Don't drink the water?

[vstitt]

Western Cruisers....did you worry about the food/water when you were on shore in Cozomel? Having just recovered from a severe bout of stomach flu recently, I'm reminded that having an "unsettled stomach" is quite unpleasant.

Thx
VS

 

[prymsu]

better safe than sorry!!!

don't forget that mixed drinks will have ice cubes made from tap water too, so be careful.

 

[atigeg]

When we cruised to Cozumel previously, we went to Xcaret and I drank lots of something called "rice water" at one of their restaurants. Believe me, I was SORRY that I did!!! Hubby ate the same food as I did but stuck to coffee, and he had no problems.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[tecdavidt]

I have cruised the western route 3 times on Carnival. They make a big deal about "do not drink the water" and they mean it! If you drink, drink drinks with Mexican Tequila. Believe me, the tequila down is a lot stronger than what we buy here in the states. As the cruise people told us, the Mexican tequila will kill anything. I do think they are correct on that. We always bring bottled from the ship with us. Do not drink the water. Kathy

 

[Melba]

Montezuma's Revenge is no joke!!!!
Take it from me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ChiTownZee]

So what can you drink besides warm sodas or straight liquor?

 

[CRB#33]

LOL ChiTownZEE . What can you drink is right?!!!

 

[tltjet]

Don't drink the water or the Tequila. I didn't drink the water but I did drink the Tequila. I was sorry!!!!! Make sure you pay attention to the dairy products too. If it is not imported from the US it is not pasteurized.

 

[chrisn]

My son's pediatrician told us not to eat or drink anything on Cozumel or Haiti (Labadee-RCCL's private island). He advised to specifically avoid salad or fruit you cannot peel. We were also told that if we brushed our teeth in Mexico to brush with bottled water! The alcholol does not kill the germs in a drink with ice. I think it really boils down to the individual. I know some people who ate and drank and were fine and others who regretted their decision to eat and drink wholeheartedly. We did not eat or drink on Cozumel but we did eat the b-b-q on Haiti supplied by RCCL. I wanted the drinks in the pinapple at Chankanaab beach so bad I could taste them but I was scared and so I didn't give in. I could smell the marvelous smell of mexican food and it tortured me the entire time we were on the island. But really though, my opinion is if you are really suseptible and you do pick up a bug, You'll probably be worshipping the toilet god all night and maybe longer. Cozumel is a way fun place!

 

[vstitt]

O.K. You all have confirmed my fears. I just don't want to take a chance. Last week both of the kids and I were praying to the porcelain god--due to the flu/stomach virus. I'm not anxious for a repeat performance. I think we'll carry our own snacks and water/juice on shore with us.

 

[ChiTownZee]

Isn't there something / somewhere you can eat and drink? I can't imagine stopping somewhere on the cruise and not being able to eat or drink anything.

 

[tltjet]

You can drink just make sure that the drinks are from cans or bottles. If you want to eat I would just stay away from dairy and fresh produce. One other thing to keep in mind is Mexico does not have any regulations when it come to the fertilizers that can be used. The USA does not allow human waste or other high potent pest control cemicals to be used because of health issues but Mexico does.

 

[abitjaded]

Very often food poisoning is exacerbated by alcohol. A major part of Tourista is drinking too much alcohol which allows the bacteria or worse to attack the intestinal lining. Drinking makes things worse, it does NOT protect. All the strange fruit, even if you peel it can make things worse also (if you do not trust me, try eating too many mangoes at home, without the extra bacteria even.) There are plenty of ways to pre-treat yourself to lessen the effects of Tourista (check with your doctor). There are also purification tablets that can be used to wash fruit, etc. But better safe than sorry. My husband eats all kinds of things in Mexico that he should not, and has paid dearly with a wide assortment of unintentional souvenirs. Besides just the standard "ridin' the porcelain pony" ailments there are much worse, such as hepatitis and giardia. You will need your liver much more than that tequila with ice or that slice of fresh papaya. Eat and drink only in places you can trust, and NEVER off the street vendors or beach shacks.

Carla (getting down from soapbox-trust me, if you have ever lived with someone with giardia or had it yourself, you don't wanna go there)

 

[KimDisFan]

Each area has different bacteria in their water, and if you live in that area your body will become immuned to the bacteria. If you are really concerned, contact your physician. Folks that I have worked with, that have traveled to Mexico have been put on a Pepto regimine prior to travel. I don't recall the time frame, but if you are really worried about it, you may want to give your Dr a call. Too much money involved to mess up the last half of your cruise.

And thanks for the reminder, I need to add Pepto to my list.