Vaccination/Inoculation

[Mainiac II]

Thinking of doing a full transit Panama cruise, West Bound. Does anyone have any information as to any recommended inoculations or vaccinations that are needed or necessary for this cruise? Thank you in advance for any info

 

[CruiserBruce]

If you look around the board, you will see this discussed frequently. There are no required immunizations for the Canal, unless you are going to wonder deep into the interior, which 99% of cruisers aren't.

 

Have cruised the Canal 4 times. Never got any vaccines. 

[njhorseman]

While you won't need vaccinations for the Canal transit itself, without knowing your itinerary it''s impossible to say whether you'll need vaccinations for any of the other countries you'll be visiting...although it's also unlikely that you would need them for any of the other countries either.

 

FYI, if you're transiting from the Atlantic to the Pacific through the Canal you're actually going almost exactly north to south rather than east to west, although not precisely in a straight line.

[Mainiac II]

Thank you, this is very helpful. We will not be going deep into the interior of any of the Ports, so I’m thinking we will be safe

[Oakman58]

I would definitely get a flu shot before going on the ship with 2500 or more of your best friends.

[CruiserBruce]

1 hour ago, Oakman58 said:

I would definitely get a flu shot before going on the ship with 2500 or more of your best friends.

You should get a flu shot every year, regardless if you are going on a cruise.

[Oakman58]

32 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

You should get a flu shot every year, regardless if you are going on a cruise.

 

You are absolutely correct, and unfortunately it is a fact that less than half of Americans get the shot.

[Sunshine3601]

Our family physician advised on hep a vaccine which everyone that travels should have.  She also prescribed malaria pills for us to take daily during our western caribbean cruise to panama costa rica costa maya colombia etc

[Jiminy1955]

10 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Our family physician advised on hep a vaccine which everyone that travels should have.  She also prescribed malaria pills for us to take daily during our western caribbean cruise to panama costa rica costa maya colombia etc

How far out from your cruise did you need to get the vaccine?

[CruiserBruce]

7 hours ago, Jiminy1955 said:

How far out from your cruise did you need to get the vaccine?

Hep A is two shots several months a part- 6 months, IIRC. But, again, no vaccine is required for the Canal. Suggested, but not required.

[Sunshine3601]

Yes I had my first hep a shot in June and second one in january for the cruise I'm on now.     All it takes is one bad mosquito to get you.   Better safe than sorry so we have malaria pills with us to take everyday as a precaution since we are traveling various western caribbean ports for 3 weeks.

My doc said always good to have hep a vaccine whether you travel or not.

Got it at my local drugstore 

If you dont have time to do the 2 shots 6 months apart just getting the first round will protect you then get 2nd shot when you are back home.

 

[CruiserBruce]

34 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Yes I had my first hep a shot in June and second one in january for the cruise I'm on now.     All it takes is one bad mosquito to get you.   Better safe than sorry so we have malaria pills with us to take everyday as a precaution since we are traveling various western caribbean ports for 3 weeks.

My doc said always good to have hep a vaccine whether you travel or not.

Got it at my local drugstore 

If you dont have time to do the 2 shots 6 months apart just getting the first round will protect you then get 2nd shot when you are back home.

 

Ah, Hep A is not transmitted by mosquitos. Have been through the Canal 4 times, and sailed the Caribbean about 8 times, sometimes up to 3 weeks at a time...never seen a mosquito. 

 

"Safe" is always good, but the risk is VERY VERY low...there is almost no current history of such problems, and hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people sail the Caribbean regularly. 

[Sunshine3601]

I did not say hep a was transmitted thru a mosquito.  I was mentioning my doc gave me malaria pills as that you can get from mosquitos and if you do excursions in Rainforest and jungle of various ports better safe than sorry.   No big deal to take a pill a day as a precaution.

We also apply bug spray with 25% deet for excursions in rainforest etc.

Rather do that then be stuck on toilet

[Sunshine3601]

Again I am talking about excursions in costa rica. Honduras. Panama. Costa maya and cozumel where you are in the jungle and rainforest.   Not eastern or southern caribbean ports.

[Turtles06]

On 1/23/2020 at 2:49 PM, Sunshine3601 said:

I was mentioning my doc gave me malaria pills as that you can get from mosquitos and if you do excursions in Rainforest and jungle of various ports better safe than sorry.   No big deal to take a pill a day as a precaution.

Anti-malaria pills have their own potential side effects.  If your doctor gave them to you, fine, but not everyone needs them or should take them for a PC cruise.  It can be a “big deal” to take meds needlessly. 
 

 

Edited January 26, 2020 by Turtles06

[Agavegirl1]

My first trip into the Belize interior, I took the Malaria pills and the side effects were not worth it.  Appropriate mosquito protection was better.  I also moved to Panama when I was 8 days old and had an accelerated vaccination schedule as well as an additional "Yellow Fever" shot.  None of the stuff I got is required now.  It wouldn't hurt to be current on your DPT  (diptheria, pertussis, tetinus) and a Flu vaccine.  The Flu vaccine is for the ship.  The rest, for un-vaccinated passengers and accidents.

[KatieBelle]

This is a question that should be asked of your cruise line/TA.  We booked PC cruise for December this year.  Our first invoice indicated "possible" requirements for yellow fever/malaria for one or more of the countries on our itinerary.  Our second invoice made no mention of the possibilities.  Our TA inquired of the cruise line and currently there is no requirement in any of our ports.  She will keep us advised.

 

What others have done in the past is of no value to you or me.  It's all about what our government and the other countries we visit will require.  We have to do our own due diligence.

 

Katie