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Can cruise ship doctors prescribe medication?

Doctors on the ship can prescribe medications to be dispensed and taken while on board, and treat serious illness either until passengers improve or as a stopgap measure until a passenger can be brought ashore, depending on the scenario.



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If you've forgotten prescription medications and need a prescription filled, you'll have to visit the medical center to see a nurse or a physician. A cruise ship can't stock all possible medications, so you might need to accept an alternative.

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In general cases, cruise medical centers can prescribe and administer medications, perform minor surgeries and stabilize patients with more serious medical conditions. If your medical condition is treatable on board the ship, you will be given the relevant treatment or condition.

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Pharmacy stocks are available onboard, which means you will be able to get basic medicines. The size of the inventory varies by ship, but staff will be able to provide you with antibiotics, seasickness pills (often complimentary), aspirin and other common medicines.

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Depending on the size of the ship and number of passengers and crew members, each RCG ship has two to three licensed doctors and three to five licensed nurses available to passengers and crew members 24/7. Our doctors do not have NPI numbers, as that is a US-based requirement, instead they use tax IDs.

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How Much Does it Cost to See a Doctor on a Cruise? A medical consultation on a cruise usually costs around $100 (£85) if during medical centre opening hours. This price rises to around $165 (£137) for appointments outside of opening hours and can rise as high as $205 (£170) if a doctor needs to visit a guest's cabin.

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Cruise ship doctors work as independent contractors and may charge a basic hourly fee. There will be additional charges for medications and tests. All must be paid for at the time of service and will be billed to your shipboard spending account.

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Respiratory Illnesses. Respiratory illnesses are the most common medical complaint on cruise ships.

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The short answer: Drink water and go see a doctor. If you experience symptoms of a UTI at sea, respond first by drinking plenty of water. Increasing your urinary flow can slow the progression of a UTI, which is especially important if you do not have immediate access to professional medical care.

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Cruise ships can treat a wide range of illnesses and injuries on board. Some onboard medical facilities look like urgent care centers, while others are more like doctor's offices. Health insurance often does not cover medical care on cruises, but travel insurance might.

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Unfortunately, illness can strike even on a cruise ship - of course, it's a huge bummer when it does. Luckily, all cruise ships have a medical facility onboard to treat a variety of illnesses and conditions.

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Cruise ships are often associated with norovirus because of the enclosed spaces, close living quarters, communal dining and high turnover of passengers, experts note. That said, outbreaks of acute gastrointestinal illnesses are relatively infrequent on cruise ships compared to settings on land, the CDC notes.

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They also collected stool samples from sick people and sent them to the CDC to attempt to identify the cause of the illness. A Princess Cruises' spokeswoman said the illness was likely due to a highly contagious norovirus, sometimes dubbed the “cruise ship virus,” reported CBS News. What do you think?

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Food poisoning. Or maybe it's norovirus, a contagious virus that often keeps you at the toilet for several days. Some people know it as the ?cruise ship virus? because it's often the cause of over 90% of diarrhea outbreaks on cruise ships, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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The morgue is usually found on the lowest ship deck, away from guests. It is a refrigerated room made of stainless steel with individual compartments. Generally, the bigger the ship, the more shelves are found in the morgue. Morgues tend to be small and can typically hold three to six bodies.

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Being airlifted off a cruise usually costs at least $20,000 and this can rise into the hundreds of thousands depending on location and other factors. This is one reason why taking out travel insurance with good medical cover is essential when cruising. Do not EVER cruise without travel insurance.

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For those with a degree in hospitality, among the highest-paying cruise ship jobs are executive chef, cruise director, chief purser, hotel director, and human resources manager. While the positions of captain and safety officer pay more, they require graduation from an accredited maritime training institution.

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