Why do Cruise Voyages Need a Travel Medicine Kit

Here’s what to expect if you fall ill at sea.

Cruise lines aren’t hesitant to advertise their high-end facilities, which range from aqua parks to Fine dining chefs. What the advertisements do not convey is that the health services aboard are likely to be a lot less impressive. People receive access to much the same medical treatment on a cruise. But they have on their land, but this is not always the case. Hence carrying your travel medicine kit can be a savior.

In addition, cruise ships provide certain particular health dangers, ranging from illnesses that can spread swiftly in tight proximity to insect-borne infections at ports of call.

Understanding the facts of marine medicine and holding a travel medical kit for any emergency can help prevent your “Love Boat” fantasy excursion from becoming a “Poseidon Adventure” medical tragedy.

Infections spread quickly

A cruise may be precisely what the doctor prescribed to get you over the winter blues. However, it might potentially expose you to dangerous illnesses. Norovirus, sometimes known as the cruise-ship virus because it is so frequent on boats, causes vomiting and diarrhea. Strict cleanliness is essential for controlling this very contagious disease, which is not confined to ships. Hands should be washed after using the restroom and before eating. Although soap and water are preferable, a hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol is acceptable. The good news is that most people recover in a day or two.

Mosquitoes can be irritating

Dengue, Malarial fever, and chikungunya (ChikV), illnesses previously found almost exclusively in Africa and Asia. But this disease have suddenly made their way all over the world, including major cruise-ship destinations. They are capable of causing a high temperature, headaches, and joint discomfort that lasts for approximately a week. To avoid bites, cover yourself as much as possible when on the beach. But you need to avoid wearing tight clothing, dark colors, or perfume. Natural repellents containing 20% picaridin were performed admirably in our testing. Insect repellent medicines also work, although those containing more than 30% insect repellent should be avoided.

Cruise ships are not medical facilities

Many ships have an emergency medicine doctor on board, although not all of them. They are not needed to do so under international marine law; a crew member with medical training suffices. Cruise vacations are being rethought. Medical facilities are more akin to a hospital or walk-in clinic than a “floating” hospital. A ventilator and a piece of tiny X-ray equipment may be available, and the doctor may be able to run simple laboratory tests to verify infection, electrolyte, or glucose levels. However, there is no MRI or CT scanner, no acute care unit, and no blood bank.

You may be helpless in an emergency requiring a travel medicine kit

You could possibly obtain basic care, such as sutures or IV fluids, but for anything major, you’ll almost certainly have to depart at the next port of call—whether you want to or not. It’s up to the ship’s medical staff to make the decision, not you. You’d be treated in a local hospital, and hospitals in more rural places may not have the same medical standards or facilities as those in the cities. And after you’d recovered, you’d have to find another route home. Considering all these kinds of situations, we strongly recommend you carry any necessary travel first aid kit which holds most of the important cruise medicine or which is readily available at the departmental stores.

What if you have a cardiac arrest or have appendicitis far from land? Don’t expect the Coast Guard to fly you out. Flying a helicopter in bad weather may be perilous, and the Coast Guard is not compelled to accept that risk. Even in calm waters, if the ship is 500 miles or more from land, the Coast Guard is unlikely to respond.

The voyage itself may endanger your health

When on a cruise, norovirus and motion sickness aren’t the only health risks to consider. Falls and heart issues are also rather prevalent. According to the CDC, injuries, often caused by slips, trips, or falls, account for 12 to 18 percent of shipboard medical visits. Wet decks, choppy waves, and the occasional beverage might be a recipe for disaster for persons who use a cane, walker, or wheelchair.

According to studies, the biggest risk of sudden cardiac death comes during holidays coupled with overindulgence. A cruise holiday falls into the same category, given the ravishing meals, 24-hour buffets, and enormous amounts of alcohol accessible. While the exact process is unknown, triglyceride levels (kind of fat found in your system) after a heavy meal. It can promote coronary artery inflammation, which is a typical precursor to a heart attack. Excessive food and alcohol consumption can release adrenaline-like compounds, which can result in a deadly irregular cardiac rhythm. The majority of deaths on board ships are caused by heart ailments, and most lines have a dedicated morgue.

You can claim the cruise company, but you will be unsuccessful

Courts have found that a cruise company cannot be held vicariously responsible for a ship’s doctor’s negligence.  That “a cruise ship is not a floating hospital.” Many angry guests are surprised to learn that there is no medical liability for care provided on a ship. The doctor is a private contractor, and he does not believe the cruise line will accept liability.

Travel Insurance

When you go on a cruise, you will spend a significant period of time on the open sea, with no direct access to top-notch medical facilities. While the medical facilities aboard cruise ships are excellent for what they are, they lack the instruments and knowledge required to treat major diseases or injuries.

As a result, the medical personnel will do their utmost to care for them inside their facilities while also making plans to send them to a hospital as soon as they dock. This implies that your care – and costs – will be provided by the hospital at the port. This might be an island or a landlocked city, but it is most likely not close to your house.

Travel medical coverage might help compensate you for expensive medical fees if you are injured or fall unwell while traveling overseas. Keep in mind that certain travel medical policies exclude coverage for activities such as adventure sports and, in some cases, pre-existing diseases. This medical coverage will, for the most part, serve as supplementary insurance to your primary health care and will necessitate the purchase of a separate health insurance plan. However, some plans designed expressly for travel medical coverage do not need you to have a main health insurance plan.

In addition, most comprehensive travel insurance policies include emergency medical evacuation coverage. If the travel insurance company and the attending physician determine that a different medical institution will provide more precise care for your sickness or accident, you will be moved. It will provide you with the assurance that a covered medical occurrence during your travel would not cause you financial difficulty.