How to Get Prescriptions on a Cruise Ship: A Practical Guide for Travelers

When you're out on the open sea, the last thing you want is to run out of your daily medication. Cruise ship medical centers aren’t hospitals. They’re infirmaries - small, busy, and stocked with just enough to handle the most common problems: seasickness, stomach bugs, minor injuries, and colds. If you need a prescription for something unusual - say, your blood pressure pill, insulin, or a painkiller - you can’t assume it’ll be there. Most cruise lines won’t carry it. And if they do, it’ll cost you more than you’d pay at home.

Don’t Rely on the Ship’s Pharmacy

The medical center on your cruise ship has a limited inventory. Even on big ships like those from Royal Caribbean or Norwegian Cruise Line, they typically stock between 50 and 100 different medications. That sounds like a lot until you realize it’s meant to serve 3,000+ people for a week or two. Common drugs like antacids, anti-nausea meds, antibiotics for ear or sinus infections, and basic pain relievers are usually available. But anything specialty? Forget it.

Narcotics? Only in emergencies, and even then, in tiny amounts. Diabetes medications like insulin? Sometimes, but not guaranteed. Thyroid pills? Rare. Mental health meds? Almost never. Storylines, a newer residential cruise line, is an exception - they offer compounding pharmacies and take 6 to 12 months’ notice for specialty prescriptions. But if you’re on a regular 7-day cruise? You’re on your own.

Bring More Than You Think You Need

The rule is simple: pack enough for your whole trip, plus extra. Not just a few extra days. At least five extra days. Why? Delays happen. Weather cancels port stops. Ships get stuck. One Reddit user shared how their 14-day cruise turned into 17 days because of a storm. They ran out of blood pressure meds because the ship didn’t carry it, and the next port’s pharmacy was closed. They ended up skipping doses for two days.

If you’re on a 10-day cruise, bring 15 days’ worth. If it’s a 21-day voyage? Bring 28. Cruise lines like Royal Caribbean and Disney explicitly say this in their FAQs. It’s not a suggestion - it’s a requirement for your safety.

Keep Medications in Original Containers

Never transfer pills into a daily pill organizer for the whole trip. Bring them in their original bottles with the pharmacy label. Why? Security. Customs. Medical staff. All of them need to see the prescription label, the patient name, and the doctor’s info. If you’re flying to your cruise port, TSA and international border agents may ask to see your meds. If the bottle says “John Smith” but your passport says “Jane Smith,” you’ll have problems.

Disney Cruise Line is strict about this. They’ve turned people away from the medical center because their meds weren’t in labeled bottles. Even if you’re not flying, you’ll still go through port security in places like the Bahamas or Mexico. Unlabeled pills can be mistaken for illegal drugs. Don’t risk it.

Carry-On Only - No Checked Bags

Pack your medications in your carry-on. Not your suitcase. Not your backpack. Your carry-on. Why? Bags get lost. Bags get delayed. If your checked luggage doesn’t arrive until day three and you need your asthma inhaler on day one? That’s not a minor inconvenience - it’s dangerous.

Cruise lines don’t guarantee luggage delivery timing. Even if you’re boarding early, your bags might not reach your cabin for hours. If you’re diabetic and need insulin, or have a heart condition and need nitroglycerin, you can’t wait. Keep your meds with you at all times - in your purse, in your daypack, in your jacket pocket.

Bring a Medication List

Write down everything you take: name, dosage, frequency, reason. Include your doctor’s name and phone number. Print it out. Keep a copy in your wallet. Email it to a family member. If you end up in the medical center, this list is your lifeline. The doctor on board is a general practitioner - not your specialist. They might not know your history. They’ll need your list to avoid dangerous interactions or overdoses.

If you’re on insulin, CPAP, or other medical devices, bring a note from your doctor. Some ports require it. Storylines requires it for CPAP users - they even ask you to bring distilled water and an extension cord in advance.

Costs Are High - But Not Always Avoidable

If you do need to buy something from the ship’s pharmacy, expect to pay 200% to 300% more than you would at a U.S. pharmacy. Antibiotics? $25 to $40 per dose. Anti-nausea pills? $15 for five tablets. Compare that to $5 at Walmart or CVS. It’s steep. But sometimes, you have no choice.

The good news? Seasickness meds are often free. Most ships offer them at the medical center or even at the front desk. You can walk in, ask for Dramamine or Bonine, and get it without a charge. Same with basic painkillers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen - they’re usually available on request.

Special Cases: Insulin, CPAP, and Controlled Substances

If you use insulin, bring extra syringes, alcohol wipes, and a cooler with ice packs. Some ships have fridges, but don’t count on it. Bring a doctor’s note - not just for the ship, but for any port you’ll visit. In some countries, insulin without a prescription can be confiscated.

CPAP machines? Bring your own. The ship won’t provide one. Storylines says you’ll need distilled water and an extension cord. Bring both. Check with your cruise line ahead of time - some ships have limited outlets in cabins.

Controlled substances - opioids, benzodiazepines, ADHD meds - are the hardest to get on board. Storylines says they’ll only provide them in “emergency or extreme cases.” Other cruise lines don’t carry them at all. If you need these, you must bring your own. Keep them in original bottles. Never try to get them refilled on the ship. It won’t happen.

What to Do If You Run Out

If you run out and the ship doesn’t have your med, your options are limited:

• Ask the medical center if they can order it from a port pharmacy. Some ships can do this, but it takes time - and money.
• Wait until the next port and go to a local pharmacy. But check the port’s hours. Many close early or on Sundays.
• If you’re near a U.S. territory (like St. Thomas or Puerto Rico), you might find a chain pharmacy. Otherwise, local pharmacies may not carry your brand.

Your best bet? Avoid this entirely. Pack extra. Always.

Telemedicine Is Getting Better - But Not Yet Reliable

Royal Caribbean and a few others now offer telemedicine services. You can video-call a doctor on land for advice. This helps if you’re unsure whether you need a new prescription. But it doesn’t mean they’ll send you meds. They can’t. The ship’s pharmacy still has to stock what you need.

Think of telemedicine as a second opinion - not a refill service. It’s useful for clarifying symptoms or getting advice on whether to see the ship’s doctor. But don’t count on it to solve your missing pill problem.

Real Stories: What Went Right and Wrong

One passenger on a Carnival cruise forgot her antidepressant. She brought half her supply. On day 5, she ran out. The ship didn’t carry it. She panicked. She ended up in the medical center, crying. The nurse gave her a mild sedative to help her sleep. She didn’t get her real med until the next port - three days later. She said it was the worst three days of her life.

Another traveler brought 20 days’ worth of blood pressure pills on a 10-day cruise. Her meds were in original bottles. She had a printed list. She kept them in her carry-on. When the ship was delayed by a storm, she was fine. She didn’t stress. She didn’t get sick. She just kept taking her pills - and enjoyed the rest of the trip.

The difference? Preparation.

Final Checklist Before You Board

• Bring 5-7 extra days’ worth of every prescription.
• Keep all meds in original containers with labels.
• Carry all meds in your carry-on bag.
• Print a list: drug name, dose, frequency, doctor’s contact.
• For insulin: bring extra syringes, cooler, and doctor’s note.
• For CPAP: bring distilled water and extension cord.
• For narcotics or controlled substances: bring your full supply - no refills on board.
• Check your cruise line’s website for their medical policy - don’t assume.

Bottom Line

Cruise ship medical centers are great for treating seasickness, cuts, or a bad cold. They’re not a replacement for your pharmacy. Don’t gamble with your health. If you need a medication to feel normal, to breathe, to sleep, or to stay alive - bring it. Bring extra. Bring it labeled. Bring it with you.

The sea doesn’t care if you forgot your pills. You have to care for yourself.