Dialysis Cruising

[Riki]

One of the girls that I dialyze with wants to go on a cruise.  She's been trying to convince me to go with her.  She and I are the youngest ladies in the unit. *G*  Anyway, she's been talking to the people at DialysisAtSea.com.  I'm wondering if anyone has ever used their services before on a cruise, and what the experience was like.  Where the doctors/nurses/techs professional? friendly?  What were the prices like?  I'd like to go, but I'm not sure if I can afford it.  Plus, I don't want to go and have a rotten time cuz of a nurse with a snotty attitude.. although, Ti would probably smack any attitude outta them.. *L*

[Rerun]

I have heard that your insurance or Medicare will not pay for dialysis at sea.  You could check that out first.  I would also not want to lose power like that last cruise ship did.  Although I'm sure you would be air lifted off. 

I went on a cruise while I still had my transplant.  It was fun and the food was awesome.

[Riki]

Whenever I go to the States, I have to pay up front but I'm reimbursed.  I'm guessing that it works the same way on a cruise ship.  The Kidney Foundation will give a loan of up to $1000 to help pay for dialysis while traveling.  I did this the last time I went to NY.  I just paid them back when the govt reimbursed me.

[rsudock]

  The Kidney Foundation will give a loan of up to $1000 to help pay for dialysis while traveling.

love the kidney foundation!!

xo
R

[Riki]

Hey, it worked out pretty good last time.  When I go to NY, I schedule it so that I only have 2 treatments, get there Tuesday, go home Sunday.  The unit I go to there charges $400 per treatment.  I got a $900 loan to cover any currency exchange, which covered it nicely.  I got the cheque from the govt about a week after I got home and just signed it back over to the Kidney Foundation.

[Bill Peckham]

Dialysis at Sea historically have been hard to work with if you're trying to save money. The rules last I checked had the per treatment charge set at $450 and you were billed for every other day dialysis whether you dialyzed every other day or not. On a 10 day cruise you would be billed for 5 treatments.

The other way D@S hurts the wallet is that they don't really discount the cruise prices, so while they can get you a cabin upgrade you'll be paying the list price for the cruise. These days the cruise business is pretty competitive so paying list price feels like you're paying a premium.

I'd look into cruising with http://www.dialysiswhilecruising.com

It looks like they stay mostly in Europe but it may be they are priced to be more accommodating ... or maybe they're trying to get every last penny out of the service too. Worth an email.

[Riki]

My friend who wants to go said that it's a flat fee of around $1800 over what the cruise line wants.  With around $800 for a standard room, another $800 to fly to the port, it's just not feasible for me.  She's booking for March.  I'll keep my butt on this cold Island.

[Riki]

She has also decided that her butt is staying on this cold Island.  She was talking to them again, and they told her that there is an extra $700 charge for the room, above what the cruise line wants, just because she's on dialysis. I think it's stupid.

Thanks, Bill, for the link, though I'm not sure if a cruise in Europe is feasible either, as I think travel to Europe would deplete any monies I had, before I even got to any ship. *L*

[St.Lucia-Dialysis]

An option for a dialysis cruise (Caribbean) is to pick your cruise then schedule your sessions at the ports/dates you require treatments.  Most ships dock early in the AM and the centres are 5 to 15 drive from port (taxi).  Typically, we have our cruise ship dialysis patients back to the boat by 1 or 2 pm.  This is assuming a 4 hour treatment.  The cost per treatment will be under $400 US per.  Except Bermuda, $1,246 US per.  True !

The savings in treatment cost will pay for your cruise, compared to dialysis on the ship.  If you end up needing treatments in St. Lucia, we (I) personally drive you to the dock afterwords. 

We are launching a website that will do all the dialysis bookings (southern carribean) and requirements for visitors any day now.  In Carribean time that means next week.  The site will be posted here upon completion.

In the meantime, if I can be of any help please let me know.

[Bill Peckham]

An option for a dialysis cruise (Caribbean) is to pick your cruise then schedule your sessions at the ports/dates you require treatments.  Most ships dock early in the AM and the centres are 5 to 15 drive from port (taxi).  Typically, we have our cruise ship dialysis patients back to the boat by 1 or 2 pm.  This is assuming a 4 hour treatment.  The cost per treatment will be under $400 US per.  Except Bermuda, $1,246 US per.  True !

The savings in treatment cost will pay for your cruise, compared to dialysis on the ship.  If you end up needing treatments in St. Lucia, we (I) personally drive you to the dock afterwords. 

We are launching a website that will do all the dialysis bookings (southern carribean) and requirements for visitors any day now.  In Carribean time that means next week.  The site will be posted here upon completion.

In the meantime, if I can be of any help please let me know.

 

[Riki]

That's cool, except that instead of touring the ports of call, you're dialyizing.. not quite as fun