Millions of travelers love cruises precisely because of their combination of remoteness and comfort.. But what is a much-needed break from the real world could prove problematic if a passenger has an accident or dies on board. As it turns out, the team has a plan.. CNN writes about this.

Dr. Alexander Durovich, who has worked as a doctor on cruise ships for the past 20 years, says life as a doctor on the high seas is very different from life on land..

Staff are carefully selected to have at least three years of experience in emergency medicine.

Whether the cruise lasts three years or three days, the organization is usually the same and is based on the recommendations of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP).

Cruise lines that are members of CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association) must have at least one medical specialist available on board 24 hours a day, as well as two medical rooms, one of which must be for intensive care. They must also have equipment on board to monitor vital signs.

Many large cruise ships have at least one other doctor, as well as a small team of nurses.

The onboard crew is supported by shore personnel, including doctors with extensive experience in emergency medical care.

Then there is the captain of the ship who is ultimately responsible for all the souls on board. They handle the logistics if a patient needs to be offloaded or in the event of a death on board.

" Strokes, trauma, bone fractures, spinal injuries and traumatic brain injuries. It's like any emergency room in the world,"

On larger ships, doctors typically deal with about one death per cruise, he said..

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Regardless of the time of day or night, passengers can seek help by reaching the lower deck, where the medical center is usually located.

If the injuries are too serious, the passenger will be sent to a hospital on shore in the nearest port. The captain has the final say on logistics, contacting the nearest coast guard. If the ship is at sea, depending on the situation (both patient and ship), it may divert to offload the patient by pilot boat or helicopter if time is of the essence. This is where travel insurance becomes crucial - because the patient will be sent an invoice.

Of course, sometimes the unthinkable happens and the passenger dies. Urban myths say that the sudden appearance of ice cream on the menu means that someone has died and their body has been frozen..

Amazingly, this was the case 40 years ago, says Amy White, director of medical operations at Vikand, which provides medical services to more than 150 ships on 33 cruise lines..

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Now, however, most ships have a morgue, with the exception of expedition ships, which rarely have extra space..

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According to Durovic, today there are strict procedures in place in the event of the death of passengers..

The medical team must immediately inform the captain as well as the medical team ashore. They must prepare the body and notify authorities on land. In the US this means the Coast Guard and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Sometimes forensic experts come on board and take the body for an autopsy.. It depends on each case,” says Durovic.

Security has been increased around the body while it is in the morgue on board.. White adds that police typically board the ship at the next port to take notes and sometimes question the doctor.. Local funeral directors usually unload the body at the port, as most authorities do not allow ships to sail with the body on board. The only exception, she says, is if it's a return cruise from the US to Mexico, when they might be allowed to leave Mexico to bring the body of an American citizen back to the States.. But before all this, a minute of silence is announced.

Let us remind you that at Christmas, a cruise ship employee spoke about an interesting rule that all passengers, without exception, must follow.. It concerns toy guns.