Medication on a cruise

[PACruiseBear]

Any thoughts on what to do about medication that needs to be refridgerated on the Mariner? Thanks

[rclcruzer]

Just place it in your mini fridge in your stateroom :D

[superjerryw]

I would not trust medication to the mini-fridge in your cabin. In many cases these fridges keep things cool, but not cold. I have read where passengers have been able to give their medication to the ships medical center where it was kept in a real refrigerator and the passengers could retrieve it whenever they needed it. I have also read of passengers bringing aboard a small ice chest and asking the cabin steward to keep it filled.

[Sheffie]

When I called down to the medical center, they told me they had the same type of refrigerator (really a misnomer IMHO) as I did. My meds don't have to be kept really cold, so I just put them in my frig. I have heard of people asking for a bigger ice bucket, and then placing their meds in the top of these. The room steward will be glad to keep your icebucket full.

[SherriZ366]

I bring a collapsible cooler to ice my foot and ask the cabin steward to keep it filled.

[K1200S]

We bring a truely mini fridge that plugs in to both the car or wall outlet. It keeps things colder then the room unit which may or may not be working when you board. Best to have a backup plan.

[nimbex1970]

A simple solution is a thermometer, brought by you to adjust the fridge. These ships are not held to the jcaho standards of checking infirmary fridge temps every 12 hours, many coming from Panama and what not. Many meds denature, not work right in varying temps. Sorry, but I don't know if I'd trust my meds to an infirmary. Most would beg to differ. I'd simply monitor the temp myself and adjust, not risk freezing my insulin, antibiotics or anything.

 

The rules and regulations of the US, may or may not be in place, to me, it's not worth the cost of a thermometer to worry about it. Me personally would never carry a fridge, but insist upon a proper functioning one, make sure your special needs of a fridge are known upon booking (I can't know what ship has a fridge on what booking level). Hope this helps.

[katiel53]

My husbands meds needs to be refrigerated. We have contacted special needs at RCI and asked them to provide a refrig that keeps things cold. I hate to say that on our last 2 cruises, they didn't do anything other than the regular one in the cabin.

 

Last cruise my husband brought an insulated lunch pack with a freezer pack in it. He put his meds in there and then when we got to the ship he put that in the fridge in our cabin. Of course the freezer pack melted, but we were able to put ice in the lunch pack and kept that in the fridge. His meds stayed cold all week.

 

They also gave us a hard time about having a sharps container. Special needs told me both times one would be provided. The second time one was, but the cabin steward knew nothing about it and had to get approval from his boss to provide one. We have a small sharps container that we could bring, but the first time I talked to special needs, the woman acted like I was a dummy when I asked about providing one. She said well of course if someone needs a cold refrigerator, we would provide a sharps container. Well, guess what?

 

I think your best bet is to contact special needs and then have a backup plan. I know we will again for our upcoming cruise. You can call them at

800-722-5472. I don't know the extension number, but if you ask for special needs you will get transferred. Good luck.

[micro yaya]

Any thoughts on what to do about medication that needs to be refridgerated on the Mariner? Thanks

 

years ago we had to take meds onboard, we had a cooler and our cabin steward kept it filled. as time progressed and there were friges in the room we kept the meds there it worked great. my daughter was on growth harmone $250.00 per shot we brought a weeks worth and never had the first problem hope this helps you out lol kathy

[Eliot]

We were just on the Mariner. Prior to the cruise we requested a mini frig for my husband's insulin. It was not in the cabin when we arrived but we asked the cabin steward to bring it right away and it was there. No prob.