they have that little "freezer" space. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hrhdhd Posted March 25, 2014 #14 Share Posted March 25, 2014 Since the coolers only get down to about 45 degrees at best, putting the bucket (with the gel pack) in there would do nothing more than slow the melting of the ice ... it won't help get it any colder. Er, okay, but the gel pack should still get pretty cold when it's submerged in ice. And if you can slow down the melting of the ice, why wouldn't you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HamOp Posted March 25, 2014 #15 Share Posted March 25, 2014 How about this from Amazon (or your local drugstore)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alwaysfrantic Posted March 25, 2014 #16 Share Posted March 25, 2014 I went a few weeks after knee surgery and after explaining to the room steward, each day there was a fresh ice bag made up for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisyloo Posted March 25, 2014 #17 Share Posted March 25, 2014 I would suggest asking your steward for ice, several times a day if needed. Then put the gel cooling sleeve in a plastic bag and submerge in the ice bucket. That would get it pretty cold I'm sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kassandra Posted March 25, 2014 Author #18 Share Posted March 25, 2014 for all the feedback and tips! Appreciate it! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtl513 Posted March 25, 2014 #19 Share Posted March 25, 2014 however, if you're on a ship or in a room that has the mini-bar type of fridge, I don't think they have that little "freezer" space.The OP is on the Nieuw A, which has only the thermoelectric coolers which can not make ice, or keep ice from melting. They can only achieve a temperature differential of 25 degrees between the inside and outside of the box, so if you can get your room down to around 70 degrees then the inside of the cooler will be around 45 degrees. On the one you rented that appeared to have a freezer: could you hear a compressor motor going on and off periodically like a home refrigerator? If so, then it likely used a gas compression/expansion cycle and could achieve a temperature of less than 32F ... and make ice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Vict0riann Posted March 25, 2014 #20 Share Posted March 25, 2014 Yes, I think it did go off and on occasionally. We had a fan as well in the room (Far East and Asia, hot, hot!), so that might have muffled it a bit, but I think it was a tiny freezer compartment. It wouldn't have worked as a mini-bar, as there wasn't much tall space - maybe enough for a bottle of wine in the door, and a water bottle or two, the rest was only soda can height! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Typhoon1 Posted March 25, 2014 #21 Share Posted March 25, 2014 I'm sure your steward will be able to provide you with as much ice as you need to keep the knee iced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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