Medicine to carry on

[Tntt]

I know many cruisers say so not buy toiletries on the ship. But what about meds? Are you allowed to bring OTC meds in your carry on? If you are on prescription meds do you need a note from your dr? What types of meds do I need to pre purchase before the cruise?

Edited December 16, 2018 by Tntt

[Paulxyz2004]

I wouldn´t rely on buying meds on the ship. First of all availability is limited of course and just like with toiletries be prepared for potentially high prices.

RCI doesn´t really care about your meds as long as we are talking legal meds. You can bring your prescription meds as well as OTC meds. As for the dr.´s note again RCI doesn´t care for legal meds. However I would always advise to have a dr´s note and prescription. You never know what happens along the way and if you fall ill it could be helpful to have that dr.´s note or you could lose your meds and it could be helpful to have a prescription for replacement.

Having said this, make sure those meds are legal in the countries you are travelling. Meds classified as OTC in your country could be considered illegal drugs in another country.

 

Only you can decide what you would need to bring for the cruise. My travel kit always contains some cough and cold medicine, something to help with upset tummy, some pain killer and maybe something to help with seasickness. Of course this is a very personal matter and could change from one person to another.

[purescottish]

I bring my prescription meds in original boxes/bottles with my name on, OTC meds for motion sickness, colds/flu, allergies, upset tummy, painkillers.

I also lug all my toiletries shampoo/conditioner, hand soap etc... all the way from the UK in my suitcase as it costs a fortune onboard and it means I can dispose at the end of my vacation leaving me room/weight for gifts.

I also bring a travel first aid kit with me for anything minor.

[hannibal54]

I just carry my meds on with me in their original bottle, I have never brought scripts on from my Drs.

[mugtech]

11 minutes ago, hannibal54 said:

I just carry my meds on with me in their original bottle, I have never brought scripts on from my Drs.

And I always bring at least an extra 7 days worth of meds, cause ya never know.  Had a 9 day cruise turn into 13 days.

[jean87510]

3 hours ago, Tntt said:

I know many cruisers say so not buy toiletries on the ship. But what about meds? Are you allowed to bring OTC meds in your carry on? If you are on prescription meds do you need a note from your dr? What types of meds do I need to pre purchase before the cruise?

Yes you can bring otc. No note needed unless you are traveling for a few days before and misplace them. Always have enough for at least 5-6 extra days. Pain relief. Motion sickness. Allergy rx as in benedryl. And one I wish I had - flu symptom relief. Caught the flu on my transatlantic cruise and ship had run out of tylenol and motrin. We had both but ran out when we docked 6 days later. You can buy it in medical but it's really expensive. A thermometer. I had one which was how I knew something was really wrong. Sinus medicine is helpful.

[steveru621]

Security at the port is not a government agency.  Bring what you want and need in whatever form you prefer.  Port security looks for booze and dangerous items listed on RCI's website.

 

That said you also need to be concerned about the TSA if you are flying.

 

 

[Ourusualbeach]

If you are flying in from other countries be careful about what you are bringing, some legal over the counter meds in your country can get you arrested in the US.

Edited December 16, 2018 by Ourusualbeach

[Biker19]

^ or what you pick up at port of call.

[cb at sea]

You may use a "daily planner"....or carry them in any manner you like.  No one is checking your medications.  The only caveat....if you are taking copious amounts of narcotics, then you should leave them in the original Rx bottle.

[SRF]

I carry my daily meds in a pill organizer.  This has worked for some 3 million air miles, 145 countries, and a lot of time in travel status.

 

I carry some OTC.  For a cruise, I add Dramamine and transderm scop patches (prescription).  But generally carry Pepto tablets (easier), Imodium, Ducolax.  ALWAYS carry iboprofen and Alleve.  And most of the time have some antibiotics, just in case (depending Azithromicin, Cipro, etc).

[kochleffel]

47 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

^ or what you pick up at port of call.

 

Very true, because you can buy OTC medications in many countries that are either on prescription in the U.S. or prohibited altogether. Many of them would also be restricted in Britain and Europe.

 

For a closed-loop cruise there is no issue with bringing prescription or OTC medicines aboard the ship. The issue could be with crossing international borders to get to and from the departure port. This applies especially to narcotic medications--if you must have them, keep them in the original bottles and possibly also bring a doctor's letter. However, it also applies to some stimulant medications, such as for ADD (in Japan these are altogether prohibited and it is difficult, almost impossible, to get permission to bring them). If you will need to take a restricted drug on shore, take ashore only the dose you will need, and leave the rest in the safe in your cabin.

 

I concur with the advice to bring extra of any prescription medications you must have. In addition to any time on shore that you've scheduled before or after the cruise, there is always some risk that the ship could be delayed because of weather or mechanical problems, or that your return could be delayed, for example because of weather in the U.S. or a volcano in Iceland. For travel between the U.S. and Europe I usually start with a week's supply in a seven-day pill case, with the rest in their bottles, but for a closed-loop from the U.S., where I live, I might use two seven-day pill cases and not bring the bottles at all, since nothing I take is of any interest as a drug of abuse.

 

I usually also bring the OTC medicines I keep on hand at home: acetaminophen (paracetamol), ibuprofen, Pepto-Bismol tablets, hydrocortisone and antibiotic ointments, and motion-sickness medication (which I haven't yet needed).

[Charles4515]

Don't bring any medical marijuana even if you have a prescription for it!

[cruisegirl1]

 I use  an a.m./p.m. medicine holder. I preload with all of my meds for the duration of the cruise and several extra days. These meds are Rx as well as OTC. I’ve never needed to show anything in an original container. I have flown from the Middle East where people have said officials are very strict about meds and never had any problems.  I also take a small pouch of general OTC meds and supplies.   

 

 Echo the comments about a few extra days of necessary meds. Last year we had a seven night cruise that could not get back to port and became a 10 night cruise. We learned of the delay mid cruise and many folks had to buy meds in Mexico. 

 

M

[waterbug123]

12 hours ago, Tntt said:

Are you allowed to bring OTC meds in your carry on? 

If you are on prescription meds do you need a note from your dr?

What types of meds do I need to pre purchase before the cruise?

 

Yes, you can bring OTC meds in your carry on.  Or your checked bag.

No, you do not need a note from your Dr. for Rx meds, though some suggest keeping them in original container.

What type of meds you need depends on what you tend to suffer from.  If you drink a lot on vacation, bring some headache meds.  If you get indigestion when you indulge at meals, bring some Pepto.  If you have allergies, bring some Claritin or whatever works for you.  etc. etc.  As for all the "what if" stuff, it depends on how much you want carry vs. how much you worry about the cost.  Personally, I do not want to go on vacation lugging a huge traveling pharmacy.  Other than some Aleve and allergy stuff that I take more regularly, I take a couple of doses of Pepto, Immodium, and decongestant.   I figure if I need more, or if I need anything I didn't bring at all, I will buy it, either onboard or in port.  Will I pay more than I would at home?  Probably, but a few extra dollars are well worth it to me to avoid bringing a huge bag of medicines, most of which I likely wouldn't end up needing.

[BirdTravels]

Bring what you want. We have a small bag of common OTC stuff (Tylenol, Bonnie, Allergy meds, Steroid creams (Benadryl), Imodium, etc). Ready for insect bites, bad water, rough water, foreign pollen, and too much to drink. 

 

And we we carry our pill minders with an assortment of meds (never the original bottles). And always an extra few days of meds in case we become one of the famous ships stuck at sea. 

Edited December 17, 2018 by BirdTravels

[SRF]

Yeah forgot to add Bendryl and some hydrocortesone cream.

 

Just a few of each thing.  It all fits in a small bag I got on a business class flight.