Cholera on Haiti

[lauraM2]

I am going to Labadee in just a few weeks and don't intend to drink contaminated water or eat raw and unwashed fruits or vegetables. Since those are the primary ways that cholera is spread and not by person to person contact, I am not concerned. I also believe that RCI would not knowingly put its passengers and crew at risk and were there any reasonable fear that visiting Labadee would do so, they would cancel their stop. I don't expect that to happen and don't think that encouraging panic through less than fully informed postings is something that should be done.

 

Have you googled cholera??? I did this matches what my friend a medical doctor told me. She said she would not get off the ship & to carry antibiotics because cholera can KILL WITHIN HOURS. She said you don't want to be on the ship waiting for medical attention. Found googling cholera:

Cholera is a serious infectious disease caused by the bacteria Vibrio cholerae, which affects the intestinal system of the body. An infected person experiences severe vomiting, explosive diarrhea and severe dehydration. Without immediate medical treatment, cholera may result in death within four to twelve hours after symptoms begin. Due to a large loss of body fluids, cholera is gruesome in the way that it leaves survivors in their physical appearance, as well as in the biological toll it takes on the body.

Cholera is very contagious. It is spread by the unintentional consumption of infected feces that contaminate food and water. It can also be spread through human to human contact. Some people have been infected with cholera by eating raw or undercooked shellfish.

[bilyclub]

3 out of your 4 posts in your short CC life and been bashing RCI because you don't want stop at Labadee. The World Health Organization has much more experience than your friend.

WHO does not recommend restrictions to international travel or trade due to the cholera outbreak in Haiti.

[bilyclub]

You forgot the part that 80% of the cases are considered minor, and that the other 20% are easily treated.

[janetz]

I may have it figured out:

 

"key board messed up no \/ or jk 1 m no aggression im in street sa1es understand there pitch once negotiated to pay discount than ga\/e it back knowing there need"

 

He's not angry. The key board is messed up. It doesn't have a "v" or "l". He negotiated a discount with a vendor, then paid full price because he felt guilty.

 

What's the prize for solving the riddle?

 

 

FREE CRUISE!!!! :p

[Aquahound]

Have you googled cholera???

 

I don't think you have to worry about Cholera. The dengue, noro virus, or swine flu will likely kill you long before your ship gets to Haiti.

 

I hope your ship doesn't go to Jamaica. You'll leave with a drug addiction.

 

We should all feel fortunate for taking cruises and surviving long enough to tell our stories.

[chef_christoph]

I don't think you have to worry about Cholera. The dengue, noro virus, or swine flu will likely kill you long before your ship gets to Haiti.

 

I hope your ship doesn't go to Jamaica. You'll leave with a drug addiction.

 

We should all feel fortunate for taking cruises and surviving long enough to tell our stories.

 

LOL...pass the screen cleaner :D

[UNV-IT!!!]

while we dont see eye to eye on every issue here i have to agree with you i dont want to be bothered for money or food. now that being said i have never had them asking me for either. which is why i do tip and will continue to tip. now if they asked me for money. i would still give something because they are in need of some help it wouldnt be much at that point. heres a buck.

I understand what you are saying. But it is RCI's compound. I think RCI is just trying to create a certain type of environment for a care free day for their passengers. This is not like a regular port. We are pretty much held captive there. I am sure that RCI just does not want their guests being harrassed for money and food. The more money and food that is handed out the more workers will expect it. Obviously, some people are not bothered by this behavior but I am sure there are many who do not want to have to be subjected to it.

[lifeastrin]

omg you lot! I just left FOS and had the best day on Labadee fab place.. Cholera? No way. It was absolutely fine.

[chef_christoph]

I spoke to my friend who is a medical doctor about the Haiti stop. She said she would not get off the ship & would carry antibiotics. Seems you can DIE from cholera within hours, so you don't want to be waiting in line on the ship for medical assistance. I am very angry that RCCL is making me decide between losing the money I paid for the cruise & risking my life. I don't care how small the risk is, it is an unecessary risk. Easy solution is to just go to another port. Makes you wonder how much in bed RCCL is with the Hatian government.

 

Have you googled cholera??? I did this matches what my friend a medical doctor told me. She said she would not get off the ship & to carry antibiotics because cholera can KILL WITHIN HOURS. She said you don't want to be on the ship waiting for medical attention. Found googling cholera:

Cholera is a serious infectious disease caused by the bacteria Vibrio cholerae, which affects the intestinal system of the body. An infected person experiences severe vomiting, explosive diarrhea and severe dehydration. Without immediate medical treatment, cholera may result in death within four to twelve hours after symptoms begin. Due to a large loss of body fluids, cholera is gruesome in the way that it leaves survivors in their physical appearance, as well as in the biological toll it takes on the body.

Cholera is very contagious. It is spread by the unintentional consumption of infected feces that contaminate food and water. It can also be spread through human to human contact. Some people have been infected with cholera by eating raw or undercooked shellfish.

 

Did you tell your friend that you are going on a cruise? That you will be visiting a secure compound away from where the outbreak is occurring? That the compound you'll be visiting has its own infrastructure to provide clean water and food? That you will be getting back on the cruise ship with a medical facility? That, in the even of a serious emergency other medical options are available, ie. medivac?

 

Your friend can only give advice as good as the information you provided.

 

How about the CDC who have stated that normal vacation itineraries in Haiti are not at risk? Do you not believe them?

 

Taking a cruise to Labadee is not the same as spending weeks at a time in some isolated rural village in Haiti.

 

If, even after all you can find out about the safety of Labadee, you are still worried then you have another option - cancel your cruise.

 

It really is that simple.

[nolimits]

no cruise but u did good no caps or puncuation /thank god christmas onway /we are on a11ure next week exstra\/aganza dec1 caution is proper panic is not

[nrdsb4]

Have you googled cholera??? I did this matches what my friend a medical doctor told me. She said she would not get off the ship & to carry antibiotics because cholera can KILL WITHIN HOURS. She said you don't want to be on the ship waiting for medical attention. Found googling cholera:

Cholera is a serious infectious disease caused by the bacteria Vibrio cholerae, which affects the intestinal system of the body. An infected person experiences severe vomiting, explosive diarrhea and severe dehydration. Without immediate medical treatment, cholera may result in death within four to twelve hours after symptoms begin. Due to a large loss of body fluids, cholera is gruesome in the way that it leaves survivors in their physical appearance, as well as in the biological toll it takes on the body.

Cholera is very contagious. It is spread by the unintentional consumption of infected feces that contaminate food and water. It can also be spread through human to human contact. Some people have been infected with cholera by eating raw or undercooked shellfish.

 

Human to human spread of cholera is very rare. It's largely a function of contaminated food/water systems. People with access to decent medical care tend to do just fine. Your post reeks of misinformation. My friend is not only a doctor, but a nationally respected doctor who specializes in infectious disease. She thinks maybe your friend doesn't know what he/she is talking about, or you haven't totally informed him/her of the actual environment present at Labadee.:rolleyes:

[scooobycat]

Labadee was great! the food and water came off the boat. We loved our time on Labadee. Felt safer than montago bay!

[TPKeller]

no cruise but u did good no caps or puncuation /thank god christmas onway /we are on a11ure next week exstra\/aganza dec1 caution is proper panic is not

To NoLimits:

 

If you are using a Windows based machine, here is how you can type the missing letters:

 

Position your cursor to where you want the letter to be.

Press and hold the ALT key down.

Using the numeric key pad*, type in the 2 or 3 digit decimal number associated with the ASCII code for the letter.

Release the ALT key.

 

For example, to type a "v", press and hold ALT, type "118" on the keypad, then release the ALT key. The desired letter will magically appear.

 

* Not the numbers above the letter keys, and make sure NUMLOCK is on!

 

Consult http://www.asciichart.com/ for the whole list of codes you can use.

 

Theron

[TPKeller]

Have you googled cholera??? I did this matches what my friend a medical doctor told me. She said she would not get off the ship & to carry antibiotics because cholera can KILL WITHIN HOURS. She said you don't want to be on the ship waiting for medical attention.

It is clear that your doctor friend does not have even a minimal understanding of the unique set of circumstances and conditions that encompass Labadee.

 

Sounds rather blunt to say that, but there is no other way. If by chance, your friend does understand Labadee, well, that would speak even more poorly of them than the fact that they are ignorant of the situation.

 

Theron

[Ocean Boy]

I spoke to my friend who is a medical doctor about the Haiti stop. She said she would not get off the ship & would carry antibiotics. Seems you can DIE from cholera within hours, so you don't want to be waiting in line on the ship for medical assistance. I am very angry that RCCL is making me decide between losing the money I paid for the cruise & risking my life. I don't care how small the risk is, it is an unecessary risk. Easy solution is to just go to another port. Makes you wonder how much in bed RCCL is with the Hatian government.

 

Ok, since you are posting the same thing on multiple thread I will post my response to you on the same multiple threads....:rolleyes:

 

If you do not trust RCI's judgement then don't sail with them. Thats sounds simple to me.

 

As for your friend, the DR., where is she getting her information that Labadee is unsafe or that there is Cholera there? What does she think about mosquitos carrying malaria? Has she advised you to stay inside the ship and not go out on deck while docked at Labadee? I would risk getting cholera over malaria any day.

 

Oh, and has your friend, the DR., ever seen the medical facility on a modern day cruise ship? You can probably get to medical help quicker while docked in Labadee than when you are sitting in your living room at home.

 

Now, let the drama continue......

[jmraggs]

I'm not sure if you are aware, but there are 2 buildings. The second building is a no harrassment zone and they sell the same stuff. I don't even go near that first building anymore.

 

If I am remembering correctly, there is only one building now (the second one) as they razed the first one when they developed the walk way containing what I call the "selling cabanas" through the wooded area as you walk to Columbus Cove. It's now a much more relaxing environment to browse for things or just walk by.

 

We went into one building where there were no issues, but what I'm referring to is the market area where you walk through to get to Columbus Cove. It was just ridiculous. Our last trip we were in a GS so we never went that far because we spent the day on Barefoot Beach. This trip, we went to Columbus Cove so we walked farther. On Freedom we'll be in a GS again, so we'll probably not go past Barefoot Beach again and can avoid all that harrassment.

 

You're right, but we didn't find it as harassing as before maybe because it wasn't as claustrophobic as before when it was in a building.:D

[Maxiecat3]

Have you googled cholera??? I did this matches what my friend a medical doctor told me. She said she would not get off the ship & to carry antibiotics because cholera can KILL WITHIN HOURS. She said you don't want to be on the ship waiting for medical attention. Found googling cholera:

Cholera is a serious infectious disease caused by the bacteria Vibrio cholerae, which affects the intestinal system of the body. An infected person experiences severe vomiting, explosive diarrhea and severe dehydration. Without immediate medical treatment, cholera may result in death within four to twelve hours after symptoms begin. Due to a large loss of body fluids, cholera is gruesome in the way that it leaves survivors in their physical appearance, as well as in the biological toll it takes on the body.

Cholera is very contagious. It is spread by the unintentional consumption of infected feces that contaminate food and water. It can also be spread through human to human contact. Some people have been infected with cholera by eating raw or undercooked shellfish.

 

Have you ever read the side effects on some of the prescription medicines that your Dr. friend has ever prescribed?? After reading some of them you might want to take a chance on the sickness instead of the side effect. I do not know if anybody else has mentioned this, but, you probably have a better chance of catching something on the plane ride to the port than of catching Cholera while in Labadee.

 

Gregg

[Seatravelers]

We will be on Labadee a week from today and absolutely will get off the ship! RCCL would never put it's passengers intentionally in harm's way and this area of Haiti is not close to where the outbreak is centered. Stay onboard if you're worried but I don't think the alarmist tactics will work if people are well informed with proper education, jmho

[warrior planner]

I will also be there a week and one day from now. I have no concerns that the alcohol will effectively kill all bugs:D

[temple1]

It is clear that your doctor friend does not have even a minimal understanding of the unique set of circumstances and conditions that encompass Labadee.

 

Sounds rather blunt to say that, but there is no other way. If by chance, your friend does understand Labadee, well, that would speak even more poorly of them than the fact that they are ignorant of the situation.

 

Theron

 

Ok, since you are posting the same thing on multiple thread I will post my response to you on the same multiple threads....:rolleyes:

 

If you do not trust RCI's judgement then don't sail with them. Thats sounds simple to me.

 

As for your friend, the DR., where is she getting her information that Labadee is unsafe or that there is Cholera there? What does she think about mosquitos carrying malaria? Has she advised you to stay inside the ship and not go out on deck while docked at Labadee? I would risk getting cholera over malaria any day.

 

Oh, and has your friend, the DR., ever seen the medical facility on a modern day cruise ship? You can probably get to medical help quicker while docked in Labadee than when you are sitting in your living room at home.

 

Now, let the drama continue......

 

Have you ever read the side effects on some of the prescription medicines that your Dr. friend has ever prescribed?? After reading some of them you might want to take a chance on the sickness instead of the side effect. I do not know if anybody else has mentioned this, but, you probably have a better chance of catching something on the plane ride to the port than of catching Cholera while in Labadee.

 

Gregg

 

To everyone who has replied to the fear mongerers on the board - don't waste your time trying to respond with intelligent and logical answers. The poster has not interest in reality - just her own fears. That sort of person will go out of their way to paint a scenario that fits their vision of reality.

[TPKeller]

To everyone who has replied to the fear mongerers on the board - don't waste your time trying to respond with intelligent and logical answers. The poster has not interest in reality - just her own fears. That sort of person will go out of their way to paint a scenario that fits their vision of reality.

I understand your point, but mis-information must be answered. Always. People come here looking for good information. If we ignore the bad information, the value of this board and the reputation of everyone who participates is tarnished.

 

There are several famous quotes that can be slightly altered to illustrate this point...

 

All that is necessary for "mis-information" to triumph is for "reasonable posters" to do nothing.

 

The price of "honest information" is eternal vigilance.

 

Theron

[nolimits]

TP Thank You

[Kikkycat]

Was on Labadee Friday November 19th. Everything consumable came off the ship, including ice cubes. While this does limit their bar set up considerably (only beer, soda and labadoozies - either virgin or with rum- were available), we felt quite secure in what we ate and drank. The vendors in the straw market were another matter entirely. We ran out of there. The artisan's market was great and we both bought some tin art souvenirs. We also saw many pallets on the pier of supplies bound for the real Haiti.

[UNV-IT!!!]

sounds like her DR friend is google lol..... :D

[boingy300]

Most medical people here in the US really aren't that familiar with cholera or educated about it. Many are trying to tx with cipro or lomotil. Even ORS is being debated by the more educated. You won't "die within hours" on Labadee or a cruise ship. It's a horse of a different color. Arming yourself with knowledge is a good way to look at this situation. Look at the pattern in Nepal, where this came from (thanks UN). We don't know it's effects on the Haitian population. I do follow an infectious disease doctor on Twitter who is currently working at Port Au Prince General. Dokte Coffee is her screen name. She is educated and worthy of listening to. Doctors without Borders are also a good source. Personally, I would go to Labadee without hesitation in regards to cholera. And I just watched a kid die from it in the real Haiti a few weeks ago. It's not the same thing in a private port. I shouldn't waste time trying to discuss this other than just getting frustrated that I may not get to go to a beautiful secluded spot because of unfounded fears. I say stay on the ship or cancel this cruise. Please don't force your wishes on me.

Karen