Cruises are generally looked at as a holiday where you pay for everything in the one quote from you cruise consultant. But that doesn’t mean should be ignorant, and not accept any responsibility as a cruise ship passenger.
As a general rule cruises are considered as a safe getaway, particularly if there are no shore excursions in your itinerary or cruise plans. What you should remember is that the cruise ship crew also stop with the fellow guests in ports around the world, where they may be exposed to all sorts of villians. And if your vaccinations are not current, you could be leaving yourself seriously exposed.
Medical experts expect that the close boundaries of a cruise is the perfect breeding ground for infections to spread. They recommend that everybody is vaccinated against influenza and if you are over 65 against pneumococcus which is the most common cause of pneumonia.
These are usually free for senior citizens from your local GP. It is also suggested checking to see if your tetanus immunisation is up to date as this needs to be boosted every 10 years.
P&O Cruises Australia agree, writing on the health and safety section, “Some countries have very strict health requirements. So if you don’t have the correct vaccinations, you won’t be allowed to go ashore at certain destinations.
We don’t want you to miss out on amazing experiences and shore tours so making sure you have the right vaccinations is important. Plus, some local authorities may impose a monetary fine or deny the ship into port.
If you are heading to a developing country you will probably need to safeguard yourself from hepatitis A and typhoid, and make sure your vaccinated. I
t would be worthwhile to make an appointment with your GP before you go so that you have up-to-date facts on what immunisations you require and if there are any outbreaks at your destinations.
So if you’re headed on a cruise holiday it’s worth visiting your doctor and seeing if there are any vaccinations you should take.
For more information visit the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Smart Traveller resource here.
Have you ever sick whilst overseas? What happened? Let us know in the comments section.
