PORT CALL/HOLLAND AMERICAN LINES

RECEIVED THIS NOTE THIS AFTERNOON FROM FRIENDS THAT WERE DUE TO ARRIVE IN SANTO DOMINGO ABOARD A CRUISE SHIP ON 24 FEBRUARY. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A 1700 PASSENGER CRUISE LINER. THE DAMAGE THIS "EPIDEMIC" HAS CAUSED IS BEYOND IMAGINATION AND CALCULATION. AND, IT IS STILL GOING ON, A YEAR AFTER THE FACT.

It appears that our port call in Santo Domingo has been cancelled. Apparently there is a scare of a polio outbreak in the D.R. I thought polio was under control. Can you shed any light on this??

Please let me know ASAP

Is polio contagious (I assume it is, hence the cancellation)?
Any tips out there on what we can to do minimize risk and
exposure?

Polio is contagious. However, almost every person in the Western Hemisphere has been immunized as a child as part of the overall vaccination programme. If you are worried, then call your own doctor and ask whether a booster is necessary. Most likely it isn't. Most immunizations are life lasting.

The epidemic was small and health authorities have carried out vaccination programmes since.

Regards,
Susanne

I didn't think there was really a polio risk, but then why
is a cruise line cancelling trips to Santo Domingo? Is it
just overblown hysteria?

when the polio bit runs for awhile the next thing will be the violence in the dr and how safe are we to travel there,after that dengue fever hasn't been on for awhile so i expect it to show up before the next round of malaria,then back to the violence ,but i do think this about polio will still be mixed in with all the rest of it. i just wonder if the dr. is taking to big of a chunk out of the other tourist areas

I have never heard of malaria in the D.R. Besides, when you hear of those kind of deseases, they normaly do not attack in tourist areas, but in very poor suburbs due to poor nutrition and contaminated waters.

if not, you are close by.
I use to work over many years (at last in leading positions/Capt.)in the cruise business......
So if they want save money (by save time/crude oil a.s.o.)they bring rumors, like they want to.........
Holland America was a serious company, but years ago one of the biggest take them over (Norwegian). There is a hard struggle in that bus., and in the countries, so......
cu/charly

Ech, I've tried to get some more info on this matter. It was not mentioned in Dutch language papers or in mariner reports. Holland Amerika Lijn-people in Rotterdam don't know or are not telling.

Holland America has about eight sailings this season out of San Juan on the MS Veendam, Santo Domingo was a port of call on Saturday's, the vessel arriving at noon and departing at 6pm (website, www.hollandamerica.com). I phoned the Holland America reservation line 800-426-0327 and confirmed with the customer service rep. that Santo Domingo had been removed as a port of call due to the "polio outbreak". St. Kitts is the substitute port of call. My own thoughts is that it is shallow of the cruise line to use the excuse of a polio outbreak as reason to cancel a 6 hour port call at Santo Domingo. There is a hidden agenda as the reason. The (inoculated North American and European)passengers are not at risk to contract polio in Santo Domingo for the very short time they are there. They are more at risk to contract an STD (sexually transmitted disease)on board ship. If the cruise line is really concerned about the health of it's passengers, it should distribute condoms as part of its welcome on board survival kit. I believe the change by Holland America is due more to political and economic reasons rather than the cover of health concerns. ...having the tourist spend $$$ where they have an interest. The result is, the tourists are missing a taste of the warm hospitality of the Dominicans, the DR is getting a bum rap, and a loss of needed tourist revenue. Regards, PJT