This article 6 Things To Know About Medical Emergencies When On A Cruise has been written by Dr. Maria Cristina Teotico, MD.
She first shared these travel tips on her Facebook profile, so other Filipino’s who plan to take a cruise or travel internationally can be better prepared should a medical emergency arise.
Dr. Maria Cristina Teotico, MD has been practicing medicine for close to 30 years, specializing in travel, aviation and hyperbaric medicine.
She runs the MedExpress Medical & Diagnostic Centers, urgent care facilities in three of the Philippines’ busiest island tourist destinations: Boracay, El Nido, and Siargao.
Doc G, as she is affectionately known, was motivated to write this list after she experienced a medical emergency whilst on a cruise with her mother.
The 6 key things Dr.Teotico advises travelers to consider, before going on a cruise, are also relevant for any travel planning. Whether traveling domestically or internationally we should all ensure we are prepared for potential medical emergencies.
The Philippines As A Cruise Destination.
The Philippines is seeing a steady growth in Cruise Tourism, with a year-on-year (YOY) increase in cruise arrivals. The country has previously been awarded the titles Best Cruise Destination in Asia by the World Cruise Tourism, and the Best Port of Call by the Korean Awards.
- In 2024, the Philippines Port Authority (PPA) recorded 100 cruise calls, and a 61.9% increase in cruise passenger arrivals.
- 2025 saw an increase to 136 cruise calls, with 56,040 passengers and 15,071 crew.
- 2026 is projected to see at least 127 cruise ship calls, according to the Department of Tourism.
Industry experts state that global cruise lines no longer see the Philippines as just an occasional stop-off port, and now consider the archipelago a core cruise destination.
Cruise Passengers visiting the Philippines are both foreign nationals and local Filipinos eager to experience cruise tourism.
6 Things To Know About Medical Emergencies: When On A Cruise
My mother developed chest pains in the middle of the ocean.
We were on a cruise.
There was no hospital.
No specialist.
No option to monitor her heart or “just wait and see.”
She was offboarded and taken to shore for further management.
I am a doctor.
I have managed countless medical emergencies, including coordinating air evacuations for travelers in crisis. And even I was not fully prepared for how fast everything moved.
Below are my 6 Things To Know About Medical Emergencies When On A Cruise. If you, or anyone you know, is planning to go on a cruise it is something I urge you to read before something similar happens to someone you love.
6 Things To Know About Medical Emergencies When On A Cruise
1. The ship’s doctor is there to stabilize you.
In a medical emergency, the ship’s doctor is there to stabilize you, not treat you.
Their equipment is limited.
The medications they have access to are limited.
And they know that.
Their job is to keep you alive and stable until you reach a hospital with [hopefully] a full range of equipment, medications, and a team of specialist medical personnel on hand.
When a cruise ship’s doctor tells you that you need to be offboarded, it is not a failure on their part. It is not because they are inexperienced, or don’t know what they are doing.
That is the treatment plan. You are to be off-boarded.
Don’t fight it. Don’t hesitate.
The ship’s doctor knowing the limit of what could be done onboard is what saved my mother’s life.
2. Your PhilHealth and HMO have zero coverage abroad.
Let me repeat that! Your PhilHealth and HMO have zero coverage abroad.
Zero!
If you don’t have travel insurance with medical coverage, you will be paying out of pocket.
That means in cash, in a foreign currency, in an emergency.
And dealing with that – potentially having to find an ATM if they don’t accept debit or credit cards – when you are already stressed and dealing with lots of informational demands and medical worries, is not something you need.
Buy the Travel WITH Health Insurance before you board. Not after. And check to see what is and isn’t included before you buy it!
3. Do Not Wait!
If you or a travel companion is experiencing chest pain, difficulty breathing, a sudden weakness – do not wait it out to see if it will get better.
These are not symptoms you sleep off. These are three symptoms that can turn fatal …. in minutes.
The moment any of these appear for you, or for someone you are traveling with, ask for help immediately.
Do not decide it’s “probably nothing”.
Do not accept an “I’ll be fine” or “I don’t want to cause a fuss”.
Delaying a decision to get medical assistance or advice has cost lives.
4. Save your medical history on your phone.
Save your medical history on your phone – in English before you travel.
- Blood type.
- Maintenance medications.
- Allergies.
- Recent treatments or surgeries.
- Recent accidents or injuries
Also, make sure you tell the ships doctor if you have
- Insect bites
- Been in contact with anyone who has since been diagnosed with a virus.
A foreign doctor cannot treat what they don’t know.
One screenshot.
Do it before your next trip.
5. Designate Your Decision Maker
Designate one person back home who can make decisions for you – in the event of an accident or illness.
An emergency while abroad brings with it communication chaos.
Who, at home, has access to your medical records?
Who can authorize treatment if you can’t speak for yourself?
If you don’t have an answer right now – you are not fully prepared to travel.
6. Add ICE To Your Phone!
Add or edit your Designated Persons details in your phone. Add the acronym ICE at the start of their name in your contact list.
e.g. ICE Doc Girlie
ICE stands for In Case of Emergency and it is recognised almost world-wide.
The vast majority of modern smartphones – including iPhones and Android devices – come with built-in features that allow emergency contacts and medical information to be accessed directly from the lock screen without needing a password.
This feature is designed for quick access to this information by paramedics or bystanders during an emergency.
Check out this article by the Stroke Association for how to set up this quick emergency-only access feature on your phone.
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I was lucky. My mother got home safe.
Not everyone does.
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