Don't get sick on Constellation!

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ptsong

Guest
We were looking forward to try Celebrity cruise line having been on Princess for nearly 8 times, 5 times on Norwegian,2 times with Carnival, 2 times with Royal Caribbean, 3 times with Regal Cruise and 1 time with the collapsed Rennaisance. Unfortunately my experience with Celebrity gave us the worst first time experience ever.

We were given an inside cabin with a common wall to the general electrical switch board next to our bed. My room mate had heart arythmia ailment and couldn’t sleep for many nights. You see he has a Heart Defibrillator/Pace maker implanted. He was not even recommended to pass the metal detector at the airport least sleeping next to a main electrical switch board. We later found out when the cabin next door with the electrical switch board make too much noise. A complaint was lodged and I was shocked to find this big electrical panels sharing the same wall next to our bed when the engineer opened the door to investigate. It took us 2 days to get another cabin.

Having said that my room mate suffered a second degree sunburnt while on the deck. Blisters appeared and we went to see your ship doctor who whipped up nearly $1500 medical bill. I found out that we were aggressively billed and over tested. One instant we were over billed by 7 dressings more. I pointed that out and it was subsequently corrected. I also suggested that I can do the dressing myself(I have a nursing friend on board who can help me) but was turned down. The Doc said my cabin is not sanitized. My room mate had to have 2 dressing changed everyday. I later spoke to a nursing friend and he said having the burnt area bundled all up will actually impede the healing process. In real practiced the Doc should applied silver sulfadiazine cream and leave the wound open for faster healing. The wound was so tightly wrapped with gauze over and over that it cannot breath. No wonder the wound took longer to heal and the medical staff had a hay day billing us. Over treatment and testings added up the cost too. Beside that we saw others being victimized too eg. A old lady walked into the medical office and produced a prescription for some drugs she ran out. She said her Doc. gave her that as those drugs can be obtained easily anywhere whenever it rans out. The nurse took one look and returned it. She said she cannot honor that prescription and she can only sell her the drug after the Ship Doc examined and tested her that she really needed that medication for her ailments. That would cost about her $650 after the consultation fee and all the testings she said. Hearing that the old lady shook her head and walked away bewildered and in despair. I felt so sorry for her.

We were sure glad to leave the ship as we find ourselves becoming a captive audience to a highly mercenary medical staff. Everyone I met think the ship should be more reasonable with medical fees charged. Now we are waiting with our fingers crossed to see if our Insurance will agree to pay us back nearly $1500 for a sun burnt treatment.


I am appalled at how merchenery this cruise line medical services is.



Post Edited (08-01-04 11:47)
 
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randy

Guest
I am sorry to read of your difficulties aboard the Constellation (or was it the Galaxy?). I will have to agree with you that medical treaments aboard any ship are very expensive, and are rarely covered to the full extent billed by your insurance carrier. We have (fortunately) only had to avail ourselves of medical treatment on two cruises, but both were significantly more than shore-side establishments. Your assignment to an inside cabin adjacent to the electrical panel is no worse than my recent assgnment to a cabin (on another cruise line) under the disco. With the less expensive inside cabins, you are frequently under, next to, or over some kind of service, mechanical or recreational area. That's why they aren't expensive. As to the appropriate treatment for second degree burns, I will leave that to the experience and opinion of the medical community. However, my Army first aid training tells me that you NEVER put ointments (to include zinc oxide) on extensive second degree burns. You cool it, clean it, and cover with a loose bandage to keep it clean from infection. I sincerely hope that I never forget to use sunblock, or get such a bad sunburn like that--and if I do, I hope it's not aboard a ship! Good luck with your insurance claim!
 
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ptsong

Guest
Well it was an accident. My roomate wasn't even sun tanning. He was playing cards in an air condition room with Sun streaming in that caught his exposed legs-He was in short pants. So the exposure wasn't noticed until it was too late. It's the Caribbean sun that's killing. Do be careful about that.
 
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Ma Bell

Guest
If the doctor handled treatment the way you would have liked he would be sued for malpractice. Second degree burns are nothing to fool with and zinc oxide is the last thing any reputable doctor would use. You should be grateful you were treated properly and advised to have the bandages changed in a more sterile environment.

Did you take insurance for your cruise? We just returned from a 14 day Baltic cruise on Constellation and two members of our group had to see the doctor and they were treated very well and not overcharged.
 
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ptsong

Guest
Ma Bell, I would be grateful if the Dr. is less aggressive in billing and more on healing instead. Tell me how can they make a mistake by billing seven dressings more than they should at $75 a pop. Further the first time we went they charged us for the services of 4 nurses attending to the dressing and other treatments. The whole clinic has only 2 nurses and one doc. So how do you explain that? They were checking my roomates blood pressure and I asked if they could checked mine as well since the equipments are there. They said it's going to cost me $25 for checking mine. It's so sickening how they nickel and dime you. As they said if the needle didn't prick you, you will not feel the pain. Just wait till you get sick on the ship the next time you may sing another tune. It would have cost us more than $2,000 had I not found their billing mistakes even at $1500 for a 5 or 6 days sunburnt treatments is gross! Your 2 friends are lucky not to have been over charged but I doubt there is any truth in your claimed as ship treatment is known to be more then the regular on land but not excessively high as they did to us. I saw with my own eyes that this poor lady who wanted her prescriptioned filled was turn away because she refused to pay the ship Dr. $650 for validating her entitlement to her medication. Mine you the prescription she handed to the ship clinic was issued by another licence Dr. too but they said they don't accept prescription issued by outside Dr. What is this?

We are still fighting our insurance to pay as they too think $1500 for a sunburnt treatment is excessive. The cruise ship do not accept any insurance and we have to pay up front. They really catch you by the nose.



Post Edited (07-26-04 19:28)
 
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ptsong

Guest
I am sorry to hear that. Celebrity should be responsible had you missed your Cruise since they screwed up. I really think Celebrity services are over rated. I will be happy to used Princess from now onwards without any more curiousity or enviness with Celebrity cruises. Princess is still the best.



Post Edited (07-05-04 18:11)
 
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ptsong

Guest
I am sorry there is a typo error. When I say Galaxy Cruiseline I meant Celebrity Cruiseline.
 
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paulfredo

Guest
I'd prefer to not get sick on vacation PERIOD. However, I'll make sure I take your advice and not get sick on this cruise ship.

paul
 
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Topman

Guest
I'm sorry but I cannot quite believe that someone got a major sunburn through a window and furthermore getting a sunburn is not, and never will be, the responsibility of a cruise line.

Over tested??? Uh, did you happen to say anything about the tests that were being done? Did you just sit there without saying anything?

For someone so knowledgeable about the husband's "condition" I cannot believe you would have knowing allowed this.
 
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ljeanbrown

Guest
I have first hand knowledge of getting a second degree sunburn while on a cruise in the Caribbean, twice actually. The first time we were on the RCI's Nordic Empress and I went to the ships Dr.. I was given a shot of Cortisone and a jar of cream that was a mixture of Cortisone cream, pain reliver cream and an antibiotic.The total for the nurse and Dr. as well as the shot and the cream was $90.00.I think this was more than a reasonable price to pay and the treatment worked wonders.The cream helped the pain and helped the burn heal well. The second time was on Celebrities Century, I again went to the ships Dr. and was given a shot of Cortisone and a cream, it wasn't as good as the cream I got on the Nordic but it was better than nothing. The bill was $$95.00, which again was not bad as far as I am concerned. I feel that in both cases I was treated well and was not over charged. They did not perform any tests and I really don't see what kind of test would be done for a sunburn. I have had more sunburns in my lifetime than I care to remember and never once ....even on land did any Dr. perform any tests for a sunburn. What kind of tests did they do, just curious? I am very comfortable seeking medical help while onboard a cruise ship based on my past dealings with ships Dr's. I'm sorry you did not do as well in your dealings with them.
 
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ptsong

Guest
Oh, this Dr. was testing for blood sugar, blood pressure and test for toxicity in the blood for likely infection as they claimed. He got antibiotic shots and 2 types of oral medication - pain killer and antibiotics.They conducted another test after the 3rd day for blood toxicity again as they want to make sure the medication is working they claimed. I think all these tests were very unneccessary. Sure I questioned them but they said it's a standard procedure. If I don't agree they cannot continue the treatment. So how can I argue with them? The 2 times dressing each day is an over kill to me- the whole 7 to 8 days ordeals. I volunteered to do the dressing myself in my cabin and was told it's not sanitary. Each dressing cost about $50 for medicine, bandages, cottons beside an hr. charge at $25 for the nurse services. So its about $150 each days just for the two dressings. The first day I noticed they charged us for 4 nurses attending. The whole clinic only have two nurses and a receptionist. I was sick just to think how they try to get as much monies as they can sqeeze from us. All in nearly $1500. That's was a corrected version too as earlier they over bill us by 7 times dressing, I didn't even argue about the 4 nurses in attendance billed to us. It would have cost over $2000 had I not make noise and finding their mistakes. That I pointed out and they apologically corrected it.I still have copies of the bill to keep as a reminder. Horrible, Horrible, Horrible were they.



Post Edited (07-26-04 19:30)
 
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maria

Guest
I am sorry that your sailing partner had such a bad experience. But as far as the perscription goes you are always told to be sure to bring enought medication. When her doctor told her she could fill her perscription anyplace he probably ment a pharmacy, unless she produced an emply pill bottle, then I know for sure no doctor would fill it unless examing the patient. If he did that would be a malpratice suit in the making. I would suggest next time you book a cabin you should always look to see where it is located. Cruise Staterooms is a great site for checking. Or you can always ask you TA.
 
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ptsong

Guest
Good suggestion. But it's the first time happening after more then 20 cruises. But I doubt looking at the plan the cruise line provided on the web site would review such details as boilers or main switch boards location. It's more inportant that you mentioned it before you book the room I think. Everything is better to be in writing.



Post Edited (07-27-04 18:42)
 
K

Ken_2001

Guest
Topman...I have read ptsong's post and in response to your post, they did not perform what they were charged for. So it matters not that she was sitting there. Please read the passage below taken from her post.


"Tell me how can they make a mistake by billing seven dressings more than they should at $75 a pop. Further the first time we went they charged us for the services of 4 nurses attending to the dressing and other treatments. The whole clinic has only 2 nurses and one doc. So how do you explain that? They were checking my roomates blood pressure and I asked if they could checked mine as well since the equipments are there. They said it's going to cost me $25 for checking mine."

I love the part where they were charged for 4 nurses when they only had 2. It's not as if she was just letting all of these things happen.
 
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ptsong

Guest
ljeanbrown or Ms.Laurie,
What grain of salt? I have the bills to prove it. I have better things to do then writing fictions. I only bring it up to warn others so they can be more prepared then us eg Take up a health insurance and let the insurance deal with these greedy Docs. As they said you can't feel the pain unless it pricks you. The way you responded are ignorant and inappropriate with your implications.



Post Edited (07-31-04 15:04)
 
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ljeanbrown

Guest
You seem to take things in a different way than they were meant. I in NO way attacked you or said anything that should make you treat me in a negative way. These boards are for cruise discussions and not meant for people to call another person ignorant.
 
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ptsong

Guest
Ms. Laurie/ ljeanbrown

'Grain of salt kind' implies 'don't take this matter seriously or implied a possible lie isn't? Your such comment is counter productive and that amount to ignorance or at worst slendering. The subject is related to cruises but you sweep my issue under the carpet as a grain of salt kind. It's very insulting and insensitive. Mind your posting next time.



Post Edited (08-01-04 12:12)
 
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ljeanbrown

Guest
Since you seem to like bashing me, I will not bother to clarify what I was really talking about. If you didn't notice I did not direct the post to you, I'm sorry if my post bothered you, but that in no way excuses your personal attacks on me . You are new to these boards so maybe you don't know that bashing a poster is not allowed, so I will take the time to let you know that. I would not normally even respond to a post like yours on the board, I would handle it in an E-mail, but you did not put one in your profile. Now I think it is time to go back to cruise talk :wave



Post Edited (08-01-04 16:20)
 
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