Dialysis on a cruise: your options and how to plan

Yes, you can cruise on dialysis. Ships don't carry dialysis machines as standard, so it takes more planning than a land holiday, but there are three well-trodden ways to do it.

Option 1: a cruise with dialysis on board

Specialist operators arrange haemodialysis on board selected sailings, with their own machines, nephrologist and dialysis nurses. You book the cruise and the treatment as one package. It's the simplest option, but sailings are limited, they sell out early, and the dialysis is charged on top of the cruise fare.

Option 2: dialyse in port

On an ordinary cruise you can book sessions at dialysis units near the ports of call, the same way you would for a land holiday. This works best on itineraries with plenty of port days and short sea crossings.

• Map your normal treatment schedule against the itinerary before you book the cruise, not after
• Never plan a gap between sessions that is longer than your usual longest gap
• Allow for the time it takes to get from the pier to the unit and back before the all-aboard time
• Have a backup unit in mind in case a port is cancelled because of weather

Mediterranean cruises suit this well because there are units close to many popular ports, for example in Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Naples, Athens, Santorini and Corfu.

Option 3: peritoneal dialysis on board

If you're on peritoneal dialysis, cruising is often easier. Your supplier can usually deliver fluids to the ship before you sail, but the cruise line has to agree in advance and tell you where and when to send them. Ask about fridge space if any of your medication needs it, and how the ship disposes of clinical waste. Our guide to peritoneal dialysis abroad covers supply deliveries in more detail.

What to ask the cruise line

• Which medical forms they need from your doctor, and by when
• Whether they accept delivery of dialysis supplies to the ship
• What the medical centre on board can and can't do (it's not a dialysis unit)
• Their policy if a port is skipped and you miss a planned session

Insurance

Declare dialysis when you buy travel insurance and confirm in writing that it covers you at sea and in every country on the route. Medical evacuation from a ship is expensive. Our guide to travel insurance and dialysis explains what to check.

Food and fluid on board

Buffets and all-inclusive drinks make fluid, salt and potassium limits harder to stick to. Ask the ship about renal-friendly meals when you book, and weigh yourself daily if you can.

Planning sessions in port? Request a booking and we'll check which ports on your route have units that can take you.