Cruise ship worst case scenarios and what to do!

[@sandrahutchinson436]

I came down with Covid on my recent cruise😢. I went to the med center and tested positive. I was placed in isolation in my room. Because it was Covid, the medical costs were free. So was room service, the internet, and movies. Guest services checked on me twice a day and kept me informed about disembarking procedures. I was bummed, but Royal did their best to make things easier.

[@Aviation129]

Man I feel bad for you, that had to suck! Hope your better!

[@karenbryan5976]

Just got back from my cruise last week. A few days later I got Covid. At least I didn’t get sick while there

[@CL-mp4vn]

It was free ??? I heard on board medical care is very expensive. Or maybe because it was covid, they can claim with government later.

[@cindy032143]

That happened to me. I was so sick and tested negative until I landed back home and was positive. I was so bummed

[@Familytraveltalesuk]

Why are people still testing for covid 😮

[@GerardPinzone]

Another tip for US travelers: Let the State Department know you're traveling outside the country through the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). Why would you want to formally inform the government about your travel plans? You receive important information from the Embassy about safety conditions in your destination countries. It helps the U.S. Embassy contact you in an emergency in the event of natural disasters, civil unrest, or family emergencies and it helps family and friends get in touch with you in an emergency.

[@raymoran1559]

My wife and I were going on our first cruise 3 weeks ago on RC but 3 days prior to departure we both came down with Covid! Luckily, we bought insurance through the travel agency. It was fully refunded. We’ll try again in the future

[@markt9805]

Bad advice to take your passport with you on shore. I have a friend who lost their passport while they were on the shore excursion, and it was a disaster as they were not sailing on a closed loop cruise. The best thing to do is to take a photocopy of your passport with you on shore, and leave the actual passport on board the ship, preferably in the safe, which most cabins have.

[@dieseldragon6756]

This might be a 50/50 case, though. I always carry a photocopy of my passport in my wallet as a matter of course, but if going ashore - And running the risk of missing the boat if things go awry - I'd rather have mine on my person so I can cross any borders I need to on the way to the next port/home. In Europe this wasn't such an issue for us in the years prior to Covid thanks to the Schengen arrangements, but as UK citizens are no longer EU nationals we don't benefit from those arrangements anymore. 😢 (We don't have to physically stop at borders, but we must have our passports to hand if crossing them because we might be subject to inspection. As non-EU aliens 👽 German law obliges that we report our arrival to the Police at first opportunity if arriving into Germany by land, which is why there's a Police office at every major German rail station.) Personally, I think I might take the legal document with me, but leave a _copy_ of it with the cruise line and in my room safe. This means I can use it if I need to, but the cruise line can _also_ use the info from the photocopies to inform a country who missed the boat/what their ID is, and their home country that they have a passenger adrift. 👍

[@boricua584]

Your friend sounds irresponsible.

[@jimroscovius]

We got yelled at in the Bahamas for not having passports with us when we were leaving the port to board the ship.

[@markt9805]

@@jimroscovius that is strange, I’ve been to the Bahamas many times both on cruises and flying into the Bahamas to stay in hotels and I have never had that experience.

[@jimroscovius]

@markt9805 We thought it was weird too. Many others didn't have passports either. We had our sea pass cards, so they knew we were from the ship. It's the only time we've been to the Bahamas (we did a swimming with sting rays excursion) and no other port in any of our five cruises has ever asked us for passports.

[@GerardPinzone]

One minor point: Don't bring your passport to private island ports like Coco Cay or Labadee.

[@RoyalCaribbeanBlog]

Agreed!

[@meikalioness8869]

Curious on to why?

[@GerardPinzone]

@@meikalioness8869 It's a private island that's sealed off from the rest of the country. The only way you could have gotten there is through the cruise ship. If you lost your seapass card on Labadee, you don't need to go to Port-au-Prince with your passport. (You might not survive the trip if you did.)

[@ryanjc4]

I have AT&T and I accidentally turned my phone off airplane mode last cruise for 5 minutes. Had a $50 roaming charge. I called and claimed stupidity and they took it off my bill.

[@dieseldragon6756]

To avoid this, I remove my SIM card from my phone if I _know_ that unaffordable roaming charges could happen by accident. It's also why I refuse to buy phones with eSIM. 👍

[@genitagray6126]

I take a picture of my passport, my drivers license, MC card, supplement ins card , & leave the originals in the safe. No way would I take the chance of the originals being stolen or lost.

[@jessicadevoto6864]

I got sick with a stomach bug, probably norovirus, on my honeymoon cruise (2017). It was awful, not to mention scary, but luckily, it only lasted about half a day. I just put up the privacy tag and hid in my cabin until my symptoms eased. That’s probably illegal, but I didn’t want to risk being quarantined or debarked. Another time, when I was 12 years old, my parents were off in port, my sister was in the kids club, and I was wandering around the ship doing this, that, and the other. Being a preteen, I enjoyed having this time to myself. Well, I went back to the cabin to get something, and I inadvertently locked my cruise card inside. Keep in mind, I’m twelve years old. I have no idea what to do in a situation like this. My first thought was to see if the cabin stewards could open the door for me, but wouldn’t you know it, they were nowhere around. So I went to guest services. I didn’t know what, if anything, they could do, but I held out the hope that they could at least direct me to the right place. They printed me a new card. But I was so ashamed of it, I wrapped the old card in toilet paper before I threw it out so my parents wouldn’t see it. They were none the wiser, and I didn’t tell them until years later. I don’t know why.

[@StarWarrior91]

We were late coming back from Chechen Itza and we were so thankful we booked the tour through royal so they waited on us

[@sarahjones2278]

Great to know! We've got that booked for later this year, too, and based on the timing, we've been a bit concerned!

[@nicoler4583]

I had to go to the doctor at the medical center once on Freedom of the Seas and they were fabulous! I needed an antibiotic and the doctor prescribed it and had it on the ship. It was worth the payment to feel better and enjoy the cruise.

[@CruisingSecrets]

I had an RC excursion that ended right at the all-aboard time, and RC started calling other people in our party about 20 minutes before then, because we hadn't gotten on the ship yet. Apparently they don't always coordinate with the Shore Excursion desk, because they said they didn't know where we were, even though we were on one of their excursions!

[@FraserAtSea]

Great video - it's my worst nightmare to fall ill on a cruise ship, especially when sailing close to countries with questionable healthcare systems. Thankfully, I've never experienced it first-hand, and hope never to!

[@meddyven]

Matt, THE BEST remedy for sunburn, is get a tea bag with black tea. Put it in hot water. Let the tea cool, and soak a wash cloth in it, then place it on the burned areas. The tea draws out the heat, and lessens the redness. It works twice as fast as aloe, and you won't peel nearly as much.

[@SinisterMD]

As a physician I was always curious about how those facilities worked. Seemed like it might even be fun to be the ship's doctor, but it's really not like Love Boat. You're not just "Doc" walking around the ship all the time as they stay rather busy when they're on shift.

[@dieseldragon6756]

Look on the bright side: Just imagine being the doctor on board _SuperTrain..._ 🚅☢🙃 (A show from the 70s. Basically; _The Love Boat_ on a train so big it makes Iberian gauge look narrow. It was so ham-fisted that it wasn't at all popular... 😇)

[@lorimasterson8427]

I don't recommend bringing your passport off the ship in most circumstances. The likelihood that it gets lost or stolen is usually greater than you missing the ship. I take photos of my passport on my phone and bring my license.

[@ChuckTownRC51]

Photos of a passport will not be accepted as a passport. It's a good idea to have a dedicated pouch on you just to hold your passports.

[@lorimasterson8427]

​@@ChuckTownRC51I usually do an active excursion: snorkeling, kayaking, ziplining, etc... and don't want to lose my passport. I do always bring the info for the cruise line port agent to call in an emergency. If it looks like you can't get back, they can often get your personal belongings and leave them at the port. I understand what you are saying, but I don't agree. Make sure to plan plenty of time to get back to the ship.

[@davidb0327]

Hey Matt. In a lot of your videos you mention that now you consider Travelers Insurance as a necessity. Could you make a video about the different types of insurance (i understand there are a bunch of different options), the one's you've used in the past, the one's you'd suggest avoiding, etc. If you already did that, then im sorry. I need to check all your videos again 😂

[@cheryllee9256]

Definitely get travel insurance we were just on Independence, my sister had severe pain and we were at port they sent her to that port hospital of course not the greatest facility they ran several tests and found nothing. Got clearance to go back on ship but she ended up having to give them $4500 which we know is super inflated for tourists being there. And the bill for the ship med bay was 1000 since she visited them twice. She still has a lot of pain and will go to the doctors at home to figure it out.

[@fitfighter24]

Hi Matt there's a work around to putting your phone in airplane mode get prepaid phone service like Metro by T-Mobile or Total by Verizon because then your paying one fixed price and if a service isn't included ie: international calls then the phone won't make them it will be blocked problem solved as there's no fear of a high bill

[@tduck828]

Waittt....Not ALL closed loop cruises you can use your DL and birth certificate. You NEED to edit this video and clarify. If you visit Panama, Colombia or Martinique a passport is REQUIRED!

[@ericgeorgetruckgrilling]

You should bring your passport on a closed loop cruise in case of any unforeseeable circumstances. If you get sick in Port or you miss the ship it cuts alot of red tape getting home.

[@RoyalCaribbeanBlog]

I believe I mentioned closed loop sailings from the USA, but you are correct

[@tduck828]

​@RoyalCaribbeanBlog if a closed loop sailings from the US visits Colombia, Panama or Martinique passports ARE required. Trust me, I've been on several. You never stated this in your video. You stated closed loop you need a bc and DL...that's not accurate.

[@tduck828]

​@@ericgeorgetruckgrillingoh absolutely. I'd never leave the country without one.

[@dieseldragon6756]

I'd apply this to closed loop cruises from the UK and other places, too. In the former case; Even if the itinerary _intends_ to visit only UK ports, an unexpected event could easily lead to passengers having to disembark in parts of France, Benelux, Norway and Ireland. In such cases, having your passport available will considerably ease the act of returning home. 🛂👍 If you don't have a current (UK) passport available; An expired passport, birth certificate, driving licence or other official ID (e.g. MOD or Gov ID card) will make properly identifying yourself and the issue of an emergency travel document _considerably_ quicker and easier for your local embassy or consular official. 👍

[@senorasarahCDMX]

I went to the med center once...my heart rate was out of control, and I simply wanted to get my blood pressure checked to see what on earth was going on. The staff stuck his head out the door, looking like he was incredibly irritated that I dared to bother him, and then when I asked to get my blood pressure checked, he barked "THAT'S $250". I told him I'd rather die on the ship that pay that to check my blood pressure. They were so rude, it was incredible.

[@genitagray6126]

I went to the cruise ship doc bc I had a sinus infection. The doctor didn’t want to give me an antibiotic bc she said ppl take too many antibiotics. I told her this was my vacation & I don’t want to spend my vacation in my room feeling bad. She relented & gave me the antibiotic. Now I take OTC meds to cover most things & colloidal silver that kills bacteria & virus’s except COVID since it’s actually snake venom.

[@robo9883]

Love the video. On RCCL, I always buy the wifi package and then turn my phone settings to allow WiFi calling while my phone is in airplane mode. It does not work with Carnival as they block the ability to do wifi calling. Thanks for the video Matt.

[@lorimasterson8427]

Another reason not to go on Carnival!

[@saffloweroyl3663]

I had bad oysters on a stop at Puerto Vallarta. Oh the terror 😂

[@laughremixsquad]

Matt is out here doing the Lord’s work, being everyone’s responsible friend.

[@jimroscovius]

I took a spill while playing lazer tag in Mexico, and cut my elbow. The guide put band-aids on it, and I kept playing. Upon return to the ship, I went to the medical facility, and a nurse washed it and bandaged it up. She gave me more wrappings and antibiotic. There was no charge for the service. A few weeks later, it was bothering me, so I went to my doctor, and I had actually fractured it, but it had healed.

[@SayKyleNotCow]

7:25 Pro tip: If you’re on the ship in time to get a drink and a good spot to watch pier runners you’ll never miss the ship. 👍

[@pw-sz6ds]

Why bring your passport to port? I thought they will go to your cabin and get your passport (especially if it’s in the safe) and bring to the port authority if they know you have not boarded the ship. I’d rather bank on that than bringing my passport and dealing with the possibility of losing it or having it stolen.

[@SpeedNoodles]

Thanks for all of the Icon footage during this. I MISS HER!!!

[@jessicaparkhurst1322]

What about taking a pic of your passport on your phone and a paper copy and leaving the hard copy of passport in your stateroom

[@RoyalCaribbeanBlog]

A photocopy of a passport is as useful as a photocopy of cash

[@dieseldragon6756]

@@RoyalCaribbeanBlog That's a seriously amusing - But amazingly accurate - Way of putting it! 💷📸🤣 Mind you: A photograph of your passport can still be if use to a consular official. It can't be travelled upon, but it *can* be used to attest to the passengers ID, ensure the correct passport is retrieved from the ship, and might make the issue of emergency documentation quicker and easier. 👍 At the end of the day, a photocopy of a passport is still more useful to them than *no* passport at all! 😇

[@fishingboating2557]

I'm looking forward to going on my first cruise this year, so I've been watching videos about all the what to and not to do. One thing everyone brings you and you did in this video as well is travel insurance. Where do you buy that from? Thanks

[@tanyajames1082]

Your travel agent can help you with that. If you don't have one and don't want to use one, Allianz is the best travel insurance provider, in my opinion.

[@lorimasterson8427]

You can get it from the cruise line, but it won't cover other parts of your trip. A travel agent or even a Google search should find some. I usually get Allianz too.

[@jamesjoy8866]

If you buy travel insurance from the cruise line, the onboard medical care is covered without cash payment.

[@LLANTAS123]

RC perdio mi equipaje en mi crucero a Alaska, fue una tortura, me querian dar 100 dlls para que me comprara ropa arriba del barco. Tuve que alzar la voz para que despues de 2 días me dieran 300 dlls y 25% para mi próximo crucero. Creo que le falto empatía al personal de servicio al cliente y dar respuesta rapida y oportuna a la situación.

[@PatsyMellen]

After years of cruising on RC as my husband was unloading the luggage from the truck (before parking the vehicle) he was talking to the luggage handler and didn’t see an orange cone and tripped over it. He broke his wrist, skinned his face along with his knee and cracked a couple ribs but since it wasn’t a bad break we boarded the ship and went to the medical center. Had X-rays and said it was a break. They gave him a brace and sling. We made it through the cruise but no one told us to contact the travel insurance company, which we always take out. Thanks for that information. We’re trying to get our health insurance to reimburse us for the payment to RC. Good information Matt-Thank you!

[@steventwiddy3402]

How super ridiculously expensive is the medical care on board ship ? It’s bad enough in everyday life but I’m sure they really burn you up on board ships 🚢

[@MIUBHI007]

Something they don’t tell you about being late for your cruise is that if you book with a reputable tour company, they say they guarantee to get you back on your ship in time or will make arrangements to get you to the next port, or back home. I’ve never tested that nor have I heard anyone else but most, if not all of the shore excursions I’ve looked at on my own have made that promise. I’d like to assume they would hold up their end on that. Thoughts?

[@JoysTravelAdventuresAgency]

Travel insurance protects you in all instances

[@lorimasterson8427]

I wouldn't count on that. I only do other shore excursions with extra time to get back to the ship, and always get travel insurance.

[@CruiseDude1]

0:11: "Up next!"

[@JClark2600]

@12:15 In that video you see some inconsiderate travelers bringing their rolling luggage on to an escalator. Then a young man wants to get by them walking up the escalator but their luggage is blocking the stairs. Please don't block the escalators, just take the elevator if you'll be blocking walkways. This also goes for any city where youre taking a subway from the airport. Be considerate!

[@williamwatson689]

No one should be passing another on an escalator. Escalators are narrow for a purpose...everyone will move at the speed of the escalator.

[@williamoday573]

It is my understanding that crew will enter the stateroom of any passenger who fails to return by sailing time, and they'll look for passport, wallet, medication, etc. to deliver to the cruise line's port agent so that, upon return of that passenger, they have what they need to get to the next port, or the home port, depending upon circumstances

[@sirgolfalot18]

Don’t agree about taking your passport with you when you leave the ship. It’s not necessary, even in a foreign country. A photo copy will suffice as proof (and is the recommendation of the State Department). Keeping it locked in the cabin safe prevents the chance of theft or losing it.

[@NKBC1689]

I think Titanic when I think worst case scenario

[@dieseldragon6756]

Titanic was bad, no denying that...But wouldn't the *worst* case scenario be such an incident where _nobody_ survived to tell the tale? 🪦 Personally; When it comes to thinking about the _Worst case scenario_ I immediately start thinking about my love of German sausages... 🌭🇩🇪🙃

[@karivetter8731]

My parents booked their dream B2B cruises a couple of years ago. They spent thousands of dollars on a loft suite for both cruises, and the first one was perfect! The second cruise, though, my mom tested positive for COVID on Day 1… Unfortunately, she went down to medical to get tested, then when she tested positive they made her quarantine there in the medical area. They checked on her twice a day, but they didn’t give her any medication beyond Tylenol (the reason she went down was hoping to get one of the medications they can prescribe if you go in right away), so she was literally stuck in a tiny room, I don’t think it even had a window, alone, barely checked on, while my dad sat in their beautiful suite feeling guilty and not going on any of their excursions for the entire second cruise. I wish they would have at least let her quarantine in her room! I wonder if they would still force you to stay there in medical if you test positive, or if they let you go to your room now?

[@Realtravel1]

On the Icon inaugural, RC obtained a police escort for an excursion which was late to return to the ship.

[@cshubs]

My folks had Covid during a cruise!! What a waste of time and money. They had to stay in their cabin. When we were on a family vacation to FL, I cut my heel on the bottom of a ladder in the motel swimming pool. I needed stitches.

[@antonytsai6611]

i recently had a sort of worst case scenario we brought the wrong passports for our 14 nights anthem cruise in the summer and we had to miss 3 days and fly to gibraltar to board the ship, we have learnt from that and our christmas break cruise went well

[@PapiShanks]

just went on freedom with my girlfriend and some friends, got sick right after visiting nassau on the third day, ruined the entire 4th day at sea for me, really bad sinus infection, i was pissed, then drove from miami to michigan with said sinus infection. think i might have swallowed too much seawater on cococay lol

[@albertoarce4047]

Great tips, thanks 👍

[@ModernMyths]

On every cruise, I've always, ALWAYS see at least 1 person who is severely sun burned on the 1st day. And I'm talking RED! XD Just because they didn't put on their sunscreen.

[@jacklong9619]

I once lost my Sea Pass walking onto the gangway to get on the ship, right before the check in machines!

[@alfamaize]

WRT being late, the cruise compass always lists the phone number of the local Royal port agent. Take a picture of that before you leave.

[@NonexistentUsername21]

I got neurovirus on our honeymoon cruise. They took such amazing care of us

[@daviddegeorgia7955]

Are you still recommended to bring your passport to Ports when Royal Caribbean is stating to leave it on the ship? They said if you miss the boat they will make sure the get the passport to you so why risk it?

[@lorimasterson8427]

I agree!

[@dieseldragon6756]

I've just booked my first ever cruise, and I chose a European itinerary which visits two cities I've already travelled through in the past by rail. One of the main reasons - Given I've never cruised before and could easily have a first time slip-up 🍌 - Is so that if I do miss the boat at any point, I already know how to get to the next port or back home via the European rail network. 🚄🇪🇺💨 Compared to most _missed departure_ situations, all mine might require is a credit card and five minutes on the Eurostar website. Route home: Sorted. Drama: Averted! 🇬🇧🚄💨👍 (Let's not mention the _extremely long_ queues I'll have to deal with thanks to my blue passport, though... 😉)

[@stormpreplady]

i have been out by the pool and fallen asleep for hours. I had *palm sized* blisters on my back and shoulders. Ended up with Vitamin D poisoning. This is not unheard of! If you are fair skinned, and even if you are not, SPF 30-50 applied every hour will save you all kinds of pain. Quite literally.

[@barbarawwarren4554]

I have been on 4 cruises in the last 16 months. I got COVID after 3 of them. Last one I got off 2 weeks ago and came down with COVID 3 days later. I am still coughing and sniffling.

[@jimroscovius]

My son lost his sea pass card. We had taken our passports, so he showed that, they looked him up and let him on board, and he got a new card from Guest Services.

[@lalasteen3860]

Really good topic!

[@zulickj]

I'm surprised Royal Caribbean hasn't adopted the waterproof RFID wristband version of the seapass...but continue to use a physical card.

[@mekasmith4714]

They have them on Oasis class ships for sure and they are worth it!! About $11 bucks each!! So convenient!!!

[@ChuckTownRC51]

My medical care on a cruise was covered by my medical insurance. FYI.

[@marionstewart1628]

What is the name of your medical insurance 😅

[@l30red08]

What if I use my birth certificate to board and something happens where I lose it or the cruise ends up returning to a different port in the US?

[@emmib1388]

If you are already on board, you probably won't need it again... Now if the ship were to have an emergency stop in another country and you have to return by air... you are going to need a passport.

[@insidethebnb]

How do friends and family communicate with each other if the phones are on airplane mode? Bring a few Walkie Talkies?

[@RoyalCaribbeanBlog]

The Royal Caribbean app is free to use the chat feature

[@normmoulton108]

It's possible to turn wifi ON while leaving cellular data OFF

[@insidethebnb]

@@normmoulton108 but that's assuming you bought the wifi packages, right? I've never been on a cruise which is why I mentioned walkie talkie

[@lorimasterson8427]

Walkie talkies were used a long time ago. The cruise apps are free even without the internet, but only on the ship. Now, some cruise lines don't allow walkie talkies. Unfortunately we end up buying the ship wifi to be able to communicate with people at home, pet sitters, etc...

[@StamperWendy]

Awesome

[@katderose2962]

What about if you miss the ship. Does cruise insurance cover that?

[@tanyajames1082]

It depends upon your insurance policy and why you missed the ship.

[@lorimasterson8427]

Most of the time, depending on circumstances.

[@NimaPlayz79]

What if the cruise sinks

[@dieseldragon6756]

Then you come to understand why my iPod is named _„Titanic“._ 🎶🔁🙃 (Though in all seriousness, there are numerous safety measures in place and passengers are drilled on them right at the start. This is why you're obliged to _muster_ at your designated station on embarkation day. 👍)

[@richardgotshall2703]

Concerning sunscreen: ALWAYS use reef-safe products!

[@pollig4243]

If you have COVID and do NOT pay their $150 COVID test fee, you will be left in your cabin and NO ONE will tend to you! No one will bring you anything to drink, eat, or check on you! You have to pay their ridiculous fee -even if you KNOW for certain you have COVID! I know - I happened to me in January 2024 onboard Harmony of the Seas! I was left in my cabin - no food, no hydration (although I had paid for a non-alcoholic beverage package). I had notified crew that I had COVID but they didn't give a big fat $h1t unless I paid for a $150 COVID test. BEWARE!

[@pattineedham9094]

Old life guard sunburn treatment is plain aspirin. Not any other pain reliever as tylenol. Just cheap plain aspirin. Seriously!

[@FreedomFinanceFun]

Passport card. I'm not bringing my passport outside my room unless I need to

[@RoyalCaribbeanBlog]

Passport card doesn't help you if you get stuck in another country because you can only use it for train or sea travel (not air)

[@Dingdong3696oyvey]

Mojo Nixon just died on his cruise. Can’t get much worse than that.

[@JenJem]

Here's how to prevent sunburn...don't let my husband be in charge of my back again.

[@summerday2791]

6:20 lol

[@Cruises8]

2 days tell carnival panorama!

[@JayCAlan]

UP NEXT!

[@paradonym]

If the "up next" and "real soon" isn't pronounced the exact same way each video....

[@linkmaxwell]

You: "Worst case scenarios include not putting your phone into airplane mode or getting sunburned." Me: "Worst case scenarios include the infamous Poop Cruise from Hell or the ship sinking like the Titanic."

[@frankholcomb7920]

I'm so tired of channels like yours where your telling us stuff we can find ourselves, then making lots of money off it and rubbing all your vacations in our face and calling it work. Matt go chop wood or mine coal for the whole year. Then come back here and tell us how this wasn't up to par for you for the only 7 days you don't have to do manual labor out of the entire year. Get a real job, stop grifting folks. People just do the work yourself, you don't. need to watch him. It's all general info you can find yourself, or call the cruise line and speak to an employee who is actually doing a job, and not pretending cruising is like Matts does. Don't help people like this take nice vacations and fulfill his life dreams, all while you work your life away actually doing something important like a skill or profession.

[@halina2362]

Why are you so rude? If you’re not interested, don’t watch.

[@saraclemons1092]

Great tips!!