This Minnesota man won a free Norwegian Cruise to the Caribbean — but then got smacked with $47,000 medical bill after being admitted to the ship’s ICU. Here’s how to avoid the same mess

Physically recovered, financially stricken

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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Getting the runaround on insurance

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.

Make sure you have coverage abroad

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.

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Follow through on your claims

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.