The staff onboard Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas are being given accolades after their quick thinking actions helped save a premature baby.

Chase and Emily Morgan from Utah in the United States were onboard the ship bound for the Caribbean at the end of August for a seven-day cruise with their three-year-old daughter Chloe when Emily unexpectedly into labor – three months early.
With the ship 14 hours away from the closest port, medical staff on the ship told Emily to hold on.

But moments later, the baby boy arrived.

While doctors initially told the Morgans that Emily had miscarried, they found that the baby had survived.

“About 45 minutes after I had delivered, the two doctors came back in and said the baby was still alive, however they didn’t expect him to live very long,” Emily told KSL.com, a local news website in Utah.

As the hours went on, she insisted he be wrapped in fresh, dry towels and she helped staff tuck microwaved saline packets around him to create a makeshift incubator.

They also used a sanitary napkin to keep his head warm.

Meanwhile, the captain of Independence of the Seas charged full steam ahead to San Juan in Puerto Rico to get mum and bub to the nearest hospital.

“He said we are going as fast as we can and we’ll port two hours early in San Juan and we’ll get you guys to the hospital, but he said that’s as fast as I can get you there,” she said.

The Morgans were transported to a Miami hospital via a medical jet.

The family named their new baby boy Haiden who was declared by doctors, a ‘micro-preemie’.

“Royal Caribbean has really been great in keeping touch after we got into Puerto Rico, making sure that everything was running smoothly,” Chase told KSL.com.

“They even sent translators with us when we first got into Puerto Rico.”

The Morgans are now renting an apartment near the Miami hospital for $30 a day where Haiden’s struggle continues.

But he is slowly gaining weight and is in a stable condition.

The family has launched a crowdfunding campaign to cover Haiden’s medical costs and people have already given generously – the Morgans have raised over US$40,000.

If you want to help out the Morgans, click here.