Questions around child with diabetes on HAL alaska cruise

[Raeofsunshinenz]

We are booked to do a 7 day cruise around alaska in july, but have recently learned our 10 year old has type 1 diabetes.  Obviously there is a whole lot we need to now consider with our travel (and the diabetes team are working with us to be able to still do the trip and manage things like time differences, food vs insulin etc) but I'm wondering if anyone had any advice in regards to our cruise.  Specifically are there any restrictions around the kids club?  Does anyone know what system is used to be able to contact parents asap if our daughter needs us in kids club?  I did a search on the boards and I read that a sharps container can be supplied... i think?  but we might take our own as we'll need it in the hotel prior and during the rest of our trip.  Is there anything else I may not have thought of?  Any advice?  And yes luckily our travel insurance was already in place when we found out and i've been in touch with them to check all ok from them in regards to being able to travel.  

[joekerstef]

Unfortunately I can't help you much, however, yes, you can get a sharps container for the cruise. If you can't prearrange then talk to your cabin steward on embarkation day. Also, do you need a fridge for the insulin? You don't say what ship you'll be on, but on the R and S class ships, only the suites have fridges, so if you need one and you're in one of those cabins, you'll need to contact ship services to rent one at a cost of $2/day. Otherwise you can keep the insulin in the medical office (but they're open when they're open) or have your cabin steward bring you a bucket of ice twice a day. If you're on a Vista or newer ship however, your cabin no matter what type should have a small "fridge" in it. Hope someone can give you answers re: Club Hal.

[Paulinda]

I am a type 2 diabetic. I don't use insulin but  I recently began to check my glucose levels daily.  When we were on the NS in March I didn't ask for a sharps container. I thought I could just save the small used lancets in my monitor kit.  I don't know how the cabin steward knew I was using lancets but a sharps container was placed in the bathroom on day 2.

 

As far as the kids club I don't know if there are any restrictions.  When you sign your child up I would tell them what your instructions are and I'm sure they will make note of those.  I would imagine they will provide you with some information about being contacted too. 

 

I would also let HAL know of any dietary restrictions beforehand. I believe special meals can be provided.  I Hope your family will enjoy the vacation cruise.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Call Ship's Services at HAL. 800-541-1576 and ask for "access and compliance" which is the department that deals with special needs. They can arrange for the sharps container, fridge if you need it, and discuss the Club HAL situation. They can also deal with special menu needs. HAL is very good about special dietary needs. 

 

Diabetics can usually mange pretty well using  "regular" menus. A frequent HAL passenger has a website where he posts menus. They may not be exactly what you will have on your cruise, but they're typical. So take a look at these and see if they look doable for you. It will at least give you a frame of reference before you talk to HAL about menus. Note the desserts, there's always something "no sugar added" (I think that's what they call their "dietetic" desserts) http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/

 

Special meals are chosen the night before. Someone will come to your table and discuss choices. It's a bit easier for the meals to "find" you if you're in fixed dining, but they'll get your meals to you and the next day's menu in open seating. I think you can pre-order lunch as well as dinner, but that means lunch in the MDR. If you want to use the buffet for breakfast or lunch, stick to foods whose contents are obvious--simple things without sauces or unknown ingredients. Servers will likely not know ingredients. You can look for a supervisor and ask if you're worried about something. 

 

If you want to carry something for your daughter "just in case" she needs to eat something when you go ashore, remember that you can't take food off the ship unless it's something prepackaged and sealed. So you can't make a sandwich at the buffet and carry that off, or take an apple or banana. But you probably already have "portable" snacks already. 

 

If you're flying to the cruise, check the TSA security rules for traveling with sharps. Check with the airline about food or check the airport's website to see what food is available to take on board. 

 

There's a learning curve to dealing with a new medical condition, but it sounds like you're already asking the right questions and have a team at home to help you plan for the trip. Diabetes is manageable, once you get over the surprise of the diagnosis and find the balance of insulin and diet and activity level. This trip will help you and your daughter to see how normal life can be for a diabetic and that's it's possible to go places and have fun. Alaska is wonderful, have a great trip! 

 

[Walfam]

I am not diabetic, but am hypoglycemic.  Don't know if this will help your situation, but my blood sugar tends to crash faster when traveling, probably due to the excitement and stress(even the good type) of travel.  

[RMLincoln]

3rdGenCunarder has excellent advice.  We traveled with a granddaughter with a ton of food sensitivities, did the night-before menu requests.  Open Dining is easy, never a problem with her food orders "finding" her - when you enter the dining room you give your room number and everything is tracked through that.  We rented a room fridge for some of her "safe" foods - salad dressing, some condiments, etc.  She had a small tote bag to discreetly carry her special items into food venues.   We met with the Lido chef and he was a great help to us.  The Lido chef is available whenever the Lido is open.  He/she will know ingredients of all the Lido foods, the servers will not know and I would not accept any of their "advice".  There is usually a Lido dining manager (in a jacket uniform) who can get you the Lido chef anytime you need information.  

When you fill out your menu choices for the next night's dinner write in notes - no sauce, no stuffing... etc.  

The "No Sugar Added" desserts are not carb free.  I once had a list of the sugar substitutes they used, it's a complex combination of several chemistries, many of which I had not heard of before.  

Club HAL counselors take the children on food outings now and then so they will need your careful instructions.  Bring what you can in writing for them, or get some stationery at the front desk to make them hand written instructions.  

Recognize that the standard in-room refrigerators are not as cold as a home fridge, but the ones you rent are usually colder.  If you need to keep meds within a small temperature tolerance range consider bringing a small fridge thermometer (often used for RV fridges) that you have checked for accuracy at home. The Medical Center can keep your meds for you (properly labeled) but they are only open for limited hours; they might be good for your multi-day storage then use the room fridge for one-day doses.  

I'm an EMT and I recommend everyone carry a medical information sheet with them, especially when you are off the ship. We use a 1/2 sheet of paper folded up in our wallets. EMTs will look for such in a wallet, or a family member will pull it out for us. You can keep such data on a phone under emergency info.  On board we keep our med data sheets in the room safe. Include name and date of birth, names of current meds (doses if appropriate), med allergies, medical conditions, name and phone number of a medical provider at home.  You might consider visiting the Medical Center when you embark to alert them to your situation, maybe leave a copy of the medical information for your child with them ahead of time.  

Consider bringing along some food reference lists or a small booklet to help you evaluate the carb content or glycemic index of foods you may not be familiar with.

You can ask the MDR waiters not to bring the initial bread basket to the table but instead you can request a vegetable tray or the cheese platter that is offered with the dessert menu.  

Bring aboard any snacks you think will be needed especially for shore excursions - for example, high-protein bars or sealed cheese sticks.    

I'd also advise that you bring a few days worth of safe meds in case your child gets a cold, this way you are not scrounging for sugar-free cough drops, etc.  

Your preparation and confidence will set the stage for everyone having a fabulous trip.  And she will not be the only diabetic on board!   m--

[RGBFamily]

For Club Hal as long as they know she should be fine.  The club staff are amazing.  Given that there aren't usually a lot of kids they will get to know you and your child.  You can also call and check in on the kids.    Usually when you check in you are asked a location of where you plan to be, so make sure you write that down.  Club usually has more than one staff member, and I have on a few occasions seen them looking for a parent (don't know the reasons).  Oh, and they often have a snack break adventure and meals together on port days so as long as they know they can help your child.  

[slidergirl]

Talk with your health team about snacks/drinks to take to have with you if you need to do a quick sugar hit.  If you are flying to the port, be sure to get a script from your team that any juice/Glucerna, glucose packets, liquid you are carrying on for the flight IS MEDICALLY NECESSARY.  

Talk with the nutritionist about carbs.  They can give you (if you don't have it) a list of standard foods and the carbs per serving.  Your child should be able to have good, fun meals using that guide.  

Definitely call the Services line to request a medical refrigerator for your room.  

 

I'm also newly diagnosed.  Yes, it IS a shock to hear that diagnosis.  It takes a while to get used to it and realize it isn't the end of the world and you will get used to it and live a "normal" life.  Good luck!  

[Himself]

7 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

Call Ship's Services at HAL. 800-541-1576 and ask for "access and compliance" which is the department that deals with special needs. They can arrange for the sharps container, fridge if you need it, and discuss the Club HAL situation. They can also deal with special menu needs. HAL is very good about special dietary needs. 

 

Diabetics can usually mange pretty well using  "regular" menus. A frequent HAL passenger has a website where he posts menus. They may not be exactly what you will have on your cruise, but they're typical. So take a look at these and see if they look doable for you. It will at least give you a frame of reference before you talk to HAL about menus. Note the desserts, there's always something "no sugar added" (I think that's what they call their "dietetic" desserts) http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/

 

Special meals are chosen the night before. Someone will come to your table and discuss choices. It's a bit easier for the meals to "find" you if you're in fixed dining, but they'll get your meals to you and the next day's menu in open seating. I think you can pre-order lunch as well as dinner, but that means lunch in the MDR. If you want to use the buffet for breakfast or lunch, stick to foods whose contents are obvious--simple things without sauces or unknown ingredients. Servers will likely not know ingredients. You can look for a supervisor and ask if you're worried about something. 

 

If you want to carry something for your daughter "just in case" she needs to eat something when you go ashore, remember that you can't take food off the ship unless it's something prepackaged and sealed. So you can't make a sandwich at the buffet and carry that off, or take an apple or banana. But you probably already have "portable" snacks already. 

 

If you're flying to the cruise, check the TSA security rules for traveling with sharps. Check with the airline about food or check the airport's website to see what food is available to take on board. 

 

There's a learning curve to dealing with a new medical condition, but it sounds like you're already asking the right questions and have a team at home to help you plan for the trip. Diabetes is manageable, once you get over the surprise of the diagnosis and find the balance of insulin and diet and activity level. This trip will help you and your daughter to see how normal life can be for a diabetic and that's it's possible to go places and have fun. Alaska is wonderful, have a great trip! 

 

 

 

This is excellent advice.

[TiogaCruiser]

I’ve found staff very willing to change out my high carb items for lower carb options. Also, as others have notes, the NAS options may still be very high carb.

[slidergirl]

I forgot something I wanted to tell you:  get you child a medical Id bracelet.  You can get the usual ones like you see at the drug store.  Or, look at RoadID (www.roadid.com).  I've had my RoadID since 2007.  I have the "interactive" one so I can change the data on my web page to keep up to date on meds, vaccinations, conditions.  I wear it everywhere I go alone, hiking, camping, traveling.  I know that, if I can't speak for myself, my RoadID can.  

 

 

[thyme2go]

If your child was recently diagnosed there will be a lot of learning for all of you.   The issue at the top of my list is that her/his testing will most likely be more frequent for all the reasons mentioned......excitement, new foods, activity, etc.  If she/he has a CGM (Dexcom).......that will be helpful to alert you/her/him......going through TSA is a bit more 'exciting' but carry a Dr's letter and be prepared to be hand inspected including a pat down if she/he cannot go through x-ray or does not want med's x-rayed.   So........read everything you have with you.......bring a solid rapid acting glucose supply (jelly beans work well with kids) as well as glucagon kits and know how to use it.   It will be a balancing act........but it would be that way at home too.   Be prepared to address hypoglycemia which is the crisis you want to avoid while managing sugars.   Maybe there will be another kid who is T1 that will be on the cruise?   Take Care and have a great trip!!    

 

Also a good point to have medical ID...........as slidergirl mentioned 

Edited May 24, 2019 by thyme2go
wording

[Raeofsunshinenz]

thanks everyone - lots of good things to think about.  In regards to some - we will hopefully have her medical ID bracelet sorted before we leave (we are from NZ so will go through the appropriate channels here).  We are told that it's not so much about restricting foods these days, but managing what she eats and figuring out insulin doses from there.  We have so much to learn as are still on daily phone calls from our diabetes team and they decide the doses....we have 6 weeks to figure it out ourselves!  

 

As we're there in peak season i hear the kids club is usually a bit fuller but we'll figure it out.  We're doing all shore tours etc together so we won't be leaving her in there for long periods on port days or anything.  We've booked a heli tour/dog sledding from skagway and we've been in touch with them to check out the no-bags policy properly.  And yes, there is no bags allowed, but as long as all her supplies fit in our pockets then we'll be fine!  

 

I'm thinking one key thing is that once she's had insulin then we need to make sure she eats her meal fairly quickly - we might have to figure this out with wait times with ordering.  But apart from that, we plan to let her eat what she likes (within reason) as long as she sticks to meal times rather than grazing all day.  

[Homosassa]

My sister is diabetic and loves cheesecake.  

 

HAL has a recipe for an excellent sugar free cheesecake.  She always inquired about the cheesecake and the pastry chef on board whatever HAL ship she was cruising was usually willing to make one.

 

If your grandchild likes cheesecake, if may wish to inquire if the cake is available.

[Walfam]

 

8 hours ago, slidergirl said:

I forgot something I wanted to tell you:  get you child a medical Id bracelet.  

 

 

Excellent advice!!! Child could become semiconscious, while cruise ship staff, school teachers, or anyone could momentarily forget about this life threatening condition in the heat of panic.  Your child's life is too valuable. 

 

There is a website that sells attractive medical ID bracelets.  A simple search should find it.  We learned about it when the teenage daughter  of one of my husband's employees was diagnosed diabetic, and it was suggested that she wear one.

Edited May 24, 2019 by Walfam