Nightmare Cruise To The Bahamas! Medicare Won't Cover Health Emergency A US couple found out that Medicare will not cover any of their emergency medical bills in the Bahamas after one of the travellers became ill on a dream cruise. The couple had been gifted a cruise from friends when on the first day at sea a medical emergency forced them all to leave the ship in Nassau where the nightmare began. The hospital told the couple that they would need a $2000 cash deposit before a doctor would look at the patient since they only had Medicare coverage in the US. There is no coverage for a US citizen outside of the USA. The cash was raised that day, but the emergency surgery plus the cost of accomodations during the holidays and the fact that neither individual has a US Passport has complicated the situation. A one way flight back to the US will also be needed and so a crowd funding campaign has been started back home. This begs the question, should cruise lines make it mandatory that all passengers have travel and health coverage before they are allowed onto a cruise ship? Should the cruise lines just build in the coverage into their ticket price and give a cabin credit to those who do have their own coverage?
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Hi Bruce i think it should be mandatory you have health insurance and travel insurance
Oh wow, what a nice gift that turned into a nightmare for them.
In my opinion proof of travel or medical insurance should not be a requirement. If you visit the infirmary on Royal Caribbean’s ships, they don’t accept insurance anyway so seems like it would be a pointless requirement.
Alanna Zingano agreed. The cruise lines need to make sure passengers have the required citizenship documentation, beyond that it’s not their problem or their business what insurance coverage I buy.
We filed a insurance claim once we got home .. we sent the insurance the proof of payment we received from the ship.. the insurance paid us..
Carried travel insurance for years and bought it directly from Allianz by the year. Travelled a lot for work. Always concerned it covered by my med ins and made sure we are protected. Even now on medicare. Repatriation is covered too. Cost for two per year is $465.00. Saves a ton. Allianz supplies most travel company’s policies anyway. Save money and protect yourself worldwide.
HI thenailerman! Please join me live anytime Monday to Friday at 5pm et and Saturdays at 2pm et. My cruise ship lovers and I talk cruise ships and cruise lines 6 days a week. Regards, Bruce
I don’t think it should be the cruise line’s responsibility to make sure their passengers have taken every precaution to be protected when they sail. Cruise lines have enough with which to worry. Travel and medical protection are essential when travelling. Don’t leave home with out it. Don’t want to cover yourself properly? Fine… stay home.
Not mandatory but you take the risk if you don’t have it. Travel insurance is not that expensive. Talk about a nightmare experience
Hi Naomie! Please join me live anytime Monday to Friday at 5pm et and Saturdays at 2pm et. My cruise ship lovers and I talk cruise ships and cruise lines 6 days a week. Regards, Bruce
That’s a really crazy, crazy question, it’s ridiculous.
It should not be mandatory but it is worth it. Anyone who has no medical coverage while on cruise or any other vacation is not smart.
I don’t think it should be mandatory, you take your chances if you want it or not. But I bet the cruise lines could build it into the cost of a cruise for a small amount
They actually offer it as part of the cruise cost for an additional charge. A lot of folks gamble to save the $$$
No they shouldn’t. The moment they do the cost will skyrocket. They should however make sure everyone has their travel documents even if they don’t plan on leaving the ship.
Idk if it should be mandatory but for that reason I make sure to have it for myself. I don’t think I agree with forcing others to get it though. Should be up to the cruiser whether or not they wanna take the risk
Hi Traveler86 Love! Please join me live anytime Monday to Friday at 5pm et and Saturdays at 2pm et. My cruise ship lovers and I talk cruise ships and cruise lines 6 days a week. Regards, Bruce
Seems to me the same question was asked with the introduction of the Affordable Care Act.
Should be up to the customer..
The customer needs to know what happens if you dont have insurance
HI Richard! Please join me live anytime Monday to Friday at 5pm et and Saturdays at 2pm et. My cruise ship lovers and I talk cruise ships and cruise lines 6 days a week. Regards, Bruce
Pick up noro from the staff.
Yet should not be mandatory to have medical insurance to cruise but it should be mandatory to have a passport. This couple has now compounded their problems. Several years ago when the Triumph caught fire they could have gotten those passengers off a lot earlier in Mexico but not everyone had a passport so they had to spend unnecessary additional days on a non functioning ship so they could bring it back to a US port. This is a terrible situation for this couple and I am sure they are stressing out as to what they need to do to get home. Prayers to them and their family.
Hi Charlotte! Please join me live anytime Monday to Friday at 5pm et and Saturdays at 2pm et. My cruise ship lovers and I talk cruise ships and cruise lines 6 days a week. Regards, Bruce
The filthy Bahamian government/hospital refused them medical treatment until they coughed up $2000.00. WOW! Absolutely unconscionable! Where is the outrage from the people? If we had denied treatment to someone in the US that was indigent or with no insurance EVERYONE would be SCREAMING how mean and evil the USA was for doing this. Why is no one screaming about this? Seriously, WHY?
It’s called a double standard. It’s okay for one to do this but not for another. How convenient and hypocritical. Very troubling and SAD!
I’ll tell you why the cruise lines will never include insurance at a very reasonable rate within the fare is because, they can charge an extra fee, a much inflated fee. The cruise lines are NOT worried about you or your safety, nor have they ever been. It’s all about money and profits to their bottom line. Our safety and LIFE are expendable to the cruise lines.
Case in point, Costa Concordia (Carnival Corporation, Inc.) The Captain and crew were some of the first people off the vessel. They had no intention of helping the elderly, handicapped or children safely off the ship even though it was only a stones throw from the shore. To be fair, I guess their motto was, …..save yourself first and to hell with everyone else.
Yet, another case in point. The same thing happened to a cruise ship off the coast of South Africa a few years ago. All officers and staff abandoned the ship FIRST. Some musicians from one of the band’s that played onboard radio-ed in a S.O.S. call. They were the only ones organizing a evacuation plan with the coast guard. How disgustingly SAD!
This is simply a travel insurance issue, not a cruise ship issue. It really has nothing to do with cruising itself.
Hi Pascale! Please join me live anytime Monday to Friday at 5pm et and Saturdays at 2pm et. My cruise ship lovers and I talk cruise ships and cruise lines 6 days a week. Regards, Bruce
I always take out travel insurance when going on a cruise. Most insurances including Medicare does not cover you when traveling out of the USA Even going to the ships doctor is covered by insurance that you can buy from a travel agency or most cruise lines. Don’t be cheap be safe and take out travel insurance. I always do. Some credit card companies give out free travel insurance when booking your trip with their credit card but it is usually a minimal amount and doesn’t cover much.
Hi Melvin! Please join me live anytime Monday to Friday at 5pm et and Saturdays at 2pm et. My cruise ship lovers and I talk cruise ships and cruise lines 6 days a week. Regards, Bruce
No… personal responsibility… or don’t go.
Hi CNYsmile! Please join me live anytime Monday to Friday at 5pm et and Saturdays at 2pm et. My cruise ship lovers and I talk cruise ships and cruise lines 6 days a week. Regards, Bruce
It’s amazing how money trumps human health (pun intended).
Hi Eric! Please join me live anytime Monday to Friday at 5pm et and Saturdays at 2pm et. My cruise ship lovers and I talk cruise ships and cruise lines 6 days a week. Regards, Bruce
Travelling with Bruce I definitely plan to soon. I just work a tough schedule to make it. But I will soon! Seems like fun!