Ports are being canceled now

[ruskatab]

i just read that rccl will continue to call in the mexican ports, but are now charging everyone a $3.95 surcharge for a white mask. $4.95 for a blue, gold, and white one with their logo on it!!!;)

 

 

lmao!!!

[LemurCat]

And the H1N1 is the virus that is currently making it's way around the globe. So there is some speculation that this year's flu shot is giving a partial immunity. Not that anyone should take that to mean they can run about shoving their hands in their mouth or licking pigs.

[Nezmo]

And what amuses me are the number of armchair experts on just about any subject that comes up. I prefer to take a wait and see attitudes to most things because truthfully, I am an expert in very little.

 

I think it's possible that the only truth is that we don't know if this is serious or not. So I think it's irresponsible to poo-poo it just as it is to panic about it and spread rumours as facts.

[Vanessa L]

And the H1N1 is the virus that is currently making it's way around the globe. So there is some speculation that this year's flu shot is giving a partial immunity. Not that anyone should take that to mean they can run about shoving their hands in their mouth or licking pigs.

 

LOL, well, I gues you'll have to put your pig licking off for a few more months. :D

[nolaAlive]

the soup i gave was from a couple years ago. it was easier than finding the 2008 mix for some reason. i do think there is at least some partial immunity, even if not an exact match.

[G'ma]

I hope they put out the info soon. IF I GET A DIFF PORT, I want time to read up on my excursions, make a plan B for Dh and I. We are flying out tomorrow night to make our cruise, I would like the info.... Please, pretty please....

 

I think you'll be looking at a "fun day at sea"......

[nolaAlive]

And what amuses me are the number of armchair experts on just about any subject that comes up. I prefer to take a wait and see attitudes to most things because truthfully, I am an expert in very little.

 

I think it's possible that the only truth is that we don't know if this is serious or not. So I think it's irresponsible to poo-poo it just as it is to panic about it and spread rumours as facts.

 

why should this subject be any different than cruising?

[Vanessa L]

And what amuses me are the number of armchair experts on just about any subject that comes up. I prefer to take a wait and see attitudes to most things because truthfully, I am an expert in very little.

 

I think it's possible that the only truth is that we don't know if this is serious or not. So I think it's irresponsible to poo-poo it just as it is to panic about it and spread rumours as facts.

 

While I'm not all the way to the poo-pooing stage yet, given that I know that there are 2 drugs out there that will kill the virus once gotten, I am going with it not being a big deal. Until they say it has grown resistant to all medicine. Then I'm over on the other side of that spectrum :eek:

[nolaAlive]

ok recommended soup for 2008-2009:

 

 

 

 

• an A/Brisbane/59/2007 (H1N1)-like virus;
  
• an A/Brisbane/10/2007 (H3N2)-like virus; *
  
• a B/Florida/4/2006-like virus. #
   
  * A/Brisbane/10/2007 is a current southern hemisphere vaccine virus.
  #B/Florida/4/2006 and B/Brisbane/3/2007 (a B/Florida/4/2006-like virus) are current southern hemisphere vaccine viruses.
  

[RAE6]

It's amazing to me all the fuss that's being caused about this flu bug. It's a slow week for the media and so they are sensationalizing this to the Nth degree. On top of that - everyone jumps on the fear bandwagon and makes it even worse.

 

Fact - @ 36,000 people died in the United States last year from the flu. Guess what, the media doesn't report that very much. It's just not that glamorous. How many people have died (in the U.S.) from this particular strain so far.

 

Fact - politicians want us to be afraid of something. That way, they can rescue us and we will be indebted to them.

 

Fact - the virus doesn't survive very long in the open air. Your best chance of contracting it is if someone who has it, coughs on you or touches you soon after having mucus from their bodies on their hands. Even then, you must transfer the virus to your own mucus membranes within a relatively short period of time or the virus will die.

 

The reality is that most people contract viral and bacterial infections because they don't wash their hands often enough. That even includes me.

 

Solution - stop believing "the sky is falling" media and politicians and learn how to wash your hands.

 

 

Just had to jump in here...while I can agree with you on the media pumping up some stories. This is not one of those cases, imho.

 

Hubby works for CDC and although he does not work in that branch, I spoke with another CDC employee last night at an event about the swine flu.

 

She works in a different branch and gave me some info on it. Here is what she said:

 

Normally these types of flu are only of concern if you are living around or working with the animals, such as bird flu and such. But the difference with this is that it has mutated and is being transfered human to human, which is the cause of the rapid increase in the numbers.

 

Also there is no cure for the flu, just frequent washing of the hands is the best measure. You can take a product like Tamiflu and it will likely lessen the symptoms and maybe the duration but it will not prevent it....only washing your hands is the best medicine.

 

She also said that because it is mutating there is no vaccine for it, it will take doctors sometime to make one. I do not know how long, did not ask that.

 

While it is true we (USA) have better laws about health and safety for our citizens and our healthcare is better, there still many that will be susceptible to this outbreak (primarily the elderly and children) so we should still be vigilant about informing and educating people to the situation.

 

I found out from hubby a couple weeks ago about swine flu because CDC was getting cases popping up in California and they were looking for employees who would go there to work. You did not see it on the news then because it was not multi-state at that point. It is now...so you will see more because it is spreading.

 

So while I know that it is very popular to think that the media and your government are out to get you....some times they are not.

 

Not trying to scare anyone or stir the pot....just wanted to share some REAL information, but take it for what it is worth to you.

[Sundsgn]

I guess I am ok with whatever. I cruise to cruise. I love sea days...I am on landlocked most of the time, so I relish the opportunity to just sail away. Isn't that the point of a cruise...to enjoy being at sea?

 

While disappointing for some to not see a place they've never been, I'd rather err on the side of caution.

[BJAMINGIRL]

It looks like the cruiselines may be trying to get around the forgein port rules by making technical stops in the foreign port like Cabo or Ensenada and not letting anyone off. Then they would be able to stop at Catalina or Key West etc.;)

 

Carnival will be makinf a big announcement supposedly in 18 minutes. Lets hope they can work this out so people will be both safe and happy.

 

They seem to be trying.

[yst347]

If they are allowed to touch a foreign port but not let anyone off, expect Progreso to be popular. Since the ship docks five miles out to sea it is perfect for such a tactic.

[Dave_MaryJo]

It's ashame that our cruise is in the middle of this Swine Flu and it looks like we will be given more sea days then ports. I would rather take my chances at the port and just take a flu shot when I return. ;)

[Vanessa L]

It's ashame that our cruise is in the middle of this Swine Flu and it looks like we will be given more sea days then ports. I would rather take my chances at the port and just take a flu shot when I return. ;)

 

Flu shot won't help you after the fact, however, if you read CNN, their expert Dr. Sanjay Gupta recommends (and I suspect you can find this information elsewhere), taking Tamiflu or Relenza prior to traveling will help you with immunity. Obviously, the only guarantee that you won't get the flu is to lock yourself in your house and never go out or let anyone in, but who lives like that? Better living through pharmacuticals is my slogan ;)

[RAE6]

It's ashame that our cruise is in the middle of this Swine Flu and it looks like we will be given more sea days then ports. I would rather take my chances at the port and just take a flu shot when I return. ;)

 

Sorry to hear about your cruise falling right in the middle of this, but trust me if they restricted travel, it was for a very good reason. They do not make this decision lightly and it is in your best interest. :)

[chachi]

I understand Carnival being cautious, but if I were on one of these cruise, I would be disappointed. I spend so much time researching everything, it would be a huge disappointment not to be able to see everything. Most people don't have the luxury of cruising frequently.

[Thirsty Cruiser]

Sorry to hear about your cruise falling right in the middle of this, but trust me if they restricted travel, it was for a very good reason. They do not make this decision lightly and it is in your best interest. :)

They just announced on the news that Carnival has restricted all travel to Mexico.

 

Also, Cuba has a national ban on travel to Mexico. Maybe Carnival should add Cuba as a port.:cool:

[Vanessa L]

I understand Carnival being cautious, but if I were on one of these cruise, I would be disappointed. I spend so much time researching everything, it would be a huge disappointment not to be able to see everything. Most people don't have the luxury of cruising frequently.

 

If I weren't a person who enjoyed sea days so much, I would be disappointed too, chachi (OMG, are you aging yourself? Like from Happy Days? or Joanie loves...). I agree that this is going to be disappointing to some, the only ones that rattle my cage are the ones who come back here and blame Carnival for "ruining" their vacation and demanding compensation.

[SDPadreFan]

Just had to jump in here...while I can agree with you on the media pumping up some stories. This is not one of those cases, imho.

 

Hubby works for CDC and although he does not work in that branch, I spoke with another CDC employee last night at an event about the swine flu.

 

She works in a different branch and gave me some info on it. Here is what she said:

 

Normally these types of flu are only of concern if you are living around or working with the animals, such as bird flu and such. But the difference with this is that it has mutated and is being transfered human to human, which is the cause of the rapid increase in the numbers. Mutation is the fabric of life. Most, if not all virus's mutate. Same thing with most forms of life, it's called evolution (aka: survival of the fittest). The inability to adapt (mutate) quickly enough is generally what causes extinction. The ability to mutate increases survivability.

 

Also there is no cure for the flu, just frequent washing of the hands is the best measure. You can take a product like Tamiflu and it will likely lessen the symptoms and maybe the duration but it will not prevent it....only washing your hands is the best medicine.

 

She also said that because it is mutating there is no vaccine for it, it will take doctors sometime to make one. I do not know how long, did not ask that. Because of the development time required, there is not a good argument for trying to rush a vaccine to market. Most (if not all) flu virus's do poorly in surviving the summer months. Influenza's most active period is during the winter. We won't really know what this viral strains survivability is until we go through the summer months. The educated guess is that it will not survive the summer months as an active strain.

 

While it is true we (USA) have better laws about health and safety for our citizens and our healthcare is better, there still many that will be susceptible to this outbreak (primarily the elderly and children) so we should still be vigilant about informing and educating people to the situation. Couldn't agree more. So why does the government and the media do such a poor job of it. The simple proof of this statement is born by the fact that 36,000 people died last year from the flu. Not this new strain, just the common garden variety of influenza (of which there are many mutations).

 

I found out from hubby a couple weeks ago about swine flu because CDC was getting cases popping up in California and they were looking for employees who would go there to work. You did not see it on the news then because it was not multi-state at that point. It is now...so you will see more because it is spreading.

 

So while I know that it is very popular to think that the media and your government are out to get you....some times they are not. Never said they are out to get us. But I would argue that they are out to make us dependent upon them. They certainly don't want independent thinkers. That is a threat to them.

 

Not trying to scare anyone or stir the pot....just wanted to share some REAL information, but take it for what it is worth to you.

 

REAL information always has a perspective to it. As well as an opposing perspective. That's what Peer Review is all about.

 

Please thank your husband for working at the CDC. I appreciate the important work they do there.

[RAE6]

REAL information always has a perspective to it. As well as an opposing perspective. That's what Peer Review is all about.

 

Please thank your husband for working at the CDC. I appreciate the important work they do there.

 

I respect your perspective and agree that REAL information is a result of it, but I just wanted to put something else out there on a public forum, because often times this maybe the only information that some may see.

And after reading many of the postings on these boards, I was a little taken aback by some of the misinformation. Not specifically yours but others about eating pork, and kissing pigs and things like that. When I spoke with hubby today, he said people are thinking they can't eat pork and such.

 

Thank you for kind words public service is sometimes a thankless job, I will let hubby know, he works very hard and we are very proud of him and his co-workers.

[flamomo]

Is Carnival replacing Cozumel with a non-Mexico port till this flu thing is under control?

[snoopymcc]

sooo....this is hypothetical as my cruise is in Sept and I look for this to hopefully diffuse before then...since we only have 1 port, Cozumel, what would we do instead?

[yst347]

sooo....this is hypothetical as my cruise is in Sept and I look for this to hopefully diffuse before then...since we only have 1 port, Cozumel, what would we do instead?

 

It looks like the cruise lines will try to satisfy PSA requirements by stopping in a Mexican port for an hour and leaving, not allowing anyone off. If this strategy is allowed a possible scenario is an hour in Progreso, Calica or Cozumel then sailing off for a port day in Key West.

 

I'd bet on hour stops in Calica or Progreso as one is a gravel pit and the other several miles out to sea. Passengers will only be upset by a stop in Cozumel where the piers are full of shops, bars and restaurants and the water is that exquisite torquoise. :(

[Serfboreds]

We are going on the May 31 cruise and if the ports are closed should we expect a trip to nowhere?

 

Anybody have any clue where some alternate ports may be?

 

Thanks!