Beating the Cruise-Blues: How to Stay Healthy When at Sea

Cruising still continues to be big business in the UK. Taking to the waters is a multi-billion dollar industry, enabling people to visit far-flung destinations with multiple stops in a short period of time, whilst also living the high-life on board.

However, if you get ill when on a cruise, it can turn the experience from a dream holiday to a nightmare on the seas. If you’ve booked a cruise and you want to minimise the risk of getting ill when aboard, here are some good tips to follow.

Top Tips to Enjoying Good Health on Your Cruise

1. Avoid seasickness. Most cruise ships are fitted with state-of-the-art stabilisers at the hull, which means that it’s unlikely you’ll experience any major sickness whilst at sea. However, the oceans can be unpredictable, so make sure you pack some motion sickness medication or pressure bands in case you get caught in a storm.

2. Cruise ships have been hitting headlines in recent years, thanks to outbreaks of norovirus on board. As a result, many cruise ships have worked closely with international health organisations to help prevent the spread of any unpleasant infectious conditions. Dr Richard Dawood, a specialist in travel medicine, reports that “hand sanitisers are everywhere, there’s been a big upgrade in food handling and medical surveillance, including high-level diagnostic testing, has increased on board.”

   However, if an outbreak happens during your cruise there are some simple steps to reduce your risk of contracting the virus: wash your hands thoroughly after visiting the toilet, avoid raw food (including salads and seafood), hydrate from bottled drinks, and clean your cutlery before use.

3. Piling on pounds? The food on cruise ships is generally the stuff of legend, with many travellers reporting a significant weight increase after their holiday. However, it’s entirely possible to eat healthily when you’re on-board. Look for the low-fat options on the menu and make full use of the gym facilities and swimming pool.

4. Get vaccinated. Although you’ll be spending a lot of time on the ship, you’ll also be disembarking at a number of different locations, and some may have an increased risk of certain diseases, such as yellow fever or malaria. Before you depart on your cruise, tell your doctor where your itinerary will take you, and ask what vaccinations you require.

5. Travel responsibly. It’s very common, especially after a night of drinking and enjoying yourself with new friends, to become a little more frivolous and a little less sensible. As a result, sexually transmitted infections are a risk when on a cruise, as are alcohol-related accidents. Always use protection if you are sexually intimate with a new partner, and don’t drink to the point where you put yourself in any danger.

Preparing for Your Cruise
Before your ship sets sail, you may want to create a list, outlining all the medications you might need while you’re away; from plasters in case you get blisters when exploring a new location, to painkillers in case you get a headache.

If you’re on regular medication, it’s also important to ensure that you have enough supplies to last you while you’re at sea. As you can imagine, it’s considerably challenging to get the right medication once you’ve set sail!