Sun burn As noted earlier, too much sun (on-board or ashore) ruins cruises for more people than any other cause. Burns...and their pain...can last until well-after you return home. For a few, they may later induce cancer or other permanent skin damage. Rather, before you'll be exposed to sun for more than a short time, take effective precautions with clothing and sunblock so that you can fully enjoy whatever you choose to do. (Again, see complete article at .)
No disccussion about medications given here should be used as authoritative. Consult your doctor.
Some people experience queasiness on cruise ships. This is very unlikely on large or recently-built vessels...consistently having highly-effective stabilizers. But some sensitive inner ears may react to even imperceptibly slow and gentle rocking of a calm sea, while small, intense storms can make the ocean rough for a day or so.
If you know it may be a problem, pick a cabin location that minimizes movement when the ship rolls and pitches, e.g., amidship and/or lower deck.
Over the counter motion-sickness medications (e.g., Dramamine, Bonine) usually help; reportedly, Draminine has a tendency to cause drowsiness that can make it impractical to use for the duration of a cruise.
Prescription trans-dermal Scopalomine patches can be very effective. But some people have troubling side-effects, so test a patch before the cruise if you like the convenience they promise.
Some people find relief with special wristbands that claim to stimulate pressure points that are believed to counteract the nausea of motion sickness; their effectiveness has not yet been independently verified.
Staying well can be as simple as eating (and drinking) responsibly. Generous helpings of that beautiful, fresh pineapple for breakfast every morning can cause problems, as can the portions of wonderful and rich delights at dinner. Marine biologists know that the calf of a blue whale can gain up to 30 pounds per day; the next fastest weight-gaining mammal may be the cruise passenger...actually known to gain 6-7 pounds per week if he/she "over celebrates".
Outbreaks. Passengers and crew are susceptible to communicable diseases (e.g., flu, colds, Norovirus), but thankfully this happens only very occasionally due to great effort and care by the ship's staff, and by passengers who cooperate with health protections. It occurs because large numbers of people from countless places have close proximity, share facilities, and forget to be responsible.
Prevention. Most maladies spread much in the same ways as the common cold. Stifling coughs and sneezes helps greatly. And ships regularly provide hand disinfectant dispensers at entrances to dining areas; use them, but don't rely totally on them. You can help yourself if you:
Wash hands very frequently and thoroughly.
Substitute "elbow bumps" for handshakes with staff and fellow passengers.
Use sanitizing wipes or solution on key parts of your cabin occasionally. This is no criticism of your cabin steward, who's efforts will also be thorough.
Use your cabin bathroom rather than public restrooms whenever you can.
If you become ill, report it...very preferably by cabin phone.
The medical staff can help considerably, may attend to you in your cabin, and may direct you to remain there and cancel any port visits until you recover (usually within a couple days) to avoid spreading the malady. Such direction is often re-enforced by law in ports.
If the illness is deemed the ship's responsibility (e.g., several other passengers have or have had it), you may not be charged for medical services and may receive reimbursement for missed ship's tours.
Specially-equipped teams of ship's staff will thoroughly clean and sanitize any "accidents" in your cabin. So report them. Report public accidents as well.
Ships that see "possible signs" of an outbreak (even several passengers with sea-sickness) may set up extensive precautions and health/sanitation protocols to limit spread of any infectious agent. This can include hand sanitizer dispensers at entry to all public areas, barriers to self-help in buffets, nearly constant sanitizing of railings, door handles and public restrooms everywhere. Use and respect those measures.Food/Drink Ashore Although shipboard food and water will be sanitary, the usual precautions for overseas travel should be taken when eating and drinking ashore.
Advance research about your port visits should include looking for health risks.
In well-developed countries and "touristy" areas, food and water may be safe. In addition to research, consult the ship's port descriptions and the port adviser. Even with assurances, take care with sidewalk food stands and road-side cafes. Crowds of locals only indicate popularity and low cost, not necessarily safety.
In less-developed countries/ports/areas, take care to avoid local water- and food-borne bacteria or parasites...including drinks made with ice a bar/restaurant may make using tap-water.
If in doubt about getting water ashore, buy it in sealed, labeled bottles.
Restrooms in "rustic" places in any country may have no tissues/napkins, so bring your own.
Carrying bottled water Few ports prohibit bringing sealed bottles of water ashore...you'll see pricey offerings each time you leave the ship. Ask a ship's officer in-advance if sealed bottles are necessary; if not, you could (re)fill your own, with buffet beverage/water dispensers perhaps offering better tasting water than your cabin.
Medical Staff. Nearly all cruise ships have one, with an accredited doctor. Larger ships may have two or more nurses. Most will offer open hours ("sick call") in the morning and late afternoon for routine ailments, with on-demand response (even in-cabin) for injuries or major illnesses. Most can effectively render first- and second-aid, perhaps more depending on the doctor's experience and on-board facilities, e.g., x-ray. They carry basic medications and supplies typically needed for cruises. Don't depend on them to replace medications you must use...even with near-equivalents.
If the ship's itinerary is quite repetitive, the doctor may have standing with pharmacies in some ports. He/she may be able to issue usable scripts for your needs, but ship's staff often must pick up the medications.
Unless your problem appears to have been caused by some condition or event that's the ship's responsibility, expect to be charged a fee for their services. Your regular health insurance may not cover such fees, but good trip insurance usually does.
Some ships have modest dialysis capability. If you need it, learn in-advance if it's the type you need and can reserve time-slots. If available and as needed, reserve the service/times through your agent if you used one. Check with your health insurance agent to see if your regular policy covers any or all of what will be a substantial cost.
Though the doctor and staff often wear ship's uniforms, many are concessionaires, not ship or cruise line officers. Nonetheless, for serious conditions, the doctor's decision about continuing your cruise under illness or injury will usually prevail. Medical evacuation can be unbelievably expensive, and so should be covered by full-spectrum trip insurance.
If you have physical limitations, have your agent arrange needed services in-advance, e.g., wheelchair to embark/disembark, for port visits/during the cruise, perhaps even to rent a "power chair" (usually only available for round-trip cruises).
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Cruise ships
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Cruise ships - updated Apr 2024
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Cruise ships Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
