Cruise Ship Passengers Should Get One Important Thing Or Risk Thousands Of Dollars In Medical Debt

Khiali Baxter and her boyfriend were just two days into their romantic couple's cruise with Royal Caribbean when the situation quickly turned into a nightmare. Khiali began vomiting blood and was immediately admitted into the cruise's emergency room, where the doctor diagnosed her with internal bleeding, necessitating medical care on land in Mexico. Although she has since returned home to Texas, her family's ordeal isn't over, as they now have a $13,000 medical bill to deal with. In light of their hardships, Craig Baxter, Khiali's father, is urging everyone to look into travel insurance and when they might need it.

Perhaps the most harrowing part of the ordeal was the hospital's attitude toward the emergency. Upon Khiali's arrival, hospital staff immediately demanded $2,500 upfront before they even looked at her. ""We'll work as far as the $2500 takes us," I've never heard this in my life," recalls Craig (via KHOU 11). 

Today, the family owes $9,970 to the Costa Maya hospital and another $4,048 to the cruise, and they still have no idea what caused Khiali's internal bleeding. It's a harrowing reminder that even if you think you have everything you need packed for a cruise, a lack of adequate travel insurance could turn a vacation into a nightmare, especially for cruise passengers who often have to wait hours to reach land for medical care. In their GoFundMe, the Baxter family cites the long wait before Khiali received medical attention as one of the reasons for her critical condition.

Is it really worth skimping on travel insurance for a few hundred dollars when it could save you thousands in an emergency? "Travel insurance is often an overlooked investment until the unforeseen happens," said Beth Godlin, President of Aon Affinity Travel Practice, in conversation with CNBC. And that's why so many hesitate to purchase it; in the best-case scenario, you won't need it. For those who don't anticipate emergencies, it's a steep order to ask them to spend an additional 5% to 6% of their trip cost on insurance when they've already shelled out thousands on the trip itself.

Travel insurance can save you from a crushing medical bill, but this depends on the type of insurance you purchase. Some insurance providers only offer a bare-bones policy that won't cover you in medical emergencies. And while many cruises have their own insurance policies, you'll need to check whether the cruise insurance offered is worth it or if it doesn't cover enough. Most of the time, you'll have to shop around to find a good policy.

For medical travel insurance, try checking with your current health insurance provider to see if they cover medical costs outside the country. If they do, great — that's one problem covered. If they don't, you can check websites that compare policies or look for travel plans offered by well-known insurance agencies. If you're booking your trip through an agent, you can also ask them if they have an agreement with an insurance company or if they can point you in the right direction.