Calling all former Prinsendam Amazon River cruisers - Yellow Fever shot requirement

[OlsSalt]

On the roll call for the upcoming Prinsendam Amazon River we are getting mixed info about the Yellow Fever shot requirement.

 

Can those who took this HAL cruise and faced this same Yellow Fever shot requirement, tell us more about how you dealt with it. Many thanks

 

1. Some say the one shot is good for life, no matter when you had it.

 

2. Some say you need one that is less than 10 years old.

 

3. Some say you can get an official waiver signed by your doctor if you are over 65 because the shot can be harmful in older persons.

 

4. Some say that Over 65 waiver may or may not be accepted upon entry into Brazil

 

5. Some say you only need a shot if you are coming from a listed country where Yellow Fever might be present - like Trinidad-Tobago, which we are.

[kazu]

On the roll call for the upcoming Prinsendam Amazon River we are getting mixed info about the Yellow Fever shot requirement.

 

Can those who took this HAL cruise and faced this same Yellow Fever shot requirement, tell us more about how you dealt with it. Many thanks

 

1. Some say the one shot is good for life, no matter when you had it.

 

2. Some say you need one that is less than 10 years old.

 

3. Some say you can get an official waiver signed by your doctor if you are over 65 because the shot can be harmful in older persons.

 

4. Some say that Over 65 waiver may or may not be accepted upon entry into Brazil

 

5. Some say you only need a shot if you are coming from a listed country where Yellow Fever might be present - like Trinidad-Tobago, which we are.

 

Your physician is the best advice for this, seriously. He/she can advise and provide a letter if there is "waiver".

 

And a bit of research of course. What others experienced in the past may not be what it is in the future. Just trying to help, honestly.

[sammiedawg]

I cannot speak for HAL as we sailed Oceania.

Yellow fever shot was highly recommended in pre cruise documents but no one asked or cared if we received it. It was a total non issue entering Brazil by plane. Our itinerary included Devils Island which may have cautionary language about yellow fever. Again no one asked or cared whether we had taken the shot.

Some people on board took the shot, some did not.

If you decide to take it the only pain is to the wallet.

 

The vital component is the Brazilian visa. Do not read old cruise critic information about what is needed to get the visa. I found the CC info to be incorrect or out of date. Requirements depend on your nationality and which passport you travel with.

Edited August 10, 2016 by sammiedawg

[OlsSalt]

Your physician is the best advice for this, seriously. He/she can advise and provide a letter if there is "waiver".

 

And a bit of research of course. What others experienced in the past may not be what it is in the future. Just trying to help, honestly.

 

It sounds like this goes beyond what a personal MD would recommend and moves into bureaucratic gridlock. CDC says one shot is enough, no matter when you had it. HAL apparently says it has to be in the last 10 years. CDC recently changed their recommendations but perhaps HAL has not caught up with this.

 

Our local vaccinations center say they won't give you a shot if you are over 60 unless your doctor recommends it. And HAL apparently says they won't let you on the ship unless you have "something".

 

So it is reasonable a doctor will not recommend getting the shot over age 60 and agree with CDC that one does not need a booster shot. Yet some paper pusher at embarkation can also at the last minute say sorry, no go.

 

This is looking like up to a $300 "extra" right about now. To get the vaccination itself which is not cheap and often has to be specially ordered, and then doctor to administer it. On top of the $160 plus visa hoops we also have to go through - this is getting to be a burdensome and expensive start to a "vacation".

 

My health insurance could not even provide information and asked me why they called it "Yellow" fever in the first place and then finally said I could get a 30 day, 60 day or 90 day "supply" of the shots.

 

This is crazy making time.

Edited August 10, 2016 by OlsSalt

[OlsSalt]

I cannot speak for HAL as we sailed Oceania.

Yellow fever shot was highly recommended in pre cruise documents but no one asked or cared if we received it. It was a total non issue entering Brazil by plane. Our itinerary included Devils Island which may have cautionary language about yellow fever. Again no one asked or cared whether we had taken the shot.

Some people on board took the shot, some did not.

If you decide to take it the only pain is to the wallet.

 

The vital component is the Brazilian visa. Do not read old cruise critic information about what is needed to get the visa. I found the CC info to be incorrect or out of date. Requirements depend on your nationality and which passport you travel with.

 

Thanks for your feed back. I am getting the impression this is something that HAL requires, regardless of CDC updates or even Brazil no longer requiring the Yellow Fever shot. You can see what a muddle this is getting to be. So I do hope I hear from recent HAL travelers to see what in fact happened.

 

There are stories of ships leaving with less that full numbers because they turned people away for both failed visa and/or shot requirements.

[SilvertoGold]

Wasn't required for the Amazon cruise.

 

However, and this might answer one of the OP's questions, on a west coast South America cruise on HAL it was required because we were going from Peru into Ecuador within 6 days and Ecuador required it.

 

It was said that a medical doctor's Waiver might not matter if Ecuador decided not to accept it. It was up to the country requiring the shot to decide if anyone at all would be allowed to be "exempt". The ship allowed pax onboard without the shot, but required them to get it from the Medical Center, at great expense it was said, before they could continue past Lima north to Ecuador.

 

HAL, I assume, wants to cover all the bases and does not want to have to deny a pax boarding because a country changed their requirements at the last minute.

Edited August 10, 2016 by SilvertoGold

[sammiedawg]

It sounds like this goes beyond what a personal MD would recommend and moves into bureaucratic gridlock. CDC says one shot is enough, no matter when you had it. HAL apparently says it has to be in the last 10 years. CDC recently changed their recommendations but perhaps HAL has not caught up with this.

 

Our local vaccinations center say they won't give you a shot if you are over 60 unless your doctor recommends it. And HAL apparently says they won't let you on the ship unless you have "something".

 

So it is reasonable a doctor will not recommend getting the shot over age 60 and agree with CDC that one does not need a booster shot. Yet some paper pusher at embarkation can also at the last minute say sorry, no go.

 

This is looking like up to a $300 "extra" right about now. To get the vaccination itself which is not cheap and often has to be specially ordered, and then doctor to administer it. On top of the $160 plus visa hoops we also have to go through - this is getting to be a burdensome and expensive start to a "vacation".

 

My health insurance could not even provide information and asked me why they called it "Yellow" fever in the first place and then finally said I could get a 30 day, 60 day or 90 day "supply" of the shots.

 

This is crazy making time.

 

A travel medicine clinic charged $165 for the injection and the generic counseling they provide. The second person in the family is charged $130 for the injection.

Travel medicine clinics are easy to find, Google your area. The ones I price checked had the vaccine in stock, no special ordering required.

 

Most insurance will not pay for travel related immunizations.

As I said earlier the only pain we felt was to the wallet.

[kazu]

Thanks for your feed back. I am getting the impression this is something that HAL requires, regardless of CDC updates or even Brazil no longer requiring the Yellow Fever shot. You can see what a muddle this is getting to be. So I do hope I hear from recent HAL travelers to see what in fact happened.

 

There are stories of ships leaving with less that full numbers because they turned people away for both failed visa and/or shot requirements.

 

 

I haven't been down the Amazon but I have been to Brazil and all of South America. If you have a decent physician (and you have checked the CDC rules),it comes down to advice and what is right for you.

 

Your physician can give you a waiver on the shot and it will be accepted by HAL.

 

Whether it is technically needed or not changes constantly and it is up to whomever cruises to know that (and I know you know that).

 

So past experience IMO is good, but not necessarily valid or true now.

 

So do your research, etc. CAll your TA (if you use one)or refer to you family physician, VA, whomever you have.

 

We didn't need it nor did we get it on advice but, what held true for our cruise may not hold for yours and that's why I said why I said what I did ;)

Edited August 10, 2016 by kazu

[scm1848]

At the time, we were both over 60. The local county health department that was to administer the injections required a waiver from our GP that we healthy enough for the shot, which we got. The injection is only good for 10 years, as I had had a previous one for a prior safari. You will be given a yellow International Immunization form with which I always travel and keep with my passport.

 

The biggest misunderstanding is that most people think it is required by the country you are entering that may or may not have yellow fever. In fact, it is the US that requires it upon your re-entry into the county IF you have been in a country where yellow fever has been reported. They can deny your re-entry home without it. In other words, don't leave home without it!!

[0bnxshs]

One thing to consider, if you are retired military you can get the YFV for free from your local base or post hospital. My FIL did so earlier this year. Call ahead and make sure they have it on hand.

 

HAL has little option but to accept a waiver so long as it meets international requirments (read: proper documentation!). :)

Edited August 10, 2016 by 0bnxshs

[SilvertoGold]

As posted in #6:

 

be careful about assuming that a Waiver will work: it is up to the country requiring the shot to decide if they will or will not accept the Waiver.

[OlsSalt]

Thanks for all your feedback. We decided to cancel this trip as it just was not coming together for us easily.

 

So grabbed one of the last cabins on the Veendam New England to San Diego via Panama Canal - leaving also in October - no shots, no visas .....and maybe no A/C as we transit the Canal if the Veendam is true to form. :cool: But it just seemed easier and a better pace for us right now.

 

Maybe by the time we think about the Amazon and the dear Prinsendam again, they will have sorted out their visa and Yellow Fever shots thing better than we were running into right now.

 

CDC has made major changes in their Yellow Fever protocols and I got the impression HAL had not caught up with the new recommendations. No thanks for purely bureaucratic snafus.

 

And quite frankly, I will wait until Brazil gets a little more welcoming too if they want our company. We swore we would never go back to India again after each of our four trips got crazier and crazier with their visa and disembarkation demands screwing up each successive port stop. And Brazil was bringing back bad memories.

 

I thought just getting through airports was enough of a detriment to future travel, but now more countries is also telling us they are going to make it as burdensome and difficult as possible for us to bring them our tourism dollars.

 

I guess I am finally getting to that old and cranky stage of life. :rolleyes:

Edited August 10, 2016 by OlsSalt

[SilvertoGold]

Thanks for all your feedback. We decided to cancel this trip as it just was not coming together for us easily.

 

So grabbed one of the last cabins on the Veendam New England to San Diego via Panama Canal - leaving also in October - no shots, no visas .....and maybe no A/C as we transit the Canal if the Veendam is true to form. :cool: But it just seemed easier and a better pace for us right now.

 

Maybe by the time we think about the Amazon and the dear Prinsendam again, they will have sorted out their visa and Yellow Fever shots thing better than we were running into right now.

 

CDC has made major changes in their Yellow Fever protocols and I got the impression HAL had not caught up with the new recommendations. No thanks for purely bureaucratic snafus.

 

And quite frankly, I will wait until Brazil gets a little more welcoming too if they want our company. We swore we would never go back to India again after each of our four trips got crazier and crazier with their visa and disembarkation demands screwing up each successive port stop. And Brazil was bringing back bad memories.

 

I thought just getting through airports was enough of a detriment to future travel, but now more countries is also telling us they are going to make it as burdensome and difficult as possible for us to bring them our tourism dollars.

 

I guess I am finally getting to that old and cranky stage of life. :rolleyes:

 

I am sorry to hear this, but I think your decisions are based on some solid considerations. Best to go with your feelings. In reading your posts and thinking back to our Amazon cruise, I thought, "who needs this hassle?"

 

The Veendam cruise is a super one!! A good choice and I'm sure you will have A/C and a great time!! Thanks for letting us know.

Edited August 10, 2016 by SilvertoGold

[Viesczy]

I am going to echo the sentiments about the vacation feeling more burdensome than its worth.

 

I had SERIOUSLY wanted to to this and after looking into it (my own research and former passengers) & all the minutia of it... man I'd sooner count to Infinity TWICE.

 

I hope that after all the work the OP has a great time, reports that back to us!

Edited August 10, 2016 by Viesczy

[KirkNC]

Thats too bad as the Amazon is a very unique cruise. We did it on the Maasdam in 2015. We went to a travel doctor who recommended we get the shot, we are both in our 50's so we did, no side effects for us. We now carry the yellow papers showing we got the shot. It is effective for 10 years.

[USN59-79]

An interesting thread as we went thru the same angst before a cruise around Africa. Yellow fever shot was required for the stop in Angola. We had had the shots about 11 years before on a South America cruise. I did a lot of internet research and found that the CDC now recognizes that a shot gives lifetime immunity; those no more ten year repeat shot required. It also mentioned that some countries might not be up to date on CDC recommendations. Since DW and I are over 70, there was also that caveat that the shot might do more harm than good. We both talked to our doctors. Hers recommended the shot; mine gave me a waiver. Since she got one, I went ahead and got one so as not to appear to be wimping out. When we got to Angola, it appeared to be such a lousy country that we stayed aboard the ship anyway. Incidentally, cost wasn't a factor as we are a retired Navy family and use the local Navy hospital.

[sammiedawg]

Thanks for all your feedback. We decided to cancel this trip as it just was not coming together for us easily.

 

So grabbed one of the last cabins on the Veendam New England to San Diego via Panama Canal - leaving also in October - no shots, no visas .....and maybe no A/C as we transit the Canal if the Veendam is true to form. :cool: But it just seemed easier and a better pace for us right now.

 

Maybe by the time we think about the Amazon and the dear Prinsendam again, they will have sorted out their visa and Yellow Fever shots thing better than we were running into right now.

 

CDC has made major changes in their Yellow Fever protocols and I got the impression HAL had not caught up with the new recommendations. No thanks for purely bureaucratic snafus.

 

And quite frankly, I will wait until Brazil gets a little more welcoming too if they want our company. We swore we would never go back to India again after each of our four trips got crazier and crazier with their visa and disembarkation demands screwing up each successive port stop. And Brazil was bringing back bad memories.

 

I thought just getting through airports was enough of a detriment to future travel, but now more countries is also telling us they are going to make it as burdensome and difficult as possible for us to bring them our tourism dollars.

 

I guess I am finally getting to that old and cranky stage of life. :rolleyes:

 

Sorry to hear your trip is canceled. I think you are correct when you say HAL is behind the times on regulations. We were not hassled in any way regarding yellow fever and we were there almost three years ago.

We loved, loved our time in Rio, the Amazon and other cities of Brazil. I love seeing Rio on the Olympic telecast. It is a world class destination despite Zika and political corruption.

 

We were told the Brazilian visa requirement is tit for tat based on the US requiring Brazilians to obtain a visa to come here. My son had Brazilian college friends and we learned the US has very strict regulations/ red tape for them to adhere to. I don't think the regulations will change any time soon. We are still close with our Brazilian friends including one who moved back home after her US college years, then could not get an American visa to come back here to work. She had to go to Canada.

The visa process was pretty easy. Our TA recommended CIBT, an intermediary. The web site had step by step instructions on what to do. It took an hour or two to assemble and mail the package of documents, some documents were sent on line and some were Fedexed. CIBT charged a handling fee to go to the Brazilian embassy on our behalf. We had our visas less than two weeks later.

The only pain was the cost, I think it was $500 for two visas.

[0bnxshs]

Sorry to hear your trip is canceled. I think you are correct when you say HAL is behind the times on regulations. We were not hassled in any way regarding yellow fever and we were there almost three years ago.

We loved, loved our time in Rio, the Amazon and other cities of Brazil. I love seeing Rio on the Olympic telecast. It is a world class destination despite Zika and political corruption.

 

We were told the Brazilian visa requirement is tit for tat based on the US requiring Brazilians to obtain a visa to come here. My son had Brazilian college friends and we learned the US has very strict regulations/ red tape for them to adhere to. I don't think the regulations will change any time soon. We are still close with our Brazilian friends including one who moved back home after her US college years, then could not get an American visa to come back here to work. She had to go to Canada.

The visa process was pretty easy. Our TA recommended CIBT, an intermediary. The web site had step by step instructions on what to do. It took an hour or two to assemble and mail the package of documents, some documents were sent on line and some were Fedexed. CIBT charged a handling fee to go to the Brazilian embassy on our behalf. We had our visas less than two weeks later.

The only pain was the cost, I think it was $500 for two visas.

 

You're pretty much on target with the Brazil visa process. I am on the same cruise as OlsSalt was and received my visa in 13 days from Miami using the same processor as you. A bit of an intrusive process, but like you, I understand we (the US) require the same or more from Brazilians applying to come here. Whether that's worth it or not; who knows? It was to me. Cost is about the same still.

 

As far as the YFV goes, I'm not sure that HAL is so far behind the times. Yes, the WHO has determined that the vaccine is good for life. But, individual countries can, and do, continue to enforce the 10 year limitation on the vaccine's effectiveness. There are 2 on our itinerary that do. There are several others that have not declared their policy and should be assumed to have a 10 year policy in effect. So, I think HAL stays fairly up-to-date on this. And, of course, these requirements change as conditions warrant and active infections are identified.

[take us away]

My yellow fever record says it is good for 10 years, which came from the health department. There may be different vaccinations, which could account for the difference in 'longevity'.

 

As someone over 65 with specific health issues that preclude any vaccinations, now have a waiver which has been accepted - think it is Devil's Island that requires the yellow fever shot.

[USN59-79]

A couple of more thoughts on this subject. When we got the yellow fever shot we also got the enhanced flu shots that was being offered for seniors. The next day DW got kind of dizzy and fell in the house, breaking her arm. I suspect she had a reaction to one or other of the shots. The cruise was two weeks away, but we went anyway (it was a 71 day cruise) and she had her cast removed halfway into the cruise by the ship's doctor.

About Brazil's treatment of tourists: In 2002 our cruise ship entered Rio. Military helicopters buzzed the ships. Upon arrival when we wanted to leave for our shore excursions, the Brazil authorities boarded and said they wanted to take a picture and fingerprint every passenger. Half of us went to one end of the ship to get our fingerprints and the other half went to get our pictures taken. Took more than half a day, so most of the shore excursions were cancelled. I asked a Brazilian official why they were doing this and they said "Because we Brazilians have to go thru the same thing when we enter the U.S. Guess they made a point, but probably cost their local merchants a hundred thousand dollars for their bureaucracy. My feelings are, if a cruise is going to stop in Brazil or India, I will skip it and take another because I will never again deal with their visa system.

[OlsSalt]

Brazil is not in a position to turn down tourism dollars, just to be petty, mean and vindictive. Trust me, few will want to break Brazilian immigration restrictions and over-stay their Brazil visas.

 

Small price for me to pay to keep our own US necessary and heavy immigration restrictions in place. Bye, bye Brazil.

 

See if you can get a sanity shot from your neighbor to the south who rescinded their "reciprocity" nonsense once Argentina saw how it was affecting their necessary infusion of tourist cash. Much like their docking hissy fit in Ushaiaia over the "Malvinas" flap.

 

Don't mean to sound like an Ugly American here (which I know I do), but the US has too long been an immigration magnet country. We unfortunately need restrictions. Brazil I doubt is on anyone's Top 10 Immigration Abuse Hit Parade.

Edited August 11, 2016 by OlsSalt

[KirkNC]

A couple of more thoughts on this subject. When we got the yellow fever shot we also got the enhanced flu shots that was being offered for seniors. The next day DW got kind of dizzy and fell in the house, breaking her arm. I suspect she had a reaction to one or other of the shots. The cruise was two weeks away, but we went anyway (it was a 71 day cruise) and she had her cast removed halfway into the cruise by the ship's doctor.

About Brazil's treatment of tourists: In 2002 our cruise ship entered Rio. Military helicopters buzzed the ships. Upon arrival when we wanted to leave for our shore excursions, the Brazil authorities boarded and said they wanted to take a picture and fingerprint every passenger. Half of us went to one end of the ship to get our fingerprints and the other half went to get our pictures taken. Took more than half a day, so most of the shore excursions were cancelled. I asked a Brazilian official why they were doing this and they said "Because we Brazilians have to go thru the same thing when we enter the U.S. Guess they made a point, but probably cost their local merchants a hundred thousand dollars for their bureaucracy. My feelings are, if a cruise is going to stop in Brazil or India, I will skip it and take another because I will never again deal with their visa system.

 

Things must have changed a lot in the last fifteen years as we have been to Brazil twice in the last two years and not experienced anything like that. It's been just like any other country we have visited.

[Karennella]

At the time, we were both over 60. The local county health department that was to administer the injections required a waiver from our GP that we healthy enough for the shot, which we got. The injection is only good for 10 years, as I had had a previous one for a prior safari. You will be given a yellow International Immunization form with which I always travel and keep with my passport.

 

The biggest misunderstanding is that most people think it is required by the country you are entering that may or may not have yellow fever. In fact, it is the US that requires it upon your re-entry into the county IF you have been in a country where yellow fever has been reported. They can deny your re-entry home without it. In other words, don't leave home without it!!

 

This is the same with us. No-one in Sth America looked at our vaccination certificate. But it is required on re-entry to Australia.

For our one month land trip the cost of our visas and vaccinations (after health insurance rebate) was over $A1000. This year we went on a European cruise and land trip, no visa and no vaccinations.

[Homosassa]

Just a FYI suggestion for anyone needing vaccinations for travel: Visit your local pharmacy that offers flu or any other vaccinations.

 

It is possible that they can order the vaccine and bill your insurance company or at least check if the cost will be covered by your insurance and give you your out of pocket expense.

 

Some vaccinations will be covered by a standing order from a MD (don't know how the doctor is connected to the corporation) or may require your own doctor's prescription.

 

We found that our local Walgreen's offered this service after starting required immunizations ( hepatitis and typhoid) for a land trip for Guatemala. Instead of paying out of pocket at the travel clinic, Walgreen's billed our insurance company that covered all the costs.

[Sir PMP]

On the roll call for the upcoming Prinsendam Amazon River we are getting mixed info about the Yellow Fever shot requirement.

 

Can those who took this HAL cruise and faced this same Yellow Fever shot requirement, tell us more about how you dealt with it. Many thanks

 

1. Some say the one shot is good for life, no matter when you had it.

 

2. Some say you need one that is less than 10 years old.

 

3. Some say you can get an official waiver signed by your doctor if you are over 65 because the shot can be harmful in older persons.

 

4. Some say that Over 65 waiver may or may not be accepted upon entry into Brazil

 

5. Some say you only need a shot if you are coming from a listed country where Yellow Fever might be present - like Trinidad-Tobago, which we are.

 

A yellow fever shot is not required but recommended, but if you go to Devil's island you need it. Go to the local public health department and get a yellow card that goes in the passport and than a letter from your doctor who will sign the yellow card. Just did the amazon in Feb. on the Prinsendam and had the docs with us, did not need them.