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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2009
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Don't Get More Than Seasick

Cruise ships provide docs, but aren't responsible for them

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(Newser) – If you're one of the 10 million or so Americans who take a cruise this year, make sure you understand that “all-inclusive” doesn’t apply to medical care, says ABC News. Cruise ships have doctors on board, but the operator won’t take responsibility for them. Cruise lines, says a personal-injury lawyer, are “not responsible for your overall medical care.”

Docs on cruise ships are independent contractors, which legally absolves the cruise line of responsibility for their actions. "I was very angry, because any profession that you're in, you have to be accountable to someone," says one passenger. Her husband says of the ship's staff, "I trusted that they would recognize a problem if it was serious."

In this photo provided by Carnival Cruise Lines, the Carnival Pride passes by the Cape Canaveral space complex as it arrives at Port Canaveral in this Jan. 7, 2002 file photo. (AP Photo/Carnival Cruise Lines, Andy Newman/FILE)
In this photo provided by Carnival Cruise Lines, the Carnival Pride passes by the Cape Canaveral space complex as it arrives at Port Canaveral in this Jan. 7, 2002 file photo. (AP Photo/Carnival Cruise...   (Associated Press)
In this photo provided by Norwegian Cruise Lines, the Norwegian Sun is shown near Tortola, in the British Virgin Islands. (AP Photo/ Norwegian Cruise Lines, Michel Verdure)
In this photo provided by Norwegian Cruise Lines, the Norwegian Sun is shown near Tortola, in the British Virgin Islands. (AP Photo/ Norwegian Cruise Lines, Michel Verdure)   (Associated Press)
In this photo released by Carnival Cruise Lines, a girl traverses a 214-foot-long water slide aboard the Carnival Liberty, as it cruises up the Grand Canal June 27, 2006, in Venice, Italy. (AP Photo/Carnival Cruise Lines, Andy Newman)
In this photo released by Carnival Cruise Lines, a girl traverses a 214-foot-long water slide aboard the Carnival Liberty, as it cruises up the Grand Canal June 27, 2006, in Venice, Italy. (AP Photo/Carnival...   (Associated Press)
In this photo provided by Carnival Cruise Lines, passengers aboard the Carnival Liberty relax in a whirlpool and view live soccer on video screen while cruising off the southern coast of Italy in this June 30, 2006 file photo. (AP Photo/Carnival Cruise Lines, Andy Newman/FILE)
In this photo provided by Carnival Cruise Lines, passengers aboard the Carnival Liberty relax in a whirlpool and view live soccer on video screen while cruising off the southern coast of Italy in this...   (Associated Press)
Passengers of the Carnival Liberty Cruise ship gather their luggage after they disembark from the ship at Port Everglades on November 19, 2006 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. More than 700 passengers and crew were stricken with symptoms that match Norovirus. The origin of the infection is unknown and under investigation.
Passengers of the Carnival Liberty Cruise ship gather their luggage after they disembark from the ship at Port Everglades on November 19, 2006 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. More than 700 passengers and...   (Getty Images)
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