Vaccination Required Maasdan 49 day Cruise

[Howasaur]

Our Travel agent just informed us of the following E-mail sent by Holland America dated Dec. 24 This is for sailing date January 23rd 2015 on the Maasdam:

I have posted this on the roll call also>

VACCINATION NOTIFICATION:

We have recently been advised that a Yellow Fever vaccination is required for

all guests visiting St. Lucia within 6 days of visiting an infected area, such

as Brazil. Consequently, it is MANDATORY that all guests on the ms Maasdam

sailing on January 23, 2015 be vaccinated for Yellow Fever. Exceptions will be

made for guests whose physician advises against receiving the vaccination if

the guest can provide an original physician's letter stating their conclusion

and the basis for it. All other guests must have original documentation showing

they have been vaccinated within the preceding 10 years.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact us at 1-800-577-1728.

Australian guests please contact 1300 987 322.

GBP booking guests please contact us at 0843 374 2300.

Edited December 24, 2014 by Howasaur

[OleSalt]

If the ship stops at Devils Island, you must have a Yellow Fever inoculation. It's expensive, but lasts ten years. My guess is that St. Lucia is just a throw in. Brazil has had a reputation for Yellow Fever for a while, but it waxes and wanes.

[SilvertoGold]

This is pretty standard.

Happens for Ecuador, as well, on the west coast.

[CruiserBruce]

This is pretty standard.

Happens for Ecuador, as well, on the west coast.

 

Ecuador has eased their requirements. Can't speak for Devil's Island, but Ecuador doesn't require a Yellow Fever vaccination if you are coming from the Pacific side of South America.

[Mary Ellen]

My guess is that St. Lucia is just a throw in.

St. Lucia is the country that is requiring passengers to have the Yellow Fever vaccine.

 

St. Lucia

 

Under International Health Regulations (2005), a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over 1 year of age arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission.

[SilvertoGold]

Ecuador has eased their requirements. Can't speak for Devil's Island, but Ecuador doesn't require a Yellow Fever vaccination if you are coming from the Pacific side of South America.

 

That's good to know. Thanks.

 

Considering another Argentina to the U.S. via the west coast of South America and our Yellow Fever is expired!

[meldreth]

Yellow Fever Vaccination can have some serious side effect particularly for over 60's. We were advised last year by our GP (doctor) before a trip to the Gambia. One of the side effects is total organ failure! That's pretty final...

I'd get the letter and not risk the jab personally!

[Krazy Kruizers]

I don't remember which island we went to after having been to Devil's Island. But we were notified about 4 months in advance. We already had ours.

A few years ago we were on a Pan American / Ecuador cruise and Nicaragua was requiring that all passengers and crew had to have the yellow fever shot as that was our first stop coming from Ecuador. We were notified a couple of months in advance. Our yellow fever shots were still good. Conversations were going back and forth between Seattle and Nicaragua for well over a month. Many crew members had to get the shot. It wasn't until we were on the ship and I was talking to the Guest Relations manager whom we knew from other cruises, that we found out that just a couple of days before the cruise Nicaragua dropped the required yellow fever shots as no one was going to be going into jungles there.

[Howasaur]

meldreth: I'm way over 60 and had the Yellow Fever shot in 2011 No issues

[Krazy Kruizers]

Yellow Fever Vaccination can have some serious side effect particularly for over 60's. We were advised last year by our GP (doctor) before a trip to the Gambia. One of the side effects is total organ failure! That's pretty final...

I'd get the letter and not risk the jab personally!

 

 

Absolutely correct.

Our yellow fever shots were up in January 2008. We checked with our family doctor and he told DH that with all his medical problems, he could no longer get another yellow fever shot. I can still get one if I want to.

[Howasaur]

Hi Krazy Kruizers You are correct if health issues of course no shot. But as stated by Holland America."Exceptions will be made for guests whose physician advises against receiving the vaccination if the guest can provide an original physician's letter stating their conclusion and the basis for it. On our last cruise up the Amazon some quests had No Original Physican's letter or shot and they could not board

[PathfinderEss]

You real need to do your research on whether you have to get a yellow fever shot or not. We were told we need one going down to South America on the western side and as it turned out we really didn't.

[TraelorMex]

we just returned a few days ago from Devil's Island/St Lucia, Amazon river.

NO shots were required as of Nov/Dec (14). Suppose it could have changed.

[Howasaur]

to TraelorMex and PathfinderEss Holland America Cruise line sent a e-mail Dated Dec. 24saying:

VACCINATION NOTIFICATION:

We have recently been advised that a Yellow Fever vaccination is required for

all guests visiting St. Lucia within 6 days of visiting an infected area, such

as Brazil. Consequently, it is MANDATORY that all guests on the ms Maasdam

sailing on January 23, 2015 be vaccinated for Yellow Fever. Exceptions will be

made for guests whose physician advises against receiving the vaccination if

the guest can provide an original physician's letter stating their conclusion

and the basis for it. All other guests must have original documentation showing

they have been vaccinated within the preceding 10 years.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact us at 1-800-577-1728.

Australian guests please contact 1300 987 322.

GBP booking guests please contact us at 0843 374 2300.

[donaldsc]

This is a quote from the CDC -

 

"Yellow Fever vaccine side-effects

What are the risks from Yellow Fever vaccine?

A vaccine, like any medicine, could cause a serious reaction. But the risk of a vaccine causing serious harm, or death, is extremely low.

Mild Problems

Yellow fever vaccine has been associated with fever, and with aches, soreness, redness or swelling where the shot was given.

These problems occur in up to 1 person out of 4. They usually begin soon after the shot, and can last up to a week.

Severe Problems

Severe allergic reaction to a vaccine component (about 1 person in 55,000).

Severe nervous system reaction (about 1 person in 125,000).

Life-threatening severe illness with organ failure (about 1 person in 250,000). More than half the people who suffer this side effect die.

 

These last two problems have never been reported after a booster dose."

 

Highlight is mine.

 

DON

Edited December 24, 2014 by donaldsc

[Riversedge]

we just returned a few days ago from Devil's Island/St Lucia, Amazon river.

NO shots were required as of Nov/Dec (14). Suppose it could have changed.

 

I spent a good deal of time on the phone with HAL today while the agent researched it fully. She said it just changed yesterday.

[KirkNC]

We are on the second half of this cruise and have all our shots. We got the, last year but will need a booster for yellow fever. I don't believe there is a malaria shot, that is prevented by taking pills.

[NMLady]

You real need to do your research on whether you have to get a yellow fever shot or not. We were told we need one going down to South America on the western side and as it turned out we really didn't.

 

When the cruise line sends you an email saying you can't board without proof of the shot or a letter from your Dr, it doesn't matter what your research shows, you have to get the shot.

[HokiePoq]

Yellow Fever Vaccination can have some serious side effect particularly for over 60's. We were advised last year by our GP (doctor) before a trip to the Gambia. One of the side effects is total organ failure! That's pretty final...

I'd get the letter and not risk the jab personally!

 

Glad we survived ours!!! Six of us over 60 got them for our January SA cruise. Reason we had to have it (or at least CDC recommended) for for a visit to the Falls.

[KirkNC]

Glad we survived ours!!! Six of us over 60 got them for our January SA cruise. Reason we had to have it (or at least CDC recommended) for for a visit to the Falls.

 

That's why we got ours last year. The falls were fantastic!

 

We had no ill effects from ours. Of course we are still under 60 ;).

[agabbymama]

I do not get vaccinations of any type. I would be headed to my doctor to get the letter.

[take us away]

Per the web, Brazil has just had an outbreak of YF in a few regions - which is probably why the vaccination requirement went into effect. It is summer there which may contribute to the outbreak.

[Howasaur]

Hi NMLady: I totally agree with you

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Typherd and Malaria might be a thought ..

[PathfinderEss]

to TraelorMex and PathfinderEss Holland America Cruise line sent a e-mail Dated Dec. 24saying:

VACCINATION NOTIFICATION:

We have recently been advised that a Yellow Fever vaccination is required for

all guests visiting St. Lucia within 6 days of visiting an infected area, such

as Brazil. Consequently, it is MANDATORY that all guests on the ms Maasdam

sailing on January 23, 2015 be vaccinated for Yellow Fever. Exceptions will be

made for guests whose physician advises against receiving the vaccination if

the guest can provide an original physician's letter stating their conclusion

and the basis for it. All other guests must have original documentation showing

they have been vaccinated within the preceding 10 years.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact us at 1-800-577-1728.

Australian guests please contact 1300 987 322.

GBP booking guests please contact us at 0843 374 2300.

 

When the cruise line sends you an email saying you can't board without proof of the shot or a letter from your Dr, it doesn't matter what your research shows, you have to get the shot.

 

We got an email from Hal and our TA that we would need a yellow fever shot before we boarded. We had booked that cruise about a year out, then about two months before we sailed we found out it was not necessary. I'm just saying ok, don't shoot the messenger, just check and make sure before you get one.