Having a stroke is life-changing and can leave you feeling like normal life is over. However, with therapy, treatment or rehabilitation, many people can resume their lives, including travelling and going on holiday. Below are some points to take into consideration before you go away:
Going abroad usually means you are leaving the safe umbrella of the NHS, and medical costs overseas can often be more expensive than we realise. Whilst travel insurance can help us with these high costs after we’ve had an accident or become ill, it also covers costs that the free or subsidised medical treatment you’re entitled to, might not.
If you’re planning on travelling somewhere within the European Economic Area (EEA), including Switzerland, from 1st January 2021 rules around travel to Europe have changed, visit the Government website for up to date information on passports, EHIC, healthcare and more. We’ll update this page with more information as and when the Government release it.
If you are travelling as a visitor in New Zealand, and seek medical attention, you will be enrolled in this system, any medical treatment you receive will be subsidised by the New Zealand Government’s Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA).
The New Zealand Government has Reciprocal Health Care Agreements with Australia, the UK, the Republic of Ireland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Finland, Italy, Belgium, Malta, Slovenia and Norway. Meaning Australian residents can get help with the cost of medical treatment whilst visiting these countries, and residents of these countries can get some essential medical treatments whilst visiting Australia.
If you’re travelling within New Zealand and have to seek medical attention, find a public state hospital and make sure you have proof of UK residence with you, which can be any one of the following:
Medicare is a publicly funded health care system available to citizens and ordinarily resident individuals throughout Australia. If you are travelling as a visitor in Australia, and seek medical attention, you will be enrolled in this system and any medical treatment you receive will be subsidised by the Australian Government’s Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA).
The Australian Government has Reciprocal Health Care Agreements with New Zealand, the UK, the Republic of Ireland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Finland, Italy, Belgium, Malta, Slovenia and Norway. Meaning Australian residents can get help with the cost of medical treatment whilst visiting these countries, and residents of these countries can get some essential medical treatments whilst visiting Australia.
If you’re travelling within Australia and have to seek medical attention, find a public state hospital and make sure you have proof of UK residence with you, which can be any one of the following:
Cruises are filled with fun activities such as surf simulators, tennis courts, swimming pools, zip-wiring and not to mention the excursions you can book once your ship is in port. So when it comes to packing, it’s okay not to know where to start.
Planning ahead when it comes to luggage is essential, especially if you’re taking a flight to board your cruise at a foreign port. Battling with bulging bags can mean you incur excess charges when it comes to checking the bags in, so pack lightly to benefit!
Flying before your cruise also means keeping an eye on your hand luggage. Pack it wisely and include a change of clothes, essential documentation, medication and chargers should your luggage not arrive on time
The traditional image of a cruise ship has long changed from the classic images of couples walking on the promenade, only one large pool for all passengers to use and plenty of deck space for sunning areas. Nowadays, modern ships contain enough amenities and hold enough events so that a day spent sailing at sea is just as exciting as a day in port.
On-deck activities now span from zip-wires to climbing walls and pool bars which transform into nightclubs over the course of the evening. Passengers can now partake in sky-diving and surfing simulations and swim in large resort-style pools with resistant currents, waterparks and wave machines.
Evening entertainment has always been a key element to cruising and modern day cruise lines have kept this classic aspect and transformed it from the stereotypical cabaret to laser displays and elaborately-dressed performers performing Broadway shows, or a high-octane acrobatic water performance by the crew.
On-board children’s clubs often host a huge variety of activities, including film pool parties, sleepovers, night nurseries, discos, nightclubs and lounges for teens and young adults, improv classes, ice-skating, dodgeball, circus training and talent shows alongside the huge number of amenities available on-board and in the ports of call.
Cruises are an incredible opportunity to do things you’ve always wanted to do in locations other holiday operators can’t always get to. From swimming with dolphins to cage-diving with sharks, kayaking round gigantic glaciers in the Baltic to spending the day under the tutelage of a professional sculptor in Italy. Similar to the way that ships have amenities for people with all tastes, they also provide excursions for people with different interests.
If you are taking part in an activity whist on an excursion, please double check our list of ‘covered activities’ to ensure you are fully covered. Click here to see the list.
One of the key advantages to choosing a cruise as your holiday is the all-inclusive price, which includes food and drink. Having several gourmet and casual variety restaurants within such a close area means that almost every passenger’s individual taste is catered for. Room service is also available on most ships, making the highly-commended, plentiful food available to passengers 24/7 for a small charge. Bars on-board cruise ships are becoming more diverse, with ships having up to ten bars which range from traditional British pubs to specialist champagne or martini bars and ice bars offering the latest cocktail concoction at the hands of award-winning mixologists.
In addition to all of this, ships are making more and more facilities available to their customers, including transforming their ships into floating resorts, complete with spas, gyms, salons, shops and opportunities for passengers to join in on workshops and listen to lectures.
Activities and events are usually delivered to your cabin each evening, detailing the itinerary or schedule for the next day, on the Daily Bulletin. This should already be in your cabin upon your embarkation of the ship.
