Tami and Mike. Credit: GoFundMe, Krystal Cameron.
A Minnesota man’s dream holiday took a disastrous turn after he fell ill on a Norwegian cruise, leaving him with a staggering $47,638.79 (€46,125) medical bill.
Flu strikes while at sea on a Norwegian cruise
Mike Cameron and his girlfriend, Tamra Masterman, from Minnesota, USA, won a week-long cruise aboard the Norwegian Encore. They set sail from Miami on January 5. The trip was a celebration of Masterman’s recovery from lung cancer surgery in October 2024. However, the holiday soon turned into a nightmare when Cameron contracted the flu and required treatment at the ship’s medical centre. After a three-day stay, he was hit with the unexpected invoice.
“I was just flabbergasted by the whole thing,” Cameron told Fox 9. “I can’t believe it happened.”
During his time in the ship’s medical ward, Cameron received oxygen, IV medications, X-rays, and had a catheter placed, which was reportedly done incorrectly. He was diagnosed with Influenza A and “possible pneumonia,” though the latter was never confirmed. Despite feeling better after the first night and requesting to be released, medical staff refused to discharge him, keeping him for a total of 63 hours.
The cruise line charged the two credit cards Cameron had on file, maxing them out to cover approximately $26,000 (€25,175) of the bill, leaving him with an outstanding balance of over $21,000 (€20,334).
Cameron had purchased travel insurance through the cruise line, which was supposed to cover up to $20,000, and also had personal health insurance. However, neither provider has taken responsibility for the full cost.
According to The New York Post, Norwegian Cruise Line defended the bill, stating its pricing is “closely comparable to other cruise lines and is what we believe to be fair and reasonable.” The company confirmed that Cameron’s medical procedures were reviewed by its internal team but did not disclose whether such costs were typical for flu treatment.
In an effort to alleviate the financial burden, Cameron’s daughter, Krystal, launched a GoFundMe titled “Relieve Mike and Tami’s Medical Burden.” As of now, it has raised $4,219 from 133 donations – the target is $10k.
View all news in Norway.
View all news in the USA.
