Do cruise ships have a doctor on board?

Medical staff varies by ship size, but typically ships have a doctor and at least two nurses. The world's largest cruise ships may have two doctors and five or six nurses. River ships and small ships that hover close to shore have less staff since they can easily access health facilities on land.



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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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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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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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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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Both cruise ship and yacht nurses perform basic first aid skills, administer medications, and occasionally handle emergency medical care. They must be able to assess situations and triage, and also educate passengers on any medical issues or concerns.

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For each cruise there is a dedicated dialysis unit onboard each ship where your dialysis treatments will take place. You will be cared for from the beginning to the end of your cruise by a qualified Nephrologist and nurses who will be on board for the duration of your cruise.

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Once an accident occurs, an injured cruise passenger and prospective plaintiff has a duty to notify the cruise line of the accident. This can be done by going to the medical center or front desk or by contacting security. All cruise lines have an incident report form that they ask injured passengers to complete.

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U.S. citizens traveling by sea must now have either a U.S. passport, passport card, or other WHTI- compliant document. Be aware that the “enhanced driver's licenses” or “enhanced ID cards” offered by many states are not accepted by Dominican authorities for ferry travel from Puerto Rico.

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Infectious Disease Outbreaks The most frequently reported cruise ship outbreaks involve GI infections (e.g., norovirus), respiratory infections (e.g., coronavirus disease 2019 [COVID-19], influenza), and other vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs), such as varicella.

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Cruise ship physicians need at least three years of clinical experience post-residency, ideally in emergency medicine or family practice. Working in these areas equips you with knowledge about various health conditions, patient demographics and medical scenarios.

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Do Cruise Ships Have Pharmacies? Cruise ships do not have full pharmacies onboard but will usually have a section of an onboard shop dedicated to medicine. Here you can find treatments for common problems such as headaches or colds.

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One of the biggest misconceptions about cruise ships is that they're germ incubators—that you can't escape. But the likelihood of catching a stomach bug on a seven-day voyage is less than 1 percent—which is about a third the risk of getting infected in your day-to-day life back home, says Dr.

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In 2023, a decade-high number of cruise ships have reported an unwelcome passenger on board: norovirus. Outbreaks of the stomach bug have surged on cruise ships this year, reaching the highest levels seen in 10 years.

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