Many of the cruise ports in the Caribbean follow a simple blueprint.
Whether you are in Nassau, Cozumel, Costa Maya, Falmouth, or a handful of others, as you get off the ship you are presented with a selection of shops and restaurants. There will be duty-free shops selling liquor, cigarettes, perfume, and various beauty supplies.
You can also expect restaurants and bars, You might get local establishments and there are almost always chains like Senor Frogs and Margaritaville. There will also be shops selling local specialties.
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That could mean vanilla extract and dark chocolate in Mexican ports. There will often be a local rum or other liquor and sometimes coffee beans native to wherever you happen to be visiting.
Some ports have spas with massage services while others will have those pools of fish that will eat the dead skin off your feet. In the nicest ports you get access to pools, maybe a beach, and in Costa Maya, a lazy river, all at no extra charge.
In some cases, the port shops include a pharmacy where you can buy many medicines that are not over-the-counter in the United States. That’s a tempting proposition for many cruisers looking to both save money and get access to drugs their doctors have not prescribed.
That comes with its own set of dangers, of course, but buying from these pharmacies is very popular.
Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald was asked about one of these pharmacies on his Facebook page, and he shared more than the expected warning about being careful purchasing medicine outside of the US.
Port stores often sell goods that may or may not have been produced locally.
Image source: Dan Kline/Come Cruise With Me
Carnival clears up a port misconception
Heald, who is recovering from Covid according to his own post, took time from not feeling well on his couch to share a recent message he received.
I purchased Furosemide (4ml) in Cozumel in 2019. I will be on the Liberty cruise that stops in Cozumel on 8/30. I just became a platinum cruiser with you guys and want to buy some more from the port pharmacy. I need to know about the current prices. Any idea how much that should currently cost? Do you have a list of pharmacy prices? Do we need to worry about contamination? Does Carnival still consider this place in their port to be a reputable pharmacy?
Furosemide, for what it’s worth, is a diuretic used to treat high blood pressure and certain kidney-related problems,
Heald was quick to correct one misconception about not just the pharmacy, but all the shops in the various ports the cruise line calls on.
“Well then, I have no idea why this lady would think that I would know drug prices at this shop,” he wrote. “However, perhaps that is because she and perhaps others think that we, Carnival Corporation, ‘own’ the pier at Puerto Maya and therefore own all the stores. We do not. So we cannot give any kind of recommendation for what is sold from this pharmacy and I do not have a price list.”
Heald also stopped short of issuing a warning to the person who messaged him.
“I know the pharmacy she is referring to, and it has been there for many years. I remember there used to be huge signs that would state that you can buy just about anything over the counter,” he added.
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Carnival passengers share their pharmacy thoughts
Heald asked his followers to weigh in on the pharmacy question.
“Anyway, to help this lady and perhaps others please let them know if you have purchased anything from there and your thoughts on doing so,” he shared.
Many passengers ignored that request and simply wished Heald well.
“Good morning, John. I’m so sorry you’re so under the weather today. Get plenty of rest this weekend. I hope you’re feeling better soon. As far as buying meds in port, I have never gone there so I can’t say one way or the other. My prayers go out to you,” shared Judy Bernard Hitchcock.
Other posters, however, did offer their experiences buying prescription medicine over the counter in various ports.
“I have purchased meds from the pharmacy she’s referring to. I haven’t had a problem. Prescription-free zone is the reason. It seems expensive these days,” Steph Steph shared.
It is not uncommon for Americans to go to Mexico or Canada to buy prescription drugs in an effort to save money.
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Andrea Hazelwood, who identified herself as a registered nurse, did share a bit of a warning. She noted that Furosemide was an older drug that’s already cheap in the US.
“I would be less concerned with the quality of meds at a foreign pharmacy and more concerned that this person is going to cause themselves kidney and/or cardiac issues taking a med their doctor didn’t prescribe them. In general, I’m actually not opposed to buying meds at a foreign pharmacy to get past the outrageous prescription prices in the US as long as it’s a drug a person’s doctor has already prescribed for them,” she wrote.
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