I am taking a Caribbean cruise and would like to know if I will need any special vaccinations?
While some people will tell you to have vaccinations for things like malaria, typhoid and all sorts of other shots, I have never had any special vaccinations when traveling in the Caribbean. The only advice I can give you is to be sure you are up to date on your tetanus shot (but that’s for life in general not just cruising). Other than that, the only thing I can say is that it is advisable to get both a Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B vaccination whenever you are traveling. While some parts of the Caribbean aren’t quite what we are used to roughing it in Tortola is a far cry from an African Safari.
I keep being told to watch out for rip tides while swimming. What is a riptide and what should I do if caught in one?
A riptide is a type of current that occurs when water from a breaking wave is pushed sideways by oncoming waves. This water continues to move sideways until something in the underwater topography such as a channel between sandbars allows the water to flow back away from the shore. This current flows significantly stronger than what is normal and can pull swimmers out to sea. Generally speaking, riptides aren’t very wide and flow perpendicular to the shore. If you are ever caught in a rip tide the best thing to do is swim parallel (right or left) to the shore. Once you are out of its pull, you will be able to swim back to the shore. The best way to avoid them is to pay attention to what other swimmers are doing as well as any signage that may be present. A couple of tips that should always be used are to be informed of the swimming conditions and to never swim alone.
Do cruise ships give dance lessons? I would like to learn how to dance but I have two left feet?
The short answer would be that most cruise ships do have dance lessons. However, I have to warn you that they aren’t necessarily what you think. Although some of the more upscale cruise lines do have professional dance instructors, most likely the dance lessons will be given by off duty entertainers and won’t resemble anything you would find at Arthur Murray. At best, you will get a very basic lesson in ballroom or Latin, but its also possible that the Macarena will be the subject of the day.
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