Vaccine requirements for world cruisers

[lift]

Long time listener, first time caller.

*cracks open can of worms*

My family and I are starting to look seriously about cruising long term and worldwide.

For reasons, we're a spectrum of completely unvaccinated to "normally vaccinated".

I travel internationally for work and have never run into any issues but my visas are usually very short, handled by the company, and typically fall in a cutout that side steps most of the normal process.

I'm wondering what requirements are typical for cruisers and especially if there's anyone out there doing it unvaccinated.

Often, places that say they may require x, y, or z make exceptions but trying to live in s constant world of exceptions can be fatiguing.

Anyway, thanks in advance.

[wholybee]

From a strictly legal standpoint, I think the most common one (aside from COVID) would be yellow fever. The requirement is that to enter some countries, if you have been in some other countries, you need the vaccine. But if you haven't been in those other countries, you don't. IIRC, it is that if you have previously been to South America, some countries will require proof of vaccination.

I did get a yellow fever vaccine, but because of the order of my travels, never triggered a need to prove it. The only other time I was asked for any vaccination information was during COVID.

The best thing to do is discuss your travel plans with a doctor, or a travel center, as the vaccination need is very different in different parts of the world. The big concern is that in developed countries you can opt to be unvaccinated because many serious diseases are so rare. But if that unvaccinated person goes to a place where (for example) Hepatitis is endemic they may be in real trouble.

Your passport probably makes a difference too. Most Americans are vaccinated and healthy, so it isn't a high risk to allow an American into a country. They really don't care about your health, they don't want you to bring in a disease.

[Tin Tin]

First of all I would call into a specialist Travel doctor clinic or similar and they should have the full suite of countries and mandatory and recommended vaccinations and prophylactics (like Malaria). After that it is your choice. For me personally I have had vaccines for Typhoid, Yellow Fever, Cholera, Tetanus, Hepatitis, Tuberculosis, Covid amongst a few others, and used anti-malarials when in those countries with a problem. I would consider too a Rabies vaccine now available. Various buddies of mine in exotic places have been bitten by monkeys and dogs, contracted Malaria, amoebic dysentery (no vaccine yet), Hepatitis, ciguatera (no vaccine), and many with Covid.. and that is just a small sample!

[El Pinguino]

Interest in Covid vax seemed to puttfutter to a halt in late 2022.
Yellow fever? Entering Australia you will be asked - on your arrival card - if you have been in South America in the last 14 days. Then you will be asked where and its only if you have come from an amazonian country eg Ecuador, Peru, or Brasil will they show interest. Dunno what happens then if you don't have a yellow fever vax in your book.
I've entered Chile - a yellow fever free country - by land sea and air from Ecuador and nobody has cared.

[Sailingallday]

I was asked for yellow fever either entering Panama from Colombia or entering colombia from Panama. Forget which, but had to show to be allowed in.

Or wait. It may have been entering Easter island from Panama. Anyways - got asked to show it somewhere along the way

[lift]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

Interest in Covid vax seemed to puttfutter to a halt in late 2022.
Yellow fever? Entering Australia you will be asked - on your arrival card - if you have been in South America in the last 14 days. Then you will be asked where and its only if you have come from an amazonian country eg Ecuador, Peru, or Brasil will they show interest. Dunno what happens then if you don't have a yellow fever vax in your book.
I've entered Chile - a yellow fever free country - by land sea and air from Ecuador and nobody has cared.

I think this is close to the crux of my question. A country asking for something is one thing, do they really mandate it is another.

[SailingHarmonie]

https://www.passporthealthusa.com/va...fever/#require

That seems pretty clear to me. If you want to find out which countries are squishy about the rules, you’ll have to go there without the vaccine and see if they let you in. Not a procedure I’d recommend.

It’s pretty simple to me. If you refuse to get vaccinated there are countries you don’t go to. See the above link for which ones.

[Eder]

You can ignore vaccines Canada to Panama and over to Polynesia at least.

[landsend]

Entering Brazil from Venezuela everyone without a card was inoculated. We were not allowed in for I think a week after.
I would imagine you would be required to get a shot before actually entering country.

[deblen]

https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/health-safety/vaccines


https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/


https://www.cdc.gov/globalhealth/mea...outbreaks.html

[lift]

Ok I'm thinking I must not have made myself clear (a common occurrence).

I'm wondering about requirements, not recommendations.

I know it's hard to talk in generalities about it, so I was really hoping to stumble on someone else out there doing it sans vax.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by lift

Ok I'm thinking I must not have made myself clear (a common occurrence).

I'm wondering about requirements, not recommendations.

I know it's hard to talk in generalities about it, so I was really hoping to stumble on someone else out there doing it sans vax.

If the link upthread is correct I can't say I have any of those countries on my 'must visit' list.

With the exception of Panama / Colombia mentioned previously you will take that long getting from say Ecuador or Panama to FP you will be well beyond the 14 day period.
Interesting that Australia is interested in where you have come from, New Zealand is not. I guess only 'tropical' countries are concerned about it being introduced into their mosquito population.

[SailingHarmonie]

Originally Posted by lift

Ok I'm thinking I must not have made myself clear (a common occurrence).

I'm wondering about requirements, not recommendations.

I know it's hard to talk in generalities about it, so I was really hoping to stumble on someone else out there doing it sans vax.

The number of countries that require a yellow fever vaccine and for who, is easy to determine. I attached the link above in this thread that has those REQUIREMENTS. Maybe you missed it. If you still can't find a list of countries that require a yellow fever vaccine and when, let me introduce you to Mr Google.

Traveling without a yellow fever vaccine is easy, you just avoid traveling to countries that always require it, and avoid traveling between countries where it is required when traveling in that sequence. I am not sure why you find this difficult.

If you are asking how do you evade the requirements and travel to places that will require you have it, then you'll have to figure that out on your own. I hope you can not. Cruisers who feel that they are above local laws are a huge problem, not just for themselves, but they poison the well for those coming after. Just follow the rules.

Yellow fever is deadly serious. It is about 30% fatal in humans. In countries that have a population of vector mosquitos, and mammals that can act as reservoirs of the virus, eliminating it after it gets a foothold is extremely difficult and expensive both in money and human lives. Countries like that should, and do, take vaccines rules for incoming travelers very seriously and it is why they are going to be extremely intolerant of "alternative" views on vaccines.

If a specific country has rules about vaccines or any other issues which with you disagree, just do not go there. You do not have a "right" to travel into any other country. Every country has the legal right to refuse you entry for any reason they care to make up.

[GordMay]

Just wondering:
If a vaccine turns out to have no serious side effects, would it be considered an innocuous inoculation?
And if doesn’t work ... a vacuous vaccine?

[Tupaia]

In cases of YF outbreaks I have been in a situation, diverted flight, where YF vaccines were being given, without choice, at the airport (unknown supplier) if you could not provide proof of previous vaccination.


I was bitten by a lemur in a remote part of Madagascar (its all remote) I was very pleased that I had had a Rabbies vaccine that enabled me enough time to get to a place where the necessary booster shots could be administered.



The third world is a very different place to our safe urban western habitat.