Inoculations on World Cruise
 

Going on the Holland America Amsterdam next September on the Grand Asia/Australia 65 day cruise. My friend said she is getting lots of shots for various things. I looked up the CDC and only a good tetanus in the last 10 years is advisible. In urban areas off cruise ships your risk is minimal and the dengue from mosquitos in the S. Pacific, Australia & Singapore has no vacine. They suggest 30-50% DEET Picaridin in a bug repellent. Anyone else get all those shots for SARS, Hepatitis A&B, Polio, Shingles, Yellow Fever, Typhoid, & Malaria???

We have been on Around the World Cruises as well as all around South America. The cruiseline will likely advise you which inoculations or vaccines you need as ours did. As I recall, we were required to get yellow fever shot. We also took Maleria pills (recommended but not required)when we were in the Amazon and some areas of Africa We also needed Typhoid and Hepatitis A & B. Nothing was ever mentioned or required about Polio or Shingles.

Do NOT forget your yellow immunization card where these are recorded with the dates received. The ship will require proof or you'll have to get them all over again from the ship Doctor.

getting shots and taking pills turn me off regarding a world cruise. I'll be watching this post to see what other's have to say.

We have cruised the world cruise but the only time we needed a mandatory shot was for yellow fever for the Amazon. They updated our tetanus shots as a precaution but that was it. We chose not to take the malaria pills and can honestly say we never even saw a mosquito on the Amazon. We did not however take any of the tours that ventured further into the jungle. Mamaw I wouldn't let the idea of shots put you off cruising. We didn't have any reaction at all to the yellow fever shot and as I say that was all that was required. We didn't do the Amazon on that cruise anyway.

traveller69 is right....don't ever let the idea of a shot or 2 turn you off to taking a World Cruise. It is the best experience ever...REALLY living on a ship for months at a time. You get so spoiled and see soooooo much of the world.

We never saw any mosquitos on the Amazon either and we did go way up all the way to Manaus which is over 1,000 miles up. We have done a couple of African safaris on our WC too. If you go to a safari camp in a maleria free zone such as Madikwe you will NOT need to take Maleria pills.

No one hates shots more than me!

OK - I'm exceptionally jealous, and I need to get over that.... OK - I'm fine now... I travel all over the world for business (not any extra time for fun - DRAT!) and have had to get every shot in the world - AND I have a needle phobia... I would recommend definitely making sure your tetanus is current, and I would get the Hepatitis A&B and Yellow fever. The rest, unless you're going to do some remote tours, I wouldn't worry about (I had to get them because they were required for some of the countries I've had to go to - but I don't think where you're going, it's going to be an issue). The only thing to check is if any of the countries you're going to has specific requirements (ie, because I went to Venezuela before I went to Colombia - Colombia required me to have certain shots).... Pretty easy to find that information (read any of the travel sites for those countries). Good luck - and my jealousy is back....... Have a wonderful time!!!!!