P&O Cruises - Ventura Ship Cruises Answers

You must of course take advice from your GP or surgery Nurse, but I will be on the same cruise as you and although I needed a tetanus booster, the rest of my family have got off scot free! Fingers crossed you will be as lucky!

You wouldn't be the first person to mix up the Dominican Republic and Dominica. Ventura is going to the latter! They are completely different places. The Dominican Republic is to the far north west and is the eastern half of a very large island- she shares the other half with Haiti! Dominica is a very small rainforest island just north of St Lucia and Martinique, and south of Guadaloupe and Antigua, As far as I know, there is no need for anti-malarial treatment on this island. Generally speaking, Ventura just potters around nearby islands, doing just about 50 miles on average overnight. It is just not in P&O's interest to take such a large number of people where there is danger of disease.

There's no innoculations/certifications required by immigration authorities on your itinerary. .....but as Taylor's post, the folk who can tell you about all advisory precautions are at your surgery, they'll know your particular medical history including whether your usual innoculations are up-to-date or could do with a booster. Take your itinerary with you, including any evenings/overnights in port & any proposed travel away from the coast............ I think you'll find that medium or high malaria risk in Dom Rep is inland & not in the part that you'll be travelling, your surgery has maps showing the risk areas/levels. ......... Confirming Taylor's post, the safeguard against malaria is a course of tablets & there are at least two basic types of anti-malarial tablet depending on the strain of malaria ......... Chris

There is only one answer - seek advice from a qualified medical professional. GPs often offer advice on foreign travel through a nurse with specialised knowledge. It is particularly importance in your own case since you seem somewhat confused. There are no inoculations available against malaria, only preventative measues including tablets. Having said that, the risk for cruise passengers in the caribbean is extremely low, but even then you may need something as simple as a tetanus booster.