Texas Family Hit With $13K Medical Bills After Cruise Emergency

What was meant to be a relaxing holiday at sea turned into a nightmare for a Texas family, after a young woman suffered a serious medical emergency aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise and was left facing more than $13,000 in bills.

Khiali Baxter had been looking forward to her first cruise, a sailing from Galveston to Mexico with her boyfriend. But just two days into the trip, things took a turn.

“I woke up, I started throwing up blood. Unfortunately, I had passed out on the ground,” Baxter recalled. Shipboard doctors quickly determined she was suffering from internal bleeding and admitted her to the medical centre. The urgent care she received there came with an immediate price tag of $4,000.

Credit: Photo courtesy of Khiali Baxter’s GoFundMe

Rushed Four Hours to Hospital in Mexico

Her condition was so serious that, as soon as the ship docked, Baxter was transferred by ambulance on a gruelling four-hour journey to the nearest hospital equipped to handle her case.

Doctors in Mexico found that her haemoglobin levels were critically low and she required blood transfusions. Despite the severity of the situation, the family was shocked to discover that the hospital demanded money up front before proceeding with treatment.

“They said, ‘We’ll work as far as the $2,500 will take us.’ I’ve never heard this in my life,” her father, Craig Baxter, told reporters.

Bills Mount Into the Thousands

Three cruise ship medical staff members wearing masks and uniforms—two in blue scrubs and one in a white officer’s uniform—stand behind the reception counter of the ship’s medical center. The professional setting reflects the preparedness and care provided by cruise ship medical staff. — Cruise medical staff

The ordeal quickly spiralled into a financial crisis. Alongside the $4,048 already charged by Royal Caribbean’s onboard medical facilities, the Mexican hospital issued an itemised bill of $9,970.

Flights, lodging, and additional travel costs for family members who rushed to Mexico pushed the total even higher, leaving the Baxters scrambling to find money while their daughter drifted in and out of consciousness.

No Travel Insurance or Passport

What made matters worse was that Khiali had not purchased travel insurance and was travelling without a passport. Both factors complicated her care and meant the family had to pay out of pocket for every aspect of the emergency, from ambulance transfers to hospital treatment.

GoFundMe Launched to Cover Costs

A family friend, Jennifer Brown, launched a GoFundMe to help with the mounting expenses. She highlighted Khiali’s role as one of the youngest police officers in the United States — someone who has dedicated her career to serving her community with “integrity, compassion, and strength far beyond her years.”

Funds raised are going toward her onboard medical bills, emergency ambulance transfer, hospital treatment, blood transfusions, and the travel costs of family members supporting her abroad.

A Warning for Other Travellers

Travel insurance experts say the Baxters’ situation is a stark reminder of the risks of travelling without coverage. Comprehensive policies typically cost between 6–8% of the trip price and can cover unexpected medical bills and evacuation expenses.

Reflecting on the ordeal, Craig Baxter urged other families to take precautions. “Sometimes the trip of a lifetime can become the situation of a lifetime,” he said.

For Khiali, the experience has been life-changing. “It was a very, very scary experience…I really wish I would’ve gotten travel insurance,” she admitted.