The Swine Flu thing...

[Brewski]

It seems I should have waited to read Christi's post.
Skip it, I'm going diving.

 

[scubawife]

I live in the NYC area... yes, I am actually glad I am not spending my days in the city right and dealing with public transportation... 45 confirmed cases and I expect it will hit about 100 by the end of the week (and not all will be students at the Queens high school).

I'm usually in Mexico for about 10 days sometime in March or April, but this year due to my dad and my FIL both having serious health issues, we couldn't make our trip. I'm driving north of the border tomorrow and will be there most if not all of May (Dad is going in for what has become a complicate heart surgery...). IF I wasn't dealing with family issues right now I would look for the best deal I could find on short notice, hop on a plane and spend a couple weeks diving and relaxing in Cozumel.

I'm doing some work for my old cruise industry employer at the moment and found out over the wknd (ahead of the public announcements) which lines were suspending calls to all Mexican ports. If I do ever take the deals I can get and get on a cruise ship again, it will not be one in the "Carnival family," that is for sure! Royal Caribbean/Celebrity, on the other hand, are NOT adjusting itineraries and likely will not unless a the US State Dept issues a ban on travel to/from the US. I just hope that people don't go crazy and cancel their trips because a ship is calling in Cozumel, Costa Maya or a Pacific coast port.

I've worked in various ends of the travel & tourism industry for about 20 yrs now. For profit, non-profit, industry associations and marketing groups. It bothers me that UK and Canadian tour operator and charter airlines have suspended service to all Mexican destinations when their governments and the WHO has NOT issues any official ban on travel to/from Mexico!!! Cuba and Hong Kong have stopped inbound and outbound flights.

I can appreciate that "the experts" are still out on just how serious, deadly and wide spread this virus might be, but airlines, tour operators and cruise lines taking it upon themselves to decide that their customers will not go to a region of Mexico that as far as I know have not had one single case reported on the ground (local population or tourists while at their destination) just baffles me.

This scenario is sort of like if tour operators and airlines decided to suspend all operations to/from the entire US after Katrina stuck New Orleans... or forest fires were raging in a Malibu. Totally illogical and without cause.

The other thing that gets me is the run on vacationers filing Rx's for Tamiflu. Yeah, that's it. Let's all get meds as security blankets and self medicate if we feel there is any chance we might have been infected with swine flu. How many people do you think will start pill popping when what they are really suffering from is standard traveler's gastro, too much sun & fun, basic over consuming of tequila and not enough water, etc. ? Will this misuse and abuse of antivirals lead us to some crazy, deadly, drug resilient strains? (we've done it with overuse of antibiotics where bacterial infections are concerned) Hello!?!?!?!?! Cozumel, Cancun and the Riviera Maya are not the outposts of civilization. There is decent medical care and multilingual doctors. Heck, I've had better experiences with doctors and emergency medical care over the last 20 yrs in the Yucatan then I've had at home in the US and Canada. People, if you are on vacation and think you may have swine flu, go to a doctor or hospital. Get evaluated and get meds prescribed if needed. Stop the insanity. No need to travel with a 10 day supply of Tamiflu and please, don't self medicate if you really do not have a clue of exactly when it's necessary and appropriate to do so.

EDIT: At 5:30 RCI told me that as per their site info at that hour, they WOULD continue to make port calls as scheduled in Mexico. Ha! Weasels. Updated their info at 9pm tonight. http://www.royalcaribbean.com/beforeyouboard/itineraryUpdates.do

Well, the upside for diver and non-cruise vacationers is that the time to go to Cozumel IS NOW!!!! No daytime pod people crowds overtaking the melacon and central downtown area. Geez, I soooo wish I could be going to Cozumel this or next week instead of Toronto.

 

[geokr]

It's a serious threat, SW, but it has been blown way out of proportion by the media who have nothing better at the moment to sensationalize. As soon as they do this will become back page news. The next phase in the media, and I give it about two weeks, will be "Come on back - Everything is fine" advertisements and deals from the airlines, hotels and cruise lines. If I were you I would get out of infectious NYC as soon as you are able and get to some place clean - like Cozumel.

 

[DandyDon]

Folks, if you're going to make claims, give specifics, ok...?

I just tried to book a flight to Coz, all the airlines wont fly there until June 1. This is freaking stupid and on your adjectives.....

When you want to fly, and what airport? Delta is showing flights.

If you can get from Canada to IAH the fares on Continental from IAH to CZM are dirt cheap right now I'm just sayin

Many Canadians can usually buy tickets from there to Coz for the same price as IAH to Coz. The US airlines have not stopped serving the route tho, I don't think.

 

[annasea]

Continental is still flying to Mexico although I noticed on their website that they extended the dates in question to May 15. Previously May 6, I believe.

 

[christianklein]

I guess I'm going to give it a week.

 

[Brewski]

Many Canadians can usually buy tickets from there to Coz for the same price as IAH to Coz. The US airlines have not stopped serving the route tho, I don't think.

I did a quick check on Continental. no change in service that I can tell. IAH to CZM is pretty reasonably priced.

 

[UnderwaterOffice]

At this point my wife and I are NOT changing our plans for Cozumel on May 6th. Personally I think the media is blowing this way out of proportion as usual. It does not take any credentials or special titles to a make a statement like that. This is like crack for US media outlets.
On the other hand, I appreciate the concern and legitimacy of the pertinent scientific bodies looking into this thing. The CDC and the WHO have made a couple of statements each day, none of which has led me to think that we will be at much more risk in Cozumel that we otherwise would be here in Austin. One concern I do have is the possible hysteria driven border lock down, leaving us stuck in my own little divers paradise. Oh no.

But seriously my wife is 7 months pregnant; that is the one thing that is really driving me nuts on this thing. Probably the only thing that has me concerned and looking at this thread at all. Can any of you vouch for the medical facilities in Cozumel? I seriously do not mean to offend with that question at all, I just need something to fill in the blanks as I take on the numerous calls from family and friends that are beginning with “you are not seriously thinking of still going there are you”.

One thing that is relatively pointless yet interesting, Austin TX is in fact 50 miles closer to Mexico City than Cozumel is, as the crow flies.

Please don't force me to go to the Bahamas instead (my wife's alternative).

 

[DandyDon]

I did a quick check on Continental. no change in service that I can tell. IAH to CZM is pretty reasonably priced.

I checked for a lady a few hours ago.

Five different US airlines still offer cheap flights Toronto to Cancun, May6-11, for $301-314 taxes included - same price I'd pay. Get your money back, rebook, charter a Cancun bus. Good luck girl...!

 

[Brewski]

UO where are you staying? My wife and I are arriving May11. were staying at SCC.