by Patti Pietschmann

Internet polls are indicating the people are either canceling cruises or thinking twice about  going on ships that sail to destinations such as the Caribbean, Brazil and Tahiti.  So far the Bahamas seem immune to the viruses. Cruisecritic.com said a poll it conducted showed that about a 6 percent of those surveyed are canceling their Cruise vacations or going a land route instead.

Cruise lines are going on record as say 'pshaw' it's not going to hurt us.  Just you wait.  While the Zika Virus causes discomfit to those infected for a few days or weeks, it has a debilitating effect on fetuses so women who are pregnant or planning on perhaps giving it a go during a romantic cruise, are at great risk.  To that degree most cruise lines are allowing women to cancel or book a cruise to an unaffected destination.

So far Zika-bearing mosquitoes are getting top billing over the viruses that are spreading in the Caribbean.  However the chimichanga virus, which is of  epidemic portions, in some parts of the islands such as Aruba and Curacao has been kept under wraps. And that one does cause debilitating all who are bitten such as fever, aches, pains, severe headaches and nausea.  During a Caribbean cruise a few months ago our tour guide in Aruba displayed symptoms of chimichanga virus and explained that her husband and child were  both affected as were many inhabitants of  the island. However it  is not  contagious,you can only get by being bitten whereas the Zika virus has been found to be transmitted through sexual and oral contact.

This blog piece isn't meant to alarm  but rather to advise anyone going on a cruise  to practice diligence by slathering on the bug repellent, wearing long sleeve shirt pants and shirts and avoiding bright colors and pretty much staying away from any  spot that seems to have mosquitoes buzzing about.