Sticker Shock Should Not Be Part Of The Cruise Experience

It’s a fact of life that some people are just not ready for a cruise and suffer from seasickness.

Hey, you can only take so much Dramamine.

So imagine the surprise of one woman who became sick on a cruise on her first day and went to the infirmary and was presented with a $2,000 bill. That’s a heck of an expensive treatment for motion sickness.

And it just gets worse.

One national news telecast recently did a story in which a passenger had a $56,000 medical bill while onboard. Sorry, but sticker shock should not be part of the cruise experience. It’s one thing to overindulge in alcohol, for instance, and do it to yourself. It’s quite another to be seasick.

I’m all for the free enterprise system. And you should have to pay a fee to use the hospital on a cruise ship, just as you would when you are in your brick and mortar home. They are offering a service, and you should have to pay for that service.

But not this much.

Frankly, a large portion should be included in your cruise fare. It shouldn’t be piece-meal or a la carte. For instance, I live in an apartment complex where things such as valet, trash service, the swimming pool and a workout facility are all included in the rent. It’s my fault if I don’t utilize those things because I am already paying for them.

Now I am not saying to be a hypochondriac and run to the onboard hospital every time you have an ache or a pain, but it is comforting to know that it’s part of your fare and it’s there. And yes, there is an expectation of some sort of charge to use the facilities, just like it cost you to use the emergency room.

But $2,000 is ridiculous for seasickness.

It’s a cruise ship. Of course some people are going to get sick. There has to be some sort of realistic expectation on the part of the cruise companies. Or perhaps your own medical insurance should be extended to a cruise ship.

But with the state of the healthcare industry these days, that’s a topic for a whole other story.

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