Have you ever not gotten off the ship... at all??

[Iamthesea]

If the ship is docked in a port is there any guarantee you won't be bitten by a mosquito if you stay onboard? Perhaps the 5 day Bahamas/Key West is your best bet but Zika has hit FL.

 

If you are planning to start a family' date=' you both should be very careful about Zika. Even if you remain on the ship, you both should apply the best mosquito repellent you can find (unless you remain indoors!) All the best![/quote']

 

I agree!

 

A couple of years ago, there was a swarm of mosquitos under one or more of the balconies on our ship. :eek:

[Can'tstopcruising]

Rereading your original post, I realize you have not yet booked.

 

If you were my children,(not that they ever like my advice!) I'd strongly advise to forget about Florida or the Carib for this year. Why take a chance? It's so not worth it. There are so many interesting places you can visit instead.

[PoppyandNana]

We always get off the ship. The ports are why we cruise, the ship is just transportation.

 

Depends on the itinerary. For a Baltic, Norway, Med, the ports are indeed the purpose of the trip. For the Caribbean in January ports are immaterial. We may get off in st. Maarten to go to a favorite electronics store but other than than that we may get off, walk around the pier a bit then get back on.

[helen haywood]

I have often thought about starting a thread about not getting off the ship until forced to at the end of the cruise. But I was sure I'd be deluged with comments from people who disagreed with me.... We used to do a lot of European cruises and travel....now, due to various reasons, we prefer not to fly and just take Caribbean cruises. (First world problems....) So we've done the islands so many times that we no longer get off the ship. I LOVE the ship when most of the other passengers have gotten off!! (Sshhhh...don't tell anyone...)

 

However, on the subject of the virus, I have been bitten in the terminal building in Miami by a mosquito! So its not just the ports you need to consider. Personally, I would just buy some good repellent and put it on every day from day one and pick the itinerary you prefer.

[Karynanne]

I remember having bronchitis while onboard, and didn't have the energy to go on some of our tours. My DH went with our friends and I stayed onboard. We were in Villefranche...a gorgeous day...and I had lunch outside, enjoying the beautiful views from the ship.

[cirpi]

I'm just a little curious, while on your TA's where would you have gotten off if you were so inclined?

 

Most TAs include three to five port calls.

[killsport]

The chance of getting Zika while staying on a ship is almost nil. These types of mosquitoes have a flying distance of around 100 m radius from where they were born (http://www.bbc.com/news/health-35427491). Given the size of the ships and the distance from shore, it is virtually impossible for a mosquito to get there. It would have to be brought back on board, survive the movement getting it on board, find a hum, and THEN bite. Oh, and the mosquito that came on board would have to be the right species AND be carrying the virus.

That doesn't mean I would go hiking in the rain forest if I were pregnant / trying to become pregnant, but staying on the ship is safer than sitting out on my deck in sunny South Florida.

[cle-guy]

The chance of getting Zika while staying on a ship is almost nil. These types of mosquitoes have a flying distance of around 100 m radius from where they were born (http://www.bbc.com/news/health-35427491). Given the size of the ships and the distance from shore, it is virtually impossible for a mosquito to get there. It would have to be brought back on board, survive the movement getting it on board, find a hum, and THEN bite. Oh, and the mosquito that came on board would have to be the right species AND be carrying the virus.

That doesn't mean I would go hiking in the rain forest if I were pregnant / trying to become pregnant, but staying on the ship is safer than sitting out on my deck in sunny South Florida.

 

While almost nil, how did the mosquitos get from the caribbean to florida, and other places?....they had to get here by traveling on ships and airplanes.

[killsport]

Sadly, the likely method of transmission was from humans. Humans overseas get bit, return to their home (eg the US), then get bit by a local mosquito (aedes) where the local mosquitos obtain the contaminated blood.

Also can relocate via freight (large containers that can provide a method for colonies to reproduce during their travels). Each mosquito has a very short life.

[Lady Chew]

In the winter, our destination is Warmth. We don't really care where the ship goes. There are some places we've been a dozen times and love going back, and others we could not care any less about visiting.

 

At the very least, we get off and walk around the port area for a little while.

 

There have been only a few times when one or the other of us was not feeling well enough to get off ... the ship is so nice & relaxing when most passengers are off for the day.

[CELTICGIRLCRUISER]

Staying on the ship is not going to stop the mozzies.

[Karynanne]

Staying on the ship is not going to stop the mozzies.

 

 

Just curious...what is a mozzie?

[florisdekort]

Hi everyone -

 

 

 

This is a bit of an odd inquiry but we're thinking of taking a cruise in the early December lull between Thanksgiving and Hanukkah/Christmas and are concerned about Zika (hoping to start a family next year, fingers crossed). Our choice is between X (always our preference) for 7 nights and not getting off the ship AT ALL (!!!) as every port is under Zika travel advisory, or a 5 night RCCL to ports that do not have Zika (Key West and Bahamas).

 

 

 

Have you ever not gotten off a ship for a whole cruise? What was it like? Will we regret it once onboard?

 

 

All of these ports including the Bahamas, Key West and now also Miami, Florida have Zika. Moreover, not getting off the ship is no protection. It's not that mosquitos will fly around your docked ship.

[florisdekort]

While almost nil, how did the mosquitos get from the caribbean to florida, and other places?....they had to get here by traveling on ships and airplanes.

 

 

Agreed. The "100 meter from where they were born" comment makes no sense as the disease has spread across most of South America, the Caribbean and now Miami by mosquito and not solely by humans as someone else suggested. There's zika mosquitos now in an area larger than the US. They will be on board ships as well.

[Adammara]

Just curious...what is a mozzie?

 

Its a nickname for a mosquito!

 

We often go ashore for an hour or two, gave up on ships tours a long time ago!

 

Certainly not in to long coach journeys to the actual destination from where you have docked, so we often stay on board, and yes, its so much more relaxing then.

 

The absolute best is on a B2B, when we did one on Eclipse only about 15 people remained on board on change over day , it was bliss!

[Peteymil]

Rereading your original post' date=' I realize you have not yet booked.

 

If you were my children,(not that they ever like my advice!) I'd strongly advise to forget about Florida or the Carib for this year. Why take a chance? It's so not worth it. There are so many interesting places you can visit instead.[/quote']

 

I agree! At the very least, talk to you Doctor first and get his professional opinion about your travel plans. In my own family we have had to adjust some travel plans due to this same issue.

[Mark_K]

Hi everyone -

 

 

 

This is a bit of an odd inquiry but we're thinking of taking a cruise in the early December lull between Thanksgiving and Hanukkah/Christmas and are concerned about Zika (hoping to start a family next year, fingers crossed). Our choice is between X (always our preference) for 7 nights and not getting off the ship AT ALL (!!!) as every port is under Zika travel advisory, or a 5 night RCCL to ports that do not have Zika (Key West and Bahamas).

 

 

 

Have you ever not gotten off a ship for a whole cruise? What was it like? Will we regret it once onboard?

 

 

Just an FYI - A Zika case was recently reported in The Bahamas, on the island where Nassau is located.

[Iamcruzin]

I think the question that you have to ask your self is, What will I do for entertainment for 7 days? For us it's about the port of call. I don't book any itinerary that I wouldn't get off of the ship. I need to be in that Caribbean water and looking at it from the ship would be a tease. I know there are some who live close to port who can jump on any last minute deal and it's cheaper than staying home so staying on the ship isn't a big deal to them. Hopefully one day that will be me. However if I'm paying airfare and hotel expenses I want to enjoy the ports. I can eat, drink,read, and watch TV at home. Actually I could even see a Broadway show at home.

Edited August 18, 2016 by Iamcruzin

[ChiGal1962]

I have skipped ports often - generally because I'd been there several times and nothing was calling to me. Usually Caribbean, but did also once skip going into Florence.

 

I have had one cruise where I never left the ship. It was Western Caribbean, I had been to each port before and just really wanted to relax. Best days on board are port days :) No problem getting a chair by the pool, service is even more terrific than usual and drinks are "free" (since I already had the beverage package).

 

On that trip, one night all of my dinner table mates were planning to go to beaches in St. Thomas the next day, and were trying to convince me to go with them, but I declined. Had a great morning at the ship pool. They were all back on board before 1pm - said the beaches were SO crowded, and they had to stand in line for at least 10-15 minutes to get a drink.

[davekathy]

We get off the ship at every port. We even got off at Trinidad. We didn't have an excursion booked so we just walked the port shopping area and were back on the ship within a couple of hours or less. We were advised not to walk outside of the fenced in port shopping area. Not sure if it would have been as bad as posters here on CC and some Cruisers on the ship we talked made it out to be (but then again the we were fenced in) who have been to Trinidad before. If we ever go back to Trinidad we'll do a ships excursion.

Edited August 18, 2016 by davekathy

[Duanerice1]

I've tried to stay on the ship but just can't do it. Even if it is just for a little walk around a port we've been to many times, just can't stay on, ha ha.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide

Edited August 18, 2016 by Duanerice1

[cjmx]

I get most bitten by mosquitoes when the ship is docked, staying still. Every time I go to muster on a Caribbean cruise I will get bit by mosquitoes. When the ship is moving out in sea., less likely. Staying on the ship will not stop the possibility of mosquito bites.

[Sandtrap328]

I get most bitten by mosquitoes when the ship is docked, staying still. Every time I go to muster on a Caribbean cruise I will get bit by mosquitoes. When the ship is moving out in sea., less likely. Staying on the ship will not stop the possibility of mosquito bites.

 

Exactly right!

 

I was on one Celebrity ship a year or so ago in the Caribbean. At one of the island ports, flies and mosquitoes got on board. Really, it was disgusting to have lots of flies in the buffet area and the Sunset Bar area. There were mosquitoes biting passengers by the pool area and also the outdoor bars.

 

The ship personnel were notified but said they could do nothing and "this is a tropical area and it happens sometimes".

 

I actually was putting on bug spray before going out of my cabin.

[kdog3ss]

Have I ever not gotten off the ship?

Only on sea days. (Sorry, it's the beginning of another weekend and the Coronas are talking)

Edited August 19, 2016 by kdog3ss

[Sandtrap328]

Have I ever not gotten off the ship?

Only on sea days. (Sorry, it's the beginning of another weekend and the Coronas are talking)

 

You mean to say you have never taken one of the Zodiac Beer Excursions offered to Elite Plus passengers? They are a lot of fun, a lot of beer, and the cruising speed of 10-15 knots seems a lot faster when you are in a Zodiac being towed in back of the cruise ship.