Zika virus concerns

[Ace50421]

Nice to meet you all! I apologize if this has been asked before but we are concerned about Zika. My wife and I recently found out we are pregnant. We booked a cruise to the Mexican Riviera for 7 days not thinking about Zika. We asked her Ob/gyn If it was ok to travel to Mexico and she said it was fine. I check the cdc website and Mexico has had Zika in the past and shows as purple on the cdc. So despite what the doc said, it seems like we are taking a huge risk by going. 
 

We are very concerned and princess said they would only refund half of our cruise. Should we be worried? Is there any possibility of Princess giving us full credit for a future cruise? I would hate to lose nearly $1000 dollars.  Any pro tips would be greatly appreciated! 
 

edit - misspellings 

Edited January 22, 2020 by Ace50421

[pms4104]

Have you checked with your travel insurance?

[Ace50421]

8 minutes ago, pms4104 said:

Have you checked with your travel insurance?

I didn’t purchase any travel insurance. Would it be too late to purchase travel insurance? 

[idahospud]

I'm guessing since Princess will only return half, you're already past your final payment date? If that's the case you won't be able to purchase cancellation insurance now.

Edited January 22, 2020 by idahospud

[Cruise Raider]

Are you going on the cruise to venture out in the ports?  If not, maybe you can stay on the ship and enjoy those amenities.  Even the indoor pool area would be pretty safe from mosquitoes.  

Trip insurance really needs to be purchased by the time of final payment for cancellation purposes.  If you decide you don't want to go, escalate your situation with someone higher up the chain down at Princess.  They may offer to let you move the monies paid to a future cruise instead ... maybe for just a small fee.  

Another option to look into is check to see if your credit card company will work with you.  They oftentimes provide some travel insurance if you've paid for the cruise in full with their credit card.  It's worth a try anyway.  

And, if nothing else (and I'm not preaching) make sure you have adequate medical coverage within a foreign country, especially now that your wife is pregnant.  If she needs to obtain any medical care while out of the country, you will probably need to pay out of pocket and get reimbursed through your healthcare policy at home.  

 

And....congratulations on your upcoming little bundle of joy!!  
 

[Griller]

Think of it like car insurance - you have to purchase it before the collision not afterwards.

You cannot claim on insurance for something you know is actually going to happen, like you are going to cancel.

[stoneharborlady]

You could still go, and just stay on the ship when in port.  Better than missing the whole cruise.  Sorry, I was still typing when Cruise Raider made his post.  He gave good advice.

Edited January 22, 2020 by stoneharborlady

[snowskier]

1 minute ago, stoneharborlady said:

You could still go, and just stay on the ship when in port.  Better than missing the whole cruise.

 

Because there is no way one could get bit by the Zika mosquito on the ship???? How Princess keep them off the ship? Really doesn't matter how many CC members are about to jump on the bandwagon with -- I have never seen a mosquito on a cruise ship. If there is one, it carries Zika, bites a pregnant person, who cares that others have never seen a mosquito  on a ship. 

 

Bottom line - Take a chance with the health of your unborn child or miss a cruise and lose some money. Is the gamble worth it? Only OP can decide.

[jennybenny]

There are mosquitoes in Mexico. If you are so worried it would ruin your cruise, it's best you cancel. If you go, slather on the bug spray, multiple times a day. I had to work in tropical weather for 5 months. I worried about Zika but I was't pregnant. I also didn't want DEET. So I looked "natural" remedies. Found one that worked, DoTerra, but it's expensive. I found it was best to make it myself after I bought 8 of them.

 

Now I use this. http://dailydoseofgreens.com/2015/05/15/diy-natural-bug-repellent-bug-bite-soother/

 

Congratulations on the baby and good luck with the cruise itself, or switching the dates. 

Edited January 22, 2020 by jennybenny

[Thrak]

The risk depends on the ports, time of year, etc. I can tell you that my son had paid in advance for a vacation resort in Mexico and then, when he found out his wife was expecting, sent out a mass email to relatives offering the pre-paid vacation to anybody who could use it. One of the cousins gladly took him up on the offer. (I'm don't know if they ever offered to pay him anything or not but that wasn't a condition of his offer.) Only YOU and YOUR WIFE can decide whether you want to do this trip or not. I agree with others that it's far too late to purchase trip insurance at this point.

[neverbeenhere]

[Mike45LC]

Not to disagree with SnowSkier above, but do we have any information on the rate with which cruisers on the MexRiv cruises have contracted Zika?  

 

I would likely cancel, explaining to the Princess representative the health concerns for a pregnant woman, and see if the funds can be applied without penalty to another cruise -- Alaska, maybe?  Because the possible birth defects are horrible, and there is nothing to justify the risk, small though it may be.

 

[Cruise Raider]

4 minutes ago, Mike45LC said:

Not to disagree with SnowSkier above, but do we have any information on the rate with which cruisers on the MexRiv cruises have contracted Zika?  

 

I would likely cancel, explaining to the Princess representative the health concerns for a pregnant woman, and see if the funds can be applied without penalty to another cruise -- Alaska, maybe?  Because the possible birth defects are horrible, and there is nothing to justify the risk, small though it may be.

 

 

https://www.journeymexico.com/blog/the-zika-virus-in-mexico-what-you-need-to-know

 

Interesting and current article on Zika in Mexico.  

The reason to stay on the ship is to minimize the risk but yes, there is still a small risk.  

 

 

[Daniel A]

As good parents, expect to put the needs of your child (children) ahead of your own desires often.  This is just the beginning.  Get what you can from Princess but put the health concerns of your unborn child ahead of your disappointment.  (Also, buy trip insurance from now on, kids get sick and injured as part of growing up.)  I feel for you in your predicament.   

[Mike45LC]

1 hour ago, Daniel A said:

  (Also, buy trip insurance from now on, kids get sick and injured as part of growing up.)  I feel for you in your predicament.   

When I started cruising, trip insurance was because "kids get sick and injured as part of growing up."  Now, for us, it is because our parents are elderly and "get sick and injured as part of growing" old.  When they have passed, it will be WE who are growing old!!  The cycle of life!

 

I know that some people don't like trip insurance, and can afford to gamble.  I have probably paid enough in trip insurance premiums to have self-insured by now.  At least, as to cruise cancellation payments that get forfeited.  But medical evacuation/ transportation from a "third world" hospital to a decent US hospital is VERY expensive, as are other expenses we hope never to collect on from the trip insurance.  So we get insurance.

[Shoalwater]

So the same CDC site you reference about Zika in Mexico shows the same risk levels for the entire USA.  There's another CDC site that gives information about infectious diseases for travel destinations https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list .   When you ask about Mexico, dengue or even malaria pops up but not Zika.  Zika was overplayed by the press.  In my opinion you can travel to the Mexican Riviera and not have to worry about Zika.  Listen to your ObGyn, she's giving you good advice.

[MsSoCalCruiser]

Maybe Princess would allow you to switch to a different cruise. A California coastal cruise?

[TeaBag]

Congratulations on your little bundle.

This is a tough decision.  Have you heard about the Sawyer Permethrin spray for clothing?  This kills mosquitoes carrying zika, yellow fever etc.  Once sprayed on clothing and allowed to dry, it is good for 6 weeks or 6 washings.  Sawyer also has a product for skin called Picardin insect repellent which is odorless and does not contain Deet.  This might be a way out if you can't change your cruise.

[TheRabbit]

23 hours ago, Ace50421 said:

Nice to meet you all! I apologize if this has been asked before but we are concerned about Zika. My wife and I recently found out we are pregnant. We booked a cruise to the Mexican Riviera for 7 days not thinking about Zika. We asked her Ob/gyn If it was ok to travel to Mexico and she said it was fine. I check the cdc website and Mexico has had Zika in the past and shows as purple on the cdc. So despite what the doc said, it seems like we are taking a huge risk by going. 
 

We are very concerned and princess said they would only refund half of our cruise. Should we be worried? Is there any possibility of Princess giving us full credit for a future cruise? I would hate to lose nearly $1000 dollars.  Any pro tips would be greatly appreciated! 
 

edit - misspellings 

I had not heard of any concern, so thought I would look. Everything I could find says there are no know cases at this time in Mexico. As for the purple, look again. Below is what I found.

Per CDC

 (Purple)
Current or Past
Transmission but
No Current Outbreak
(Purple)¹

[dog]

No insurance; doctor said okay to go;  I suggest using a good insect repellent, stay on ship if you are really worried. I was on that cruise in Oct. not an insect in sight then on the ship. 

[TheRabbit]

Forgot to mention even the USA is purple on the CDC map I saw.

[akeasley]

I didn't realize Zika was still an issue. That's one reason I didn't cruise while pregnant in 2016. Just me, but if your doctor says it's ok, than why not go?