Medical Insights Before You Sail:
All cruise ships have medical services onboard. Should you become ill while on your cruise ship you should seek medical attention onboard. Upon returning home you should then see your local health care provider. It is suggested that ill persons should limit their contact with other passengers on board as much as possible to reduce further spread of disease. All infectious diseases of public health significance are reported by the ship to state or federal health officials.
There are measures to prevent the spread of infectious diseases on cruise ships that include the frequency of hand washing and obtaining any required immunizations prior to your cruise. You may find additional information on CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program at http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/default.htm

Those planning a cruise, especially those 65 and older with acute or chronic illnesses or pregnant women should consult with their health care provider prior to the cruise for advice and possible preventive medication.

Onboard Medical Centers:
Cruise ships may not be able to offer the same modern medical facilities as a major university center or hospital, however with small facilities they are able to bring consistent care to all passengers. Shipboard infirmaries on the major cruise line ships are compliant with ACEP's guidelines for treating; evaluating and providing emergency medical care for all cruise guests and crew, including medical evacuation of patients when needed.

Guidelines vary slightly from ship to ship. Physicians are all english speaking with current medical licensing, previous years of post-medical school clinical practice, board certified in emergency room medicine, and family/general practice or internal medicine. Most doctors have completed their training in North America or the United Kingdom.

You will find a medical staff on call 24-hours a day as well as an examination and treatment area, wheelchair access and emergency equipment including defibrillators, cardiac monitors, electrocardiograph, infusion pump and many other needed equipment. Large mega ships have medical staffs that consist of 2 doctors and 3 nurses. New Princess ships now offer a new innovative technology that enables the ship's doctors to host live video & voice via satellite to hospitals/clinics on land with specialists who can assist the medical team with expert advice.

The average price for a ship hospital visit is approximately $50. There are additional charges for treatment.

Pre-existing Medical Conditions:
Those passengers with pre-existing medical conditions should consult with their health care provider prior to taking a cruise. Please be sure to advise the cruise line if you have a medical condition that may require treatment during your cruise. It is important that the cruise line knows of any medical problems or disabilities. Those passengers who are in their 3rd trimester of pregnancy may not be able to travel. Please consult your cruise line for details.

Onboard Sanitation:
Ships are graded from 0-100 by sanitation inspectors. A score of 86 is needed to pass. Failure to pass indicates that the ship has not met accepted standards of sanitation and will require attention for correction. Weekly sanitation self-inspections are generally conducted by senior officers. For more information see
www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/default.htm

Healthy Hints - A Healthy Checklist:

• Before-
  • Know your allergies.
  • Know your blood type.
  • Get all necessary vaccinations
  • Fill prescriptions/take a record of medications.
  • Take with you a personal medical history.
  • Take your health insurance company’s name, phone number & policy number.
  • Take your trip Insurance contact information.
  • Take the contact information in case of emergency.

• During (while in port)-
  • Drink bottled water and carbonated soft drinks.
  • Order drinks without ice.
  • Clean the top of cans before you drink from them

For More Information:
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer a very informative travel Information web site. www.cdc.gov/travel/ offers updated information diseases, vaccine requirements and guidelines for travel to areas that have suffered recent natural disasters .

Insure Your Investment & Protect Your Health:
Wherever your travels may take you, it is important to protect both yourself and your investment. Purchasing an insurance policy is a great way to safeguard against the unexpected and enjoy a worry free cruise. We proudly recommend the following insurance carriers:

Travelex at www.travelex-insurance.com
TravelGuard at www.travelguard.com
AccessAmerica at www.accessamerica.com