Regardless of your destination, it's a good rule of thumb to remember

that being adventurous is one thing, relying on the local

hospital in a third world country or tropical island is quite another.

direcred beam of intensely shrill "bangs" ar

the attackers. The blast sounds similar [Q a
smoke alarm, but is nearly twice the decibel
level. The u.s. milirary developed the
LRAD, in addition to other non-lethal
weapons, after the 2000 terrorist attack on
the USS Cole. Information detailing which
cruise ships have this emergency response
system is unknown as officials believe thac
releasing such information would reduce or
render ineffective any safety precautions.
Rest assured, if you are headed to Africa via
a cruise ship, there's a pretty good chance
thar boat is equipped \\'irh \vcapons (Q main.
rain the safety of its passengers through
known pirated waters. let Atlanta's leading experts
SICK AT SEA?
on healthy legs, and the
While cruise ships can provide quality short~
term care, its medical facilities are far more
effective tending to bumps and bruises than
to life-threatening situations. Much like a
small town's health care system, cruise liners
rely on basic tools. Statistics dictate that
tragic incidents are less likely to happen
than say getting sick or injured; however, it's
a smart move to take some common~sense
steps ro protect YOll, your assets and your
family, just in case.
One such step i:; a service called Air
Ambulance Card. If you experience a medical
emergency while cruising, Air Ambulance
Card ,••..
ill dispatch a qualified medical team
to your next port of call. Once they arrive,
YOll will be quickly transported to the med~

ical facility of your choice, nor simply to the

nearest appropriate facility. Membership fees
are $195 a year for individuals and $295 for
families. This rate provides members up to
two medical transports per year, regardless of
the cost. Extended Stay memberships arc
also available if you plan to travel out of the
United States or Canada for more than 90

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