Can a guest diagnosed with Chickenpox/ Shingles travel on board?
Guests who have chickenpox or shingles before joining their cruise are advised to seek further guidance through their GP. We will permit travel if they are no longer contagious at the time of embarkation, guests should seek a letter from their GP confirming their non-contagious status to be able to show at the terminal. Any guest thought to be contagious will be denied boarding.
You can’t get shingles from someone with shingles or chickenpox, however, you can get chickenpox from someone with shingles if you haven’t had chickenpox before.
When you get chickenpox, the virus stays dormant in your body and it can be triggered again if your immune system is low and cause shingles.
Chickenpox: (NHS Information)
- Chickenpox is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus.
- Chickenpox starts with red spots. They can appear anywhere on the body.
- The spots fill with fluid. The blisters may burst. They might spread or stay in a small area.
- The spots scab over. More blisters might appear while others scab over.
How long chickenpox is infectious for?
Chickenpox is infectious from two days before the spots appear to until they have all crusted (scabbed) over, usually five days after they first appeared.
Shingles: (NHS Information)
Shingles is a painful rash caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox.
The first signs of shingles can be:
- A tingling or painful feeling in an area of skin
- A headache or feeling generally unwell
A rash will appear a few days later. The shingles rash appears as red blotches on your skin, on one side of your body only. The blotches become itchy blisters that ooze fluid. A few days later, the blisters dry out and scab. The skin remains painful until after the rash has gone.
How long shingles lasts
It can take up to four weeks for the rash to heal.
Your skin can be painful for weeks after the rash has gone, but it usually settles over time. You are only infectious to others while the rash oozes fluid (weeping).
Additional Information
Further advice may be sought by contacting the Partnership Helpdesk.