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Answer: Each Holland America Line ship has an onboard Medical Center staffed by licensed physicians and critical care nurses. While not a full-service hospital, the Medical Center is well equipped to handle most emergencies, as well as routine medical procedures.

A customary fee will be charged for services and medications dispensed. Motion sickness medications are available for purchase onboard. If you become ill or injured during the voyage and your diagnostic and/or care requirements exceed the capabilities of the Medical Center, you will be transferred to medical facilities ashore. Please note that Medicare and many health insurance plans DO NOT cover the cost of medical care at sea, in foreign countries, or for air evacuation. For this reason, guests are encouraged to obtain travel medical insurance prior to travel.

If you have a chronic medical condition, please bring a recent report from your physician. The medical staff on board is not available for daily care, unless you are hospitalized in the Medical Center. You must be able to care for yourself. If you are unable to function independently with respect to eating, dressing or attending the ship’s safety briefings, you must bring a caregiver with you. Due to the limited medical facilities on board, we will not accept reservations for infants 6 months or younger for non- Transocean sailings, 12 months or younger for Transocean sailings at time cruise commences or women who will be 24 or more weeks pregnant at the time their cruise with Holland America Line concludes. If you are pregnant, please provide a medical note from your physician stating the expected due date and confirming your medical fitness to travel.

Keep medication close at hand in your purse or in a carry-on bag In the event of unexpected travel delays and emergencies, please bring additional prescription medication for at least 2 weeks beyond the length of your travel itinerary along with a list of the prescription names, dosage amounts and times taken for all medications, because it may not be available on board or in the ports of call.

In addition to twice daily routine doctor’s hours, medical services are available 24 hours a day. Please dial 911 in an emergency. Unless otherwise posted, the Medical Center hours are as follows:

Port Day: 8:00am - 10:00am | 4:30pm - 6:30pm
Sea Day: 9:00am - 12:00nn | 3:00pm - 6:00pm
Embarkation/Disembarkation Day: 8:00am - 9:00am | 5:00pm - 6:00pm

Infants & Pregnancy: Because of the limited medical facilities, infants 6 months or younger at the time the cruise commences and women who will be 24 or more weeks pregnant during the course of their travel are not permitted to participate in the cruise. If you are pregnant, please provide a medical note from your physician stating your expected due date and medical fitness to travel. 

Travel Well®: International travelers can take a number of simple steps to avoid potential health problems before and during travel while preserving their health and wellness during travel. In order to Travel Well®, international travelers should contact their physicians, local health departments, or a travel medicine clinic at least six to eight weeks before departure to receive current health information on the countries they plan to visit, to obtain vaccinations and preventative medications as indicated, and to address any other special needs. Washing hands frequently with soap and water will greatly reduce the risk of contracting illness and infections while traveling. In the absence of running water, use alcohol-based hand sanitizers to protect your health. This is especially important before and after meals, or whenever you are in contact with common surfaces (e.g. railings, buttons, door handles, countertops, faucets, etc.), after handling money and pens, and after using the restroom. Travelers’ diarrhea (TD) is the most common illness to affect travelers. Each year between 20%–50% of international travelers (an estimated 10 million people) develop diarrhea. The onset of TD usually occurs within the first week of travel but may occur at any time even after returning home. Therefore, it may be in your best interest to plan ahead and pack some anti-diarrheal medication with your other medications.

There are high-risk destinations such as developing countries of Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia, where chlorinated tap water is not available or where hygiene and sanitation are poor. Travelers should be cautioned that only the following may be safe to drink: hot brewed beverages, such as tea and coffee, made with boiled water; or canned or bottled beverages, including water, carbonated mineral water and soft drinks. Other consumables of concern may include ice made from local water, fresh uncooked salad greens or raw vegetables and sliced fruit that have been washed in local water, as well as dairy products such as milk, cream or ice cream products that have not been pasteurized.