Warning - Multiple people sick at Iberostar

[loudives]

Don't assume it is the water in the Cozumel AI. You are more likely to get Monti from

1. Eating the cream sauses that have been sitting out for 3 hours at the Buffet. Mayo is
made with raw eggs and those open refrig. buffet tables can't keep the sauses cold.

2. Eating somthing your body is not used to. In combo with strange exotic drinks.

3. Gorging yourself because it is All you can eat.

I have been in Cozumel 28 times in the past 12 years, brush teeth in tap water, have ice in my drinks, eat vegies and fruits and only got Monti 1 time and that was after trying a cream sause at the buffet. Others that day also had the sause and got sick. Someone who didn't talk to others, put the blame on the water until she remembered she had sause too.

 

[totallyreel]

We have only been to Cozumel twice, both times at the Palace - we never got sick. Used tap water to brush teeth never really thinking about it. Always take meds for the just in case situation though.

In the works of planning our next trip there!

 

[DandyDon]

Far worse than that sort of illness is hepatitis A, which generally comes from dirty water. I got it in Egypt from a single bottle of water that I didn't actually break the seal of myself.

And obtain bottled water at reputable sources. Street kids will fill used bottle with tap water and super glu so that it seems to have a seal. They're crafty crooks.

The prophylactic is the vaccination. It's two shots 6 months apart. It's worth it.

Yep!

I got the Hep A shots before visiting Kenya 7 years ago. Are they good for life or do I need to re-vaccinate?

Yep.

Here's a simple solution - eat only where you see locals eating. That means you won't eat much at AIs or at the bars on the east side. I've been to Coz lots and I eat at every hole in the wall on the island. I never get sick. Well, that's not quite true - our group of 3 were sick for over a week after eating at a Cancun airport restaurant. And I was sick once before on the way back - I think it was the sushi in Minneapolis.

Nope, but someone already answered - they're often immune to the problem.

I brush my teeth with local water too and don't lose much sleep about showering with my mouth open! But I do eat yogurt pretty much every day.

Also good to take a plastic bottle of antiseptic mouthwash to rinse you mouth after, along with your Regs. I wash my Regs in the room, not the germ laden dunk tank where others wash their pissy wetsuits.

Like the tacos at that little shack at the caleta - mmmm.

Never! :11:

Back the establishment. Don't be shy about walking into the kitchen unannounced to look at whats going on. Any place who objects does not get my business. I tried that at the Reef Club once tho only to learn that they weren't cooking it there; it was delivered. Nice, clean, empty kitchen.

 

[Budgirl]

Also good to take a plastic bottle of antiseptic mouthwash to rinse you mouth after, along with your Regs. I wash my Regs in the room, not the germ laden dunk tank where others wash their pissy wetsuits.

OMG - never thought of that! Now I am totally disgusted! I hope all the pissy germs are now gone from my body! And I am a hand sanitizing freak as it is...

I guess I will add it to my list of don'ts: dont touch the bathroom handles, dont take lemon with my tea, dont flush with the seat up...etc, etc..

 

[DandyDon]

Also good to take a plastic bottle of antiseptic mouthwash to rinse you mouth after, along with your Regs. I wash my Regs in the room, not the germ laden dunk tank where others wash their pissy wetsuits.

OMG - never thought of that! Now I am totally disgusted! I hope all the pissy germs are now gone from my body! And I am a hand sanitizing freak as it is...

I guess I will add it to my list of don'ts: dont touch the bathroom handles, dont take lemon with my tea, dont flush with the seat up...etc, etc..

Yeah, I don't guess I wash much in the pissy dunk tanks other than BC, Lights and Fins. My Regs, Suits, Booties, Mask, Snorkel, Cameras, Beanies, etc go to my room and shower with me or soak in the sink. I know the hotels hate that, and I do try to limit sand to very minimum, but that pissy dunk tanks are not appealing. But I use almost the same standards for Mexico as Florida - limiting what I touch, put in mouth, etc, and stay up to date on tetanus, etc with Hep A just being a good idea. Also use hand and mouth sterilizers as often as desired.

 

[Christi]

FWIW:

I got in trouble from eating salads. The salad vegetables were washed in local water...

Doubtful...locals don't use tap water for themselves...why would they use it for tourists?

You were probably just unlucky with a bad batch of salad...but not because it was washed in "local water" it's simply not a part of the culture here so it wouldn't even have been mistakenly done.

To those who think it's the ice.....ALL ICE SERVED TO ANYONE - even locals - HERE IS PURIFIED!!!!!!!!!!!! Do not assume you can't drink beverages with ice and do not assume that the ice is what made you sick! The ice is not a problem!

The problem is AI's and the general food handling procedures with buffet and large bulk quantities of food being served at the same time.

The sickest I have ever been from a food borne illness was in the US...it can happen ANYWHERE!

 

[NancyLynn]

Ask yourself - when was the last time you saw a group of locals tucking into supper at an AI???

Precisely my point. If your goal is to avoid GI incidents, following locals (1) won't keep you safe for the reasons I mentioned and (2) you're cutting out a whole category of food options for reasons completely unrelated to food safety (namely that locals don't eat at AIs if for no reason other than they're not staying at the resorts where they are found).

 

[NancyLynn]

To each there own, but you are missing out on a really great part of the vacation in Cozumel if you limit yourself to a resort.

SCC had a wide variety of excellent local food when I was there. I wasn't impressed with the Fiesta Americana food - it met my nutritional needs and that's about it. When I go to Cozumel, though, it is for the diving. Excellent AI food is a bonus - but particularly when I'm spending quite a bit just go travel and dive, I'm not terribly thrilled at paying twice for my food.

 

[Diver Kat]

Have never had a problem in Coz in 8 trips. Don't do bottled water - at restaurants I just ask for a plain old glass of water with ice; and we don't do AI buffets. We do use a Steripen - which will purify water out of the tap. Also do the Pepto tablets - 2 a day - starting about a week before we leave and during our stay. Learned that trick from a doctor who travel allot. Also try to eat where the locals do - usually the best food on the island, as well as some of the best prices!

Only bout with food poisoning? Embassy Suites Hotel in San Antonio - the breakfast buffet. :11: (Might be why I'm not so keen on buffets ....)

 

[Christi]

SCC had a wide variety of excellent local food when I was there. I wasn't impressed with the Fiesta Americana food - it met my nutritional needs and that's about it. When I go to Cozumel, though, it is for the diving. Excellent AI food is a bonus - but particularly when I'm spending quite a bit just go travel and dive, I'm not terribly thrilled at paying twice for my food.

Well, next time you should try to venture out a little.

1. You don't have to pay for your food twice if you don't stay at an AI
2. You'll probably SAVE money by not staying at an AI and eating out...even if it's at the "touristy" restaurants
3. There are some very nice moderately priced hotels (several less than $80 per night for the ROOM, not per person
4. You'll escape the trap of being one of those Cozumel visitors who's been to Cozumel but never seen/experienced the island

But I guess you don't know what you're missing if you've never tried it.

And to be real honest, your rationale about eating where the locals do is incorrect and was quite narrow minded and offensive IMO. :no