Where to get Medical Labs for Blood Work on Extended Cruises

[JBN]

Hello,

First post here so be gentle! (I did post also on 55+ Forum)

 

We are considering a World or similar (75+ days) cruise in 2025 or 2026.  While I am in relatively good health, I get my blood tested monthly (CBC, CMP), including a couple of more esoteric tests (tacrolimus level) due to being a transplant recipient.  What do cruisers do in my situation?  By any chance can the ship do relatively simple blood tests like a CBC?  For those in a similar situation, what are things I need to know?

 

If it matters, I am in the USA and have BCBS Federal insurance and can basically go anywhere worldwide though if out of network I will of course pay extra. 

 

Many thanks, John

[Heidi13]

Any vessel with a compliment of over 100 must have a doctor onboard, so this will apply to probably all world cruises. All ships I worked aboard and cruised on also have a fully equipped medical centre, so will have the ability to conduct blood tests.

 

When unable to perform a test onboard, they will also assist in scheduling appointments ashore.

 

These costs are added to your shipboard account, unless cruising with a Line that includes medical treatment.

 

Best to verify with your cruise line before embarkation.

[JBN]

Thank you Heidi. 

[Mich3554]

Is your doctor comfortable with this?  The reason I ask was when we were on our WC last year, I was talking to a woman who was on the FL to CA segment (which was the only segment of this WC).  She said she had booked the WC, but her transplant doctor would really prefer she not do the full WC.  She had had a lung transplant between booking the cruise and it happening.  She bailed on the cruise after the first segment, even though she wanted to stay on for the full 138 days..  
 

That being said, I know that the lab was sufficient for basic testing, including cardiac enzymes.  DH passed out and wound up getting the full panel run.  He was dehydrated, not having heart issues….which is what they feared.

[JBN]

5 hours ago, Mich3554 said:

Is your doctor comfortable with this?  The reason I ask was when we were on our WC last year, I was talking to a woman who was on the FL to CA segment (which was the only segment of this WC).  She said she had booked the WC, but her transplant doctor would really prefer she not do the full WC.  She had had a lung transplant between booking the cruise and it happening.  She bailed on the cruise after the first segment, even though she wanted to stay on for the full 138 days..  
 

That being said, I know that the lab was sufficient for basic testing, including cardiac enzymes.  DH passed out and wound up getting the full panel run.  He was dehydrated, not having heart issues….which is what they feared.

Good to hear everyone was OK. 

 

I am thankfully 17 years out with no issues once past the 8-month mark.  My wife is a physician so that helps relieve a lot of concern from my various docs.  However, yes, the transplant and especially the infectious disease doc prefer I don't go anywhere but I chose to live life instead of being too cautious to go anywhere or do anything.  If my ID doc had his way, I would stay homebound :). 

 

I am pretty dang careful in what I eat/drink.  Most Transplants develop a sort of semi-sixth sense about who might be sick when walking into a room and learn to avoid them.  The big thing I (or any transplant) would have to do is watch the food you eat and especially the water you drink.

 

All that said, we have traveled fairly extensively in North America, Europe, and Latin America and we are hoping the sanitary condition & food/beverage on the ship are at least as good as Latin America on an upscale WC.  Lots of bottled water for me, no sushi or raw meats.  While off ship, I would take my own bottled water and snacks. 

 

I have emailed a few of the cruise lines and one has replied back that yes, they can do the CBC, & CMP onboard  (about $200 for both each time) and could draw the Tacrolimus (transplant drug level) but the blood vial would have to go ashore to be tested and the various add on fees (literally 9 extra fees) would jack the total cost up to about $1000 each time I did a Tacrolimus lab. 

 

In the past, I have gotten the Tacrolimus lab in Europe in various cities and probably could get it in Latin America in the largest cities.  I just have to plan ahead and locate the various cities/labs that can do it (and are in BCBS's international network who actually are pretty good about giving me the information of where I need to go) and figure out what paperwork each lab needs in advance and then get the transplant center to issue the lab requests.  Bit of a pain for all involved but it does work and is a lot cheaper than $1000 each time.   Would be nice if the cruise lines could do it but I can understand why they can't / don't.  

 

Getting enough pills for a WC will also be a pain (I take 27 pills a day) but again, it is doable with planning.  I can just see me trying to get through the airport security with about 50 bottles of pills for a WC.  That will be interesting. 

[Mich3554]

9 hours ago, JBN said:

Good to hear everyone was OK. 

 

Getting enough pills for a WC will also be a pain (I take 27 pills a day) but again, it is doable with planning.  I can just see me trying to get through the airport security with about 50 bottles of pills for a WC.  That will be interesting. 

It sounds like you are well covered.  About your pills, we were gone for 2 days short of 6 months on our WC.  I carried with me 2x 3 month supply and I was truly down to the dregs when I got home (I think 8 had 3 days left!).  
That being said, we met a woman on the ship who had an autoimmune disease and was taking an injectable biological.  She carried a small, carry on suitcase with her drugs.  As they were pricy, she said she had some major hoop jumping that she had to do to get an adequate supply.  At the end of the trip, she had a free suitcase which she could have auctioned off for $$$!