Tips for Staying Healthy During Your Summer Cruise - Essential Item Every Voyager Ought to Carry First
Skip the cruise ship catastrophe!
Cruises might seem like the perfect getaway with endless entertainment, endless food, and easy port-hopping. However, they can also be a breeding ground for all sorts of health issues like contagious diseases, stomach troubles, and even sunstroke. Here's how to avoid getting ill on your floating vacation, from germs to food poisoning to sunburns.
Keep those hands clean!
Dr. Shalom Sokolow, an emergency medicine physician at Northwell’s Phelps Hospital Outbreaks, warns that cruise ships are prime spots for infectious diseases due to the close proximity and length of stay shared among countless passengers. Norovirus, a stomach virus, travels rapidly on cruise ships, and they reported a record number of outbreaks in 2024.
To steer clear of illnesses, Sokolow stresses the importance of regularly washing your hands, especially after interacting with others and before chowing down on a meal. Dr. Eric Ascher, a family medicine physician at Northwell’s Lenox Hill Hospital, adds that it's wise to wash your hands for 30 seconds using warm, soapy water, and to pay special attention to handwashing before meals, after using the restroom, and when touching your face.
Be cautious at the buffet
"Travelers love buffets when vacationing, but that's also an easy path for norovirus and other infections to spread due to shared utensils," Ascher explains.
It's not just about the communal utensils; food left out for extended periods can also lead to food poisoning. So, should you start packing a lunch to avoid the potential health hazards? Sokolow suggests not going overboard since the abundant food is a significant part of the cruise experience. Instead, he advises taking some basic precautions, such as using individual serving pieces whenever possible and being mindful of foods left out for a long time, especially seafood and foods with mayonnaise.
Slather on that sunscreen
"Pack loads of sunscreen, and plenty of it!" Ascher says.
Apply broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher to exposed skin, reapplying every two hours or following swimming or sweating. Don't forget to cover your nose, back of the neck, and ears. To further protect yourself, wear hats and sunglasses, and remember to stay hydrated!
Get your shots
While enjoying the diverse crew and passengers might make for an exciting social scene, it could also expose you to unfamiliar illnesses.
Sokolow explains that close quarters with people from various parts of the world can increase the chances of encountering germs to which you have no immunity. To help prevent potential health issues like hepatitis, typhoid, and yellow fever, he suggests inquiring in advance if any of the destination ports recommend specific vaccinations for travelers.
Pack the necessities
Apart from sunscreen, hats, and sunglasses, Ascher recommends including hand sanitizer, aloe vera, lip balm with SPF, and a travel-sized medicine bag containing over-the-counter pain relievers, antacids, and allergy medications in your luggage.
By following these tips and prioritizing good hygiene, food safety, sun protection, immunizations, and packing health essentials, you can significantly reduce your risk of illness and enjoy a healthier cruise experience. Bon voyage!
- Cruise ships, known for their abundance of entertainment, food, and travel opportunities, can also be a hotbed for various health issues, ranging from contagious diseases to stomach troubles and sunstroke.
- To prevent illnesses on a cruise, Dr. Shalom Sokolow recommends washing hands regularly, especially after interacting with others and before meals, while Dr. Eric Ascher advises washing hands for 30 seconds using warm, soapy water.
- Be cautious at the buffet by using individual serving pieces, being mindful of foods left out for long periods, especially seafood and foods with mayonnaise, and applying sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher on exposed skin, reapplying every two hours or after swimming or sweating.
- As passengers interact with a diverse crew and fellow travelers, they might come into contact with unfamiliar illnesses. To help prevent potential health issues, it's essential to inquire about specific vaccinations recommended for destination ports in advance.
