Cruise Radio News Story Posted This Morning

[www3traveler]

Cruise Radio is reporting that two young ladies from Tampa on a Carnival cruise ship are stuck In Cozumel without passports or medical insurance.  The girls were in an accident while riding scooters, one requiring hospitalization.  Hospital says they can not leave without paying the bill.  The ship did not know that they had been in accident and left without them.  

Lessons to be learned (I hope): Even on a closed-loop cruise, something could happen requiring your passport

                                                   Do not rent scooters in Cozumel

                                                   US health insurance does not cover outside of the US especially Medicare or Medicare supplement insurance

Mom is now trying to raise enough money to get herself to Cozumel to the girls and make arrangements to get them home (Certainly not fair to Mom)

 

I hope there will be a happy ending to this sad tale

                                                   

[hallux]

I believe a couple of the "Cruisetubers" commented on this a few days ago.

[cruiseny4life]

I'd like to add one caveat to your "do not rent scooters in Cozumel" suggestion. Do not rent scooters, anywhere, ever. 

 

I bet these grown ladies will take their passports next time and a credit card with a decent credit limit. No one should be traveling internationally without either. 

[durberville]

I think many young people don’t think they need travel medical insurance. Tend to think they are invincible. I know I insisted my young adult kids buy insurance when they travelled out of country - “sure you are healthy but that doesn’t rule out an accident!”  What a horrible situation, hope it gets resolved.
 

….and I totally missed the no passport bit! Wow!

😬

Edited September 19, 2023 by durberville

[davencl]

To add another point.  Foreign hospitals typically require cash payment.  You then file with the insurance company to get reimbursed.   So be sure to have enough credit line to cover costs.  

[DCGuy64]

2 minutes ago, davencl said:

Foreign hospitals typically require cash payment.

That may be true, but ridiculous. Mexico isn't some backwater, I find it incredible that they lack the ability to take credit cards. It's 2023, for God's sake, not 1923! 🙄 But I agree that the affected parties should hopefully learn their lesson.

 

4 minutes ago, davencl said:

You then file with the insurance company to get reimbursed.

That's what we've done, once in Italy and once in the UK.

[davencl]

2 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

That may be true, but ridiculous. Mexico isn't some backwater, I find it incredible that they lack the ability to take credit cards. It's 2023, for God's sake, not 1923! 🙄 But I agree that the affected parties should hopefully learn their lesson.

 

That's what we've done, once in Italy and once in the UK.

I think I miswrote.   I should have said payment not cash payment.   I do think they accept credit cards.

[ontheweb]

There is a long thread about this started several days ago in the Carnival section of cruisecritic.

 

Surprised there's no story up yet regarding couple stuck in Cozumel - Carnival Cruise Lines - Cruise Critic Community

 

[Capitan Obvious]

1 hour ago, www3traveler said:

Cruise Radio is reporting that two young ladies from Tampa on a Carnival cruise ship are stuck In Cozumel without passports or medical insurance.  The girls were in an accident while riding scooters, one requiring hospitalization.  Hospital says they can not leave without paying the bill.  The ship did not know that they had been in accident and left without them.  

Lessons to be learned (I hope): Even on a closed-loop cruise, something could happen requiring your passport

                                                   Do not rent scooters in Cozumel

                                                   US health insurance does not cover outside of the US especially Medicare or Medicare supplement insurance

Mom is now trying to raise enough money to get herself to Cozumel to the girls and make arrangements to get them home (Certainly not fair to Mom)

 

I hope there will be a happy ending to this sad tale

                                                   

 

Something off on the story that they are reporting. If you are not on board when the time comes for the ship to depart, security will enter your cabin and gather your passports, wallets, money, etc and leave them with the port agent. This is done so that when you do finally show up, you will have your documentation.

 

Mom's actions are also a bit off. If she needs to raise money, then she should be looking for the most economical solution. Flying the girls home is one thing, but adding a round-trip fare on top of that for the mother is probably not necessary.

 

4 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

That may be true, but ridiculous. Mexico isn't some backwater, I find it incredible that they lack the ability to take credit cards. It's 2023, for God's sake, not 1923! 🙄 But I agree that the affected parties should hopefully learn their lesson.

 

Mexico isn't "some backwater" that can't take credit cards. They can, and do, take credit cards. However, they are smart/experienced enough to insist on cash from foreigners who could easily go home and screw them over by disputing the credit card charges for the medical services.

[schmoopie17]

1 hour ago, www3traveler said:

 

US health insurance does not cover outside of the US especially Medicare or Medicare supplement insurance

                                                   

Our Medicate Advantage plan provides world-wide coverage.

[Always Cruising]

13 minutes ago, schmoopie17 said:

Our Medicate Advantage plan provides world-wide coverage.

You might check - I don't think it does.  I know my plan doesn't, and friends with varying types of Advantage plan have no coverage abroad also

[hallux]

26 minutes ago, Capitan Obvious said:

security will enter your cabin and gather your passports

Provided you HAVE a passport...

[RocketMan275]

12 minutes ago, Always Cruising said:

You might check - I don't think it does.  I know my plan doesn't, and friends with varying types of Advantage plan have no coverage abroad also

I have medicare and tricare for life.   Tricare for life covers you when abroad.  Just one of the benefits of a military retirement.  It essentially pays everything that medicare doen't.  Haven't paid a copay ever.

Edited September 19, 2023 by RocketMan275

[DCGuy64]

7 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

Haven't paid a copay ever.

No, but I and other US taxpayers did. You're welcome. 😉

[DCGuy64]

39 minutes ago, Capitan Obvious said:

Mexico isn't "some backwater" that can't take credit cards. They can, and do, take credit cards. However, they are smart/experienced enough to insist on cash from foreigners who could easily go home and screw them over by disputing the credit card charges for the medical services.

That argument won't hold water. You could say the same for ANY country overseas, and I've never had a credit card turned down in Europe, South America or Asia-or Mexico, for that matter!

[www3traveler]

16 minutes ago, hallux said:

Provided you HAVE a passport...

The way I read the story because this was a closed loop cruise, the girls did not have passports.  Yes, things are usually gathered and taken to the Port Agent's office, but if these girls werre fairly new to cruising, would they have known that? How many people actually take notice about the Port Agent's Office printed in the newsletter or take the newsletter with them when they go off ship?

Edited September 19, 2023 by www3traveler
Add a comment

[RocketMan275]

2 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

No, but I and other US taxpayers did. You're welcome. 😉

And I paid for it with my military service.  Thank you.

[laudergayle]

Young adults can be so clueless.  You don’t know what you don’t know.  Well, they do now.  Unfortunately that’s how we sometimes learn.  Prayers for a quick recovery…personally and financially.  

[Babr]

43 minutes ago, schmoopie17 said:

Our Medicate Advantage plan provides world-wide coverage.

 

For medical. At out of network rates.

 

Check to see what it does not cover like transfer to a better hospital or repatriation or any additional expenses for a traveling companion who is not hospitalized.

 

Or return of remains, if it comes to that.

[ColeThornton]

12 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

And I paid for it with my military service.  Thank you.

 

 

I think what he meant to say was "thank you for your service to our country".

 

[www3traveler]

1 minute ago, ColeThornton said:

 

 

I think what he meant to say was "thank you for your service to our country".

 

I am not positive but I believe RocketMan275 is a retired military officer.  In which case, I paid for it with military service" would be accurate.  

 

RocketMan275:  THANK YOU

 

[ColeThornton]

7 minutes ago, www3traveler said:

I am not positive but I believe RocketMan275 is a retired military officer.  In which case, I paid for it with military service" would be accurate.  

 

RocketMan275:  THANK YOU

 

 

 

I think you read my response wrong.  

[BirdTravels]

2 hours ago, durberville said:

I think many young people don’t think they need travel medical insurance. Tend to think they are invincible. I know I insisted my young adult kids buy insurance when they travelled out of country - “sure you are healthy but that doesn’t rule out an accident!”  What a horrible situation, hope it gets resolved.
 

….and I totally missed the no passport bit! Wow!

😬

Insurance reimburses you for cost incurred. You have to be able to pay the bill,,, first. 

[BirdTravels]

21 minutes ago, Babr said:

For medical. At out of network rates.

 

Check to see what it does not cover like transfer to a better hospital or repatriation or any additional expenses for a traveling companion who is not hospitalized.

 

Or return of remains, if it comes to that.

 

Most travel insurance does not pay to "transfer you to a better hospital". It pays to get you to the closest hospital. If you want to get from Mexico back home, that is on your own nickel 

Edited September 19, 2023 by BirdTravels

[hallux]

30 minutes ago, www3traveler said:

The way I read the story because this was a closed loop cruise, the girls did not have passports.

That was the point of my comment.

31 minutes ago, www3traveler said:

How many people actually take notice about the Port Agent's Office printed in the newsletter or take the newsletter with them when they go off ship?

I usually snap a picture of that info using my phone.  You're right, though, rookie cruisers may not have the foresight.