Cruise Liners

[vic mcclymont]

A friend of mine who was cruising on the Canberra, was sea sick on the tender returning to ship. On arrival onboard she was sheperded to Doctors surgery were she was given an anti sea sickness jab. Cost £50, cured her sea sickness.
Vic

[Keith Tindell]

My travel insurance asks the same question on renewal every year, do i go ski ing or cruising, so i guess thats where a lot of claims come in, kt

[j.sabourn]

The Russian vessel I brought down from Singapore which I can’t remember the name of at moment, and haven’t been able to for some time now so is probably going to stay that way. Fugro of Perth chartered her and I had to attend a meeting in their office which was also on computer screen with the Russian Master in Singapore. I asked him about the state of the medicine locker which to me was unsatisfactory especially as they had made special arrangements for the Russians to stay onboard for the charter. The seamen manning was like the old time manning of a British ship about 40 of a crew plus about 10 surveyors plus the the Australian crew of 9. Near enough 60 all round. So I told Fugro I wanted a medical man with us with his own medical equipment. Fugro said they couldn’t find a doctor in the time to supply, but said for me to go ahead and try if I wanted. I knew of the owner of a private ambulance service here where I Live. He immediately said I”ll do it as he was also a medic. So he came along also with his own medicine chest and arranged his own price for the job with Fugro. Everything went off ok and no virus”s or amputations as such.once again saw no restrictions of having to have a doctor on board. JS

[j.sabourn]

The worse medical case I saw at sea apart from somebody snuffing it, was an Indian Engineer his head swelled up to nearly twice its size , his eyes were just two little slits, got rushed ashore at the next port. Problem was he was allergic to something. Anti allergy tablets I could never remember seeing in the medicine cabinet. The same as sea sick tablets which someone once asked me for.. as in #83 re sea sick tablets our medicine locker consisted of a biscuit tin containing mostly elaster plasters and not even black draught There was a scale of medicines which had to be carried for different type of vessels on different trades . However the medicine chest was always checked at frequent intervals by a chemist to keep it up to standard. I always wondered hw a biscuit tin full of elaster plasters ever got passed the authority’s . What did H.T. Vessels carry or what schedule did they come under. JS.

[John Arton]

The doctor on the empress of Canada was a wealthy man as he charged for all sea sickness injections amongst other charges, don't know if he shared his bounty with the nurses though. He was a bit of an old soak but he had a regular following of rich, elderly first class passengers who regularly did an Atlantic crossing just to be attended by him.
On chemical tankers we had the standard medical outfit as per international regs, serviced annually by a Dutch outfit plus a chemical poisons chest with antidotes for various chemical exposures. In the standard medical outfit there was even stuff for emergency dental treatment.
Rgds
J.A.
;msn1768 (1).pdf

[Des Taff Jenkins]

God reading these posts I'm glad I was never ill at sea, seasick, yes, many times, but to me that was part of the job.
The only time I sailed with a Dr was the Surgeon Commander we had on the Wave Baron, he kept well away from me.
Des

[happy daze john in oz]

Recall on one UCL ship a lady of considerable wealth was taken sick and had to be treated for a number of days.

When the account came the purser told her cabin steward we will give this to her in small doses, all at once will kill her.
Asprins charged as 1 shilling each, this was about 1962.

[Captain Kong]

On the TARKWA, of EDs, in Port Harcourt, I fell 50 feet off the mast. broke two legs and right arm amongst other injuries,
In hospital for two days returned to the ship when it was sailing,.
The Mate asked the Doctor, if I was fit to work, He said YES , as his left arm is OK.
the crow used to carry me out on deck and sit me down with a chipping hammer and had to chip. with my left hand.
Then when the monsoon squeaks came all hands would leg it to the messroom and I would be left in the rain.#
Not a happy ship.

[Bill Seddon]

I think this Pandemic will have a devastating effect on the Cruise Industry. Ships by nature are not the place to be when covid 19 is global. The new normal is going to impact on everyone & everything. Stay Safe All out there.

[happy daze john in oz]

Bill that is possible.
But from figures I have seen in the last day or so show that we down here in Oz will not be put off.
Future bookings for next year are up 20% on normal for time of year.