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Island Princess Doctor


dlovalvo

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In general, people have not been pleased with the medical support on the cruise ships, but I don't know anything specific about the ship you are inquiring about. I do know that the last cruise I took, the people felt they were overcharged by the doctor just to be told to snort salt water up their nose when everyone was sick with a terrible virus. I have not had good experiences with the doctors, who basically are there for a free cruise and don't like to be disturbed, and you have to go through a lot of red tape to even get to see one: you can't just make an appointment or go to see the doctor - the nurse has to phone you (eventually) and give you a hard time, and then maybe if you are lucky the doctor will see you (eventually) at some obscure hour of the day or night. Said doctor will usually have an attitude, as does the nurse. I have seen and heard of emergencies on the ship where the doctor takes a long, long time to arrive at the scene. I re-injured my foot because of Princess's negligence when they stranded me in Beijing, and Princess wouldn't even allow me to ride on one of their tour excursion buses, from the ship to the end of the cargo dock so I could get a taxi to get to a hospital. This was in Vietnam - I was an injured woman travelling alone and they would not assist me in trying to get a cast for my foot. Inexcusable!

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P.S. The ships' doctor changes almost weekly, as they don't want to pay a permanent doctor or nurse on the ship, so they offer regular doctors a free cruise if they come and work during the cruise, so the doctor is constantly changing, usually on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. The lack of continuity is confusing for everyone. I doubt if the doctors realize how many passengers they will be seeing and it is not the free holiday they anticipated, and this is reflected in their attitude.

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I was on the Island last December and had a minor ear problem. I was seen by a Doctor within ten minutes of walking in the MIR and treated with the same professionalism that I would expect at my own hometown clinic. Regards Jake:)

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Our experience is limited but it was very different than merrilyanne's. The most recent was on the Sun Princess. The doctor held office hours every day where those that needed to see the doctor did not need an appointment. She was also available late in the afternoon for about an hour for followup on anyone who she had seen earlier. We found the facilities to be quite impressive and the doctor to be very competent. Her charges were covered by our regular health insurance which really surprised me.

 

On another Princess cruise we dinned with the ships doctor and she was on call virtually 24/7 for emergencies. In both cases I believe the doctors were employees of Princess and not vacationing doctors.

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P.S. The ships' doctor changes almost weekly, as they don't want to pay a permanent doctor or nurse on the ship, so they offer regular doctors a free cruise if they come and work during the cruise, so the doctor is constantly changing, usually on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. The lack of continuity is confusing for everyone. I doubt if the doctors realize how many passengers they will be seeing and it is not the free holiday they anticipated, and this is reflected in their attitude.

 

not true..Princess Doctor's are on staff.... not there for free cruises

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Whoa!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think maybe you are taking the liberty to generalize or perhaps add drama to your situation. Earlier this year I cruised with my elderly parents for two weeks on the Sea Princess. My father, a diabetic, developed a fever, confusion, couldn't stay awake, lack of appetite-we had no clue what was wrong. He ended up staying overnight in the ship's hospital. They were nothing but attentive and caring-they followed up with him for the entire trip to see how he was doing. I can't say enough good things about the entire medical staff....and frankly the bill was reasonable considering we were floating around in the Caribbean and there really isn't an abundance of doctors there.

 

I honestly have to ask that anyone who expects the Mayo Clinic on any cruise ship, just stay home! The medical staff is there for emergencies and I also know they DO assist you if, in fact, they really cause you to hurt yourself due to their neglect.

 

My only advice-don't cruise to a third world country alone.......find a friend.

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OK-here is an example from the Island Princess in 2004. I was cruising with a woman who was bitten by a cute, small, monkey while on a non-Princess excursion. When she returned to the ship they insisted she see the ship's doctor. After giving her a rabies shot, the doctor accompanied her to a hospital in Costa Rica for one additional shot. The ship was delayed in leaving the port but never was the woman blamed. She said the bite never hurt, just her ego...........and there really isn't a cure for that.

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Island Princess - 4/21/06 - 5/6/06 Hawaii

 

I found myself need medical attention during our crusie this past April/May, an Upper Respiratroy Tract Infection would be my diagnosis. I found the Medical Staff to be very caring and profession. I would seek medical attention two days in a row. Dr. Catriona Johnstone was the ship Physician during our cruise and I liked her very much. Not only did she take very good care of me she also informed me if I had book a shore excusion that day(s)that I could cancell it and get my money back do to my medical condition. I didn't know I could do that since I was past the cancellation date, I thought I was out the money. She saved me over $200.00 dollars. I hope this helps your concerns.

 

Trudy H.

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To clarify:

 

The medical staff on Princess are ship's officers---NOT vacationing professionals

 

The requirements to apply for a position as a ship's doctor or ship's nurse are:

 

Doctor: US$ 4,800 – 7,000 per month. Oversees the entire shipboard medical facilities, treatment mostly to passengers and sometimes crew. Current license, extensive experience with cardiac and primary care, trauma, internal, and emergency medicine required. Diploma from an accredited medical school and fluent English Language skills required.

 

Nurse: US$ 2,800 – 3,200 per month. Requires background in trauma care or accident and emergency treatment, preferably in an ER/ICU. Diploma from accredited nursing school with a minimum of two years recent hospital experience required. Certified nurse.

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Yikes, Marilyn...I'm sorry to hear that! Thank you for sharing your experience.
Please take posts such as Marilyn's with a grain of salt. Both my daughter and I have had the need to see the doctor on several Princess cruises and they have always been professional and caring.
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Just because you had a good experience does not mean I did not have a bad one! Read some reviews other than mine.

All I can say is that if they are only paying $7,000. a month for a doctor, they can't be attracting very qualified ones! I am not sure what type of doctor only makes $84,000. a year before taxes, but none that I have ever known. The doctor I spoke with, told me he was on holidays working on the ship for two weeks. I guess he was lying too. I understand that when they can't get permanent doctors for all of their ships, they have no choice but to resort to doctors who are willing to go on a cruise for their holidays. I have the injury for the rest of my life....not exactly "a grain of salt".

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To clarify:

 

Nurse: US$ 2,800 – 3,200 per month. Requires background in trauma care or accident and emergency treatment, preferably in an ER/ICU. Diploma from accredited nursing school with a minimum of two years recent hospital experience required. Certified nurse.

 

Curious, are these tax free salaries? I would hope they are, otherwise they would be scraping the bottom of the barrel with wages like these. If room and board are included, maybe...

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Just because you had a good experience does not mean I did not have a bad one! Read some reviews other than mine.

All I can say is that if they are only paying $7,000. a month for a doctor, they can't be attracting very qualified ones! I am not sure what type of doctor only makes $84,000. a year before taxes, but none that I have ever known. The doctor I spoke with, told me he was on holidays working on the ship for two weeks. I guess he was lying too. I understand that when they can't get permanent doctors for all of their ships, they have no choice but to resort to doctors who are willing to go on a cruise for their holidays. I have the injury for the rest of my life....not exactly "a grain of salt".

We have met many doctors on board and had lunch with some of them......they are ship officers and some are from countries like South Africa......very professional. They do not have two week tours for their officers.

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I was on the diamond in Dec05/jan 06 and required a small operation on my foot on board (The choiuce was either on board with no anaesthetic or in a hospital in Vietnam - guess which I chose)

The 2 Doctors were South African , very professional, very experienced. Senior Dr was superb.

The op itself went well (they pumped me full of morphine and then rohypnol (to forget what happened to me)) was a 15 min procedure and a 1 hr stay in a ward(a debridement)

The facilities on board are exceptional too - 8 ward full hospital. Digitla X rays etc etc.

However the nurses and med staff other than the doctors were the most dreadful I have ever seen , they were rude , uncoperative and remind me of nurses from hell

Elderly sick ppl were treated like dirt scraped off your shoe , waits in the order of 2-4 hours , no info as to whether you would be seen and when, waiting an hour or more for a prescription to be filled (and the ppl that filled em werent busy) , being ordered around as tho the patients were annoying children. Seeing the DR on board was a whole day experience and was aggravating in the extreme , the clinic hours were way too limited.

 

I got pretty good treatment but it was a serious rip off cost wise , my med insurance did pay part , but at the end of it all , the total costs were like $4000 for a 15 min procedure and 4-5 visits and some antibiotics apart from the further costs incurred when I got home for a 2nd more serious op cos the 1st one hadnt worked that well (not the shipboards Dr's fault)

One piece of advice - take every drug you think you will need with you.

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We have met many doctors on board and had lunch with some of them......they are ship officers and some are from countries like South Africa......very professional. They do not have two week tours for their officers.

 

I do know that they get free room and board. Also, they are usually European, therefore, the money they make on board the ship is not that bad compared to what they would make when working in a Country with socialized medicine.

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Several posters have commented that Princess' doctors are employees (and ship's officers), as opposed to "vacationing medicos on a free trip". I beleive that is correct.

 

Several years ago, Cruise Travel magazine had an article on ships' doctors, and as I recall, the medical staff on Princess received very high ratings.

 

My wife had to visit the Infirmary once on the late great Royal Princess, and was treated quickly and efficiently. The bill was not cheap - but our insurance covered most of it.

 

I do believe that Marilyn's negative post is incorrect.

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I do know that they get free room and board. Also, they are usually European, therefore, the money they make on board the ship is not that bad compared to what they would make when working in a Country with socialized medicine.

 

I can't speak for other part of Europe, but our doctors in the UK are fairly well paid. A GP can expect to earn as much as £120,000/year on the NHS (http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/nhs-knowledge_base/data/5340.html.) Not millions, but not exactly peanuts, either.

 

I think some of the appeal is being on a cruise ship, and having a different group of patients than one would have in a regular practice.

 

Lisa

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To the OP: you must understand that ship's medical staff are contracted with the line, are officers and may move between ships as their contracts or circumstances demand. Therefore, whoever is the head doc on the Island this week could be different next week.

 

My personal experience with the Princess' medical staff has always been very positive. I was pleasantly surprised two years ago when I was unfortunately diagnosed with asthmatic bronchitis while on board. When I returned home my personal physician confirmed the diagnosis and the treatment course laid out by the ship's Italian doc.

 

I also personally know a member of the nursing staff and I can tell you they are dedicated, highly qualified and very professional you need not be concerned regardless of who is in attendence.

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