Last Updated on February 24, 2025 by Mrunal & Jiten
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When Minnesota couple Mike Cameron and Tamra Masterman won a free week-long Caribbean cruise on a Norwegian Cruise Line ship, they thought they'd struck gold.
The couple was excited to embark on their Jan. 5 vacation to celebrate Masterman's recovery from lung cancer surgery.
But what was supposed to be a relaxing getaway aboard the Norwegian Encore turned into a nightmare when Cameron fell ill and was admitted to the ship's ICU.
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Diagnosed with a respiratory flu, he spent three days receiving treatment.
Then he was hit with something else: a $47,000 bill for his medical care on the ship
"I didn’t even know what to do," he told Fox 9 KMSP-TV.
Cameron was struck with a respiratory illness so severe that he needed X-rays, oxygen, a catheter and IV treatment in the ship’s medical ward, his daughter confirmed.
At first, he wasn't too concerned about the medical costs because he and his girlfriend had purchased travel insurance from Norwegian Cruise Line itself.
"Everybody in the medical ward kept saying ‘Don't worry, you have $20,000 coverage, you’ll be just fine,'" he told KMSP-TV.
But when the bill came to $47,000, Cameron was in shock.
Given the average cost of hospitalization for flu topped out at $12,896 in 2022/23 according to the National Institutes of Health, it was a big bill.
Norwegian Cruise Line told the couple that the pricing for treatments was "closely comparable to other cruise lines and is what we believe to be fair and reasonable."
The cruise line had Cameron and Masterman’s credit cards on file and maxed out both cards to pay for $26,000 in medical costs over and above the $20,000 travel insurance policy coverage.
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A spokesperson informed People.com that the company does not accept medical insurance on board and that they had “strongly encouraged” Cameron to file a claim with his health insurance provider post-cruise and follow up with his travel insurance.
Unfortunately, the couple are getting a runaround as they try to recoup their costs through insurance.
"The [Norwegian Cruise Line] traveler’s insurance doesn’t want to pay it until we run it by our health insurance,” she said. “The health insurance doesn’t want to pay it because it’s abroad.”
In the meantime, the interest on their credit cards is mounting and Cameron’s daughter has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help pay off the debt.
If you have health insurance — whether it’s with Medicare, Medicare Advantage, or another provider — you’re generally covered for emergency treatment within the U.S. But some health insurance providers may not extend emergency coverage beyond your home state.
Things are even dicier when you travel internationally. Some, but not all, Medicare Advantage policies provide medical coverage abroad.
Before embarking on any trip, contact your health insurance provider to find out exactly what coverage you’re entitled to. Ask if they recommend travel insurance, depending on the nature of your trip.
According to the travel insurance carrier Progressive, most international medical insurance policies cover:
emergency medical treatment (including prescription medications)
medical evacuations
hospital stays
and surgeries.
If you’re vacationing outside the U.S., study your travel insurance options carefully.
If you’ve purchased both travel and health insurance but end up with a hefty bill like Cameron and Masterman, file your claims promptly, first with your health insurance provider and then, if that claim is denied, with your travel insurance provider.
If you're denied there, too, read up on the appeals process. You may want to get a lawyer if you feel your claim has been denied in error.
You could also try negotiating your medical bill with the original health-care provider, in this case, the cruise line.
But if they have your credit card on file, which is commonly required to book a cruise, you may find that you’re charged for your care automatically the same way you’d be charged for a drink at the pool bar.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
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