DRPWDunIL Posted September 4, 2017 #1 Share Posted September 4, 2017 Posting here because of wider variety of experiences and idiosyncracies of Princess port stops and combinations. How have you approached recommended immunizations for travel in the Caribbean. CDC recommends Hepatitis A for almost all travelers, even those visiting on cruise ships. Other immunizations are more situation dependent and far less universally recommended. What have other cruisers done? What have your doctors said when you inquired? I have already asked my doctor and will follow his advice as he has been with me for over 25 years. Just curious what the experience and approach of others has been. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thrak Posted September 4, 2017 #2 Share Posted September 4, 2017 My wife and I got the Hep A series for Tahti but even there it is only "recommended" by CDC - not "required'. There are no immunizations needed at all for a Caribbean cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkSeattle Posted September 4, 2017 #3 Share Posted September 4, 2017 None are needed. But everyone should get the Hep A/B vaccines. It's one of the standard childhood vaccines now, but wasn't available before 1982ish. Two shots for decades of protection... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRPWDunIL Posted September 4, 2017 Author #4 Share Posted September 4, 2017 Thanks for your experience. Every port on our cruise has a similar CDC page. Here is the one for St. Kitts and Nevis: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/cruise_ship/st-kitts-and-nevis?s_cid=ncezid-dgmq-travel-single-001 Seems that there ARE recommendations for the Caribbean, or am I reading the CDC's advice wrong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRPWDunIL Posted September 4, 2017 Author #5 Share Posted September 4, 2017 None are needed. But everyone should get the Hep A/B vaccines. It's one of the standard childhood vaccines now, but wasn't available before 1982ish. Two shots for decades of protection... Thanks. That makes sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggprincess2004 Posted September 4, 2017 #6 Share Posted September 4, 2017 There are recommendations. Hep A/B are just something one should have - they have been battling small Hep A outbreaks in LA and San Diego in the US, and it is good to have for travel in general. Our primary care sent us to a travel med specialist for our upcoming Asian cruises. And, if you happen to be going to Brazil, there are vaccination requirements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
satxdiver Posted September 4, 2017 #7 Share Posted September 4, 2017 As previously stated no immunizations are required in the Caribbean. The CDC takes the safer route and recommends Hep A which is not a bad idea. Now however it is just as easy to get the Hep A/B immunization. Here in our state all children attending school has to have the Hep A/B shots. My advice is to get the immunization. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thrak Posted September 4, 2017 #8 Share Posted September 4, 2017 There are recommendations. Hep A/B are just something one should have - they have been battling small Hep A outbreaks in LA and San Diego in the US, and it is good to have for travel in general. Our primary care sent us to a travel med specialist for our upcoming Asian cruises. And, if you happen to be going to Brazil, there are vaccination requirements. Nope. Only if you are going to the Amazon. Merely to visit Brazil on a cruise ship - without visiting the Amazon - there are no immunizations required. If you are visiting the Amazon you will need the Yellow Fever vaccination. Of course you will definitely need a Visa to visit Brazil but that's a different topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shmoo here Posted September 4, 2017 #9 Share Posted September 4, 2017 Thanks for your experience. Every port on our cruise has a similar CDC page. Here is the one for St. Kitts and Nevis: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/cruise_ship/st-kitts-and-nevis?s_cid=ncezid-dgmq-travel-single-001 Seems that there ARE recommendations for the Caribbean, or am I reading the CDC's advice wrong? "Recommendations" are not the same as "required". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steelers36 Posted September 4, 2017 #10 Share Posted September 4, 2017 Nope. Only if you are going to the Amazon. Merely to visit Brazil on a cruise ship - without visiting the Amazon - there are no immunizations required. If you are visiting the Amazon you will need the Yellow Fever vaccination. Of course you will definitely need a Visa to visit Brazil but that's a different topic. Thrak, I think there are a lot more province zones where YF vac is recommended. I think it is safer to say that if just going to major urban centers, then not needed. That said, my understanding is some other countries will require a YF vac if they see your travels have included places like Brazil prior to arriving on their doorstep. (Excuse me for not going to look them up, but readers ought to do their own research when it comes to health matters anyway). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caribill Posted September 4, 2017 #11 Share Posted September 4, 2017 Nope. Only if you are going to the Amazon. Merely to visit Brazil on a cruise ship - without visiting the Amazon - there are no immunizations required. If you are visiting the Amazon you will need the Yellow Fever vaccination. Of course you will definitely need a Visa to visit Brazil but that's a different topic. Brazil only requires it if you have visited a country with YF in the recent past. We were on one cruise up the amazon from Fort Lauderdale. Everyone on the ship needed it because of a port visited by the ship on the way to Brazil. Those who flew to Brazil to take the next segment returning to Fort Lauderdale did not have to get it unless on a previous trip they had visited a country with YF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thrak Posted September 4, 2017 #12 Share Posted September 4, 2017 Thrak, I think there are a lot more province zones where YF vac is recommended. I think it is safer to say that if just going to major urban centers, then not needed. That said, my understanding is some other countries will require a YF vac if they see your travels have included places like Brazil prior to arriving on their doorstep. (Excuse me for not going to look them up, but readers ought to do their own research when it comes to health matters anyway). I do believe you are correct in that conjecture. The other countries aren't interested in exactly where in Brazil you went. They just care that you were in Brazil at all and can indeed demand that inoculation. Thanks for bringing that up. (I'm not very well traveled - yet. I have so much to learn. I love it that folks here share their knowledge.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
easyboy Posted September 4, 2017 #13 Share Posted September 4, 2017 Posting here because of wider variety of experiences and idiosyncracies of Princess port stops and combinations. How have you approached recommended immunizations for travel in the Caribbean. CDC recommends Hepatitis A for almost all travelers, even those visiting on cruise ships. Other immunizations are more situation dependent and far less universally recommended. What have other cruisers done? What have your doctors said when you inquired? I have already asked my doctor and will follow his advice as he has been with me for over 25 years. Just curious what the experience and approach of others has been. Never been required to have immunization for a Caribbean cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky TGO Posted September 4, 2017 #14 Share Posted September 4, 2017 Never been required to have immunization for a Caribbean cruise. Ditto. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Vineyard View Posted September 4, 2017 #15 Share Posted September 4, 2017 Brazil only requires it if you have visited a country with YF in the recent past. We were on one cruise up the amazon from Fort Lauderdale. Everyone on the ship needed it because of a port visited by the ship on the way to Brazil. Those who flew to Brazil to take the next segment returning to Fort Lauderdale did not have to get it unless on a previous trip they had visited a country with YF. Caribill- Did your ship stop at any Caribbean islands on your return from the Amazon and did those islands require proof of YFV of anyone on the ship? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCruisers Posted September 5, 2017 #16 Share Posted September 5, 2017 None required for a Caribbean cruise. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
friend of Eeyore Posted September 5, 2017 #17 Share Posted September 5, 2017 We went down the Amazon from Manaus to FLL. We were required to get the YF because we went to Devil's Island after Brazil, and they required it there. Sent from my SM-T813 using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wheezedr Posted September 5, 2017 #18 Share Posted September 5, 2017 There are in fact no required vaccines for a Caribbean cruise. Both Hep A and Hep B are highly recommended if you have never received them. As earlier posters have noted, Hep A is in fact endemic (that mean it occurs commonly) to most of the US and has been a routine childhood immunization for at least 10 to 15 years. Hep B has been routine for even longer, with the first dose now recommended on day 1 of life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Itchy&Scratchy Posted September 5, 2017 #19 Share Posted September 5, 2017 we usually get the flu vaccination for all of us, but my hubby skips it sometimes. I definitely get the kid and myself vaccinated for flu. Kiddo is current on all US vaccinations required for his age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caribill Posted September 5, 2017 #20 Share Posted September 5, 2017 Caribill- Did your ship stop at any Caribbean islands on your return from the Amazon and did those islands require proof of YFV of anyone on the ship? Yes, there were several islands visited on the return from the Amazon. No island required proof of YFV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meatloafsfan Posted September 5, 2017 #21 Share Posted September 5, 2017 Before any travel, you should ensure that your tetanus shot is up to date. You are much more likely to scratch yourself than catch Hepatitis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Vineyard View Posted September 5, 2017 #22 Share Posted September 5, 2017 Thank you caribill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homosassa Posted September 5, 2017 #23 Share Posted September 5, 2017 For any cruise, you should be up to date with a flu and pneumonia immunization. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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