Rescue at Sea: Legend of the Seas December 30, 2005

[coconut telegraph]

During our walk to late-seating dinner on the last day of our cruise this week, the captain announced the US Coast Guard was going to make a rescue of a pax on board that became ill and needed immediate assistance off board. We were on the 4th deck balcony when one or two choppers circled the ship. We then went to dinner and didn't stick around for the airlift. We heard speculation and rumors in the "casino" that night that a lady had fallen in the shower and somehow injured her spleen and was in dire health and needed to be airlifted off of our ship even though we would be in Tampa in a few hours anyways. We later heard that she had possibly died in transit or at the hospital. I was just glad that with whatever happened that the captain and staff took the proactive approach and let the ship know of the situation and as far as I know everything went smooth with the rescue. Anyone else have information on this situation?

[zotzer]

When we were on the Radiance the week of 12/11, the boat came to a stop not far out of Miami. The captain said the Coast Guard had been called to evacuate an ill passenger.

 

Well, after a little while, we were underway again....the Coast Guard never came. My SIL asked some people at Adventure Ocean and they said they called off the Coast Guard, as they were no longer needed. She of course asked if the passenger was okay, the crew members shared "a look", and one replied "as good as can be expected". She came away 100% sure that the passenger had died. Sad for sure.

 

Tracy

[1corona4u]

During our walk to late-seating dinner on the last day of our cruise this week, the captain announced the US Coast Guard was going to make a rescue of a pax on board that became ill and needed immediate assistance off board. We were on the 4th deck balcony when one or two choppers circled the ship. We then went to dinner and didn't stick around for the airlift. We heard speculation and rumors in the "casino" that night that a lady had fallen in the shower and somehow injured her spleen and was in dire health and needed to be airlifted off of our ship even though we would be in Tampa in a few hours anyways. We later heard that she had possibly died in transit or at the hospital. I was just glad that with whatever happened that the captain and staff took the proactive approach and let the ship know of the situation and as far as I know everything went smooth with the rescue. Anyone else have information on this situation?

 

You should post this on the thread "Cruiselines in troubled waters", where people are complaining that cruiselines don't care/have the medical resources for emergencies. Apparently, if it's over their level of available medical care, they call in help.

[nrdsb4]

During our walk to late-seating dinner on the last day of our cruise this week, the captain announced the US Coast Guard was going to make a rescue of a pax on board that became ill and needed immediate assistance off board. We were on the 4th deck balcony when one or two choppers circled the ship. We then went to dinner and didn't stick around for the airlift. We heard speculation and rumors in the "casino" that night that a lady had fallen in the shower and somehow injured her spleen and was in dire health and needed to be airlifted off of our ship even though we would be in Tampa in a few hours anyways. We later heard that she had possibly died in transit or at the hospital. I was just glad that with whatever happened that the captain and staff took the proactive approach and let the ship know of the situation and as far as I know everything went smooth with the rescue. Anyone else have information on this situation?

 

This is more common than you might imagine. Unfortunately, as in the real world, the afflicted ones don't always make it.

 

I have noticed, however, that people tend to hear a lot of rumors on cruise ships about the demise of those who have been airlifted. Sometimes loved ones of the people in question actually come onto cruise critic and relay the good news that the rumors were false and that the patient is actually alive and doing quite well. Maybe that is the case for this unfortunate lady.

[mdmourges]

My wife and I were on Galaxy (Celebrity) two summers ago and they had to turn the ship into the wind right off the coast of Miami and a helecopter hovered over the ship for about 1/2 hours while the evacuated a pregnant woman who was experiencing some type of problem. You felt sorry for her family (her too) because that couldn't get off the ship until the next day in Key West (copter only took her) to go see her.

 

Mark and Janet

[Cyna]

Last July my family was on a RCCI Mediterranian cruise when a medical emergency arose with one of the passengers (we later learned it was a heart attack). The captain informed the passengers over the loudspeaker of the medical crisis and advised that the boat would be turning around and returning to Italy where our ship would be met by a water ambulance. My family was on deck when the ship and the water taxi met and unloaded the ill passenger and his family. The crew and staff handled the situation with professionalism and courtesy.

 

The captain assured the passengers that any time lost would be made up during our overnight transit to the next port of call. I was pleased that this man's health meant more to the ship than the delay in the itenerary.

[erniesband]

We were homeward bound on Serenade 2 years ago, had just finished our sail-by of Monteserrat, when the captain announced we'd be heading back toward Guadeloupe to meet a helicopter coming out to do a med evac of an ill passenger. They closed off (of course) all access to the helicopter pad, and pretty much any area where you could see the pad from, but did you know that all that stuff on the pad recesses into the deck for landings? Never did hear what the emergency was or what became of the passenger, but we didn't really expect to, either.

 

Jodi