Man wins free cruise ship vacation but then has to pay $47,000 after catching flu on board

A Minnesota man has spoken out after being left 'flabbergasted' by a $47,000 medical bill from his free week-long cruise vacation.

On January 5, Mike Cameron and his girlfriend Tamra Masterman set sail from Casino Hinckley, Miami onboard Norwegian Cruise Line's Encore ship after winning a free week-long cruise vacation.

Unfortunately, just days into traveling around the Caribbean islands, Cameron was struck down with the flu and went to the ship's medical center to seek help.

Masterman says he was 'hooked up to catheters, IVs' and was put on the medical ward, undergoing support and treatment for a total of three days, FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul reports.

Thankfully, Cameron recovered from his nasty flu, however, he was left 'flabbergasted' on the final day of the trip when he received the bill for the medical expenses he'd built up while on board - the paper reading a total balance of a staggering $47, 638.79.

He told the outlet: "To turn around the day we're leaving and get handed a $47,000 bill - I just didn't even know what to do."

Cameron believed the travel insurance he allegedly purchased from Norwegian Cruise Line's website would've covered his expenses.

The pair won a free week-long cruise trip (GoFundMe)

He said: "And everybody in the medical ward kept saying, 'Don't worry, you have $20,000 coverage. You'll be just fine'."

Masterman added the travel insurance 'doesn't want to pay it until [they] run it past the health insurance' but the health insurance 'doesn't want to pay it' either.

Masterman alleges the pair didn't even get a 'chance to pay,' but that the money was simply taken and the pair have reportedly been left with two 'maxed out' credit cards.

She questioned: "You start thinking are you going to lose your house, lose your cars?"

A GoFundMe has since been set up to help support the pair and 'relieve [their] medical burden'.

Cameron said: "I really don't know how Im ever going to pay them off."

The pair say their credit cards are 'maxed out' (GoFundMe)

He added to the Post: "I was just flabbergasted by the whole thing. I guess I am just used to the medical system in the United States. I can’t believe it happened."

He hopes speaking out about his story can make people aware if you go on a cruise you need to 'make sure you got good traveler's insurance' because 'once you are out on international waters, it's a whole different story'.

Norwegian Cruise Line allegedly told the couple in a letter the bill is accurate.

A spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Line told UNILAD: "We are committed to providing quality medical services and each of our ships is equipped with a state-of-the-art onboard medical center, staffed with highly qualified physicians and nurses, to provide care for both guests and crew while at sea. We follow guidelines for our medical facilities provided by CLIA in conjunction with the American College of Emergency Physicians.

"On January 9, 2025, Mr. Cameron was admitted to the onboard medical center and received appropriate treatment for his condition, followed by 62 hours of critical care. While we are unable to disclose the details or severity of the guest’s medical condition due to laws and regulations governing personal privacy, we can confirm that the necessary medical procedures and resulting expenses have been reviewed by our internal team. As medical insurance is not accepted on board, 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."