Dialysis at Sea: Cruising with Kidney Disease

Generally yes, you can cruise if you have kidney disease. Even if you’re on dialysis, certain cruise lines and itineraries have options for treatment onboard. Many cruise lines partner with companies who can provide medical specialists and hemodialysis equipment for certain cruises and itineraries. Since dialysis treatment isn’t available on every itinerary and treatment spots are limited, you’ll want to book early.

Before booking your cruise, check the policies of the cruise line. There may be different requirements depending on the type of dialysis you’re on. For home hemodialysis, check cruise line policies to confirm if they allow portable hemodialysis machines onboard. Regardless of the type of dialysis most cruise lines require you to have been stable on your dialysis routine for a minimum of one year.

Always consult with your doctor before booking a trip to discuss your travel plans. Your doctor can determine if you’re fit to travel and help you create a treatment plan for while you’re traveling.

Generally yes, you can get dialysis on a cruise ship, but the availability of treatment will depend on the stability of your condition and the type of dialysis you’re on.

For patients on peritoneal or home hemodialysis, most do their treatment right in their cabin. The cruise ship may want your treatment to have been in stable condition for at least a year to be able to board. While the cruise ship may have some emergency medical supplies for you, you’ll want to bring everything you may need with you just in case.

Patients who require hemodialysis and have booked a cruise offering dialysis treatment can expect a dedicated dialysis treatment center with all the advanced medical equipment, supplies and staff needed for administering treatment. The dialysis centers are staffed by experienced medical personnel who only work in that unit, they don’t bounce between dialysis treatment and the onboard clinic.

Dialysis treatment on a cruise can feel intimidating since it takes you outside your normal treatment routine, but with the right planning you can step on board knowing what you may need and where to get it.

Before settling on a cruise package, talk with your doctor to confirm that you’re medically cleared for travel. Most cruise lines require you to be in a stable condition for at least one year before you can board the ship. Schedule your treatments as far in advance as possible as time slots often fill up quickly due to the limited number of appointments available. Lastly, most cruise ships will have passengers complete a wellness check before boarding. This is a series of questions about your health that every passenger will go through, it’s used as a screening to prevent the spread of illness onboard the cruise ship. Bring documentation about your condition from your doctor like a record of your treatment, your dialysis prescription, emergency contacts and necessary lab results to provide the cruise line with during your wellness check.

If you’re a hemodialysis patient, the organization you booked through to secure your treatment spots will likely have an orientation on your first day aboard the ship. You’ll get to meet the medical staff and the other dialysis patients onboard.  At the orientation you’ll find out where to check-in for your treatments, how to contact staff and other resources available to you.

Cruise lines may offer hemodialysis for their passengers through medical group partners like Dialysis at Sea on certain cruise ships and itineraries. Dialysis at Sea, or a similar company, will bring the medical staff, equipment and supplies needed to run a dialysis treatment center onboard the ship. You will have certified nephrologists and specialized nurses to provide you with the hemodialysis treatment you need.

Dialysis treatments on cruise ships can cost up to $700 per session, which means the total cost will depend on how long you are cruising.

Medicare and Medicaid typically do not cover dialysis treatment on a cruise. Some health insurance plans may cover a portion of the services so it’s worth checking into. Your bill for dialysis must be paid prior to the cruise, so you should expect to pay out of pocket for the costs.

Travel Guard travel insurance plans provide coverage for certain emergency medical situations that happen while you’re traveling. So, while dialysis would not be covered by a travel insurance plan, it’s a good idea to have a travel insurance plan in case you run into a covered emergency medical situation. Be sure and buy early to get our Pre-Existing Medical Conditions Exclusion Waiver – which removes the exclusion for pre-existing medical conditions if coverage is purchased within a certain number of days of your initial trip deposit.

Travelers with kidney disease should enjoy their time at sea, just be aware there are still some risks you should be cautious of during your trip.