CDC: Travel Warning will Soon be Dropped

[gottago2mexico]

“…the CDC's quarantine chief, Dr. Martin Cetron, said the agency soon would downgrade its warnings about travel to Mexico. The CDC had urged people to avoid nonessential travel to that country, but that will be changed to just a precaution for people at high risk of flu complications.”

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090515/ap_on_he_me/us_med_swine_flu_cdc_2

 

OTHER HEADLINES

 

UK GIVES THE ALL CLEAR FOR TRAVEL TO MEXICO

http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/news/display.var.2508443.0.Mexico_travel_restrictions_lifted_after_fall_in_new_swine_flu_cases.php

[gottago2mexico]

Here is the full text of the statement today by CDC Quarantine Chief Marty Cetron:

 

"I just wanted to indicate that later today, CDC would likely be posting a downgrade to the travel warning that is currently up regarding Mexico, which is at a level four alert that suggests folks defer not essential travel to Mexico. That will be downgraded to a travel precaution. And this will focus on providing particular precautionary advice to those individuals who are at high risk for complications of influenza. As Dr. Jernigan has probably already discussed in his brief, very high proportion of our hospitalizations are occurring among those who have underlying health conditions that put them at risk for complications, and our travel precaution will be particularly providing advice to those individuals regarding seeing their physician and getting specific advice on the feasibility and reasonableness for them. Bust the overall travel alert will be lowered from a warning to a precaution in that regard. And this information that we expect will be on the -- on the CDC website later, by the end of the day today."

http://www.cdc.gov/media/transcripts/2009/t090515.htm

[gottago2mexico]

IT'S OFFICIAL - CDC DROPS TRAVEL WARNING

 

http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/content/travel-health-precaution/novel-h1n1-flu-mexico.aspx

[letsgocruz1]

Great!!!! :)

 

Now are the cruiselines going to let us go to Cozumel the first part of June? Or are we still going to be stuck going to Key West (Carnival Valor)?? Not that anyone knows the answer yet...I am just thinking out loud.

 

Fingers crossed...oh how I wish!!

 

Thanks for the update.

[Roadtripster]

Just read on Carnivals site that they will go back to Mexico after all the rescheduled ships have sailed. All those are up until mid June. So any sailing after mid June, will get to stop in Mexico. So, if your itinerary had a Mexico cancellation, it will stay that way and you will not go to Mexico.

[letsgocruz1]

Just read on Carnivals site that they will go back to Mexico after all the rescheduled ships have sailed. All those are up until mid June. So any sailing after mid June, will get to stop in Mexico. So, if your itinerary had a Mexico cancellation, it will stay that way and you will not go to Mexico.

 

I know, and I am so bummed! Key West here we come...woo-hoo :rolleyes:

[Boolsrules]

DH and I are on the Holiday on May 28th and it looks like we are the first ship back in Cozumel.

[letsgocruz1]

DH and I are on the Holiday on May 28th and it looks like we are the first ship back in Cozumel.

 

Had they re-routed you guys and now switched back to the original itinerary, or had they never changed it in the first place?

[Boolsrules]

Our cruise itinerary never got changed. Carnival said that they would make a decision by next Tuesday, but I guess the decision has been made.

[Roadtripster]

The first two ships to arrive in Mexico are both the Carnival Holiday.

 

May 28th being the first one. Lucky you!!

 

After that, most dates are the mid June dates returning.

[letsgocruz1]

Royal Caribbean has backed off of their mid-June dates and will now call on Mexican ports with sailings leaving May 24th. The Pacific coast cruises on the Mariner, however, will not go back to Mex until mid June.

 

If RCCL can do it, why can't Carnival??

[Jacquelyn11]

Royal Caribbean International

H1N1 Flu Statement

May 15, 2009

9:00 p.m.

 

 

We are pleased to announce that Royal Caribbean International will resume its port calls in Cozumel, Mexico, beginning with sailings that depart on or after May 24, 2009.

 

We applaud the decision of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to downgrade their previous "Travel Alert" to a "Travel Health Precaution for Mexico." Like our guests we are anxious to return to Mexico. Until then, our guests will have time to fully review and understand the CDC's decision.

 

Our ships with Cozumel port calls include Freedom of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, and Enchantment of the Seas.

 

I'm SOOOO Glad! I really was going to miss Coz!! Now Tom's son will get his case of Spaghetti O's! :cool:

 

Jacquelyn :D

[love2fish]

I am so excited and releved the ban will be lifted for my cruise June 18th!!!!! Nachi Cocum here we come!!!!!:)

[alymom]

I am soooo bumbed right now! I am on Carnival Valor 0614 and I am stuck with Key West. I am partially upset with myself for making this res with Carnival back in January, I wish I would of never chosen Carnival. THey are not offering any compensation, and for some unknown reason, they decided not to honoer their own Port Change policy posted on their own website.

 

Congratulations to those of you that are booked on other lines!

[letsgocruz1]

I am soooo bumbed right now! I am on Carnival Valor 0614 and I am stuck with Key West. I am partially upset with myself for making this res with Carnival back in January, I wish I would of never chosen Carnival. THey are not offering any compensation, and for some unknown reason, they decided not to honoer their own Port Change policy posted on their own website.

 

Congratulations to those of you that are booked on other lines!

 

I know; I am on the May 31st sailing and I am bummed as well. We were supposed to be in Coz on June 5. I think Carnival got wayyyy ahead of themselves on these port changes and I don't get how other cruise lines can change back but not Carnival.

 

They aren't offering compensation because they are substituting another port. Actually even if they weren't substituting Key West, they would only give us our $20 port fees back, which is not really compensation because WE paid it. But it is within their rights to make changes and its in the contract so not much we can do about it.

 

I don't understand why you say they aren't honoring their port change policy? They did give us the opportunity to cancel and get a credit. I would have changed dates in a second if I wouldn't have been losing so much in airfare + June dates were a lot higher.

 

I do think you'll enjoy your cruise; we love Carnival and plan to have a good time. But yes I do think their changes and their position on changing back is not fair to the previously booked cruisers, nor the Cozumel tour operators.

[Ironsline]

May 22, 2009

Tomorrow a cruise is leaving from Galveston. According to the couple leaving on it, the cruise ship is not stopping at any Mexico ports. They have taken their 5 day cruise and extended it to a 7 day. I am not sure what ports they are stopping at, but there still is no stopping at Mexico at this point. Hope this helps.

[gottago2mexico]

May 22, 2009

Tomorrow a cruise is leaving from Galveston. According to the couple leaving on it, the cruise ship is not stopping at any Mexico ports. They have taken their 5 day cruise and extended it to a 7 day. I am not sure what ports they are stopping at, but there still is no stopping at Mexico at this point. Hope this helps.

 

That is probably the Carnival Conquest, which is scheduled to return to Cozumel with the June 21st sailing. Carnival Ecstasy out of Galveston is returning with the June 13th sailing. It's only the Carnival Holiday out of Mobile that is returning this month.