A cruise vacation is often a very affordable getaway choice, but extra expenses – drinks, shore tours, souvenirs, photos – can add up quickly. Some travelers, however, don’t expect a simple, routine medical request to incur charges, but a guest aboard Carnival Horizon has learned that this is not the case.
Many people must check some of their vital signs regularly to ensure they are healthy and any pre-existing conditions do not need attention. This could be a blood sugar, heart rate, oxygen saturation, or in this case, a blood pressure check.
“[My husband] has to check his blood pressure several times a week. We did not bring his machine with us. We went to the medical center/infirmary to have a routine blood pressure check and were charged,” the guest explained. “How can Carnival justify a charge for that? The nickel and diming of us is out of control.”
The guest – whose identity has not been released to protect their privacy – wrote to John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador, about their concerns.
Heald maintains a popular Facebook page with more than 585,000 followers. Each day, he (and his assistant Jacinta) responds to several hundred questions, comments, requests, and complaints.
In response to the charges for a blood pressure check, the guest did not get the answer they may have wished for.
“Yes, there is a charge for every medical service on board ship. I’m pretty certain that if you want to do that on land in North America that there would probably be a charge if you went to your doctor,” Heald explained. “I may be wrong. But yes, there is a charge for all medical services on board.”
The key here is that when visiting a cruise ship’s infirmary, the onboard doctor or nurse must attend to the guest to ensure proper care. While a blood pressure check may be easy and routine, the care administered by the medical personnel still incurs a charge.
“Yes, there is a charge for all medical checks in the medical center but the wonderful nurses and doctors will provide you with expert care if you need it,” Heald confirmed again.
The guest admits that they did not bring their own blood pressure machine with them. This type of equipment can be small and portable. It is easy to travel with, inexpensive (often around $20-50, depending on model) and is not prohibited by Carnival Cruise Line.
Should Carnival Provide Free Blood Pressure Checks?
An argument could be made that Carnival Cruise Line should provide a free blood pressure check station onboard every vessel, similar to the free machines offered at many pharmacies.
These larger, freestanding machines are not inexpensive, however, priced from $2,500 and higher, as they are more complicated pieces of equipment that often measure multiple vital signs.
To equip the entire Carnival fleet of 27 ships, this would be a minimum investment of more than $65,000, plus the cost of delivery, installation, and ongoing maintenance, as well as upgrading the equipment periodically when new models are available.
There is also the risk that such machines could be calibrated improperly or may experience excessive wear and could give inaccurate readings for self-use. To be sure of accuracy, it is necessary to have a health professional present.
Read Also: Carnival Ambassador Criticized Over Injured Guest’s Care
Another consideration is that if Carnival Cruise Line were to offer free blood pressure checks, what about other monitoring? Travelers might then expect free tests for blood sugar, pulse rate, oxygen saturation, and more, all of which will add up quickly.
It is best if travelers require regular tests that they pack their own monitors to bring on the cruise, or else contact their cruise line in advance to ask about testing and associated costs.
