Cruise Lines Are Responsible For Care Provided By Ship Doctors: Travel Myth or Fact?

Jan. 18, 2008— -- Who hasn't dreamed of a relaxing cruise? It sounds like the ultimate getaway.

"When people think of a cruise, they think all-inclusive floating vacation: sun, surf, sand, fun, maybe a little romance -- that's what they want," said Chris Elliot, a writer for National Geographic Traveler magazine. "I think 'The Love Boat' really started everything."

"The Love Boat," with its schmoozy crew, including good old Doc Bricker, put cruising on the map. Nearly 10 million Americans will set sail this year. And it could be good for your health as long as you don't need medical attention onboard.

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"The doctor is part of the crew, but the cruise lines claim no responsibility for the doctors' actions," said Miami attorney Charles Lipcon.

Bizarre as it may sound, he said the cruise lines are "not responsible for your overall medical care at all."

"The cruise line's responsibility in their mind ends at the point that they've hired a doctor who they claim is competent," Lipcon said. "And then if the doctor doesn't take proper care of that person, the cruise lines disavow any responsibility whatsoever."

Mike and Janice Sullivan went on a Royal Caribbean cruise that ended in disaster when, they said, Janice slipped on liquid near the buffet and was knocked unconscious.

Mike said it took 30 minutes to get help and an hour before Janice saw the doctor.

"I didn't know if she was dead or what," he said.

Janice remembers the cruise line sat her down in a chair and put ice on her head. All the while she was "hurting really bad."

According to Mike, the ship's crew never suggested that they leave the ship for additional medical treatment.

"I trusted that they would recognize a problem if it was serious," he said.

Janice spent the rest of the trip in bed and a few days after they got home, but she soon had the scare of her life, discovering that she was paralyzed on her left side.

"When we got to the hospital, the doctor there had the CAT scan and found out there was a blood clot in her skull the size of my hand," Mike said.