How Not to Get Sick on a Cruise Ship
Cruise ships are considered to be notorious breeding grounds for diseases, especially those like “shooting from both ends . “ If you’d rather bask in the sun and sip Bahama Mamas than see your buffet in reverse, follow these tips.
Despite the horrific stories you hear about passengers being trapped on the SS Vomit, the odds are usually in your favor. Aimee Treffiletti, head of the CDC’s ship sanitation program (which checks all cruise ships in US waters), explained to the Los Angeles Times that acute gastrointestinal diseases (AGEs) are rare and are less likely to get sick. In fact, Treffiletti says that less than 0.25% of the 73 million cruise ship passengers between 2008 and 2014 were affected by AGE, so fear not.
However, the disease can still hit, and when that happens, it will hit the cruise liner. Everyone is locked in the same place, breathing the same air, touching the same surfaces, and eating the same foods. Here’s what you can do to avoid the outbreak and not spread it to others:
- Wash your hands often : it should be easy, but make sure you do it right . Do this after using the bathroom, before eating, and anytime after touching public items such as railings or doorknobs.
- Carry hand sanitizer : If you cannot wash your hands, hand sanitizer is best. You might even consider wiping things in your cabin like doorknobs, remotes, and telephones.
- Wash your laundry and wear clean clothes : this is basic hygiene, but it can also save you from illness. Norovirus and other intestinal pests can be found on contaminated clothing, so don’t try your luck.
- Get enough sleep : You will run into germs no matter what. Make sure your immune system is ready to fight.
- Drink plenty of bottled water : You need to stay hydrated to fight insects, but don’t trust tap water or ice. This is especially true when you are moored and wandering in another country’s port.
- Be careful about what you eat : Do not eat while on shore in developing countries, eat only carefully prepared and hot foods, do not eat unpasteurized foods, and skip foods if they do not have removable skins.
- Don’t share utensils, food, or drinks : Avoid foods that you can prepare yourself if possible, and if not, hold tongs, spoons, and scoops with a napkin. Also, do not snack, take sips or anyone else’s food or drink. If they are infected, that is all it takes to spread the disease.
- Use your own toilet : Whenever possible, Joan Chen of Condé Nast Traveler suggests that you avoid using public toilets and use your own. You still have germs in your closet, but they are yours and not from a few hundred other people on the ship.
- Be honest : if you start showing symptoms of any disease, report it to the ship’s medical team so they can do everything they can to prevent it from spreading. You can go into quarantine, but you can save everyone else from suffering. If you feel unwell before boarding the boat, consider changing your plans.
The CDC invites you to make sure you and your family have received all the vaccines they need before leaving. And check if your site requires additional vaccinations on their Traveler Health page . If you’re unsure of where to start, sit down with your doctor and plan your trip. Of course, not all diseases are caused by harmful microbes. If your problem is ocean movement, fear not, we have tips for that too.