Ship's Doctor-- how much $$$?

[dj4eyes]

I may need to use the ship's doctor on our cruise, but I'm worried that the cost will make me sick!:eek:

Please share your experinces with what you got charged!

Thanks!

[serene56]

oh jeez.. Its a lot but I cant remember. It was posted though that i do remember. And medical insurance will not cover it. Maybe the travel insurance does.

[mrsjoey]

Oct. '03 may husband and I were on the Rhapsody of the Seas. My husband started getting sick the day before we were to leave. I thought it was just allergies and he would be ok in a couple of days. Well he was not. We did go see the ship Dr. they gave him so antibiotics and other meds. Well the cost was around $90 for the vists and meds. They applied it to our sea pass card. Not cheap but, I thought not to bad for seeing a cruise ship Dr. I really thought it would of cost more$$$$$$$. Hope this helps...... Have a great cruise.

[kitty9]

Here's another reason to buy cruise insurance. If you had the insurance all you would need to do is make a claim to get all your money back. Doctors on board ships can be very expensive depending on what they have to do. For simple things it can be under $50, but for more complex things it can run over a hundred dollars.

[cruzincurt]

Travelex is primary insurance. At say $100 for a 7 day cruise, you would soon come out ahead if you had to visit the ship's doctor.

[KreinKrunker]

I saw the ship's doctor on the Ocean Princess a couple of years ago. It came to $95 for the exam and prescription, charged to our ship account. My personal insurance reimbursed 90% and the cruise insurance reimbursed the other 10%. If my insurance, being primary, hadn't paid anything the cruise insurance would have paid it all.

[Bill S]

dj4eyes: it can be expensive! I had 2 visits with the ship's doc on the Amsterdam last year: got an exam, a shot, urine and blood tests and antibiotics and the bill was over $300. Luckily, we had purchased travel insurance (Travel Insured) and they paid the entire bill without any hassle. If you can, get insurance!!!

[JanetMarie]

I don't recall how much it was when I had to see him, but I do know that our insurance covered it, upon arrival back to the states.

[BarbO1999]

We were on the Navigator in Jan. and my daughter fell and required x-rays. The dr visit, xrays, splint and antiinflammatories were 185.00. I did not think to send my billto the insurance company but I think I will. as we have 15 months to bill them.

 

Barbara

[wieslaw]

About a year ago (Dec of 2003) on our cruise to Hawaii from Ensenada, wife and I got sea sick on the very first night. She was a lot worse than I so we needed the help of medical facility. The privately owned medical facility on RCI's LOS was officially open from 9AM to 10AM and again one hour in the afternoon (I think from 3 to 4). Any other time they will gladly see you but there is an extra charge in addition to what they charge during the "normal" bussiness hours. They are available 24/7.

When we got there at 9:00AM there was at least another 10 maybe 15 people ahead of us, all with the same symptoms as wife's. We waited our turn and wife was seen by a doctor just for a minute or so and then got an injection from the nurse. The cost for this was $118.00 which at that time seemed high but we were glad to get the injection....it did help.

Some doctors are more agressive than others in their pricing and even that they got signs informing that they are using Medicare guidelines they can manipulate them and you might be paying different amount for the same service on different ships, or even on the same ship but during the time when a different doctor is working there.......not much different than in your home town. And of course some doctors are better than others but on a ship you get who you get and you must be happy that they have someone to take care of you. And they have to make some money from us to make their stay there worthwhile (I have no idea what they get from the cruise line to take care of the crew).

BTW. My medical insurance reimbursed me for 87 dol and the rest should be covered by Travel Guard (I did not get the money yet from them because they are secondary and I just got the check for the 87).

Wes

[JanetMarie]

DH informed me last night that it was around $100.

[pennstategal]

I got bronchitus (sp?) on Celebrity Century, and I have asthma. I tried the inhaler I already had, did not work, was wheezing a lot. I saw the doctor three times, they hooked me up to the oxygen, put the oxygen thingy on my finger to see how much I was getting, I got two breathing treatments, 2 scripts for pills and one shot. The bill was just over $700!! Good thing I didn't let them do the chest xray they wanted to do!

They charged it to our cabin and we paid upon disembarking. Thank Goodness, my private health insurance paid the entire claim less $10 for a copay!! I had to file an international claim form.

Pennstategal

[kryos]

I may need to use the ship's doctor on our cruise, but I'm worried that the cost will make me sick!:eek:

Please share your experinces with what you got charged!

Thanks!

I believe most travel insurance policies will cover it.

 

I've never used the ship's doctor, but on my recent Zuiderdam cruise, because of added sea days due to Hurricane Francis, we got a "behind the scenes" tour of the ship. One of the last places we visited was the medical facilities. When the ship's medical director greeted us, he jokingly admonished us to stay in the hallway. He said that if we crossed the entrance way to the medical center, it would be considered an $80 "consultation." I would imagine any meds prescribed would be extra.

 

Thank God I'm not prone to seasickness. :)

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[SA Traveler]

We've only used a medical facility on a ship once and that was two years ago on the Radiance of the Seas. DH had to have some IV fluids and the bill was just under $700! Our medical insurance covered all but a $15 copay but we had purchased travel insurance which would have paid had our regular plan not covered it. I would suggest checking with your medical carrier - could be covered.

[mo'vakayplz]

On our March '04 cruise (Zuiderdam) I used the ships doctor. for 2 visits, antibiotic & decongestant (diagnosis Sinus infection), the cost came to $140.

 

We paid & then were completely reimbursed by Travelex...Well worth it in my opinion our personal insurance would not cover me...

 

The doctor & staff were very friendly & nice.

[KMiller]

It's always a good idea whenever you leave the U.S. to call your personal health insurance carrier and see if you would be covered in the countries you are visiting. Some will, some won't. If you have Medicare, they will not cover expenses incurred outside the good 'ole US of A. We always purchase a travel insurance policy, but have never had to use it. Let's hope it's a moot point and won't be an issue! Happy Cruising.

[Lenora1426]

My son was stung by a jellyfish in Labadee, and we went to the ship's doctor on the Voyager. We were charged $330.00 for a shot of cortisone and 5 tablets of Benedryl (sp?). Luckily I had travel insurance and was reimbursed the full amount. My personal medical coverage wouldn't cover it. :eek:

[Irishjayne]

I work for 7 Physicians. A 15 minute appoitment is $100.00 just for the visit. No prescriptions. It is all realitive if you are sick.

[marinersfan]

I fell on a Royal Caribbean Cruise and had to have two stitches and it cost me $400. I agree that it definitely pays to have travel insurance.

[SHayesShip]

I was on the Monarch OTS Jan/04 and got ill in the morning and was seriously ill all day (won't go into details) and finally at 4pm could not handle it anymore. Went to infirmary. They admitted me immediately. After IV glucose drips, morphine, stomach medications, blood samples etc etc I stabilized at about 10pm. Around 1 AM I was able to go back to my stateroom by wheelchair. The next day we were leaving the ship and I was told to go straight to my doctor. The bill was $1,017. In the long run I was fortuanate in that I was diagnosed by my doctor as a borderline diabetic (unknown to me)and was dehydrated. My insurance company refunded everything but $30 about 60 days later. This was my co-pay for an emergency situation.

 

Steve Hayes

 

I may need to use the ship's doctor on our cruise, but I'm worried that the cost will make me sick!:eek:

Please share your experinces with what you got charged!

Thanks!

[sunshine95030]

With this year's crazy flu shot shortage, I'm wondering if our Princess ship will have Tamiflu if we start to feel a flu coming on. I'm a little concerned that I'll miss the flu shot this year along with tons of other people-all on a ship-does anyone worry about this or am I just paranoid? Has anyone taken Tamiflu prophylactically yet? I understand this is done...Thanks!