Cruise travel offers a variety of opportunities for getting really sick. Staying on top of potential hazards, however, can help you – and everyone in your group – stay healthy and enjoy the cruise.
- Update any necessary vaccines before you leave. Regardless of your itinerary, you should be up-to-date on your vaccines. With a recent rise in the number of measles cases across Europe, it’s ever more apparent that keeping routine vaccinations up to date is crucial for the body’s health.
- Stay informed. Use the Centers for Disease Control web pages to check for recent information on specific destinations. Review the updated destination-based health information so you understand what to watch for on your cruise.
- Seasick? Don’t suffer. A number of easy solutions are available if you’re prone to seasickness, which is actually quite common even on larger cruise ships. Some medications, including anti-depressants, pain killers, and birth control, can make seasickness worse too. Pick up a motion sickness remedy that works for you before you go to have it on hand.
- Nausea, Vomiting and other thrills may not be related to the ocean motion – it could be a norovirus. Cruise ship outbreaks of norovirus have been reported recently, but the best way to avoid this disaster is by washing your hands frequently and thoroughly. Follow common precautions with food – eating only that which is cooked to a proper temperature. Avoid ice made from impure tap water and avoid fresh fruit until you have washed it carefully with clean water. Remove the peel as well.
Of course, avoiding other stresses that are common to cruises can help as well. Wild changes in diet or alcohol consumption or long periods of sun exposure can only make things worse.
