Getting sick is never fun, but getting sick on a Disney Cruise is even worse. Wondering what happens if you get sick on a Disney Cruise? Looking to know exactly what you should do, and what Disney’s protocol is for sick guests? Unfortunately during our most recent sailing, my youngest son got sick and we had to visit the health center onboard. Here is everything you need to know and what to expect if you get sick while sailing on Disney Cruise Line.
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU GET SICK ON A DISNEY CRUISE?
Let’s face it, no one ever wants to be sick on vacation. BUT, it does happen. We recently sailed on the Disney Magic for a 5 night Western Caribbean Cruise, which also included a Marvel Day at Sea! We’ve been planning this memorable trip for over one whole year. So you can imagine our disappointment when my youngest son, Avery got sick.
Avery has been on 4 cruises and has never had an issue with motion sickness. HOWEVER, during this particular sailing, we experienced some unexpected rough waters. There was so much motion on the ship. The Captain actually made an announcement that this was out of the ordinary, but there wasn’t too much he could do about it.
I really cannot tell you if Avery got some sort of stomach virus, or if he was motion sick, but I started to get concerned when he wasn’t hungry during dinner one evening.
My gut was right when the next morning he was vomiting at breakfast…in the dining room. We scooped him up and immediately headed to our stateroom. Disney Cruise Line was super quick, because when we approached our room, we noticed a letter on our door. Avery had to be cleared by the medical team before he could go to the kids club.
While this might seem like a pain in the butt…I think it is very smart of Disney for enforcing this protocol. It’s for the safety of the other children on the ship. If someone is sick, they obviously want to try their best to keep the virus contained.
Avery said he was super tired, so we decided to let him nap in our room, hoping he’d feel better once he woke up.
Unfortunately, that was not the case, and he had two more episodes of vomiting. He was at the point where he couldn’t keep anything down. I started to worry about dehydration. It was time to visit the Health Center.
Where is the Health Center on Disney Cruise Line?
We were sailing on the Magic, however, the Health Center on every single Disney Cruise Line ship is located on Deck 1, Forward. Simply follow the signs until you reach it. Now here’s where we had a problem. The “open” hours are VERY limited. It is posted on their site, but I honestly never researched it before we left.
What are the Health Center Hours on Disney Cruise Line?
The open hours of operation are 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM and 4:30 PM – 7:00 PM. That equals a total of 4 hours Health Center is open each day. That’s not a lot of time.
Disney Cruise Line says they do provide healthcare 24/7, and that is true…it will just cost you more.
How much does the Health Center cost on a Disney Cruise?
If you visit during their posted hours, you can be seen by a doctor for $160. This is just to be seen. Depending on any treatment you might need, your bill could be more.
However, if you visit during non-posted hours, your bill will start at $325. Ouch.
Your bill will be posted to your stateroom account and you will be given paperwork to submit to your insurance. Disney Cruise Line works with Vanter Cruise Health Services.
Of course Avery needed to be seen during off hours. I could have chose to wait until their posted hours, but he would only get worse. I wanted him to feel better and knew he needed to be seen ASAP.
One advantage to being seeing during off hours was we were seen immediately. I had to fill out some quick paperwork, and agree to that hefty charge, and we were soon led to a room.
What does the Health Center look like on Disney Cruise Line?
The Health Center is probably the least magical location on a Disney Cruise. As soon as you walk through those doors, it’s like you stepped inside of a mini hospital. Disney is well-equipped to assist any sort of medical emergency that might arise while out at sea.
A nurse came in and checked Avery’s vitals and confirmed he was not running a temperature, and soon after a doctor came to see him.
After a quick examination, the doctor determined Avery was slightly dehydrated. He couldn’t exactly pinpoint whether he had a virus or if he was getting sick because of the extreme motion. Because of this, he had me fill out a form that is reported to the CDC. Don’t worry, I took a photo of the front and back for you!
Oh yes. Filling this out was VERY tedious. Who remembers what they ate 3 days prior to getting sick? I did my best, but I’m sure I forgot a few things.
Avery was given Zofran which perked him up rather quickly. The doctor also gave us popsicles and Powerade. Did you know you can call room service on Disney Cruise Line and order Powerade for FREE?! I sure didn’t, but it’s so nice to know! We were told to bring Avery back at 4:30 PM if he wasn’t improving, and to keep him isolated for 24 hours in the event he was contagious.
Thankfully I don’t think Avery did have a virus. I think he was just really having a difficult time with the extreme motion we were experiencing. The Zofran did the trick, and he was able to enjoy the rest of our cruise.
My overall thoughts of the Health Center on Disney Cruise Line
Overall I was very pleased with the care my son received at the Health Center on Disney Cruise Line. The nurse and doctor were both very nice and had a friendly disposition for kids. I do think more “open hours” should be offered. Four hours per day just doesn’t seem to be enough.
I do appreciate that Disney offers a full-service health center onboard their ships. As a parent, it definitely helps to put me at ease knowing they’re fully prepared with not only doctors and nurses, but also the necessary medical equipment needed for emergencies.
We definitely had a positive experience visiting the healthcare center. Although I do hope we don’t have to visit again!
I hope these tips are helpful if you ever get sick on a Disney Cruise. It’s always nice to know what to expect ahead of time. We won’t let this stop us from sailing again! We are already looking forward to our next Disney Cruise Line vacation!
I haven’t been to a disney cruise yet but this looks so much fun!
Ive never thought about needing medical attention on a cruise before. Definitely good for me to look into what is offered beforehand in case of an emergency.
I read your whole post and, like you, aside from the hefty charge and small hours of business, I was relieved to see the care he got <3
Oh goodness! I’m so sorry your guy got sick on a cruise. That is one of my fears of taking a cruise.
That is nice to know that Disney cruises provide health and medical assistance while on board. I just wish they had longer hours. I am glad that your son got better quick and enjoyed the rest of the trip.
I’m so glad you & your son had a positive experience! I’ve never been on a cruise, so honestly I had no idea what to do before reading this! I feel like it’s a common occurrence on cruises for people to get sick…I feel like I would haha!
-madi xo | http://www.everydaywithmadirae.com
Oh my goodness thank you so, so much for this wonderful, detailed information! My little guy was sick last week and we are sailing soon. I don’t think he’ll be sick (God willing), but him getting sick so close to our sail date made me a bit more nervous if we were to have a repeat episode whilst sailing. So here I am googling to find out what to expect/what is available and I found your blog! Thank you for the play-by-play and images. It has eased this momma’s heart a bit more. <3
My daughter got a virus on the ship. We were actually confined to the room for the remainder of the trip. On a positive note – as we left, a cleaning crew in hasmat suits with an unltraviolet light came in as we left! And this was before Covid!