It was their first cruise–a gift from their son, and now the fallout from the medical evacuation is a crippling expense the widow is trying to deal with.
While taking a cruise is an amazing experience that people often enjoy in a celebration of a birthday or anniversary, the truth is that tragedy can strike at any time. No one wants to think about it, but this story is a reminder to always have cruise travel insurance.
What was meant to be a celebration – a first-ever cruise for a Brisbane couple marking their 50th wedding anniversary – has turned into a heartbreaking situation, leaving a wife grieving the sudden loss of her husband and staring down a huge bill.
According to Australian news reports, Glenn and Beverley Stein set sail from Brisbane, Australia on March 30th aboard Carnival Luminosa. This 4-night trip to Whitsundays, a beautiful group of islands off the Queensland coast, was a gift from their son. The son stated it was a gift of appreciation for the parents who were always putting others first.
Their daughter-in-law, Sarah Stein, stated on a fundraising website how Glenn was “like a kid at Christmas,” his excitement very real as they began what they hoped would be a memorable trip of a lifetime.
However, three days into their sailing, as Carnival Luminosa made its return trip to Brisbane, tragedy struck. Glenn suffered a serious medical emergency on Tuesday, April 2nd. Despite the immediate care provided by the onboard medical team, his condition quickly worsened.
An emergency helicopter evacuation to Bundaberg Hospital was needed. Sadly, Glenn passed away shortly after arriving at the hospital.
“The shock and heartbreak of losing Glenn so suddenly has left an unfillable void in our family,” Sarah Stein shared.
Adding to the heartache now is the immense bill Beverley is facing. After all, medical evacuations from cruise ships are not cheap and often cost tens of thousands of dollars.
This expense is compounded by the costs associated with funeral arrangements, and the transportation of Glenn’s body back to Brisbane as well.
“Bev has always been proud and self-reliant, but this heartbreaking situation is more than anyone should have to bear alone,” her daughter-in-law stated.
I should note that even with travel insurance, this would still be a sad and tragic story. And with hundreds of thousands of people on cruise ships at any given time, this is a reality the industry faces.
While no insurance policy can ever replace a loved one, it can at least take away one of the hardships associated with a loss at sea
