Medical emergency on Freedom of the Seas.

[Arubamoose]

We were off the coast of Cuba this morning near Havana doing a leisurely 12 knots. Enjoying our sunshine on our port side balcony. All of the sudden we noticed that we were losing our sunshine. We were turning.

 

Captain comes on the loudspeaker. "We have a medical emergency on board and we will need to return to Key West."

 

The emergency will not allow them to helicopter the patient off. Patient needs Coast Guard transport.

 

So we are now booking it. Doing 22 knots. Ship is rocking and rolling.

 

Five hours there and five hours back to our point off Havana. Sure that we will then have to do top speed to get to Cayman by 8 am.

 

Prayers for the patient.

 

 

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[Arubamoose]

CD Casey Pelter was running through the days activities and mentioned that at 10:30 there will be 'Captain's Corner'. Should be interesting.

 

 

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[iahawkfan21]

We're onboard with you and agree. You hate having to turn around but there's definitely more important things. Hopefully we arrive on time but even a minor delay I can live with if they're ok.

 

 

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[Arubamoose]

Me too. I agree. If it were me or my family I would want them to do the same. A delay or a skipped port is insignificant.

 

 

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[Icruzthere4Iam]

It's refreshing to see you both worried less about the change in itinerary and more about the patient......willing to bet if you head down to the guest service counter you can find the exact opposite as there will be somebody pitching a fit and demanding free stuff/rebates/obc etc etc etc. Thank you for the updates and humanity!!

[iahawkfan21]

Captain just announced we're back enroute to Grand Cayman and not heading to Key West after all. No other explanation that I heard but hopefully the passenger in question is doing better.

 

 

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[Arubamoose]

New update - noticed we were slowing down to 15 knots. Captain came on loudspeaker to say we we're changing course again back to Grand Cayman and will arrive on time. No other comments or updates.

 

Prayers.

 

 

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[troykahack]

Did they use the Alpha, Alpha, Alpha call?

[BillOh]

Captain just announced we're back enroute to Grand Cayman and not heading to Key West after all. No other explanation that I heard but hopefully the passenger in question is doing better.

 

 

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Of course this is good news, but I was interested to see if you were going to pull up to the dock at Keywest or if a ship was going to meet you. To the best of my Knowledge a Voyager class or larger RC ship has never docked in KW.

[Biker19]

Of course this is good news,

 

Might not be if the reason they returned to the original course is that the patient expired.:(

[BillOh]

Might not be if the reason they returned to the original course is that the patient expired.:(

 

I almost mentioned that, but chose not to. That exact scenario happened on our Freedom cruise in 2015, but we were a few miles further and they sped up to get to GC, but the patient expired and he and his surviving wife got off in Grand Caymen to return home. It was mentioned in the Welcome back party as they were to receive the longest cruisers on board award.

[Cindy]

We had something similar happen last week on the Liberty. We turned and were headed towards New Orleans to rendezvous with a Coast Guard helicopter. The captain came on and said we would be diverting to Cozumel instead. It was very windy, and my first thought was that the wind would have made an air evacuation difficult. Sadly when we arrived in Cozumel there were three patients that had to be disembarked from the ship. I am assuming that that was the reason we headed for Cozumel instead of backtracking towards New Orleans.

 

 

 

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Edited December 5, 2016 by Cindy

[Arubamoose]

Did they use the Alpha, Alpha, Alpha call?

 

 

 

No Alpha, Alpha, Alpha call.

 

 

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[smootsdce]

That is so sad. I just got off the Oasis yesterday and we had a call for O negative blood. The next day when we were at port, we were met by an ambulance so hopefully/prayerfully the person is okay. We had another incident of Alpha, alpha, alpha to a stateroom but I don't know the outcome of that. We were on our way back with two sea says ahead of us. It is a terrible thing for the family, but when it's my time to go... I hope I am having the time of my life on my best cruise yet. Prayers for all involved.

 

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[grand isle joe]

Might not be if the reason they returned to the original course is that the patient expired.:(

 

.............not a bad way to "go".........plus they have a few "coolers" onboard....................no worries.;)

[grand isle joe]

That is so sad. I just got off the Oasis yesterday and we had a call for O negative blood. The next day when we were at port, we were met by an ambulance so hopefully/prayerfully the person is okay. We had another incident of Alpha, alpha, alpha to a stateroom but I don't know the outcome of that. We were on our way back with two sea says ahead of us. It is a terrible thing for the family, but when it's my time to go... I hope I am having the time of my life on my best cruise yet. Prayers for all involved.

 

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........take a look around at your fellow passengers.......for someone to "expire" would not be considered unusual ( if you get my "drift?).....

:cool:

[uksimonusa]

Of course this is good news, but I was interested to see if you were going to pull up to the dock at Keywest or if a ship was going to meet you. To the best of my Knowledge a Voyager class or larger RC ship has never docked in KW.

 

Mariner did a test dock at Key West a few years ago

[Ocean Boy]

Mariner did a test dock at Key West a few years ago

 

And then the rumors began that a Voyager class ship would start making regular calls to Key West but it never materialized.:(

[ragtop1958]

We had something similar happen last week on the Liberty. We turned and were headed towards New Orleans to rendezvous with a Coast Guard helicopter. The captain came on and said we would be diverting to Cozumel instead. It was very windy, and my first thought was that the wind would have made an air evacuation difficult. Sadly when we arrived in Cozumel there were three patients that had to be disembarked from the ship. I am assuming that that was the reason we headed for Cozumel instead of backtracking towards New Orleans.

 

 

 

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We were docked in Cozumel when you pulled in. Our room steward said " Something is wrong. They are not supposed to be here today" and then we saw 3 ambulances pull up. People were taken off and just that quick you were in route again. A sad way to end a vacation for sure.

 

 

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