NCL customer service, not good!

[mjkacmom]

1 minute ago, argyll1881 said:

That's insane !  I retract all of my complaints over the years about the National Health Service.....

 

1 minute ago, argyll1881 said:

That's insane !  I retract all of my complaints over the years about the National Health Service.....

Although we had reached our annual deductible with our health insurance, due to state laws, our auto insurance had to pay the bill, which most likely increased those premiums.

[SeaShark]

4 hours ago, jennjess said:

If you were in a foreign country would you know where to go in the middle of a traumatic experience. 

 

You went to the medical facility and then, because there was a line to wait in, decided that the injury could just wait until you boarded the ship. Given that, it seems that the use of "traumatic" is an overreach. 

 

Still looking for that information to put everything in context. Did the hotel follow up, call you, see how you were, ask if there was anything they could do? Did your airline? TA? Not sure why NCL owes you this level of interest in your personal life...they are a business, not your friend or mommy.

 

Also would like to get an answer on the luggage question. Curious as to where it went as this would indicate whether or not NCL was actually expecting your return.

[The Shrike]

1 hour ago, argyll1881 said:

That's insane !  I retract all of my complaints over the years about the National Health Service.....

Not to take this too far OT, but the problem is that the hospitals know how much the insurers will reimburse so they charge a lot.  What's interesting is that if you do NOT have insurance you can often times sit down with the hospital's billing department and negotiate a much, much lower payment once they find out they won't be able to graft the insurance company.

[The Shrike]

1 hour ago, SeaShark said:

 

You went to the medical facility and then, because there was a line to wait in, decided that the injury could just wait until you boarded the ship. Given that, it seems that the use of "traumatic" is an overreach. 

 

Still looking for that information to put everything in context. Did the hotel follow up, call you, see how you were, ask if there was anything they could do? Did your airline? TA? Not sure why NCL owes you this level of interest in your personal life...they are a business, not your friend or mommy.

 

Also would like to get an answer on the luggage question. Curious as to where it went as this would indicate whether or not NCL was actually expecting your return.

Don't forget the cab driver.  Just like the cruise line, the OP paid money in exchange for transportation.  Yet she's not whining about the cabbie not calling her and following up, or the cab company contacting her and asking if she has further transportation needs.

Edited May 23, 2022 by The Shrike

[The Shrike]

Double post.

Edited May 23, 2022 by The Shrike

[suometar]

6 hours ago, argyll1881 said:

$6000 ???   That's crazy.

 

OK, looking at the receipt from the NCL medical center it was actually $5,913.13. I have 19 pages of documentation for the 22 hours my husband spent in at the center and the costs really add up (office visit fee, x-rays, nursing care meds, IVs, etc.). Pretty soon it's real money! In my post I tried to make two points: 1) the medical center is not a hospital, it functions more like an urgent care center. Witness the fact that they needed to consult with the Cleveland Clinic regarding my husband's case, at a cost of $499. And that takes me to my second point: the OP seems to have a problem that she was charged $400 for seeing the NCL doctor and getting X-rays, when she apparently thought that medical care was part of the fare. 

[SeaShark]

15 minutes ago, suometar said:

 

OK, looking at the receipt from the NCL medical center it was actually $5,913.13. I have 19 pages of documentation for the 22 hours my husband spent in at the center and the costs really add up (office visit fee, x-rays, nursing care meds, IVs, etc.). Pretty soon it's real money! In my post I tried to make two points: 1) the medical center is not a hospital, it functions more like an urgent care center. Witness the fact that they needed to consult with the Cleveland Clinic regarding my husband's case, at a cost of $499. And that takes me to my second point: the OP seems to have a problem that she was charged $400 for seeing the NCL doctor and getting X-rays, when she apparently thought that medical care was part of the fare. 

 

While I disagree with the OP's position that NCL owed them hand-holding and attention, I do have to disagree with your last statement. The OP never stated that.

 

If you go back and read post #29, the OP talks about receiving the medical care that they paid for. I took this to mean that they paid the $400 fee to the med center for the care that they received, not that the care was paid as part of the booking. Additionally, if you go back and read post #34, the OP specifically states that they never thought that medical services were included and would be an extra cost.

[graphicguy]

Reading through all of this, I guess what I'm taking from it is....

 

A.  If you have an illness, or any sort of injury, make sure to have it addressed before boarding (regardless of the reasons you may not want to do so)...

 

B.  Healthcare, regardless of geographic location, is not cheap.

 

C.  Insurance companies are not your friend, but it's a requirement to have it, regardless of how it's paid for, and by whom.

 

D.  Cruise lines only have the medical expertise to treat and diagnose maladies that are relatively minor in nature.  They do have the expertise to hand you off to a facility that's better equipped to treat more serious illnesses or injuries.

 

E.  If you are being transported by ambulance, or worse, air care, prepare to pay a BIG bill if not covered by insurance.

 

F.  It's a good idea to know what your insurance will or will not cover if you're injured or become ill while on a cruise, especially if you're in international waters.

 

G.  If you are indeed injured or ill right before cruising, invoke your travel insurance to pay of the cancellation of your cruise.  More importantly, don't board a cruise ship not knowing if you will or won't get better.  Likely, you won't recover on a cruise ship.

[billslowsky]

49 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Reading through all of this, I guess what I'm taking from it is....

 

A.  If you have an illness, or any sort of injury, make sure to have it addressed before boarding (regardless of the reasons you may not want to do so)...

 

 

This is the real cause of the situation.  Boarding the ship with an existing and untreated injury.  That should not happen.

 

I agree with the rest of your comments, too many people don't learn how their health care works until they need care.

[mlgb]

Ship medical center charges are often extreme even in the context of US hospital billings. 

 

 

[SeaShark]

30 minutes ago, billslowsky said:

This is the real cause of the situation.  Boarding the ship with an existing and untreated injury.  That should not happen.

 

I agree with the rest of your comments, too many people don't learn how their health care works until they need care.

 

While I don't disagree with your post, I think the real cause of the situation described in this thread is nothing more than unrealistic expectations.

 

 

[mollie jo]

So sorry, this happened to you all.  I can't imagine being in a foreign country and dealing with a medical emergency.  We just never expect something like this to happen and I'm sure you did exactly what you thought was in his best interest.  I hope your son is doing okay and that your next vacation is stress free.  We have cruised with NCL only once but with other lines many many times over the last 30 years.  Booked our air with NCL and when our flight was 2 1/2 hours late leaving due to mechanical issues, causing us to miss our connecting flight to the port, NCL air hotline or customer service did absolutely nothing to help me despite what was said on our booking confirmation. I had to rebook my flights myself and we barely made the ship.  So I understand what you are saying about their customer service.  I would have expected a little more assistance in helping you rejoin the ship.  

[jennjess]

I just received a post cruise survey from NCL, I guess they thought we were still onboard afterall.

Obviously can't answer any of it since we didn't really cruise at all.

[jennjess]

3 hours ago, mollie jo said:

So sorry, this happened to you all.  I can't imagine being in a foreign country and dealing with a medical emergency.  We just never expect something like this to happen and I'm sure you did exactly what you thought was in his best interest.  I hope your son is doing okay and that your next vacation is stress free.  We have cruised with NCL only once but with other lines many many times over the last 30 years.  Booked our air with NCL and when our flight was 2 1/2 hours late leaving due to mechanical issues, causing us to miss our connecting flight to the port, NCL air hotline or customer service did absolutely nothing to help me despite what was said on our booking confirmation. I had to rebook my flights myself and we barely made the ship.  So I understand what you are saying about their customer service.  I would have expected a little more assistance in helping you rejoin the ship.  

Thank you for your kind reply.  It's not until things go wrong that you realise how much your custom is appreciated.

[deliver42]

If there was any doubt  the injury, that's what emergency rooms are for. They would've taken x-rays, put a cast on, and you could've been on the cruise with no problem. I don't understand it.

[SeaShark]

25 minutes ago, deliver42 said:

If there was any doubt  the injury, that's what emergency rooms are for. They would've taken x-rays, put a cast on, and you could've been on the cruise with no problem. I don't understand it.

 

You missed the post. They went, found a line, and decided they didn't want to wait...so they left and figured they'd just see the ship's doctor once they embarked for their cruise.

[jennjess]

22 minutes ago, deliver42 said:

If there was any doubt  the injury, that's what emergency rooms are for. They would've taken x-rays, put a cast on, and you could've been on the cruise with no problem. I don't understand it.

It really wasn't as simple as that.  The x-rays showed a serious fracture that needed a metal plate to hold the bones together so they would heal in the correct position.  That needed an operation not just a caste and obviously not something that could happen onboard.

I have no problem with having to leave the ship to deal with that problem, the medical services onboard were quite happy for us to use their services (which we paid for) so not sure why anyone is complaining about us making use of their services. They were happy to take our money.

My only complaint is the lack of followup by the company after we left.  Still haven't had a reply from the emails I sent a week ago to guest relations. We were only there in the first place to cruise (which we paid for) and that cannot be compared to a simple flight from A to B or a one night stay in a hotel. I feel they could have tried to offer a bit more assistance than they did. Didn't expect them to pay for any of it just to show an interest in our situation. 

Would I book a cruise with them again? possibly, if it was an itinerary that really appealed but they will always have a mark against them for me when it comes to customer care. 

[billslowsky]

14 minutes ago, jennjess said:

It really wasn't as simple as that.  The x-rays showed a serious fracture that needed a metal plate to hold the bones together so they would heal in the correct position.  That needed an operation not just a caste and obviously not something that could happen onboard.

I have no problem with having to leave the ship to deal with that problem, the medical services onboard were quite happy for us to use their services (which we paid for) so not sure why anyone is complaining about us making use of their services. They were happy to take our ...

Un believable.   You make a bad decision to not get the arm treated and then show up on the ship  whose doctor correctly send you for real cate  and you complain that you didn't get a courtesy call...  you should be thanking them.  If they didn't send you off  the situation could have been much worse.

 

And you're mad at them.

Edited May 23, 2022 by billslowsky

[SeaShark]

18 minutes ago, jennjess said:

so not sure why anyone is complaining about us making use of their services

 

I don't think anyone did (if I'm wrong, please quote the post where this complaint was made). What I think people have issue with is that you WAITED until you were onboard instead of seeking IMMEDIATE medical attention...all because you didn't want to wait in line.

 

18 minutes ago, jennjess said:

My only complaint is the lack of follow up by the company after we left.

 

 Didn't expect them to pay for any of it just to show an interest in our situation. 

 

The injury occurred PRIOR to your boarding the cruise.

 

While you were onboard, they give you medical attention, arranged for the port agent to get you to a better equipped hospital, and had someone in the states follow up to check on you. Sounds like they gave you an appropriate amount of their time and attention.

 

When you left the cruise (presumably (because you won't provide the information) with your luggage indicating that you would not return) you sought medical care in an appropriate medical facility.

 

Your medical needs are your own, and as such are private. Not really NCL's business or even their purpose to follow up, show interest, or ask how you are doing...it really is none of their business. They have ships to run and the safety of the guests onboard those ships are their priority. Not sure why you feel NCL owes you "interest" in your situation.

 

Edited May 23, 2022 by SeaShark

[kelib]

I can empathize, you look forward to a trip and when something like this happens not only does it become a big disappointment, but making decisions in a foreign country on a limited time schedule can be rough.

3 years ago I was traveling solo on the Epic when 30 minutes outside of Barcelona I fell and broke my shoulder in 3 places. Luckily I was nit charged by the medical center but I had to go to a clinic in Naples after the sea day. After spending almost the entire day there, getting X-rays, CT Scan and consultation I was told I would need surgery. I just did not know what to do, the ship was leaving fairly soon, all my luggage was on board, it as stressful to say the least. To make a long story short went back and stayed on the ship for the duration of the cruise.( Had issues getting flights, would be alone in a hotel waiting for a flight in a middle seat instead of the Premium Economy booked, then knowing I would never get an orthopedist appointment Labor Day weekend) 

Many crew members knew me, they helped me on the ship and some passengers helped me to take 2 small excursions

When I got home I never heard any follow up on their part. I guess I never really expected it but it might have at least given me a warm and fuzzy feeling.

THAT WAS PRE PANDEMIC

 

Now I see a customer service team understaffed trying to deal with all of the passengers dealing with Covid in foreign countries all with different protocols, passengers testing positive prior to the cruise and needing to cancel, ships that are cancelling  and the passengers yelling how they waited on the phone for 30 minutes  to remedy a $5 overcharge.

 

As much as it would be nice to hear from them in a follow up, I just think they have too much on their plate. At least you were able to make it home safe and get the care needed. You did what you felt was right at the moment for your family and sometimes you just want what you have gone through acknowledged. 
 

 

 

[kylenyc]

Thank you OP for sharing your experience and for others who shared the insight in what to expect from a ship's medical facilities. It's given me much food for thought. God forbid I find myself in a situation where a loved one falls ill or is injured before a cruise, I would seek immediate medical assistance on land.

 

A few comments...

 

A $150 house call from a doctor in the middle of the night is laughably cheap compared to the USA, and $400 is a relative bargain for emergency treatment / urgent care. I just dished out thousands of dollars out-of-pocket just for routine preventative care and I have "health insurance." It was even worse a few years back when they wouldn't cover x-rays and I had to dish out a couple of thousand for them. A recent house call for my disabled mom is $550 out-of-pocket.

 

OP Post #11
No it happened on the night before the cruise.  We didn't know the extent of the damage or where we should go for help.  Thought we would board the cruise and get help from the medical centre onboard which we did.  They virtually bundled us off the ship and we didn't have a chance even to talk to our travel companion to tell her what was happening.

 

OP Post #51
Yes the accident happened on the way back to the hotel for the night about 9.00 PM.  The first thing I did was ask the advice of the reception.  It was either the doctor or the public hospital.  There didn't seem much point in the doctor since he obviously needed a photo made which couldn't be done by a visiting doctor. There are 2 kinds of hospital in Greece public or private.  The public one is free, the private are not. The public hospital did not seem the best option for his care.

 

It appears you did know where to go for help. You were given options and you made a medical determination that your child's injury was minor enough that it could be treated by medical services on a floating hotel. You were mistaken. Did you call and ask for advice from emergency services, the hospitals, doctors, etc, or did you choose only between NCL and the options given to you by a hotel receptionist.

 

You decided to place NCL in a situation where they became responsible for diagnosing and treating your child's injury--An injury that occurred when you were not a passenger at the time. I would be grateful that the situation wasn't more serious and that NCL was able to diagnose his injury quickly and correctly, and they correctly sent you back on land for treatment. Goodness gracious what if they diagnosed it after the ship disembarked and your son aggravated his injury or simply got worse in the meantime. Would insurance even cover you in a scenario where you chose to seek medical care from a floating hotel rather than go straight to a doctor or medical facility on land?

 

If NCL had given my loved one prompt correct medical treatment, I would be sending them a thank you letter.

 

Edited May 24, 2022 by kylenyc

[4 cruisers]

17 hours ago, SeaShark said:

 

You missed the post. They went, found a line, and decided they didn't want to wait...so they left and figured they'd just see the ship's doctor once they embarked for their cruise.

So many facets to this whole situation.  I am thinking about Covid and the ER in Athens.  That alone is daunting.  Language barrier is another tough one!  Having a skateboarding kid, we have had two broken arms.  One was way more severe than the other.  Pain levels were each different.  Im sure the Mom felt she was making the best decision to get her son checked out by the doctor on the ship.

 

I guess, all in all, too much was expected by the poster from NCL.  It just stirred up a lot of fellow cruisers' less than stellar communications we have experienced with NCL.  

 

 

 

[graphicguy]

Personally, a cruise ship WOULD NOT be the place I'd want to utilize for health care.  

 

I just wouldn't depend on a cruise ship's medical facility to treat me for something I encountered before I even embarked.

 

The cruise ship's medical facilities are last resort types of medical care, to treat you at sea, when no other medical treatment is available.  Even at that, if an illness or injury is serious enough, they will pass you off to a hospital at a port of call.  If it's REALLY serious, they'll call for air transfer if at sea.

 

We're wading in common sense waters with this.

 

I don't need a cruise ship's customer service to send me flowers, or a get well card, or to hold my hand, or to make a call to see if I'm alive or dead.  None of that matters to me.  If I need medical attention, I want the best that's available to me, when I need it.

Edited May 24, 2022 by graphicguy

[Cindy]

First of all, to the OP, I’m sorry about your experience. I hope your insurance will eventually make you whole for the lost vacation as well as the unexpected medical expenses.

 

That said, I think expecting a lot of follow-up attention from the cruise line is unrealistic, especially right now. I haven’t cruised on NCL yet, but I don’t think any of the five lines I’ve sailed with are good at communication once you’re off the ship. Those of us traveling right now need to be mindful of the issues throughout the travel industry and have an idea of where we would turn for help or what our back-up plans are. It seems like even without complications travel plans are unraveling daily!

[SeaShark]

16 minutes ago, Desiree Hooter said:

It really was unfortunate that they run into medical issues on the cruise, but I am so happy that they were able to remedy the situation financially. Moral of the story is: don’t get sick on a cruise!

 

~Desireé

 

Well, I guess you can say it twice, but it doesn't make it true. Nobody got sick or injured on the cruise. The medical incident occurred BEFORE the cruise. Not on the ship, not even in the terminal prior to boarding.