When it comes to planning your holiday and bringing your cpap machine on cruise ship, there are definitely some things you want to keep in mind. The right travel CPAP machine and the right knowledge will have you going on an amazing cruise without a second thought. You don’t want to get caught off guard about rules or forget essential things when traveling with your CPAP machine. So here's some of most important things that you need to do prior to taking your CPAP cruising.
Tips For Taking Your CPAP Machine On Cruise Ship
1. Proper Medical Documentation
Being able to easily justify why you are taking a vital piece of medical equipment onboard with you is crucial. It will make you holiday that much more enjoyable. So remember to let the cruise line know that you are taking your CPAP machine with you and what that entails. They need to know about your condition and they need to know what they might need to provide you with in order to accommodate your condition.
So it won't hurt to bring a note or special form from your doctor stating that your CPAP machine is a medical necessity. This will avoid any arguments if a cruise line employee gives you trouble for having your CPAP with you.
2. Carry It On With You
The next tip you should follow is to always carry your travel CPAP machine with your person when boarding the ship. Some cruise lines actually require that you carry it as your carry-on luggage anyway and not in your suitcase. Some require it and some don’t, but either way it is a good idea to have it in your carry-on so that you know exactly where it is. You don’t want to misplace your CPAP or risk it being damaged because the consequences will be less than good.
3. Bring Extra Power Cables
Generally speaking, you may not be allowed to carry a cable or extension cord with you on a cruise ship. However, when it comes to medical devices such as your travel CPAP machine, they will make an exception.
You should carry an extension cord with you because your bed in your ship’s room will probably not be close to a power outlet. Your CPAP is going to need power, so this is definitely an important point to think of. If you want to be able to charge other things, like your phone or laptop, you might even want to bring a whole power board like this Tessan Portable Travel Power Strip.
4. Distilled Water
Something that you will definitely want to bring along is distilled water. Now most cruise lines will provide you with distilled water for a small fee if you ask. However, bringing your own is probably the more cost-effective option. And you won't need ask for it. Just ensure that the bottle is still totally sealed when bringing it onboard and make sure to inform the proper people who you have it for your travel CPAP machine.
5. CPAP Cleaning Machine & Tools
When you're away on holiday or cruising the last thing you want to be doing is using your time to hand wash your CPAP equipment everyday. The SoClean 2 CPAP Cleaner and Sanitizer takes care of that for you. It will clean all your CPAP Masks and accessories in one go with the click of a button. You will still need to manually empty and rinse your humidification water chamber, but that's it.
On a side note, to stop your CPAP machine from touching too many things, or the wrong hands, you might want to bring some Ziploc bags too. That way you can store your travel CPAP machine without worry of having it get too dirty.
Traveling With Your CPAP Machine, What Not To Forget
We have already gone over some of the most important tips when it comes taking your CPAP machine on cruise ship. To make sure that you are as safe as possible and can always get a good night’s sleep, there are some items that you absolutely cannot forget to take with you.
1. Your Travel CPAP Machine
Of course, the number one most important thing to take with you is your travel CPAP machine itself. You want to get a fairly small one that is ideal for travel. A travel CPAP machine like the ResMed Airmini is a good option because it is lightweight, small, and specifically designed for traveling.
2. Power Supplies
Different parts of the world have different voltage levels in their power outlets. At the same time, those plugs always look different when you travel. You need to ensure that you bring the proper power adaptor for the country you are traveling to. Your travel CPAP machine won’t do much good without a power supply.
3. CPAP Masks
You are definitely going to want to bring some extra CPAP masks. Afterall, they are the reason why your CPAP works for you. Without a proper fitting mask and the one you are accustomed too, getting a good nights sleep will be difficult.
I recommend bringing along at least one backup mask just in case something happens to your primary one. It's not like you'll be able to order express a new one from a cruise ship or different country. So apart from getting damaged, lost, stolen, and everything in between. Make sure to have at least one spare mask with you in case something goes wrong.
4. Your CPAP Prescription
One of the most important things to take with you is the prescription for your machine and condition. If your CPAP machine fails or you experience a severe attack, having your prescription with you will allow doctors wherever you are to help you. If you expect them to help you, they need to know exactly what your situation is.
Planning To Take Your CPAP Machine On Cruise Ship Conclusion
In terms of taking your CPAP machine on cruise ship or traveling in general, following the above tips will help make your life a whole lot easier. Just because you have sleep apnea doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy a cruise. As long as you keep the above points in mind at all times, you'll have a fantastic holiday. Right?
