Cruising w/ Oxygen

[esmo]

We have just been told that my husband needs to be on oxygen, if not 24/7, at this point pretty close to it. In addition to the other logistics and life changes we will be making to accommodate this new reality, we have a cruise to Alaska scheduled on the Island Princess next August. Does anyone have any advice/tips/cautions about traveling while using oxygen. We had planned to fly into Vancouver, spend two days ahead of the cruise and I had been looking at spending an additional day or two in Anchorage at the end of the cruise. Is it even feasible at this point to do this, or should I cancel the cruise entirely.

 

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

Esmo

[cheeseclan]

Esmo,

 

 

I had friends do this in the past but they drove to Seattle instead. They had oxygen with them but then used some type of machine on the ship that makes the O2 that they ordered prior to cruising. They said the machine was in the cabin and that it went well for them.

 

As far as flying goes, you need to speak to the airline to see the rules of that carrier. Things have changed when it comes to that on planes.

I would also call Princess and see what they have to say and see if they have any advice.

 

Good luck!

[Aus Traveller]

I have seen people on cruise ships with oxygen on a little roll-along cart, so it must be possible. All the best. :)

[chengkp75]

We have just been told that my husband needs to be on oxygen, if not 24/7, at this point pretty close to it. In addition to the other logistics and life changes we will be making to accommodate this new reality, we have a cruise to Alaska scheduled on the Island Princess next August. Does anyone have any advice/tips/cautions about traveling while using oxygen. We had planned to fly into Vancouver, spend two days ahead of the cruise and I had been looking at spending an additional day or two in Anchorage at the end of the cruise. Is it even feasible at this point to do this, or should I cancel the cruise entirely.

 

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

Esmo

 

Cruisers using oxygen concentrators are fairly common. You need a battery to operate the concentrator on most planes (some have 110v outlets), and you can use the concentrator at all times onboard, plugged in in the cabin, and on battery while walking. Use the battery for excursions in port. Just contact Princess' special needs department and let them know you will have a concentrator in the cabin, and they will provide an extension cord for use.

[spyro1952]

We have just been told that my husband needs to be on oxygen, if not 24/7, at this point pretty close to it. In addition to the other logistics and life changes we will be making to accommodate this new reality, we have a cruise to Alaska scheduled on the Island Princess next August. Does anyone have any advice/tips/cautions about traveling while using oxygen. We had planned to fly into Vancouver, spend two days ahead of the cruise and I had been looking at spending an additional day or two in Anchorage at the end of the cruise. Is it even feasible at this point to do this, or should I cancel the cruise entirely.

 

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

Esmo

 

As far as the cruise is concerned, you can arrange to have O2 services delivered to the ship via companies like special needs at sea. You will also want to speak to your physician about getting a RX for oxygen concentrator rather than having to lug O2 tanks around, you would need one for the plane anyway as that is the only type of equipment allowed. Any medical supply store in your area can set you up with all this with a Rx from the doctor.

[easyboy]

I have seen people on cruise ships with oxygen on a little roll-along cart, so it must be possible. All the best. :)

 

 

Seen some too.

 

 

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[chengkp75]

Tanked oxygen is a little less common these days than concentrators, but if he needs tanked O2, then you can contact Princess' special needs department, and ask what providers they use for medical appliances, typically "Special Needs at Sea" or "Care Vacations". They will have the O2 tanks in your cabin when you arrive, and if you arrange it, they will rent the small portable tanks for walking and ports. It is still very doable.

[riclop]

We have just been told that my husband needs to be on oxygen, if not 24/7, at this point pretty close to it. In addition to the other logistics and life changes we will be making to accommodate this new reality, we have a cruise to Alaska scheduled on the Island Princess next August. Does anyone have any advice/tips/cautions about traveling while using oxygen. We had planned to fly into Vancouver, spend two days ahead of the cruise and I had been looking at spending an additional day or two in Anchorage at the end of the cruise. Is it even feasible at this point to do this, or should I cancel the cruise entirely.

 

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

Esmo

 

It's all very possible. Good luck.

[Judie]

Yes, it's doable!!! DH has been on oxygen for 3 years (among other issues like hemodialysis), and we've continued to fly and cruise. [emoji106]What is his liter flow? The rolling portable concentrators have specific limits, and they vary. You will need to rent the rolling concentrator and backup batteries. Your airline website will have a section about oxygen, so be sure what you rent is accepted. You'll need a letter from doctor to get the O2 concentrator through airport security. As other posters have said, you should arrange for an oxygen floor concentrator to be delivered to your cruise stateroom. Your home medical supply place can fax the Rx to a company where you embark. Expect to pay for rental for the rolling concentrator and floor concentrator. You can do this!

 

 

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[Judie]

It is possible to travel with only the rolling concentrator, but frankly that scares me because you won't have a backup plan if it doesn't work well. I would strongly suggest renting a floor concentrator for your cabin. He can use that at night and use the rolling concentrator on batteries when out of the cabin.

 

 

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[born2cruize]

As someone who travels and uses O2 the information above is pretty accurate. The only thing I would add is 1) There are two categories of concentrators, Home and portable. You want a portable concentrator and not a home concentrator. 2) If you are flying, the concentrator must be FAA approved brand. Go to their website for list. 3) Airlines request that you have enough battery hours for twice the flight ie. if the flight is 5 hours then you need at least 10 hours of battery life. Advertised life of batteries is anywhere between 4 hours to 8 hours per battery. Your mileage WILL vary. That is at a setting of 2 L/M. My first machine used 2 batteries that were claimed to last 4 hours each but I never got more that 6 hours total. Therefore on our flight to Rome from Seattle I need a total of 8 batteries and I just barely made it. Most long lasting batteries for O2 concentrators are lithium-ion, all your batteries you have must go with you in the cabin, you cannot put lithium-ion batteries in the cargo hold with your luggage. 4) You MUST have a letter from your physician saying you need O2. Most airlines will have a form online that you can have your physician complete with the required info. This letter will need to be renewed annually. Also be aware whatever liter rate your husband has at home will be different that when you fly because cabins are pressurized to 8,000 ft. For instance at home or on the ground my L/M is 2 but when I fly my settings is 3. I know this is a lot of information so if you have any questions please just ask.

Edited December 13, 2016 by born2cruize

[bendar06]

Let me concur with Judie's notes above. There are several pieces of information that you must be familiar with: first is what is the flow rate? and second is it continuous or pulsed?

The portable oxygen concentrator (POC) maxes out at 3 liters per minute (lpm) continuous and the non-portable comes in two sizes, 6 lpm and 10 lpm (both continuous). I speak only of continuous because that is my situation.

You can rent a concentrator for the stateroom from the vendors mentioned in an earlier post and the POC should be sufficient for going about the ship. Be aware of battery life for the POC: 2 hours or so for 3 lpm continuous.

If you are flying you will need sufficient battery power for 150% of the scheduled flight duration. Yes, that is one and a half times the duration. You probably will have to rent extra batteries for this. Note that they may be lithium-ion batteries that MUST NOT be in your checked baggage. Yes some airline seats have 110 volt outlets but the availability is not guaranteed. (I speak of 110 volt because I live in North America.)

Get the POC ahead of time so that you get familiar with its operation and how to change batteries.

If you are traveling with a CPAP and you need distilled water, you can get it from Princess; it's in the personalizer to make the request. Additionally, your room steward can get it for you on board.

I looked on one of the other Cruise Critic boards for info re availability of 110 volt outlet on rail excursions to Alaska but never got any replies. The POC and the batteries will probably be necessary for shore excursions. Keep in mind the need for spares like a canula, connectors, and tubing: you will be some distance from a medical supply house.

Take a look at this link on Cruise Critic

http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=1425

Best wishes

[LeeW]

The Princess cars on the train are ok, but the seating is essentially 1960s booths. No power. Not sure even the bar area has power, but if you had a booth next to the bar it might. They do have a tiny lift for handicapped (the spiral stair is very narrow and steep).

[dieselmama]

The need may also depend on your home elevation. We live in Idaho, and my son requires 1 liter of oxygen at night at our elevation of 2800 feet. When we go to sea level we are fortunate in that unless he is sick he does not need it. We still take the portable concentrator because we can't always count on his staying well for an entire trip (or getting overly tired... he also uses bipap at night). When he goes to higher elevations he requires 1.5-2 liters of oxygen, as well as sometimes needs it during the day depending on his level of exertion. In the Denver area recently he needed 2 liters at 7,000 ft during the day.

 

Do you have access to a fingertip pulse oximeter so you can keep track of oxygen saturations so you can increase/decrease the amount of liter flow as needed? They are quite inexpensive from Amazon... $30 or so and we have found them to be invaluable in terms of managing my son's oxygen needs.

 

The batteries for the portable oxygen concentrator recharge nicely (you have to keep changing them out every few hours as they charge up overnight if you used them all up during the day for excursions, but definitely worth having if you are using a higher liter flow or needing the O2 24/7). We have become quite adept at traveling with oxygen over the 20 years of my son's life, and it is definitely worth learning how to do. Quality of life is everything!

[Judie]

I agree quality of life is key! I'm an RN, and I'm used to traveling with kids with trachs, vents and they're often on oxygen. It gave me some advantage when my husband needed oxygen and dialysis, among other medical issues. Traveling, especially with complex medical needs, involves planning, but all trips involve planning. I'm glad you're asking questions now. Stick with this. It may well be the trip of a lifetime that everyone will remember. Please feel free to ask as many questions as you need to. Your respiratory therapist may have some answers, too, but this board is a great place to start. I wish you both well, and many years of wonderful cruises.

 

 

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[VibeGuy]

This is all great advice: I'll add one tip from traveling with medically complex parent: plan to have a full business day before you board and before you fly home to deal with contingencies. I find a few phone calls can move heaven and earth on Friday but get nowhere on Saturday when something goes haywire.

 

You might consider staying at the Pan Pacific in Vancouver precruise. It's essentially in the cruise terminal (and is super-nice). It would minimize the time on battery and let you explore the ship a bit more on boarding.

 

Bon voyage!

[esmo]

I want to thank all of you who took time to reply to my question. We are in the "infant" stages of this journey and still trying to wrap our heads around how this will impact our new normal. I am going to reach out to my wonderful travel agent and see what she can help me with also.

 

Blessings on all of you.

 

Kathy (esmo)

[dieselmama]

One other thing I forgot to mention... some oxygen supply companies will loan you the portable concentrator along with the batteries, some wont and you will have to rent it. It is something to ask about ahead of time, and make sure to give them plenty of notice that you want to reserve one for your trip (including picking it up a few days before you head out on the road!). We usually drive rather than fly when we travel because my son has a LOT of medical equipment (he is tube fed so we have to bring or ship all of his food ... for our Alaska trip in August he will need 9 cases of formula!) plus his scooter and other supplies.

 

I know it can feel overwhelming at first to learn how to manage with this new hurdle, but it can be done, and in time you will learn how to manage it so that it becomes second nature. Kind of like learning to drive... scary at first, but after a year or two it was easier to remember to check your mirrors, watch the road for kids coming out between cars, and make sure that your tank never reached empty. Same with O2. Plan ahead when traveling so you don't run out of batteries and have a back up plan (at home for example having a few extra tanks in case of a power outage...). You can do this!