FTTF and CPAP

[violetsmile]

After years of trying to get her to go on vacation with me, I finally found a way to get my mom to join me on a cruise:  7 days in Alaska this summer!   This will be her first cruise and I want everything to be perfect--she'll turn 70 on debarkation day.

 

She uses a CPAP, which I've never had to think about before. I've read up and know all about ordering distilled water and bringing an extension cord and probably some magnetic hooks to keep the cord controlled.  What I'm REALLY thinking about is her having to lug it around after we've boarded the ship since it's a carry on.  It's not huge (my dad had a monster BiPAP!), but I'm wondering if we have options other than FTTF so we aren't stuck with it until our room is ready?  I'd buy FTTF without a hesitation, but I can't seem to add it to my cart, so I think it's sold out.

 

Other ideas?

 

Thanks!
 

[Schoifmom]

Put it in a wheeled carry on or board later so you can go directly to your room.  What were you planning to do with your other carry-ons?

 

 

[violetsmile]

1 minute ago, Schoifmom said:

Put it in a wheeled carry on or board later so you can go directly to your room.  What were you planning to do with your other carry-ons?

 

 

Usually, I pack very carefully for boarding, and almost all goes with the porters except a tote bag with what I really need (meds, book, change of underpants, phone for camera, ID...).  This is the first time I've thought about an extra thing to lug.  Maybe my mom won't even think it's a big deal.  This is just all about making her life simple and smooth!

[Schoifmom]

3 minutes ago, violetsmile said:

Usually, I pack very carefully for boarding, and almost all goes with the porters except a tote bag with what I really need (meds, book, change of underpants, phone for camera, ID...).  This is the first time I've thought about an extra thing to lug.  Maybe my mom won't even think it's a big deal.  This is just all about making her life simple and smooth!

DH and I both have cpaps.  He chose to use the case that it came with until recently when he purchased a backpack specifically made for that purpose.  I normally will put mine into my small wheeled carry on with all of the other things you describe.  They aren't big, bulky, or heavy.  They are necessary, though 😁

[violetsmile]

16 minutes ago, Schoifmom said:

DH and I both have cpaps.  He chose to use the case that it came with until recently when he purchased a backpack specifically made for that purpose.  I normally will put mine into my small wheeled carry on with all of the other things you describe.  They aren't big, bulky, or heavy.  They are necessary, though 😁

Do you just get your distilled water on board? I know they have it.   I can totally see my mom wanting to carry a gallon on, but I'm paying for this trip, and am in it for convenience!

[Schoifmom]

4 minutes ago, violetsmile said:

Do you just get your distilled water on board? I know they have it.   I can totally see my mom wanting to carry a gallon on, but I'm paying for this trip, and am in it for convenience!

Yes, get it on board.  Order is ahead of time (you have to call, can't order online).  It's like $4-5 and totally worth it!  But order ahead.  We had one cruise where we tried to order once we were on and they had run out.

[hillbillycruisers]

I have carried my CPap on with me in a separate backpack for several years. I stuff some clothes around it as well. Also, I have always used the water from the bathroom sink in it....with absolutely NO ill effects. 

[satxdiver]

I have a CPAP which I carry onboard in its original bag.  The bag fits over my roll on bag which contains my essential items.  The rest is checked luggage.  This time I brought my own water since we drove to the port and carried the small bottles onboard in a cloth bag.  i use the small bottles, 6 for 1 week cruise, and turn back the humidity level.   I have an extension cord and magnetic hooks to run it over the ceiling.  

[nydney1]

I just carry on myself as well.

You can ask the room steward for an extension chord, but I usually have one packed as well.

 

I have always used the water from the sink.

[BroadwayGirl]

If you don't have FTTF or status, you just get to carry it until rooms are ready.  We usually roll on a small carryon that has the CPAPs in it to make it easy.  We'll do muster and then go hang on the lido somewhere so we're not rolling it around until cabins are ready.  Buy an extension cord as we dont depend on the ship and you can call the fun shops to preorder the distilled water (its like 3.50 as of November).  

[crewsweeper]

Depending on the model,  It may have come with  a travel case that everything packs into.

Mine even has a strap on the back that can fit over the extendable handles on the main luggage or carry-on.  Don't order water from the ship.  The tap water on the ship is just fine for CPAPs.  But do bring an extension cord.  8-10 feet is probably more than enough and can also fit into the bag.

[ShakyBeef]

17 minutes ago, crewsweeper said:

Depending on the model,  It may have come with  a travel case that everything packs into.

Mine even has a strap on the back that can fit over the extendable handles on the main luggage or carry-on.  Don't order water from the ship.  The tap water on the ship is just fine for CPAPs.  But do bring an extension cord.  8-10 feet is probably more than enough and can also fit into the bag.

 

^ This exactly.  My DH has the same type of bag for his, straps it onto his carry-on, brings the extension cord in the CPAP bag, and uses the ship's tap water for it.  He uses distilled water at home, but the ship's water is fine for a week.

Edited January 17, 2023 by ShakyBeef

[Normajean999]

14 hours ago, crewsweeper said:

Depending on the model,  It may have come with  a travel case that everything packs into.

Mine even has a strap on the back that can fit over the extendable handles on the main luggage or carry-on.  Don't order water from the ship.  The tap water on the ship is just fine for CPAPs.  But do bring an extension cord.  8-10 feet is probably more than enough and can also fit into the bag.

Actually it is not recommended so I don't see why you would recommend this. If you want to use tap water then fine but there is no reason to advise someone to damage their machine.

[Normajean999]

Is it possible to fit it in the checked bag and fit less bulky items in a carry on? You should keep checking for FTTF a couple times a day. Someone may cancel. I know my first cruise I didn't realize that I only had to pay for 1 per cabin. So had to cancel one of them at some point.

[CruizinSusan70]

23 minutes ago, Normajean999 said:

Actually it is not recommended so I don't see why you would recommend this. If you want to use tap water then fine but there is no reason to advise someone to damage their machine.

My DH has used a CPAP for over 20 years and I have used one for about 6 years.  We never use distilled water in our Resmed Airsense 10 machines while cruising or at home.  They work just fine.  The water chamber gets replaced every 6 months and the occasional build up is cleaned with an old toothbrush every month or so.

 

[CruizinSusan70]

Below is a link for a 15 ft electrical cord from Lowes for less than 5 bucks with tax.

 

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Project-Source-15-ft-16-2-2-Prong-Indoor-SPT-2-Light-Duty-General-Extension-Cord/3135033

[ShakyBeef]

4 hours ago, Normajean999 said:

Actually it is not recommended so I don't see why you would recommend this. If you want to use tap water then fine but there is no reason to advise someone to damage their machine.

The medical supply provider of my DH's CPAP as well as his doctor (who has A LOT of experience with CPAPs as well as cruises) both told DH that ship's water is absolutely fine for use in his CPAP for a week.  It doesn't damage it at all.  It doesn't even leave any visible residue after a whole week.  This may not be the case for all CPAPs, but it is what the "experts" told DH and it has worked just fine for him for years.  No one was "advising someone to damage their machine".  And there is a reason for the advice the poster gave: to be helpful.  It might be worth it to other CPAP users to check into the possibility of using ship's water in their own devices.  It saves a bit of trouble, not having to lug on or procure distilled water onboard.

[crewsweeper]

6 hours ago, Normajean999 said:

Actually it is not recommended so I don't see why you would recommend this. If you want to use tap water then fine but there is no reason to advise someone to damage their machine.

Yes , that's true on land.  Tap water isn't purified or distilled.  Ship water is distilled.  I've experienced zero machine damage when cruising and using ship water.  In traveling I've even used plain bottled drinking water for a night or two where flying between cities kinda prohibits bringing on distilled water.

[Schoifmom]

8 hours ago, Normajean999 said:

Is it possible to fit it in the checked bag and fit less bulky items in a carry on? You should keep checking for FTTF a couple times a day. Someone may cancel. I know my first cruise I didn't realize that I only had to pay for 1 per cabin. So had to cancel one of them at some point.

Never, never, never put medical equipment, supplies, or medications in a checked bag!

[CruizinSusan70]

5 hours ago, ShakyBeef said:

The medical supply provider of my DH's CPAP as well as his doctor (who has A LOT of experience with CPAPs as well as cruises) both told DH that ship's water is absolutely fine for use in his CPAP for a week.  It doesn't damage it at all.  It doesn't even leave any visible residue after a whole week.  This may not be the case for all CPAPs, but it is what the "experts" told DH and it has worked just fine for him for years.  No one was "advising someone to damage their machine".  And there is a reason for the advice the poster gave: to be helpful.  It might be worth it to other CPAP users to check into the possibility of using ship's water in their own devices.  It saves a bit of trouble, not having to lug on or procure distilled water onboard.

The build up that happens in water chambers with regular tap water is because of the impurities that are in them.  These are not present in the tap water on board because of the desalination process that the water goes through.  Because of this extra step, there would be zero build up if the water from the tap was used in your chamber.

[ShakyBeef]

1 minute ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

The build up that happens in water chambers with regular tap water is because of the impurities that are in them.  These are not present in the tap water on board because of the desalination process that the water goes through.  Because of this extra step, there would be zero build up if the water from the tap was used in your chamber.

Yeah, I know.

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

36 minutes ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

The build up that happens in water chambers with regular tap water is because of the impurities that are in them.  These are not present in the tap water on board because of the desalination process that the water goes through.  Because of this extra step, there would be zero build up if the water from the tap was used in your chamber.

According to below, this isn't completely correct.  

 

1. Minerals for taste, as well as chlorine, is added to the desalinated water

 

2. Ships take on tap water at port to use as well 

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=4278

[crewsweeper]

50 minutes ago, PrincessArlena'sDad said:

According to below, this isn't completely correct.  

 

1. Minerals for taste, as well as chlorine, is added to the desalinated water

 

2. Ships take on tap water at port to use as well 

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=4278

Still missing all the gunk in the pipes coming to and into your home.  And if you change the filter after cruising you'll probably remove anything put in for taste if residue remains.

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

2 hours ago, crewsweeper said:

Still missing all the gunk in the pipes coming to and into your home.  And if you change the filter after cruising you'll probably remove anything put in for taste if residue remains.

The point is I'd rather spend the $3 or so and not breathe in chlorine gas and whatever is in the water they get while at port. I'm more concerned about that than residue. 

[Normajean999]

5 hours ago, Schoifmom said:

Never, never, never put medical equipment, supplies, or medications in a checked bag!

It’s only going from the drop off to the room. I’m fine with that risk.