Is the SA/Antartica venue inadvisable for 87 year old, not-so-healthy parents?

[PattyB]

We are a family that has been taking yearly cruises for 30 years. Parents are now in their upper 80's and we are booked on an 18 night cruise from Buenos Aires to Port Stanley, cruising Antartica, through Cape Horn, Ushuaia, Punta Arenas, Puerto Madryn, Punta Del Este, Montevideo and back to Buenos Aires. Fabulous, but as I look at shore excursion I think "what in the heck are we doing?" Yes, they have medical issues -- high blood pressure/on cumiden/bad backs/bad knees/can't walk/stand for very long. The flight to BA alone is beginning to scare me. Those of you who have done this venue, please give me some advice. Thanks, Patty

[Bill S]

You're probably in the best position to decide on the wisdom of such a trip. However, having done a similar cruise a few years ago and having gotten ill on-board, I will share my thoughts and observations.

First, it is a long flight from the US to Argentina. We flew to Santiago from DFW and it was about 10 hours long. Although we only sustained a 3-hour time zone change, it was a tireing flight.

You should consider the "sea days" segments of the cruise and ask the "what if" questions. Even if a medical situation were to arise at or near one of the ports of call, are you or other members of your family prepared to deal with a medical situation that requires either of your parents to be med-evac'd or put off the ship. Do your parents have travel insurance policies in place which include medical and med-evac coverage?

The ships have limited medical facilities and the services they can provide are very expensive. I had two visits to the dispensary, which included blood and urine tests and they gave me a 10-day supply of Cipro. Our bill was $550! Luckily, I had travel insurance which reimbursed us in full. It turned out that I had appendicitis, even though the doctor couldn't make a definitive diagnosis and luckily, whether through the antibiotics or otherwise, it became "sealed", only to arise again 6 months later, when my appendix inflamed again and burst. My surgeon said I was very lucky in both instances.

 

With respect to the ports we visited, our ship docked at Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Ushuaia and Punta Arenas. I have read postings here that some times ships have tendered in at Punta Arenas. Port Stanley is a tender port. We visited Punta del Este, but it was an excursion from Montevideo and we did not visit Puerto Madryn. Some of the excursions that we took would definitely be a challenge for the infirm.

It is a long journey and a cruise of a lifetime for many people. You know your parents and their medical status. I think it is good that you are at least weighing the pros and cons. I hope that others will chime in and provide their opinions and experiences for you to consider.

[2552phxcrzr]

Might I suggest you read the following thread on the Antarctica Board.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=685473

 

One of the posts talks about how the ship had to stay around a specific area in the Antarctic for a couple of days because it was the only place from which a medevac could be done (the poster indicates there was a medical emergency).

 

Granted this ship had other problems as well - like losing power and hitting an iceberg, and damaging lifeboats (this is not the ship that sank) - but it points out the difficulties of traveling in Antarctic problems, especially when you have medical problems.

 

You do mention they have mobility problems with not being able to walk/stand for long. The waters in those areas (Drake Passage/Cape Horn) can be very rough - which increases the risk of moving around the ship.

 

As wonderful as the itinerary is (and we'd go back to the Antarctic in a heartbeat), I'd think twice about it if I had the type of medical problems you mention your parents have.

[greatam]

The flight to BA alone is beginning to scare me. Those of you who have done this venue, please give me some advice. Thanks, Patty

 

Two ideas to make the flight MUCH easier. Make your connecting flight out of MIA (Miami). Less than 9 hours to BA. And if you book the flights correctly, you can fly to MIA (you didn't state your origination airport), SPEND the night in MIA, then fly to BA the following day. As long as you pick a flight to BA that leaves within 24 hours of arriving in MIA, you will not have to pay extra charges for a "stopover".

 

DFW, Atlanta, IAD and ORD (major connecting points for BA flights) all have flights to BA AT LEAST 10 hours, most longer. And that doesn't count the time in the air and at the airport (layover) from your home airport to the connecting airport.

 

One other option to break up the trip via Mexicana or Copa airlines. If you book the right flights, both have an overnight in either Mexico City or Panama City.

 

It will take some work to put the flights together. You MAY have to buy two sets of tickets-one from your home to a "gateway airport"-MIA/LAX or San Diego being the easiest. Then Mexicana or Copa RT to BA. But you get a nice break in Mexico City. It will cost you a hotel, but MAY make the trip easier. My help is freely offered if you are thinking along these lines.

 

Another helpful hint-IF you live on the West Coast-it is often MUCH cheaper to fly from your home airport to San Diego, cross the border, and fly Mexicana/LAN/Aero Mexico out of Tijuana to points in South America. Friends just did this out of Lima (they live in Arizona and drove to San Diego). Saved over $250.00 per person even figuring in the cost of gas and a hotel.

[PattyB]

Thank all of you for your information. I had not been to the Antarctica Port of Call section -- that was a very sobering story about the medicvac. I appreciate all your comments. This Board is really a helpful venue. Patty

[Hebe]

Patty

 

Anything can be done if you want to. It sounds like you will be traveling with them. I would suggest renting wheelchairs to take with you which will help with the touring the area. We had a wheelchair and South America is doable. You may want to go to the Disable Cruise area of the boards. There are some good post able what can be done in South America with limited mobility.

 

As far as traveling with health issues -- talk with their doctor and let him be frank. I think most cruises we have been on have had some type of medical issue. Some were helicopter pickup -- some were ambulance that met us at the port. Important thing is know their limitation - and work with them. A heath issue can happen anytime -- even when they are sitting at home.

[nna]

we cruised this area and were surprised how remote everything was--you would go for hours with nothing to see --it was a long ways from anywhere.

 

I wouldn't do it unless your health was good and you were fairly mobile. the flights were very very draining.

[2552phxcrzr]

Quote: "I think most cruises we have been on have had some type of medical issue. Some were helicopter pickup -- some were ambulance that met us at the port."

 

True that most cruises have a medical issue of some sort or another, and in most places help can come relatively quickly; but when you cruise Antarctic waters, getting that helicopter pick up or ambulance is far more difficult and cannot be relied upon with any degree of certainty.

[donaldsc]

There is another thing to consider - what are the odds that one of them will have a medical emergency on the trip. If they do, the ship will have to divert or stay around until they can be evacuated. Is this fair to the rest of the people on the trip whose Anarctica cruise will not be what they paid for?

 

DON