resetjet Posted December 22, 2022 #1 Share Posted December 22, 2022 Probably discussed, but I was surprised to find out that you cannot by ANY over the counter meds on board. Got a hangover? You need to pay $150 to see the Dr to get an aspirin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asmit4 Posted December 22, 2022 #2 Share Posted December 22, 2022 Are you serious? So odd! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare SuzieQ521 Posted December 22, 2022 #3 Share Posted December 22, 2022 No Tylenol even in the gift shop?! I was planning on bringing an arsenal of medications on our cruise just in case and now I definitely will! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disfan13 Posted December 22, 2022 #4 Share Posted December 22, 2022 When we sailed the Joy in November - there were none - many were sick the week prior and there was about 6 people who weren't coughing on our cruise. We always pack our own cold meds just in case. Who would go on vacation and not think to bring aspirin for a hangover. NOT that aspirin helps. If you thought there was a chance you would be hungover... We bring honey. two advil and a tablespoon of honey 0 viola - no hangover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reeinaz Posted December 22, 2022 #5 Share Posted December 22, 2022 14 minutes ago, asmit4 said: Are you serious? So odd! They want anyone who is feeling sick to visit the medical center and be tested for COVID. That's my guess. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SplashOfWater Posted December 22, 2022 #6 Share Posted December 22, 2022 Same on Dawn a few weeks ago. No cough drops in the gift shop. Not sure about aspirin, but they did have motion sickness meds. The Medical center wanted $150 to see the doctor before they would prescribe anything. No thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjkacmom Posted December 22, 2022 #7 Share Posted December 22, 2022 I don’t think it’s just NCL, they want you to go to the medical center. I have always packed literally anything I could possibly need (mom of 5, travel meds stay packed and replenished). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phillygwm Posted December 22, 2022 #8 Share Posted December 22, 2022 53 minutes ago, SuzieQ521 said: No Tylenol even in the gift shop?! I can't swear to it but thought it was once available in the gift shop but OP is correct: No longer. Bring your own. Obviously, you can also pick meds up at almost any port, albeit with different names sometimes (Panadol anyone?) But nothing onboard. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DwayneG Posted December 22, 2022 #9 Share Posted December 22, 2022 We were on Breakaway last June, no feminine hygeine products! How wierd. Female concierge saved us from her supply. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiefMateJRK Posted December 22, 2022 #10 Share Posted December 22, 2022 1 hour ago, SplashOfWater said: The Medical center wanted $150 to see the doctor before they would prescribe anything. No thanks. Bloody Mary's are free of you have the drink package. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mking8288 Posted December 23, 2022 #11 Share Posted December 23, 2022 (edited) Go back, probably at least a few years ... NCL used to sell a few basic OTC meds (brand names & very pricey ... don't have a choice if you "need" them) in the gift shop but true, no longer & haven't seen them sold onboard in a while, except once inside duty-free's cashier area, behind the wall/counter area, maybe "lost prevention" purposes ... security cams everywhere, however. There was (is ??) a self-service, coins-operated OTC med dispenser just outside the ship's Medical Center, seen them myself onboard the Escape, Gem and Dawn in 2018 and 2019. Perhaps, they removed them also ... Of course, they can quickly run out if more a few passengers preferred to get them there instead of ... and rather not wait until they reach the next port with available land store with the desired products, without seeing a licensed professional and/or needing a Rx script. We always pack a IFAK for EDC on the go, plus extra OTC meds & vitamins in another clip-on pouch, because you never know and it might be 3 to 5 days at sea before you see land to dock. With this trifecta picking up momentum, making room in the luggage for another packing cube with some extra items, including masks, sanitizers, wipes and (yes) unopened Covid test kits (free & paid for by insurance) for our own convenience. Things can happened when you are at sea for 12+ days ... Edited December 23, 2022 by mking8288 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluenose1 Posted December 23, 2022 #12 Share Posted December 23, 2022 Pride of America has a little vending machine mounted on the wall. Motrin was the only thing available in small package of 2. A dollar if I remember right. An old machine. Next port went to ABC store. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare eileeshb Posted December 23, 2022 #13 Share Posted December 23, 2022 I always bring a supply with me, heck I had to provide some to a fellow cruiser on my very first cruise. Better to have it and not need it than Need it and not have it. I even get my doc to do prescriptions for some of the stuff I can get OTC in Ireland but not in USA so I don’t have trouble in the airport. But I also plan to stock up on certain otc meds in USA that I can get in bulk there like acetaminophen, fexofenadine, clarityn, ibuprofen. I can get a whole year’s supply over there whereas here you’re doing well to get a 24pack. It is funny to see the differences in what’s considered OTC in different countries. when I was in Costa Rica the pharmacist let me in to his storeroom to try and find a heat rash treatment I’d forgotten to bring, he didn’t have it in the end but gave me magical tablets that knocked my heat rash dead. In the uk you can get ibuprofen+lysine but not in Ireland, fexofendine only just became OTC here, while solpadine (contains codine) is OTC in Ireland but not USA. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
resetjet Posted December 23, 2022 Author #14 Share Posted December 23, 2022 We brought tylenol, but my daughter needed advil as she injured her neck. Luckily a nice pax gave us a healthy supply. We had no more ports for 3 days. Next cruise i will set up a pharmacy in the elevator lobby!!! Seriously though, just a disservice and there is zero covid protocol on board other then washing hands for buffett which is optional. Packed elevators, games with 50 people in a circle to see how many they can fit. But aspirin is the problem. I dont care about covid but this is just stupid. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare cruiseny4life Posted December 23, 2022 #15 Share Posted December 23, 2022 14 hours ago, mking8288 said: We always pack a IFAK for EDC on the go, plus extra OTC Talk about unknown acronyms! Yikes...I'll continue on now. 🙂 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare cruiseny4life Posted December 23, 2022 #16 Share Posted December 23, 2022 1 minute ago, cruiseny4life said: Talk about unknown acronyms! Yikes...I'll continue on now. 🙂 Looked it up...prepper community. Got it! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare 1025cruise Posted December 23, 2022 #17 Share Posted December 23, 2022 The gift shops used to have OTC stuff, for a nice convenience fee. However, they don't want passengers covering up something serious (Covid/etc), so all of that was removed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredflint Posted December 23, 2022 #18 Share Posted December 23, 2022 Funny we were on the Star a couple of weeks ago and noticed the same thing. we went out in Recife in search of a pharmacy. I tried using google maps and the 2 places they listed did not exist. I finally searched for a mall and we took an Uber to the mall it was about a 20 minute drive away. On the drive over we saw 2 pharmacies and were able to pick up some meds. Lesson learned bring all kinds of cold meds with you as well as stomach meds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markanddonna Posted December 24, 2022 #19 Share Posted December 24, 2022 This topic was discussed on "Ask a question." We noted it was true on our November cruise when there were absolutely NO shops open at all. They changed vendors and every item had been removed. A new vendor opened up the shops about a week later and only personal care items were available: diapers, sanitary products, toothpaste, deodorant. Nothing medicinal. It appears they want everyone to go to the medical center and not self medicate COVID, the flu, RSV, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phillygwm Posted December 25, 2022 #20 Share Posted December 25, 2022 I've had occasion to wander around an unfamiliar port looking for a pharmacy when I've forgotten something. Now I'll just make extra sure I add any non-Rx med that I've had occasion to use over the past year to my packing list: Ibuprofen, antacids, anti-gas, Benedryl, etc. It won't take up a lot of space and it just seems more prudent to have it now that nothing is available onboard. Oh, and an extra phone charger/cable as well. Learned that lesson the hard way (and it's also surprisingly not sold in the gift shop.) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare cruiseny4life Posted December 27, 2022 #21 Share Posted December 27, 2022 On 12/24/2022 at 9:51 PM, phillygwm said: I've had occasion to wander around an unfamiliar port looking for a pharmacy when I've forgotten something. Now I'll just make extra sure I add any non-Rx med that I've had occasion to use over the past year to my packing list: Ibuprofen, antacids, anti-gas, Benedryl, etc. It won't take up a lot of space and it just seems more prudent to have it now that nothing is available onboard. Oh, and an extra phone charger/cable as well. Learned that lesson the hard way (and it's also surprisingly not sold in the gift shop.) Where's the anti-diarrheal meds? Everyone needs those...or is that a me thing? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagnoliaBlossom Posted December 27, 2022 #22 Share Posted December 27, 2022 In Iceland we found that almost all OTC items are sold in pharmacies only. On an excursion I asked at a shop for cough drops (the one thing I did not have in my emergency kit) and was told I’d have to go to a pharmacy. I settled for a bag of butterscotch disks. ya never know when your traveling 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niffernay Posted December 27, 2022 #23 Share Posted December 27, 2022 On 12/22/2022 at 7:56 PM, eileeshb said: Better to have it and not need it than Need it and not have it. I should have this tattooed on me somewhere because I say it all the time 😆 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare JennKach Posted December 27, 2022 #24 Share Posted December 27, 2022 Because of an injury last cruise, we now add those stick on heat pads to the list. I do bring a small pharmacy with me already to cover as many situations as I can anticipate, but I still manage to forget a toothbrush! I don't want to know how many $5.00 toothbrushes I have purchased in my travels. Last trip my husband brought a 4oz mouthwash that got confiscated at the airport (he claimed they ALWAYS let him take it) so he got to spend a small fortune in NYC for a smaller one. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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