Yellow Fever Vaccination Requirement for Amazon Cruises

[CJANDH]

We are booked on Mariner for Christmas in the Amazon in December this year. We are struggling to understand the requirements for Yellow Fever Vaccination.

 

Regent has not published anything but my research indicates the following:

1. YF vaccination is not required to enter Brazil, but is recommended.

2. The CDC cautions against YF vaccination for those older than 60. 

3. Two of the ports we will visit after visiting Brazil (Dominica & Bahamas) require proof of YF vaccination for entry if the traveler has been to a Yellow Fever endemic region, which the Amazon is. [They may accept a vaccination exemption letter/form from a medical doctor if you have a medical contraindication to the vaccine . . but not sure].

4. Holland America have issued a letter to travelers on a similar cruise in February 2024 stating that a valid YF vaccination certificate or an original vaccination waiver/letter is required for embarkation. Pax without either of these documents will be refused boarding. 

 

Despite a formal request for information, Regent have not advised their policy on YF vaccinations.

 

Getting a YF vaccination is not easy as it can only be given at limited clinics and may require travelling some distance to get it. It also costs $200 + per person. Given this, Regent needs to give us some time to comply with their unstated rules.

 

Has anyone got some better information.

 

Chris.

[Pcardad]

Do whatever your doctor advises. Even if Regent required it, they would defer to a letter from your doctor stating that you should not get it.

I don't know where you are in SC but there are many places to get it there including NMB, Columbia, Charleston, and many choices if you are near Charlotte.

IMO, ask your doctor first. If they say NO WAY - get a letter. If they say you should get it then get it.

[cwn]

We have been to YF area with Regent twice. Get the shot or a YF waiver letter. Your Dr can give you the letter or a travel clinic does the shot. The CDC does not recommend the shot if you are over either 60 or 65 and maybe some other reasons also. We are doing the Amazon again with Regent inNov 24. We had the shot almost 15 years ago.

 

as Pacadad says first stop is to see your Dr. 

Edited October 9, 2023 by cwn

[mj_holiday]

The requirements come from the countries you will visit.  I bet Regent has a difficult time keeping up with them.

We did this cruise Fall of 2018 yes and many things have changed since them. Only one of our ports after the Amazon has required YF shot after being in an area with Yellow Fever.

We visited a Travel Doctor (Passport Health) for their recommendations and then took their list to our GP. Our GP made sure our tetanus shot was up to date and gave us a script for a typhoid oral vaccine.  He said he saw no problem with either of us getting the YF vaccine (ages 65 and 68).

We went back to Passport Health and got the YF shot and it is good for life. (Now we do not have to worry about it) We could have also gotten the vaccine at our county health department.

[Turn 8A]

We got ours last year at our county health department. I don't remember the cost, but it certainly was not $200.

[Mudhen]

It truly depends on where you get your shot. We went through this can of worms about 7-8 years ago for an Amazon cruise. 
It was difficult to find and cost us 300$ each.

The kicker was none of the subsequent countries we needed it for even looked at the certificate; some had no idea of even what it was or why we needed it.

[Turn 8A]

DW informs me that the shots were $200 at the county health department.

[Horatio Snowblower]

We are on this year's holiday Amazon cruise as well. Our Primary Care Physician urged us to get the YF vaccinations along with Hepatitis A and a tetanus booster for me. In addition, he ordered oral prescriptions for malaria and typhoid for the two of us and an anti-diarrheal. And we're both in our mid-70's.

 

I felt a bit like a voodoo doll after we went in a week ago, but neither of us has had any side effects from all the jabbing. 

 

Our YF vaccinations were US$300 each, the HepA's were $150 and my tetanus (TDAP) was $99, but we're very fortunate to have an excellent drug supplement program that told us to submit the invoices for reimbursement, which we've done.