Another email from DCL about the Zika virus

[ceecee]

This is the 3rd notice we've gotten and it's starting to concern me. It recommends long sleeves and DEET, we are scheduled for a 4 night Bahama cruise in September, what do we really need to be concerned about??

 

[Shanti]

This is the 3rd notice we've gotten and it's starting to concern me. It recommends long sleeves and DEET, we are scheduled for a 4 night Bahama cruise in September, what do we really need to be concerned about??

Are you pregnant or will you possibly become pregnant? If so, severe birth defects are caused by mosquito-borne Zika, which is spreading through the Caribbean right now. It's a very real threat if you are or might become pregnant.

 

[anricat]

Huh, we're on a cruise out of Puerto Rico next May, which is supposedly a hotbed of Zika virus and I've literally not had a single email from DCL about it.

I asked my pediatrician about it (she happens to be Puerto Rican) and I asked her what she would do. She said that her family just got back from a visit and she feels like as along as you are using a good repellent with DEET or Picaridin, you should be fine. She said if I were pregnant, that's another issue and she would recommend against it, but otherwise she feels like it is a bit overblown.

Now, you may feel differently or have pregnant people in your group and you may want to reconsider. I would also recommend talking to your doctor or pediatrician and see what their thoughts are. They are tied more into more rational and fact-based information as opposed to some of the sensationalist media or Disney, who is probably in CYA mode.

 

[TrySomethingNew]

Have you checked the CDC information directly? Zika is not fully understood, causing problems beyond birth defects. Take the recommended precautions, and talk to your healthcare network. On the ship, you are less likely to encounter mosquitos, but off the ship you are at greater risk of encountering an infected mosquito.

 

[lbus42]

If Zika concerns you, you probably should not travel to the Carribean or other tropical areas. There are diseases far worse than Zika that can be contracted in these areas. These include Dengue Fever, Yellow Fever, Malaria, and West Nile Virus. Ever since the media has been sensationalizing Zika, everyone has forgotten about these other diseases. People who were not afraid of contracting these other diseases are now afraid of Zika.

 

[anricat]

If Zika concerns you, you probably should not travel to the Carribean or other tropical areas. There are diseases far worse than Zika that can be contracted in these areas. These include Dengue Fever, Yellow Fever, Malaria, and West Nile Virus. Ever since the media has been sensationalizing Zika, everyone has forgotten about these other diseases. People who were not afraid of contracting these other diseases are now afraid of Zika.

My pediatrician made this exact same point. In fact, she said you're more likely, from a purely statistical point of view to contract Dengue Fever than Zika.

 

[Napoleon Dynamite]

I have never encountered any mosquitos on a Disney Cruise to the Bahamas. I don't recall seeing a single one.

We traveled to Puerto Rico for Easter this year, and also didn't see a single one. We stayed on a beach hotel, ventured to Icacos Island, and also to Old San Juan, and still didn't see any. I was heavily armed with bug spray, but we didn't need it, didn't even use it. If you are going inland in PR, then bring your bug spray! Trade Winds on the beach make the mosquitos non existent!

 

[tvguy]

I have never encountered any mosquitos on a Disney Cruise to the Bahamas. I don't recall seeing a single one.

We traveled to Puerto Rico for Easter this year, and also didn't see a single one. We stayed on a beach hotel, ventured to Icacos Island, and also to Old San Juan, and still didn't see any. I was heavily armed with bug spray, but we didn't need it, didn't even use it. If you are going inland in PR, then bring your bug spray! Trade Winds on the beach make the mosquitos non existent!

The Centers for Disease Control lists both the Bahamas and Puerto Rico as places that tourists should take precautions against mosquitos because they are so prevelent there. Guess you were lucky.
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/the-bahamas
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/puerto-rico

 

[Tron_Vader]

This is the 3rd notice we've gotten and it's starting to concern me. It recommends long sleeves and DEET, we are scheduled for a 4 night Bahama cruise in September, what do we really need to be concerned about??

My fiancée and I are going to be on that same cruise and we're just going to wear big spray the whole time we go outside just to be safe

 

[phinz]

Deep Woods Off: The Official Scent of Disney Cruise Lines

 

[Hundredacre]

Deet is not very good for you either.

We've gotten 2 emails from dcl about Zika for an upcoming cruise. It's just their legal dept.

 

[Jestocost]

Deep Woods Off: The Official Scent of Disney Cruise Lines

Well, of every cruise line that travels to affected areas and every resort that is located there. Nothing unique to Disney here.

 

[Hundredacre]

Too bad they were not as concerned about warning people that they've turned wdw into an alligator farm.

 

[phinz]

Well, of every cruise line that travels to affected areas and every resort that is located there. Nothing unique to Disney here.

I'm apparently going to have to keep this picture on hand at all times.

 

[phinz]

Too bad they were not as concerned about warning people that they've turned wdw into an alligator farm.

The whole *state* is an alligator farm. How would WDW be any different?

 

[Jestocost]

I'm apparently going to have to keep this picture on hand at all times.

View attachment 176307

Or start making posts that don't require it.

 

[phinz]

Or start making posts that don't require it.

That would be on the person who doesn't get humorous posts, not me.

 

[Hundredacre]

I'm apparently going to have to keep this picture on hand at all times.

View attachment 176307

I get it!!

 

[jdb in AZ]

The whole *state* is an alligator farm. How would WDW be any different?

There's some million gators in Florida, and WDW was built on swamp land. WDW wasn't turned into an alligator farm. WDW was built on one.

 

[Bambi D.]

We just got back from the Bahamas onboard the Dream. We got off the ship on the 17th of June. No one was chatting about the possibility of Zika or any other horrible illness for that matter. We bought sunscreen that had bug spay built in but it irritated my husbands eyes so he quickly took a shower and washed it all off.
I googled it and found that eating garlic was thought to be helpful as it comes through your pores and Eucalyptus oil was a deterrent. We eat a lot of garlic already and I added Eucalyptus oil to our sunscreen just in case. Other than that - I didn't worry at all and had no issues with bugs. I was geared for sand fleas and jellyfish stings and all that stuff went unused and felt like a waste of money and fear. We had a blast!