Change due to Zika virus

With the CDC advisory against areas with the Zika virus, I am in the category of people they are encouraging not to travel. We have a cruise booked for March 6th on the Allure where 2 of the 3 stops are on the list of infected countries. We do have travel insurance but if we wanted to transfer our booking to the March 6th freedom sailing (none of the ports are on the list at this time) but would this be considered a cancellation from Royal caribbeans view? If they consider our allure sailing a cancellation, we would lose 50% of our total cost. And I don't know if insurance would reimburse that if we booked on another sailing.

I do have a call into my TA but they haven't returned it yet. TIA for any help!

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Call and ask

Allure cruisies will not be canceled

I know the cruise itself is not going to be cancelled and for the vast majority of people, the virus isn't an issue. I have a few calls out for advice

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Call Royal Caribbean and discuss your situation. If you are pregnant, the CDC has issued a Level Two travel advisory to countries Allure visits including Haiti (Labadee). This travel advisory is specific to pregnant or soon-to-be pregnant women because the Zika virus, a mosquito-borne virus that causes a serious incurable infant brain defect, is especially worrisome for women who get it.

I would think you would have some recourse with the cruise because of the new travel advisory. The only other recourse is to take the cruise, but don't get off the ship and don't go outside while in port...not much fun, I know. But this plan at least saves the money you have spent on the cruise if you cannot persuade Royal Caribbean to allow you to change your cruise to a safer itinerary for you.

...I don't know if insurance would reimburse that if we booked on another sailing...

With the CDC advisory against areas with the Zika virus, I am in the category of people they are encouraging not to travel. We have a cruise booked for March 6th on the Allure where 2 of the 3 stops are on the list of infected countries. We do have travel insurance but if we wanted to transfer our booking to the March 6th freedom sailing (none of the ports are on the list at this time) but would this be considered a cancellation from Royal caribbeans view? If they consider our allure sailing a cancellation, we would lose 50% of our total cost. And I don't know if insurance would reimburse that if we booked on another sailing.

 

I do have a call into my TA but they haven't returned it yet. TIA for any help!

 

 

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unless you go into areas such as the rain forest in Puerto Rico, you won't see mosquitoes. I have never seen a mosquito any any port I've visited in 25 years. Only butterflies.

I'd prefer the Eastern Caribbean that Freedom does anyway

I'm Australian and booked a cruise on Legend approx 100 days before departure date (during the time where we would forfeit our deposit if cancelling .. For some unknown reason the cancellation periods are stricter in Australia than the US) [emoji35]

I then realised that the cruise I had booked was during school holidays so wanted to transfer my booking to another cruise on the same ship two weeks later.

Too bad, so sad! Was told by the first call centre operator that I would lose "25-40%" of the cost and by the second operator that I would lose my $600 deposit.

I explained that I didn't want to cancel, per Se, just transfer my booking and payment to another date, however he advised that in booking the new date I would still have to cancel the original cruise and hence the penalty would still apply.

I ended up still cancelling as the second cruise suited our needs better in a couple of ways, but the loss of this money for no real reason still slightly rankles! [emoji41]

I hope that they are more agreeable to your situation or that alternatively, this is something that your insurance covers! [emoji4]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I talked to my TA and she was very sympathetic. She confirmed we would have to cancel and pay any penalties per RC policy. I do totally understand and just hope my insurance policy will let us cancel, given its a government issued advisory. I'm going to call my doctor on Monday to get a letter confirming I am affected by the advisory to help boost my case. I've never seen or been bitten by a mosquito in 8 cruises either but in all honesty, the possible risk isn't worth it to me.

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Thanks for the advice everyone. I talked to my TA and she was very sympathetic. She confirmed we would have to cancel and pay any penalties per RC policy. I do totally understand and just hope my insurance policy will let us cancel, given its a government issued advisory. I'm going to call my doctor on Monday to get a letter confirming I am affected by the advisory to help boost my case. I've never seen or been bitten by a mosquito in 8 cruises either but in all honesty, the possible risk isn't worth it to me.

Before going through insurance, who are generally not very flexible, I would phone RC directly and explain the situation. If you don't get someone helpful, ask for a manager. Their policy is clear - BUT your case is unusual and completely understandable. I honestly believe you will have a better chance with the cruise line than with the insurance people. Worth a try.

I would think that if your OB wrote a letter stating that you are not able to travel due to medical issues they would have to pay out. Basically, if your doc says not to travel, that should meet the terms of the policy. Just ask you OB to word the letter in such a way that she or he is clear that they are recommending you not travel.

Latest in my e-mail this morning:

By Kelly Young

Edited by David G. Fairchild, MD, MPH, and Lorenzo Di Francesco, MD, FACP, FHM

The CDC has developed guidelines for U.S. clinicians managing pregnant women who have recently traveled to areas with ongoing Zika virus transmission.

Published in MMWR, the recommendations include:

• All pregnant women should be asked if they have recently traveled to areas with active Zika virus transmission.

• Those with recent travel to such areas and with symptoms of fever, rash, muscle aches, or conjunctivitis during or within 2 weeks of travel should be tested for Zika.

• For pregnant women who test positive for Zika, clinicians should consider conducting ultrasounds every 3 to 4 weeks to monitor the fetus's growth.

Zika is a mosquito-borne virus suspected of causing thousands of cases of microcephaly in infants born in Brazil over the past year. Last week, the CDC warned pregnant women to consider postponing travel to countries with ongoing Zika transmission.

MMWR article (Free)

Background: Physician's First Watch coverage of CDC travel advisory

You could always just stay on the ship and take part in indoor activities to limit risk of exposure to mosqitos.

I hope you get back to us if you speak to Royal. I don't blame you for wanting to change - there was just a report of two cases in Illinois due to women traveling to Hondurus and Haiti. May be overreacting, but thus is one case where I think it's okay.

Sounds like you'll be a great mom!

Thanks everyone- been going through a lot for the last couple of days. My doctor has told us that if we choose to go, we shouldn't have any issues staying on the ship. He is a frequent cruiser and admits that he has never seen a mosquito on the ship, even when docked in port. He suggested bug spray and if we do want to get off to walk around the port area, long sleeves and pants with bug spray should be ok. That being said, he said he would write me a letter if I wanted to cancel. I have not contacted the trip insurance company yet as we are still deciding.

On a side note, I did ask my dr about changing itineraries to one that sails to st Thomas st Maarten and cococay. He said that while there are no reported cases there yet, islands heavily reliant on tourist dollars are hesitant to report outbreaks of illness, viruses, etc. so just because it's not being reported yet doesn't mean it's not there.

We've decided that since we're on the Allure, if we decide to go and just stay on the ship, Allure is better than Freedom. So it's Allure or nothing.

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St. Martin has now been added to the list as of yesterday. It is the other side of the island, but still ....

Thanks everyone- been going through a lot for the last couple of days. My doctor has told us that if we choose to go, we shouldn't have any issues staying on the ship. He is a frequent cruiser and admits that he has never seen a mosquito on the ship, even when docked in port. He suggested bug spray and if we do want to get off to walk around the port area, long sleeves and pants with bug spray should be ok. That being said, he said he would write me a letter if I wanted to cancel. I have not contacted the trip insurance company yet as we are still deciding.

 

On a side note, I did ask my dr about changing itineraries to one that sails to st Thomas st Maarten and cococay. He said that while there are no reported cases there yet, islands heavily reliant on tourist dollars are hesitant to report outbreaks of illness, viruses, etc. so just because it's not being reported yet doesn't mean it's not there.

 

We've decided that since we're on the Allure, if we decide to go and just stay on the ship, Allure is better than Freedom. So it's Allure or nothing.

 

 

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Sounds like you are making a good choice. If you do leave the ship use a repellent with DEET in it. Instead of a spray you can get it in wipes too that are easier for application.

Have fun.

I only know English law, not American. But in England, if the government advises you not to travel, then that's an automatic insurance refund.

And conversely - if the government advises you not to travel, and you do travel and catch whatever dread disease they were warning you about, then you will not be covered by insurance. Check your policy carefully.

FWIW, and I know you didn't ask this so I apologise if I'm butting in, I wouldn't go. Reason being, you can and do decide how much to worry about your own health and whether to take the chance, and if that was all you had to think about you may well decide to go. But what you're having to do here is worry about your baby's health and whether to take the chance, and that's a greater responsibility, and hence more worry. From the tone of your posts, I don't think you'd spend a happy cruise because of that worry.

See if they'll let you exchange the cruise for an Alaska trip instead. (If the timing fits.) No mosquitos there - or at least, not disease carrying ones.

I am in your same situation. We are cruising for our first time in March on the Carnival Dream. Ports well be visiting our Honduras, Belize and Cozumel. IF we decide to get off the ship I will be wearing long sleaves and pants and DEET repellant. It's been a difficult decision for us to make but with research I'm feeling better about being on a cruise ship rather then backpacking through the jungle. This is all only if my DR is ok with us going!

If you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant I do not see how you can gamble with the health of your child! Have you seen what this virus causes? It would catastrophic to have a child born with that type of defect.

The CDC is saying do not go - and for those that say just stay on the ship - so you think a mosquito can't hitch a ride in a beach bag to the ship, or simply fly over the railing. What is your child's life worth to you? Less than the price of a cruise? Wow.

unless you go into areas such as the rain forest in Puerto Rico, you won't see mosquitoes. I have never seen a mosquito any any port I've visited in 25 years. Only butterflies.

I'd prefer the Eastern Caribbean that Freedom does anyway

You could always just stay on the ship and take part in indoor activities to limit risk of exposure to mosqitos.

If you were pregnant, would you say the same thing to yourself?

They way the potential damage to the fetus has been described, it is so horrific with no available treatment, what an awful risk to take for a cruise. I wouldn't comment other than the question has been asked.....

Would you cruise to an area the mosquitos have been identified? Should a pregnant woman cruise the Caribbean right now?

If you were pregnant, would you say the same thing to yourself?

 

They way the potential damage to the fetus has been described, it is so horrific with no available treatment, what an awful risk to take for a cruise. I wouldn't comment other than the question has been asked.....

 

Would you cruise to an area the mosquitos have been identified? Should a pregnant woman cruise the Caribbean right now?

 

These types of arguments are worthless without some understanding of the chances of it happening. Is it 1 in a 1000? 1 in a million? I don't know but at some level of statistical likelihood it would be no more dangerous than the car ride to the airport.

So don't be so judgy, technically even the mom who straps her kid into the car seat to go get ice cream is taking a risk, kids do die in car wrecks don't they?

If it was me my gut feeling is I wouldn't chance it but I haven't looked into how common it is or how easy to get etc. But as a parent I know we are rarely completely rational about the safety of our children.

Living is a risk......

We all decide what level of risk we are wiling to take, don't we?

Thanks everyone- been going through a lot for the last couple of days. My doctor has told us that if we choose to go, we shouldn't have any issues staying on the ship. He is a frequent cruiser and admits that he has never seen a mosquito on the ship, even when docked in port. He suggested bug spray and if we do want to get off to walk around the port area, long sleeves and pants with bug spray should be ok. That being said, he said he would write me a letter if I wanted to cancel. I have not contacted the trip insurance company yet as we are still deciding.

 

On a side note, I did ask my dr about changing itineraries to one that sails to st Thomas st Maarten and cococay. He said that while there are no reported cases there yet, islands heavily reliant on tourist dollars are hesitant to report outbreaks of illness, viruses, etc. so just because it's not being reported yet doesn't mean it's not there.

 

We've decided that since we're on the Allure, if we decide to go and just stay on the ship, Allure is better than Freedom. So it's Allure or nothing.

 

 

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Check out this site

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=bug+repellent+clothing&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=44726007585&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=428658145239357677&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_6cglz3gpxs_b

and others like it. Note that you can get Permethrin to pretreat your clothes and also buy bug repellent clothing. With that and also deet, you are probably OK although I really do not know anything about bugs in the areas that you are visiting. My wife is a bug magnet and when we did our Amazon cruise, we pre-treated our clothing and also used deet and she did not have any problems with mosquitoes or other flying critters.

You have not said if you are actually pregnant or of child bearing age and it is obviously none of our business.

That said, if I were a lot younger and had a spouse who was pregnant or had the possibility of becoming pregnant, I would really push for us to cancel any cruise to the areas where this disease is a problem. If you do go and something happens to your child, it would be difficult to cope with.

Just my uneducated opinion.

DON

We are booked on an 8 day Eastern Caribbean in a few weeks. When I first got an email from the cruise company (today), I was a bit freaked out by it. Now that I've thought about it, I'm not worried at all. If it were Ebola or some other gnarly disease I would be more cautious. If my wife and I were younger and planning a family, we might consider otherwise. Last year on an Alaska cruise, a sea plane tour (that we had considered taking) crashed into a mountain face and all passengers perished. It was somber to say the least. You never know when your number is up and these mosquitos are not life threatening. You get a fever and possible rash and lasts 4-7 days IF you get it. Can't live life in a bubble.

If you KNOW that the threat is real and you won't have a good time on the cruise because of it or you're trying to make little ones, then try to switch cruises or stay on the ship or close to port with long sleeves and jeans and DEET spray. If you're still going to worry, then cancel and chalk it up to a learning experience...

It is wise that you are looking into this.

If we were in a similar situation we would do the same.

Keith