Explora I Introduction Pushed Back to July 2023

[Roel94]

9 hours ago, uktog said:

For those of us flying long haul to USA there is far less opportunity to do the Caribbean. Many face too many barriers to be regular cruisers so may only have been a few times. Therefore itineraries with St Vincent, Guadeloupe (ah Death in Paradise setting for the Brits at last!) are very attractive. You have to remember Explora’s decisions are Europe centric for now so their itineraries may not appeal to the serial cruising US market who see the Caribbean as an extended winter ritual. That’s why to many they are different. 

Absolutely no interest in Africa, like many we cannot have certain vaccines and there is no longer acceptance of exemption letters as guests on Azamara discovered last year. Zero desire to travel that far burning that amount of hard earned money to stay on the ship for days on end sorry!  For those who are able to be fully vaccinated against yellow fever etc they are however very attractive itineraries- you are lucky you can do them! 

I am not  vaccinate for YF.I was on crystsl.not sure if I can get  due to past health but I been in five countries. My cruise had a lot of ports and I could travel on my own. That could be a problem but this far out read nothing.

 

I find that both RC and Explora are more low key then I like  at night but guest ports.

 

 

[Roel94]

I realize I never sent late last night the above.in 2019:did a crystsl,cruise with Africa . I never got a yellow fever shot. But I went to the  health dept in DC that gave me the yellow booklet with it signed by them.plus gave me two other shots. We were told the letter was not enough. But the sign booklet was.in 2020 I started a WC with crystal…we had to have that booklet with us . At the moment it is locked up  in house.to take it again it needs to be taped.something that important should have some plastic folder.

 

Explora  and the new Ritz Carlton have a few ports thst most Americans do not see. In the old days if you flew to San Juan or St Martins etc you had a chance for more interesting ports.now it is rare and  I get off and sit on a beach or eat lunch.  Nothing new ..just want heat.

[uktog]

10 minutes ago, Roel94 said:

I am not  vaccinate for YF.I was on crystsl.not sure if I can get  due to past health but I been in five countries. My cruise had a lot of ports and I could travel on my own. That could be a problem but this far out read nothing.

 

I find that both RC and Explora are more low key then I like  at night but guest ports.

 

 

My travel agent will not let us book without checking the current vaccination position for each country and what she found for guests not vaccinated against yellow fever was not good news, partly due to the abuse in issuing exemption letters by doctors in some countries.  This annoys, I cannot get these letters just by asking, I have to go through a detailed assessment process and the default position is to direct the traveller for a vaccination unless there is an underlying health reason why (which is the case in my situation).

 

I do not think we can tell what Explora is like until the first sailings, it certainly does not feel too low key for us

[Roel94]

4 minutes ago, uktog said:

My travel agent will not let us book without checking the current vaccination position for each country and what she found for guests not vaccinated against yellow fever was not good news, partly due to the abuse in issuing exemption letters by doctors in some countries.  This annoys, I cannot get these letters just by asking, I have to go through a detailed assessment process and the default position is to direct the traveller for a vaccination unless there is an underlying health reason why (which is the case in my situation).

 

I do not think we can tell what Explora is like until the first sailings, it certainly does not feel too low key for us

Ann, in 2018 I found there was a shortage of the vaccine in my country.To the point it was more thsn 2 hours away. I was looking into it when I found out I had major had major  health  problems. I was in DC And had the letter And got the yellow booklet. I was in 5 African countries  plus others that Explora doing.

 

What I meant low key I still like to  dance and you can not dance that I know of on Explora.  I have no problem listening but I do miss dancing.

 

 

[travelberlin]

In relation to yellow fever vaccines, we were vaccinated every 10 years until about 14 years ago. Then health authorities worldwide advised not to get the vaccine again if you were older than a certain age, which we are.

 

Which country is requesting those vaccines in Africa? They do not take into account the age of the person? We have been in several countries in Africa many times. We never had problems with vaccines. 
Ivi

[Roel94]

9 hours ago, travelberlin said:

In relation to yellow fever vaccines, we were vaccinated every 10 years until about 14 years ago. Then health authorities worldwide advised not to get the vaccine again if you were older than a certain age, which we are.

 

Which country is requesting those vaccines in Africa? They do not take into account the age of the person? We have been in several countries in Africa many times. We never had problems with vaccines. 
Ivi

I was told not after that age ..American..and I was very sick in 2018. Hard to believe Azamara would say no if on yellow fever form which is yellow.

[travelberlin]

14 hours ago, uktog said:

My travel agent will not let us book without checking the current vaccination position for each country and what she found for guests not vaccinated against yellow fever was not good news, partly due to the abuse in issuing exemption letters by doctors in some countries.  This annoys, I cannot get these letters just by asking, I have to go through a detailed assessment process and the default position is to direct the traveller for a vaccination unless there is an underlying health reason why (which is the case in my situation).

 

I do not think we can tell what Explora is like until the first sailings, it certainly does not feel too low key for us

Thank you for mentioning about the yellow fever vaccines. It looks like it is mandatory for several countries independently if one is a senior or not. Several countries in South America including Argentina and Brazil as well a several countries in Africa and apparently the Caribbean ( I did not find a list for the Caribbean countries though).

Ivi

[uktog]

37 minutes ago, travelberlin said:

Thank you for mentioning about the yellow fever vaccines. It looks like it is mandatory for several countries independently if one is a senior or not. Several countries in South America including Argentina and Brazil as well a several countries in Africa and apparently the Caribbean ( I did not find a list for the Caribbean countries though).

Ivi

It very much depends where you have been the previous 14 days and from what we could ascertain this was the issue with South Africa.
It’s why on Azamara guests couldn’t tour countries en route to Cape Town if they were not vaccinated and exemption letters or cards were not acceptable. They had to stay onboard some couldn’t get off between Lisbon and Namibia.

I know Explora is on the east side but stopping at Mozambique and Tanzania unvaccinated could give some people challenges. It’s understandable that South Africa is now being strict and wants to protect their people 

Everyone has to do their homework before booking cruises these days!  Don’t rely on what someone did last year. Times have moved on

[travelberlin]

15 minutes ago, uktog said:

It very much depends where you have been the previous 14 days and from what we could ascertain this was the issue with South Africa.
It’s why on Azamara guests couldn’t tour countries en route to Cape Town if they were not vaccinated and exemption letters or cards were not acceptable. They had to stay onboard some couldn’t get off between Lisbon and Namibia.

I know Explora is on the east side but stopping at Mozambique and Tanzania unvaccinated could give some people challenges. It’s understandable that South Africa is now being strict and wants to protect their people 

Everyone has to do their homework before booking cruises these days!  Don’t rely on what someone did last year. Times have moved on

Yes. You are right, on the mean time I have found a list from the WHO. In some countries it is mandatory even if you have only been on transit in a country in which yellow fever is endemic. For example if one is on transit in Brazil (Sao Paolo, Rio…) you might be denied entry to several Caribbean countries. 
Ivi

[Roel94]

19 hours ago, travelberlin said:

In relation to yellow fever vaccines, we were vaccinated every 10 years until about 14 years ago. Then health authorities worldwide advised not to get the vaccine again if you were older than a certain age, which we are.

 

Which country is requesting those vaccines in Africa? They do not take into account the age of the person? We have been in several countries in Africa many times. We never had problems with vaccines. 
Ivi

I was told not after that age ..American..and I was very sick in 2018. Hard to believe Azamara would say no if on yellow fever form which is yellow.

[Roel94]

Ladies, not a question of believing times have change. I am just not sure if I want the shot and  in the past I have been in those countries. I would hate to cancel a cruise base on this but I would.plus it is three cruises as Brazil on one of them.

 

But it is still hard to get the shot herein states.

 

all an education. 

[PaulMCO]

we have been on cruises in the Amazon (this year) and also to Argentina.  NO yellow fever certificate was required to enter or leave the country,

[uktog]

3 hours ago, Roel94 said:

I was told not after that age ..American..and I was very sick in 2018. Hard to believe Azamara would say no if on yellow fever form which is yellow.

It’s nothing to do with Azamara and the colour of the form is irrelevant. It’s the public health authorities at immigration that set the rules. The cruise lines have to follow them. 
I am not sure you require vaccinations to enter in South America but I would advise you check with official sources in your country and in the countries you plan to visit. 
In the UK that’s the FCO website 

Edited June 22, 2023 by uktog

[travelberlin]

This is what I found from the WHO

 

https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/documents/emergencies/travel-advice/yellow-fever-vaccination-requirements-country-list-2020-en.pdf

[uktog]

This is the independent site the UK government directs travellers to if they want to check vaccination requirements. This is the South Africa page but you can head back to the index for any country 
https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/country/201/south-africa

As you can see South Africa requires anyone who has recently been in an area at risk of yellow fever transmission to be vaccinated. This is the list of countries affected- it includes Kenya 

https://nathnacyfzone.org.uk/factsheet/65/countries-with-risk-of-yellow-fever-transmission

[Roel94]

Anne, nit fpgoing in 2023 tomany of these countries. But looks like 2024 or 2025. But I could still change my mind.

[Morrey]

On 6/21/2023 at 9:21 AM, Roel94 said:

Ann, in 2018 I found there was a shortage of the vaccine in my country.To the point it was more thsn 2 hours away. I was looking into it when I found out I had major had major  health  problems. I was in DC And had the letter And got the yellow booklet. I was in 5 African countries  plus others that Explora doing.

 

What I meant low key I still like to  dance and you can not dance that I know of on Explora.  I have no problem listening but I do miss dancing.

 

 

I've been researching this for a dance group. The Journeys Lounge has a 41 sq meter dance floor.  I'm bringing a small group on Sept 25th and report back on the dancing situation