Vincent Wasney and his fiancée, Sarah Eberlein, had never been on a plane or seen the water before they bought their first home in Saginaw, Michigan, in 2018. As a gift, Royal Caribbean gave them a cruise ticket. Due to the pandemic, they had to wait two years before setting sail for the Bahamas in December 2022. They were excited for their trip.
Coconut Cay, a private island with a water park, balloon rides, and swimming with pigs, was the best part of their trip. Their time on the island, though, made Wasney, 31, feel sick.
The next morning, Wasney had a seizure in their lodge. When Eberlein was scared, he asked a fellow rider for help. The person’s wife worked as a doctor in the emergency room. The ship’s medical staff started treating Wasney right away, and he was stable.
Wasney hadn’t taken any medicine for years, even though she had had seizures in the past. Later that same day, he had another seizure. This one was worse, and he briefly stopped breathing. Eberlein ran outside to get help, but they locked him out of their house. The medical staff found Wasney breathing, but he was hurt from the attack.
In the medical center of the ship, Wasney had a third, worse seizure. He could be taken off the ship by rescue boat because it was close enough to port. But before they could get off the boat, they were given a $2,500.22 hospital bill.
Royal Caribbean’s rules say that passengers must pay for everything they incurred on board, including hospital bills, before they can leave the ship. Wereney and Eberlein didn’t have health or trip insurance, so they had to use all of their credit cards and drain their bank accounts to pay for it.
Because Wasney’s situation was so serious, Eberlein asked if they were being held hostage. They finally paid enough to leave, but Wasney’s credit card was used more than it should have been to cover the difference.
When they got to Florida, they took Wasney to Broward Health hospital Center in Fort Lauderdale, which added to their hospital bills. The reason for his seizures is still unknown, but it could be because he is thirsty, eating, or even swimming with pigs.
The couple went back to Saginaw with no money left and more debt. The medical bills were paid over time, but one hospital bill was sent to collections because payments were not made on time. Because he didn’t have health insurance, Broward Health lowered his bill by 73%.
To help them handle their money, the couple used GoFundMe to raise $2,690, which they used to pay their debt. Friends and family, including people Wasney met through disc golf, gave a lot of money.
Travel insurance is something that experts say you should get to cover any unexpected hospital costs and possible evacuations. Wasney and Eberlein are now going to buy this kind of insurance for future trips. In spite of what happened, they plan to go back to the Bahamas and enjoy CocoCay fully on a future trip.
