First time cruise

[Hallelujah2020]

I’m debating about going on a cruise with my parents next year. Would be with Saga which my parents know and love.

I’m 50 next year but haven’t been abroad since I was a kid. But now my parents are getting older I wonder if I’ll regret not having this opportunity with them.

I’d obviously need to sort a passport but my other question is I’ve got fibromyalgia so I’m on daily co-drydramol & Gabapentin. Gabapentin is a controlled drug so just wondering how that works with taking it on board?

I also have a very well managed and mild heart arrhythmia which I’m on medication for but worrying this would perhaps cause issues with travel insurance.

Any advice appreciated

I have a long list of health conditions, and rigorously detail them all to my travel insurer, usually All Clear, to make sure I'm covered. I've been off gabapentin and codeine for a few years, but never had any problem taking any of my medication on board ship, the part that actually needs checking carefully is the laws of any country where you would be taking it ashore. If anything goes wrong , medical care on ship is rapidly available, but can't cover everything and is expensive, so need to be sure proper medical travel insurance is in place. As someone with chronic illnesses, I find cruising to be a great way of holidaying, and pacing how much I do.

There are a lot of elderly people on cruises with a lot of health conditions so pretty much all meds will have been taken on board. As long as they are prescription meds, you will be fine. And I also find cruises are fab for doing as much or as little as you please and it’s easy to vary your day according to how you feel.
I say go for it!

We cruised with my late father in law, he had quite a few medical conditions including diabetes, recovered from bowel cancer, AF and COPD. We used Just Travel Insurance and Staysure Insurance for him, it wasn’t cheap, but at least he was covered. As previous poster said, many older people with complex medical conditions cruise and ships have a full medical centre with as much equipment as they can. Do a dummy quote for a date this year, as you can only get a policy within a year, just to see the cost before you book. Taking medication on a cruise isn’t a problem, just take a copy of your repeat prescription with you.