Two Royal Caribbean ships needed to have a passenger evacuated off the cruise ship for medical causes.
The US Coast Guard rescued a person experiencing extreme stomach ache from Grandeur of the Seas shortly after the ship started a cruise.
Grandeur of the Seas is Royal Caribbean’s oldest cruise ship, and he or she had departed from Fort Lauderdale to make her solution to the Southern Caribbean for a 9-night voyage.
The US Coast Guard Southeast was referred to as in when the two,440 passenger cruise ship was 40 miles off shore, southeast of Miami.
#Breaking A @USCG Air Station #Miami rescue crew medevaced a 56-year-old male from a cruise ship, 40 miles southeast of Miami, Sat.
The aircrew transported the person, who suffered extreme stomach ache to Jackson Memorial Hospital in secure situation. #SAR pic.twitter.com/vhey8HT4hm
#Breaking A @USCG Air Station #Miami rescue crew medevaced a 56-year-old male from a cruise ship, 40 miles southeast of Miami, Sat.
The aircrew transported the person, who suffered extreme stomach ache to Jackson Memorial Hospital in secure situation. #SAR pic.twitter.com/vhey8HT4hm
— USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) December 14, 2024
A publish on X/Twitter confirmed the rescue efforts after the person was airlifted off the ship.
Whereas medical emergencies could also be the very last thing cruise-goers need to contemplate when planning their holidays, the video affords a glimpse into the emergency rescue procedures adopted throughout life-or-death emergencies at sea.
In keeping with the Coast Guard, the person was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami in secure situation.
Grandeur of the Seas then resumed her crusing, heading to Labadee, Haiti.
One other rescue on Radiance of the Seas
On the identical day, one other Coast Guard unit was requested for help on Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas.
Radiance was crusing from Tampa, Florida and had additionally simply begun a cruise. Radiance is crusing a 7-night Western Caribbean cruise.
The Coast Guard was alerted when the two,466 passenger ship was 13 miles west of Anna Maria Island.
The reported concern concerned taking a feminine passenger off the ship, accompanied by her mom & father.
This time, a Coast Guard vessel was dispatched as a substitute of a helicopter.
In a tweet, the Coast Guard stated, “The feminine required increased stage care and was transferred to awaiting EMS at Station Cortez.”
Following the evacuation, the Royal Caribbean ship resumed her crusing in the direction of the Western Caribbean.
Medical evacuations occur extra typically than you suppose
Posts from the US Coast Guard spotlight the necessary work they do in instances of emergencies, and it is a good reminder that well being points can come up anyplace.
Passengers could possibly be taken from a ship for a number of medical points, comparable to signs of strokes, coronary heart assaults, kidney failure, progressive acute sickness, respiratory failure, pneumonia, and septic shock.
Cruise ships are outfitted with fundamental services to triage any well being points they encounter till such a time the passenger could be taken off the ship to a full medical facility.
Cruise ship medical facilities are in all probability larger than you would possibly suppose, however their perform is to supply mandatory remedies and if a affected person has a extra severe situation, get them off the ship to allow them to obtain the complete vary of remedies they require.
All cruise ships have requirements set by the American Faculty of Emergency Physicians in how sufferers are handled onboard, in addition to expertise ranges, certifications, and abilities of the docs and scientific employees onboard.
Medical employees varies by ship measurement, however Royal Caribbean ships sometimes have not less than 2 docs and 4 nurses onboard.
Medical evacuations are costly
This pair of medevacs are an excellent reminder how necessary journey insurance coverage is for anybody happening a cruise.
Most journey insurance coverage embrace some stage of Medical Evacuation & Repatriation protection.
Whereas the Coast Guard carried out these rescues, typically it may be performed utilizing an air ambulance, a business airline, or different floor transportation autos fitted with medical gear.
In keeping with the CDC, a medical air evacuation can value between $25,000 to greater than $250,000.
Keep in mind, most main medical insurance plans, comparable to Medicare or an employer sponsored plan, don’t present protection outdoors america.
Squaremouth, a journey insurance coverage comparability web site, recommends somebody happening a cruise ship have a journey insurance coverage plan that has not less than $250,000 in emergency Medical Evacuation protection.