In order to maintain a safe and comfortable environment for our guests, our medical centers meet or exceed the standards established by the International Council of Cruise Lines and the American College of Emergency Physicians. Our medical centers are staffed by qualified physicians and nurses who are committed to providing the highest quality of shipboard medical care. Each ship in the fleet carries one doctor and three nurses; the Destiny, Triumph and Victory each carry two doctors and four nurses.
Doctors on our ships are required to have a current and valid medical license from the USA, one of its territories, or Canada, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa, or have full registration with the British General Medical Counsel of the United Kingdom or current full registration with the British General Medical Council of the United Kingdom, or current full registration with the medical council of a member country of the European Union.
In addition, doctors must demonstrate competent skill levels and hold current certification in basic and advanced cardiac life support and cardiac care, have experience in general medicine or general practice including emergency or critical care, and have one to three years clinical experience and minor surgical skills, and board or similar international certification is preferred. The doctors on board are independent contractors.
Shipboard medical facilities are set up to provide reasonable emergency medical care for guests and crew. In cases of extreme emergency where more comprehensive facilities are required, patients are referred to shoreside facilities. In addition to standard lifesaving equipment such as defibrillators and external pacemakers, our medical centers carry some of the latest in medical technology including thrombolytic therapy, electrocardiograph machines, lab equipment, pulse oxymeters and x-ray machines on many of our ships.