Bad Show Royal Caribbean International

[TOMANDUNA]

BAD SHOW ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL

THE FOLLOWING APPEARED IN THE SCOTTISH DAILY RECORD TODAY

Dad saves Scots girl saved from cruise ship pool horror - then gets hit with bill

 

Oct 31 2008 By Mark McGivern

A GIRL of seven was saved from drowning on a luxury cruise liner by a hero holidaymaker.

Christina Zecchino was spotted face down on the bottom of a swimming pool.

But when her relieved dad tried to join her at hospital, he was forced to pay for treatment she received on the ship.

Christina, of Glasgow, had been playing in one of the many swimming pools on the Independence of the Seas as it was moored off Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands.

Her mum Val, 34, said: "We suddenly became aware of another holidaymaker making his way to the pool. He came out holding Christina in his arms and we ran over."

By this stage, Christina had stopped breathing and her lips had turned blue.

Quick-thinking Ray Galligan, of Leicester, then began giving their daughter CPR and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Val said: "He was incredible and he's our hero. We will be indebted to him all our lives."

Ray, 45, said: "It's a happy ending but it might not have been. There were others in the pool but no one else noticed.

"She was at the bottom, lying face down. When I jumped in, I expected her to flinch but there was nothing. It was very scary."

Christina was rushed to hospital on the island after having first aid treatment from the ship's medical staff.

But when dad Dino, 37, a cafe owner, tried to join Val at her bedside, staff from the ship presented him with a bill for $717 - more than £400.

Yesterday, Dino blasted American operators Royal Caribbean, one of the world's biggest cruise groups.

He said: "The doctor was more interested in paperwork than taking care of our daughter."

He added: "They weren't going to let me leave the ship until I paid up, so I didn't have much choice."

The couple were later refunded the bill, above, but were left in shock at the way they were treated.

Christina was kept in an intensive care ward for 24 hours then kept in for observation for another day.

They rejoined the ship in Lisbon, where Christina tried and failed to persuade mum to let her go back to the pool.

No one from Royal Caribbean was available for comment last night.

[GMoney]

I'm not sure I understand the big deal. If this happened in a hotel pool, and the girl was taken to a hospital, there'd be a bill to pay.

 

If they were treated poorly, that's wrong for sure.

[Gonzo70]

I'm not sure I understand the big deal. If this happened in a hotel pool, and the girl was taken to a hospital, there'd be a bill to pay.

 

If they were treated poorly, that's wrong for sure.

 

I think the problem was the timing of presenting the bill; in that situation (if it occurred the way it was reported) it was reprehensible that they would block the father from leaving the ship to be with his daugther until a bill was paid. If it occurred that day Royal Caribbean's behavior in this case was inexcusable.

[AllieInMD]

Agreed. Even if they insisted *someone* stay and pay - appears the mother was on the ship still/also. And - all their stuff.

 

I think the problem was the timing of presenting the bill; in that situation (if it occurred the way it was reported) it was reprehensible that they would block the father from leaving the ship to be with his daugther until a bill was paid. If it occurred that day Royal Caribbean's behavior in this case was inexcusable.

[Merion_Mom]

This is a very incomplete account. Much has been left out. I reserve judgment until I can read more and better sources.

[NorbertsNiece]

What a horrible experience..... I mean the drowning.... trying hard not to comment on the 7 year old being spotted by a stranger as opposed to the parents watchful eye.....

They subsequently rejoined the ship so that says something about how they felt about how they were treated at the time.

Not sure how I feel about them being billed on the spot... think I would need to know how 'first aid' constitutes that amount.... seems to me that radical treatment would have been instituted if indeed she had stopped breathing. I am aware that procedures in the US vary hugely from the UK and as a habitual traveller I was alerted many years ago of the need to carry adequate insurance.

[Barbee524]

OK you can all rip me to bits but my question is; why wern't her parents watching her in the pool? IMHO a seven year old should not be left unattended in any body of water.

 

Thank goodness she is alright due to the quick thinking of another passenger. Also I think $717.00 is pretty darn cheap for a childs life.

[AllieInMD]

It's not clear if she was revived by the bystander or if it was later by the ship's medical crew. If she wasn't breathing by the time the crew got there, that's danged cheap for a resusitation. And I'm sure they started observation/treatment for 'secondary drowning'.

 

Not too long ago there was a young boy that had a near drowning experience, and later died of 'secondary drowning' in his sleep.

 

 

What a horrible experience..... I mean the drowning.... trying hard not to comment on the 7 year old being spotted by a stranger as opposed to the parents watchful eye.....

 

They subsequently rejoined the ship so that says something about how they felt about how they were treated at the time.

 

Not sure how I feel about them being billed on the spot... think I would need to know how 'first aid' constitutes that amount.... seems to me that radical treatment would have been instituted if indeed she had stopped breathing. I am aware that procedures in the US vary hugely from the UK and as a habitual traveller I was alerted many years ago of the need to carry adequate insurance.

[Darkwolfe]

This is a very incomplete account. Much has been left out. I reserve judgment until I can read more and better sources.

 

Good Idea, I think I will join you in that.

[aurelius180]

I think the problem was the timing of presenting the bill; in that situation (if it occurred the way it was reported) it was reprehensible that they would block the father from leaving the ship to be with his daugther until a bill was paid. If it occurred that day Royal Caribbean's behavior in this case was inexcusable.

 

 

Agreed if this is the case. Unfortunately we don't have the whole story though. They may very well have just been upset at being billed. The timing in the story is a little vague.

[BrainChemicals]

Is the Scottish Daily Record and Sunday Mail a reputable media source, or are they along the lines of the Enquirer here in the US?

[AllieInMD]

Wondered same myself.

 

Didn't see any "Aliens ate my baby" stories though.........

 

Is the Scottish Daily Record and Sunday Mail a reputable media source, or are they along the lines of the Enquirer here in the US?

[madforcruising]

This is a very incomplete account. Much has been left out. I reserve judgment until I can read more and better sources.

 

 

I´ll join you there.

[mark290]

OK you can all rip me to bits but my question is; why wern't her parents watching her in the pool? IMHO a seven year old should not be left unattended in any body of water.

 

Thank goodness she is alright due to the quick thinking of another passenger. Also I think $717.00 is pretty darn cheap for a childs life.

 

OK

 

What an idiotic statement. At what point did the cruise line say,

$717 for your childs life ? If that is cheap what do you think the proper

price is ?

[Ocean Boy]

OK you can all rip me to bits but my question is; why wern't her parents watching her in the pool? IMHO a seven year old should not be left unattended in any body of water.

 

Thank goodness she is alright due to the quick thinking of another passenger. Also I think $717.00 is pretty darn cheap for a childs life.

 

I was thinking the exact same thing. Leaving a 7 year old left unsupervised in a pool is pretty close to pathetic.

 

The rest of the story doesn't make that much sense to me. RCI already has a credit card number attached to their seapass account. Billing should not have been a big issue. The incident didn't seem to sour things enough to keep the family from re-joining the cruise.

[Ocean Boy]

OK

 

What an idiotic statement. At what point did the cruise line say,

$717 for your childs life ? If that is cheap what do you think the proper

price is ?

 

Any idea what the bill would have been in a hospital emergency room?? Comparatively, $717 is a drop in the bucket. I think that was the posters point.

[uksimonusa]

BAD SHOW ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL

THE FOLLOWING APPEARED IN THE SCOTTISH DAILY RECORD TODAY

 

Dad saves Scots girl saved from cruise ship pool horror - then gets hit with bill

 

Oct 31 2008 By Mark McGivern

A GIRL of seven was saved from drowning on a luxury cruise liner by a hero holidaymaker.

Christina Zecchino was spotted face down on the bottom of a swimming pool.

But when her relieved dad tried to join her at hospital, he was forced to pay for treatment she received on the ship.

Christina, of Glasgow, had been playing in one of the many swimming pools on the Independence of the Seas as it was moored off Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands.

Her mum Val, 34, said: "We suddenly became aware of another holidaymaker making his way to the pool. He came out holding Christina in his arms and we ran over."

By this stage, Christina had stopped breathing and her lips had turned blue.

Quick-thinking Ray Galligan, of Leicester, then began giving their daughter CPR and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Val said: "He was incredible and he's our hero. We will be indebted to him all our lives."

Ray, 45, said: "It's a happy ending but it might not have been. There were others in the pool but no one else noticed.

"She was at the bottom, lying face down. When I jumped in, I expected her to flinch but there was nothing. It was very scary."

Christina was rushed to hospital on the island after having first aid treatment from the ship's medical staff.

But when dad Dino, 37, a cafe owner, tried to join Val at her bedside, staff from the ship presented him with a bill for $717 - more than £400. Insensitive on RCI's part, but with a chance that the family would stay on the island and not return to the ship, I suppose a bill had to be presented at some point, but could have been done in a more sensitive way.

Yesterday, Dino blasted American operators Royal Caribbean, one of the world's biggest cruise groups.

He said: "The doctor was more interested in paperwork than taking care of our daughter." From reading the story, this would be the doctor at the hospital, nothing to do with RCI

He added: "They weren't going to let me leave the ship until I paid up, so I didn't have much choice." They wont let you leave the ship until you pay your bar bill either.

The couple were later refunded the bill, above, but were left in shock at the way they were treated.

Christina was kept in an intensive care ward for 24 hours then kept in for observation for another day.

They rejoined the ship in Lisbon, where Christina tried and failed to persuade mum to let her go back to the pool.

No one from Royal Caribbean was available for comment last night.

 

As noted above and pointed out by other posters, the family could not have been to upset about the situation, they did rejoin the ship in the next port.

[BrainChemicals]

Cruise Insurance, 'nuf said!

[AllieInMD]

That has nothing to do with it. You still have to pay any medical bill at the time - insurance will reimburse you if covered.

 

Cruise Insurance, 'nuf said!

[BrainChemicals]

That has nothing to do with it. You still have to pay any medical bill at the time - insurance will reimburse you if covered.

I know that. I myself would certainly find it comforting knowing that I was going to be reimbursed for the outlay than complain to the media.

[sea-cruise]

I'll join those who asked the most logical question of all....Why weren't either of the little girl's parents watching her?

"Dino" was quoted as blasting Royal Caribbean. Why is he not blasting himself and his wife as well? :confused:

[xpcdoojk]

OK

 

What an idiotic statement. At what point did the cruise line say,

$717 for your childs life ? If that is cheap what do you think the proper

price is ?

 

Yep, yours sure is, again.:rolleyes:

 

jc

[bajathree]

As noted above and pointed out by other posters, the family could not have been to upset about the situation, they did rejoin the ship in the next port.

 

 

EXACTLY

[luvscruising2007]

I am not sure I really understand why he would have to pay right away. Isn't that why alot of us use a credit card to back up our SeaPass card? Seems to me that that would all he would have had to do to get off the ship. When we went to the ship infirmary, they got that information immediately just like any doctor's office or emergency room.

Poor treatment is a subjective thing as well. What he thinks is poor treatment may not be what I think is poor treatment.

I agree with several other posters, we don't have all of the information.

[wrp96]

Definitely more to this story than is being told.

 

When you visit the infirmary, you do have to agree to pay all the charges (and then submit them later to your insurance if you have it). But they aren't paid right then - the charges go on your seapass bill. In an emergency, they see you first then ask you to sign the paperwork before leaving the infirmary. In a non-emergency situation, they won't let you see the doctor without agreeing to payment first (just like at my doctor's office).

 

Most likely what happened is that someone in their party was asked to complete the paperwork before leaving the ship - which would include the info about payment - and they misread that as being "forced" to pay before leaving the ship. Just guessing, but I imagine the doctor onboard the ship had no idea if or when they would be getting back to the ship so to let them leave without getting the basic info for their records (or a signature agreeing to payment) would not have been a good idea.