Credit: DisneyWhile it has been good news recently for the Disney Cruise Line with the cruise ship fleet restarting the U.S. domestic departures from next month, cruises have been operating in the U.K. as part of their “staycation” event since earlier in July.
However, for one Disney Guest, their “staycation” was cut short when they had to be airlifted from the cruise for medical treatment.
Disney Magic at Sea sees the Cruise Line’s Disney Magic set sail for a magical experience with no stops, offering two, three, and four-night select sailings aboard the cruise ship. At this time, these types of cruise vacations are not permitted to operate in the United States, meaning the Disney Cruise Line’s sailings for its U.S. Guests have been unavailable for over a year (though Disney Cruise vacations will resume out of Florida next month).
Disney Cruise Line aims for Guests to experience all the magic of a Disney vacation while aboard their chosen cruise ship. Unfortunately, sometimes it’s not all smooth sailing and incidents can happen on board the ship following embarkation.
This morning (U.K. time) it was reported that a Guest had been airlifted from the Disney Magic and returned to land to secure medical attention.
Per the Liverpool Echo;
The incident happened just hours after the ship left Liverpool Cruise Terminal last night for a three day trip through the Irish Sea.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency confirmed a crew was called to airlift the casualty this morning to a nearby hospital in Rhyl
The news continues by sharing details of the event;
A spokesperson said: ““At 7.25am today (28 July), the coastguard helicopter from Caernarfon was sent to transfer a casualty onboard a cruise ship in the Irish Sea to a hospital in Rhyl.”
It is not yet known what exact incident occurred onboard the Disney Magic that led to the hospitalization of the passenger, with the report saying, “The reason the casualty needed hospital treatment has not been disclosed.”
While it doesn’t do well to speculate what happened, it must be noted that the Disney Cruise Line does in fact have onboard medical professionals, so this event must have required more in-depth medical assistance.
As Disney states,
For your convenience, a physician and nurse are on call 24 hours a day to provide basic medical services on every cruise. The physician and nurse are employed by a company independent from Disney Cruise Line.
The Liverpool Echo goes on to establish what exactly happened with the arrival of the coastguard:
Witnesses said a crew member from the chopper was winched onto the ship and remained on board for around 20 minutes before the patient was transported to hospital.
We hope the situation isn’t too serious and wish the passenger well in their recovery.
To board the Disney Magic, U.K. Guests must follow strict COVID-19 protocols in order to secure a safe environment for themselves and the Cast Members. Per Disney, the guidance is as follows:
In order to sail, Guests will be required to meet Health and Safety requirements. Guests 18 years of age and older must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as defined by the National Health Service. NHS currently defines fully vaccinated as 7 days after the final dose. Disney Cruise Line will contact Guests prior to sailing with instructions on how to show proof of vaccination status.
As said earlier, there has been some good news for U.S. Guests wanting to board the long-awaited return of the Disney Cruise Line. The Disney Dream returns with departures from Port Canaveral beginning next month and locations like Castaway Cay back on the itinerary. After a series of test cruises, this return of the Dream is sure to pave the way for Disney Fantasy and Disney Wonder to set sail with their Disney characters again soon.
And then next year sees the newest ship of Disney’s fleet — the Disney Wish — launch with its maiden voyage in Summer 2022. Boasting magical staterooms, a Star Wars Hyperspace Lounge, and Marvel and Frozen dining experiences, the Wish is sure to be a feat to behold. The Disney fleet continues to be a force to be reckoned with in the cruise industry.
For full health and safety guidelines regarding the Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Magic at Sea then visit here for a complete “Know Before You Go”.