I gave blood recently even after I told the Red Cross that I had visited Cozumel and other foreign ports.  Does the Red Cross not follow a uniform set of rules and regs?

Roatan, Honduras IS BEAUTIFUL!!!!! ESPICIALLY Tabyana Beach!!!  The snorkeling is better than any of the other ports!!

THAT SHOULD NOT BE A REASON TO NOT TO GO!! Just donate blood before you go!!!!!

Heidi is right! If you must donate blood, do it before you leave, then you don't have to worry about it. Roatan is not to be missed. It's one of the most beautiful places I've ever been and Tabayana is absolutely gorgeous.

Joan said

"I have not been able to give blood for the past five or six years because we have taken cruises to Cozumel.  Even after informing them I never left the ship, I still was not able to donate."

 I gave blood after going to Cozumel. I was honest about going out of the country and she asked the ports of call and I told her Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Jamicia. They let me give.

I will have to say I am going to Roatan in Jan of 09 so if i am going to give i will give before i go although I will not let it stop me from not going.

For those that giving blood is more important than seeing the world THANKS!!!

 OMG, this is really crazy. I know that donating blood is very important for some people, but skip an island or a trip just because you won't be able to donate for a year doesn't make sense for me. Just donate before you leave and then have fun at the island. Roatan I'll be there in 2 weeks and 2 days. 

 

I didn't mean for my comments to be taken as though I was being a drama queen as I do hold vacations/cruises as nearly sacred.  I was just saying it was a surprise to a regular blood donor to find out you can't donate for an entire year without being aware of it until you've gone through all the questions and testing every time you donate blood only to find out you can't.  I would never, ever not take a vacation because I couldn't donate blood but was hoping that if someone visited Roatan (which were the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen) that they are aware they can't donate for a year and not to make the trip to the donation center only to be turned away.  Not being crazy, just hoping to save fellow travelers time when they return home.  By the way, if a family member is ever diagnosed with Leukemia and eventually passes away, Apheresis and blood donation do become more important than you can imagine.

Roatan is my absolute favorite place of all the islands we've been to over the years!  Pull up Anthony's Key Resort -- that's where the dolphin encounter is -- absolutely fabulous.  And Tabyana Beach is beautiful with plenty of chairs and calm, clear water.  They also offer free lemonade -- best I've ever had!

 Don't miss Roatan!  I'd go again in a minute!

 

My husband & I are divers, we have been going to Roatan for our winter vacations.  We have never gotten any kind of shots before we have left. 

Please do not let this stop you from visiting this island, whether it be on a cruise or for a week.  The island is beautiful, the people are so friendly, as a matter of fact my husband and I are looking at homes there we would like to move there permanently.

Roatan was wonderful! No signs of why it would be a place to avoid. I will be back there in January and I plan on having fun fun fun and more fun fun fun..

 PS Discover Roatan tour is a good tour to go to see a little bit of everything

 

 If you live in England for a certain amount of time, you can never donate blood.  My BIN lived there for 2 years and they won't take his blood at all.

Blood donor or not... I don't know if you'll even get to visit the island. 

We've just returned from the Glory Nov 1 sailing.  We were due to arrive at Roatan Island on Wednesday.  We arrived there just to find that the people were protesting against their government (for electricity price increases).  The protestors had the roads blocked and customs agents refused to let us off the ship.  Carnival agreed that the island wasn't safe, so we set sail to the next port -- Freeport, Bahamas.  The only compensation we received was a $20 credit on our Sign and Sail account to reimburse us for taxes and docking fees. 

It was a beautiful island -- at least from the balony of the Glory.