Yellow Fever Vaccination Required for a cruise?

We are booked on the Pacific Princess from Manaus, Brazil to Ft Lauderdale in Feb. It requires a Yellow Fever vaccination for this trip. One of our party is over 90 and her doctor recently told her this vaccination is contraindicated in her case. He is willing to write a waiver for this but Princess seems unable to provide assurance that such a waiver would be accepted and is also unable to clearly state who makes such a decision.

The only related information we can find from the CDC is that some Caribbean stops on this cruise (eg Dominica, Devil's Island, St Lucia) require the vaccination for people coming from Manaus.

Has anyone sucessfully used such a doctor's waiver on a trip like this?

If you have the patience to read this discussion I think it will answer your questions:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=789459

We are booked on the Pacific Princess from Manaus, Brazil to Ft Lauderdale in Feb. It requires a Yellow Fever vaccination for this trip. One of our party is over 90 and her doctor recently told her this vaccination is contraindicated in her case. He is willing to write a waiver for this but Princess seems unable to provide assurance that such a waiver would be accepted and is also unable to clearly state who makes such a decision.

The only related information we can find from the CDC is that some Caribbean stops on this cruise (eg Dominica, Devil's Island, St Lucia) require the vaccination for people coming from Manaus.

 

Has anyone sucessfully used such a doctor's waiver on a trip like this?

The short answer is yes, if your Doctor writes a waiver based on age or health, Princess will honor it.

For those who medically cannot get the vaccination, there is a waiver program. You get your doctor to write a letter, on his letterhead, stating the SPECIFIC reasons why you can't have the shot. Then you take the letter to the health dept that is authorized to give YF vaccinations. You are then given a card with the letter attached, with the health dept stamp and signature, EXACTLY as you would have if you had the shot. The card is titled Medical ContraIndication to Vaccination and is the same yellow as the vaccination card. Advanced age is one of the acceptable reasons. Anyone with a suppressed immune system should NOT get Yellow Fever shots

It all has to be there and in proper order or denied boarding could be a reality.

Here's some pretty good info on what the cert should look like:

http://www.medic8.com/travel/yellow-fever.htm

Read this page from the CDC about the requirements for a waiver:

http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/yellowBoo...llowFever.aspx

And for the waiver or vaccine, you must do it through an authorized yellow fever vaccination center:

http://www2.ncid.cdc.gov/travel/yellowfever/

As has been said, you can get a waiver to not have the yellow fever vaccination. I know people with allergies who have gotten the waiver, did not have to have the shot, and enjoyed their cruise from Manaus. If it's properly done, Princess will honor the waiver.

Waiver or vaccination, you must have the proper paper work you will NOT be boarding. In 2003, approx 10 people didn't feel it necessary to follow instructions to get the YF show for our cruise up the Amazon /Brazil. They were left on the dock in FLL, and at there own cost, found vaccination and flew to Barbados to catch up with the ship. I'm sure it happens almost every cruise.

The certificate shown in the link posted by WeBeGone is not being used for those who get their vaccinations now.

According to the CDC website http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5651a4.htm

"Notice to Readers: Requirements for Use of a New International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis for Yellow Fever Vaccine. As of December 15, 2007, a new International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP) has replaced the old certificates (1). The new certificate provides space for potential certification of additional types of vaccination or prophylaxis to protect against newly emerging or reemerging diseases or other events of public health importance. However, the only vaccination currently required to be indicated on the ICVP is for yellow fever.

Yellow fever vaccine is required under IHR 2005 by certain countries for entry, and the new ICVP is required for any yellow fever vaccination administered beginning December 15, 2007. Persons vaccinated before that date may use the old certificate until it expires 10 years from the date of vaccination."

The new form has "CDC 731 (formerly PHS-731)" on the bottom.

The top of the old form read "International Certificate of Vaccination or Revaccination Against Yellow Fever"; the new form reads "International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis."

I got my yellow fever vaccine in June 2008 and it was recorded on the new certificate.

We are booked on the Pacific Princess from Manaus, Brazil to Ft Lauderdale in Feb. It requires a Yellow Fever vaccination for this trip. One of our party is over 90 and her doctor recently told her this vaccination is contraindicated in her case. He is willing to write a waiver for this but Princess seems unable to provide assurance that such a waiver would be accepted and is also unable to clearly state who makes such a decision.

Princess will always accept the Contraindication Letter from your doctor. Just make sure it is the Original. A copy will not be accepted.

It is the decision of the Port Authority of each country to make the decision if a pax will be able to disembark (at each port-of-call). If she seems reasonably healthy, there should be no reason that disembarkation would be denied. :D