A hefty bill hurts, especially when you’re already being evacuated for medical reasons. One of the allures of cruising is the all-expenses-paid nature of many of these trips. Much of the cost is covered up front, while incidentals and things like alcoholic drinks are billed at the end of the trip.
However, Michigan couple Vincent Wasney and Sarah Eberlin have issued a cautionary tale for fellow travellers and anyone who might not be savvy about the nuances of cruising and travel insurance, sharing their story with US news publishers NPR and KFF Health News. The pair were undertaking a four-night Royal Caribbean cruise in December 2022 (a gift from their real estate agent after they purchased their first home) and were travelling aboard the Independence of the Seas liner. Departing from Port Canaveral in Florida, they were to cruise the Carribbean to the Bahamas.
The itinerary included a visit to a private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay – Royal Caribbean bills it as “unlike any private island the world has ever seen”. CocoCay is one of the Bahama’s Berry Islands and has been extensively developed and renovated by Royal Caribbean to the tune of US$250 million ($410m). It features a water park with wave pools, slides and the region’s largest freshwater pool.
After visiting CocoCay, however, Wasney fell ill. He experienced three seizures and was treated at the Independence of the Seas medical centre – where the medical team thought his condition may have been due to.
