Man Wins Free Norwegian Cruise Line Vacation. Then He Got Stuck With a $47,000 Medical Bill

Norwegian Cruise Line is one of the most beloved cruise lines in the world. However, it recently endured a spate of bad press when one of its passengers got sick while on board and incurred almost $50,000 in medical bills. Let’s take a look at the details.

Mike Cameron Was Slapped With a $47,000 Medical Bill When He Got Sick

According to Australia’s 7 News, Mike Cameron took his longtime companion, Tamra Masterman, on board the Norwegian Cruise Line ship, the Encore, after he won the trip in a raffle.

Masterman had a cancerous tumor removed from her lungs in October 2024, and the pair thought a Caribbean cruise and a little R&R would do them both some good. So when Cameron won the trip, he and his sweetie took off from Miami.

However, Masterman got sick with the flu while onboard the ship, and his oxygen levels dropped. He went to the ICU made available on the Norwegian Cruise Line, where he received oxygen, a catheter, intravenous medicines, and X-rays. He felt better the following day and, with his improved oxygen levels, requested to be quarantined in his room for the rest of the trip. However, he was not permitted to leave the medical ward, and his expenditures continued to rise.

“Mike spent a total of four days in the medical ward and asked to be released each day,” wrote his daughter on the GoFundMe page, which she set up to help her father cover the exorbitant medical bill.

The couple had acquired travel insurance and stated the Norwegian Cruise Line medical secretary informed them they were covered for $20,000 and advised them “not to worry” when they raised concerns. However, the cruise line subsequently maxed out the couple’s credit cards on file.

“Medical insurance is not accepted onboard,” Norwegian Cruise Line told the outlet. “We strongly encouraged the guest to file a claim with their health insurance provider post-cruise. As the guest did purchase travel insurance for their vacation, we have recommended they follow up on their claim with the insurance provider, after they have filed the claim with their health insurance provider.”

Norwegian Cruise Line Still One of the Top-Selling Cruises in the World

Despite this recent spate of bad press, Norwegian Cruise Line is still one of the top-selling cruise line companies in the world. In fact, the company is so popular that its Q3 2024 sales soundly beat the estimates.

According to StockStory, the cruise line’s sales increased 10.7% year on year to $2.81 billion in the third quarter of 2024, above Wall Street’s revenue expectations. Additionally, its non-GAAP earnings of $0.99 per share were 5.3% higher than analysts’ expectations.

At the halfway point of the year, management raised its full-year Adjusted EPS forecast by 7.8% to $1.65. As of today, the market capitalization is $10.48 billion.

“Our exceptional third quarter results, with record revenue, net income and Adjusted EBITDA, surpassed guidance across all key metrics, underscoring the strength of our business, the attractiveness of our product offering across all brands and the superior execution and delivery by our teams both shoreside and shipboard,” said Harry Sommer, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., in the report. “Fueled by robust demand and our relentless focus on cost control and margin enhancement, we’re raising our full-year guidance for a fourth time and expect 2024 to be our best year for revenue, Net Yield growth and Adjusted EBITDA.”

Furthermore, in September 2024, Norwegian Cruise Line announced the launch of a new ship, the Luna, which will sail in 2026.

The Luna is a ship in the Prima Plus Class. Norwegian Luna went on sale on September 18 and will provide a selection of sun-loving cruises out of Miami beginning April 4, 2026, and ending November 2026.