Any Zika reports from an RCI trip/stop?

[rockon391]

My possibly pregnant wife and I are scheduled to be on Liberty next week and i was curious if anyone has heard of any Zika incidents reported from an RCI cruise?

 

Has anyone noticed any mosquitos on the ship or off any ports?

[rockon391]

...not even a mosquito sighting on or near a ship?

[happy_trees]

Since the vast majority of people who get Zika don't notice any symptoms, it's very possible travellers with the virus don't even know it.

 

The CDC is keeping an active map up to date of current areas with mosquito-born Zika. You can compare the map (lower right on the page) with your itinerary and decide your own comfort with whatever the current data says the risk is. That's more effective than random people on the internet guessing.

 

http://www.cdc.gov/zika/geo/

[mcatmcat]

All I know is that the virus is worst than expected according to my local news

[fragilek]

please speak with your doctor or midwife about this. What others would do or recommend not to do is irrelevant - its what your doctor, the medical profession say and also what your/other countries travel advise is, combined with WHO recommendations that should count.

 

This could be your babies and your families future happiness I would not base it on what a few other travelers think - (To put you in the picture I am a medical research scientist - and have heard so much rubbish been pushed on forums pro and against things) - I know my position on if I would risk it based on the facts given out and other info I have read in research papers- however, as I could tell you I am anything on a forum (as could anyone else) you should not make a decision based on what I or anyone says on here or on any other forum so I am not about to tell you or anyone else what to do - see your doctor.

Edited April 13, 2016 by fragilek

[wendychloecruiser]

We saw LOTS of mosquitos in Cartagena, Colombia but apparently that is the Zika capital of the world.

[SC_Floaters]

The Life Span of the Aedes aegypti mosquito is right about 10 days according to the CDC.

 

Any mosquitio(s) reported more than 2 weeks before your cruise will not be around when you're there.

 

You really need to get advice from Your Health Care Provider...

[ColoradoGurl]

If you are actively trying to get pregnant (or might already be), I would seriously consider rescheduling the cruise. The CDC has found that while the virus doesn't do much of anything to most healthy people, the virus can live in the sperm of men for an undetermined length of time and recommend not trying to get pregnant if you have any possibility of having contracted the virus because it can be passed on to your wife/girlfriend etc. In non-pregnant women it goes away within a week. Sometimes you can get bit by a zika mosquito and not get any symotoms, but still carry the virus.

 

That being said, Ive never gotten a mosquito bite on a cruise ship, but I get eaten alive on caribbean beaches. Mostly when I'm staying on a land vacation and near the beach at night, but still...those bugs are lurking there, so you have to decide if it's worth the risk.

[bubba83]

what ports are you stopping at....there is a list out there where Zika is at...Mexico, Haiti, and so on....if you are stopping at any ports on the list it is strongly recommended to cancel your trip because your wife is pregnant. RC has already said before for previous sailings since the Zika virus has been an issue that they will refund the cruise if you have to cancel because of being pregnant.

 

The risks of birth defects is too much to take a cruise in my opinion.

[bouhunter]

please speak with your doctor or midwife about this. What others would do or recommend not to do is irrelevant - its what your doctor, the medical profession say and also what your/other countries travel advise is, combined with WHO recommendations that should count.

 

This could be your babies and your families future happiness I would not base it on what a few other travelers think - (To put you in the picture I am a medical research scientist - and have heard so much rubbish been pushed on forums pro and against things) - I know my position on if I would risk it based on the facts given out and other info I have read in research papers- however, as I could tell you I am anything on a forum (as could anyone else) you should not make a decision based on what I or anyone says on here or on any other forum so I am not about to tell you or anyone else what to do - see your doctor.

 

Exactly. Can't imagine basing any travel decisions in this regard to what a few internet posters might say on mosquito sightings......

[AZAficionado]

I'm about to hop onto Adventure. Yesterday RCI sent both a text (which required a reply) and an email informing me about the CDC's travel alert regarding Zika. The message cautioned women who are pregnant or likely to become pregnant to be cautious. It also offered alternative itineraries (no specifics) or cruise credit for those wishing to change their plans. Included were recommendations on prevention - stay indoors, in air-conditioned area, with a minimum of exposed skin.

[rockon391]

I'm not really sure how this turned into advice for if we should go???

 

My question was for any recent cruisers...and if they noticed any mosquitos in or nearby any ships??

[bubba83]

I'm not really sure how this turned into advice for if we should go???

 

My question was for any recent cruisers...and if they noticed any mosquitos in or nearby any ships??

 

It's cruise critic, you will get advice for things you didn't ask for....people just share their opinions, you had to of known that was going to happen...

[Big_G]

Exactly. Can't imagine basing any travel decisions in this regard to what a few internet posters might say on mosquito sightings......

 

 

 

Agreed. I'll also add that due to privacy concerns, it's highly unlikely you're gonna' hear specifically where travelers have contracted Zika.

[ColoradoGurl]

I'm not really sure how this turned into advice for if we should go???

 

My question was for any recent cruisers...and if they noticed any mosquitos in or nearby any ships??

 

True, I guess it's because it's unlikely that you'll get much reporting on people who have recently cruised, who have also contracted zika, or who have had any major run-ins with Mosquitos. Unless you're pregnant AND contracted it, AND you're on cruise critic, it's not super likely there'll be any reports. So, we're just offering alternative zika related things to discuss.

 

Like I said before, I've been bitten a lot on pretty much every caribbean beach I've been to in the last 4 years (a lot meaning 30-50 bites), but that's when I'm on the beach in the evening. To me, that's evidence that it's very possible to get bit, since there's obviously Mosquitos there, but the "likelihood" to me seems to be more prevalent if you're there at night. And if I was pregnant or trying to be, I wouldn't rely on reports of "mosquito sightings" on cruise critic to calm my fears that my pregnant wife might get bit. I think that's all people are saying, since maybe you don't know the risks (assuming, since you're planning to go anyway).

[jagsfan]

Because Cruise Critic is a family, and that's what families do.

 

 

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[AZAficionado]

Agreed. I'll also add that due to privacy concerns, it's highly unlikely you're gonna' hear specifically where travelers have contracted Zika.

Adding to that...Given the nature of how Zika is transmitted and the massive area where contact is possible, I doubt anyone infected could determine exactly where or when they contracted Zika, especially in the context of a cruise. Sure, you noticed a mosquito bite after X port, but are you sure you didn't contract Zika before boarding in Miami where a mosquito bit you and you just didn't notice?

[iluvit!]

Have never been bitten by a mosquito when cruising, and I am a mosquito magnet. I always bring repellant but never have to use it. We live in Houston and I can get bitten in the short time it takes to walk 20 feet to the mailbox. Usually go to the beach or port side shopping, no problem with mosquitos.

 

 

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[rockon391]

Well my wife is now officially not pregnant. I do not recall ever experiencing any mosquitos during my stay on the ship so I will be sure we don't stray far from the ship to be safe. Maybe walk a dock or something. Lol

[jenfromjersey]

If I was actively trying to conceive, regardless of whether I was pregnant or not, I would not travel anywhere that Zika has been reported at all. I was ON a cruise when the first alerts for San Juan came out in January and was a bit panicked as we are trying to conceive at the moment. Had this information been out before we left, I would not have gone (especially with the additional information that has come out since then).

[JLN321]

Talk to your doctor. I think if you stay inside the ship as much as you can, you'll be fine. When you are at ports, I would just make sure you have bug spray on your body and clothes and wear long sleeves/cover up as much as possible. I think the worst city to visit is Haiti right now.

[topnole]

You may want to see a thread I started just the other day. I pretty much had the same type of question you did and I got a couple of useful answers. One was from an expert on topic. Honestly, I'm surprised there aren't more people like us trying to get some practical information from recent cruisers on this topic. The general warnings are so broad it is really hard to know what to think.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2343960