How to Get Medical Care on a Cruise

First Things First: Notify your Cruise and Insurer

Acting quickly is essential if you feel unwell or sustain an injury on your cruise. Your priority must be your health, followed closely by notifying your cruise travel insurance provider.

Contact Onboard Staff Immediately

If you experience a medical emergency, alert the nearest crew member or use your cabin telephone to call the ship’s medical centre. Cruise ships have protocols in place to transport you safely to the clinic. For non-emergencies, you can simply walk into the medical centre during its normal operating hours.

Call Your Insurance Assistance Team

Once a medical professional assesses your condition, contact your travel insurance provider's 24-hour emergency assistance line. You will find this phone number in your policy documents. If you are able to, make sure to call your provider before you agree to any major treatments, tests, or potential evacuations. The assistance team will open a case file and speak with the ship’s doctors to determine the next steps for your medical care. 

The Claims Process: What to do After Receiving Care

Filing a medical claim might seem daunting, but organising your paperwork makes the process incredibly straightforward.

Keep all Medical Documentation

When you receive treatment on a cruise, the medical centre will generate an itemised bill. You may be required to pay for minor treatments upfront using your onboard account.

Make sure to ask the ship’s medical team for a copy of your medical notes, consultation reports, and a detailed invoice. You may need these documents to prove to your insurer what treatment you received and why.

Depending on why you needed treatment, your provider may also have a majority of these documents already. However, make sure to get copies for your own records, should they be required later.

Retain Receipts for Expenses

Keep receipts for any prescription medicines you were required to purchase on the ship or at a port. If your illness forces you to miss a prepaid shore excursion, request written confirmation from the cruise line. You can often claim these lost expenses back through your cruise-specific policy.

If you were required to be confined to your cabin by the onboard medical team, make sure to obtain this request in a written/documented format (it might be included within your onboard medical records), as your provider will require this during the claims process. 

Additionally, make sure to obtain a contact number or email address for your cruise line's medical team. This way, should you be missing any documentation or require any further assistance, you can easily reach out to them as required. 

Submit Your Claim Promptly

As with all medical-based claims, you should be in communication with your provider already. However, once you return home, you may be required to submit a formal claim. Make sure to review your policy documents to understand the claim process, and reach out to your provider directly to discuss. 

Most insurers provide an online portal where you can upload photos or scans of your medical reports and receipts. Submit your claim as soon as possible, and respond quickly if the claims handler requests any additional information.