Cruise incident highlights the need for a ‘good, old fashioned travel agent’
“Here’s an argument for having a good, old fashioned travel agent,” says Fox News.
Indeed, the sad tale of a 89-year old man who broke his hip on a cruise has become a great advertisement for the importance of using a travel agent.
American tourist Dodge Melkonian and his wife Jill sailed off on an Azamara cruise by Royal Caribbean cruise using credit from a former trip canceled by a fire. Since they did not pay for the cruise, they could not buy the extended medical insurance that might have helped them.
So when Melkonian broke his hip in the waters off Turkey, the cruise line dropped them at the nearest facility, a government hospital whose care the couple did not trust, and in which they allege no one spoke English.
Seven hours later, the couple, too frightened to have the surgery done where they were, contacted their travel agent, Tammy Lavente, who was immediately on the case.
Lavente called on a local tour guide to be her on-site hands-on representative.
He acted as translator; he arranged for an ambulance to transport the couple to a private hospital; he contacted the American Embassy. He even donated his own blood for a transfusion.
Lavente is now working on legislation to make sure this doesn’t happen again.
Royal Caribbean Cruises said in a statement that it has been working closely with Mr. & Mrs. Melkonian.
“We helped arrange transportation via ambulance to the closest area hospital. Once ashore, we worked closely with the travel insurance provider, as they have the expertise to deal with local authorities and medical facilities. One of our Care Team Specialists is still in contacted with them today.”
In the end, a number of reports in the US media pointed out, there is nothing like having a good travel agent when things go wrong.
By Cheryl Rosen, Editor TravelMole US
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Skyscanner reveals major travel trends 2026 at ITB Asia
In Italy, the Meloni government congratulates itself for its tourism achievements