What happens if someone needs emergency care while on a cruise?

Most cruise lines have medical personel onboard who are equipped to handle most medical problems which occur at sea. In the event that an emergency occur which is beyond the care of the facilities of the medical staff, helicopters can be sent to the ship and the patient taken to the nearest facility able to care for the patient.

I thought that they threw you to the hungry sharks

There is an infirmary on board all the larger ships, staffed w/ nurses. Often a Doctor's trip is comped if he agrees to be the 'trip doc' [on call].

Helicopters are often called when needed. If it isn't dire, there is an ambulance waiting at the dock, and the ship will pull in early to accommodate the pax.

Sometimes, the ppl even pack up and go home in the middle of the trip, or miss ports due to an appendix operation, etc. Someone usually dies on board every season, because the older ones are adventurous and can afford the trips...

I have been fortunate enough to never be sick on a cruise, but there's always a first time...

There are helipads on most (if not all) cruise ships today. If the expertly trained (and expensive!) on-board health care providers are unable to help you, they will send a helicopter and whisk you away to the nearest town. If this ever happens you will be thinking 'here goes my savings account'. I have four words for you: BUY TRAVEL MEDICAL INSURANCE! We do it every trip and the sense of security is priceless. In the rare case that you do, in fact, need to be cared for on board or transported offship, you will be extremely happy to know it will all be paid for. That $40 purchase will be worth every penny. After so many cruises, we think of it as a part of the cost.

Hope this helps,
Good luck

There will be a nurse on your cruise so dont be scared.

There is a medical team on board and anthing they cannot handle a helicoptor will collect the person and take them to hospital

Medical care on cruise liners is excellent and if the doctors and nurses on board thought that you needed land hospitalization you would be airlifted off the ship to the nearest land hospital

You should not worry. Not only are there capable onbaord medical personel but most large ships have a helipad. I watched on one cruise a person be evacuated from the ship. Excellent job accomplished swiftly and...the ship never slowed down. Very comforting to know the ability was there if you needed.

well i just went on a cruise and most of the time they have doctors and nurses on board for special care

They have a fully equiped medical center. If something comes up that is beyond the scope/ability of the medical center, shipboard doctors have the ability to be in contact with a hospital on land via satellite video in case of extreme emergencies when additional assistance from other doctors/specialist are needed. For instance, the doctors on land will be able to see what the shipboard doctor sees if he's operating on someone.

What the cruiselines don't tell you is that there is a morgue on board. Not good PR.

there is a mini hospital on every cruise ship prepared for everything.
they have to have this

They throw 'em oveboard!!

(I kid, im sorry ;) )

give them the emergency care that's needed, if you know how to give it.

My friend actually recently lost her mom while they were on a Carnival cruise and there was a full EMT crew with nurses and doctors. They called a special code with her room number to alert the EMT that they needed help immediately.

their is an EMT on board and if it is serious they will stop at the nearest island to take them to a hospital

usually there are medical areas onboard. most have a doctors area and a pharmacy. depending on how bad it is you chould be helicoptered out or treated when the ship next docks, usually in a hospital

All cruise ships have some form of medical help and at least one ships doctor.

If it is really serious, there are airlifts or stops in ports.

Depends on if they have an insurance card. Kinda joking but I would believe it!

I had a serious injury while on a shore excursion last year. Fortunately, I was on a tour arranged through the cruise line. The tour guide called an ambulance for me and kept in contact with me while I was in the hospital. She helped me get checked out of the hospital and made arrangements for me to travel to another port of call and rejoin the cruise a few days later. One person in my party had stayed behind to help me while the others continued with the cruise. The tour guide stayed in contact with the ship and relayed my status to my traveling companions. I'm not sure if this is standard service for tour guides or not. Our's may have been extra helpful. She even brought me flowers in the hospital.

One thing I learned: Foreign hospitals do not accept your health insurance. You should purchase international health insurance before you go. Also, the standard of health care in other countries may not be what you are used to. I was fortunate. I received adequate medical care, but the foreign hospital did not have all the comforts of home.

If you have real health concerns, you should check on the healthcare facilities in the areas where you will be traveling. I was in the Caribbean this summer and learned that some of the islands don't even have hospitals.

The ships are equipped to handle medical needs and will helicopter you out if needed BUT you better have travel insurance as this comes with a price! Medical needs on the ship are NOT free!

There's always medical staff on board.

For most cruise lines, there is a full medical facility on-board with at least one doctor. Some larger ships have two doctors and two or three nurses. Pricing for the usage of these facilities, charges are generally based on normal American insurance rates for services. They are generally connected via video to a stateside medical facility such as John Hopkins. (RSSC has an agreement in place to be able to connect to John Hopkins 24 hours a day, see http://www.jhu.edu/~gazette/1999/feb1599/15cruise.htm )

If the ship is within distance of a helicopter, medivac can be used. If the ship is not within such distance, generally passengers are intubated until the ship can reach a port or a safe distance for a helicopter.

Ships sometimes get close to land and transfer the passenger to speed boat in order to be taken to land and then transfered to a hospital.