While cruising offers cool activities on board, there’s yummy food galore, and you are never bored, before you leave port, here are a few pointers you should know to avoid getting sick or injured at sea.
Don’t go without your shots
The Centers for Disease Control urges cruisers to make sure they are up to date on routine vaccines, such as measles, mumps and rubella, since you will be living in close quarters with crew and fellow passengers from countries where these diseases are more common. You should look up each of the ship’s destinations to check for health alerts and any additional vaccine or medication recommendations.
Don’t get too paranoid about the buffet
Self-serve meals might give you the heebie-jeebies, but you can trust the fact food served on American cruise ships is safe to eat. Dishes are held at the proper temperature and consistently monitored. But if you’re worried, stick to steaming hot food. Skip food at room temperature, which carries a higher risk of pathogens. Needless to say, if something looks bad, steer clear.
But don’t go crazy at the buffet either
The biggest buffet risk is approaching it like a personal eating challenge. Food is everywhere on a cruise, which makes it all too easy to overindulge and come back with extra bulges you didn’t want. Our tip is to strike a balance between food that is nutritious (veggies) and food that feeds your soul (ice cream). For example, if you have Belgian waffles and bacon for breakfast, choose a Caprese salad for lunch, and a lean burger and a glass of wine for dinner. The cruise lines also have a healthy choice at each sit down meal.
Don’t eat too late at night
It probably never occurs to you to have a pizza after dinner—until you get on a boat. Our suggestion is to close the kitchen (so to speak) two hours after the sun goes down. Late night eating can be the kiss of death. There typically is a lot of drinking involved on a cruise, and the combination of food and booze basically turns you into a sloth. Besides, food digests better when you’re moving around—not when you’re trying to snooze on a hearty stomach.
Don’t get your teeth whitened
Cruise ships often offer teeth whitening sessions—and they are not a good idea. Sure, you want a vacation picture-worthy smile. But whitening on the high seas can entail serious risks. First, it’s unlikely a professional dentist will perform the procedure. Second, once a cruise ship is in international waters, aggressive whitening ingredients may be used on teeth, which can destroy the protein structure of teeth and cause pain.
Don’t drink the water
If you are in a developing country, tap water, fountain drinks and freshly squeezed juice, as well as any beverage with ice in it can make you ill if the water is contaminated. While the water on the ship is safe to drink, when in port, we suggest you opt for the safest option of bottled water.
Don’t hire a personal trainer
It’s smart to stay active on vacation, but don’t go crazy. Hiring a personal trainer is expensive, and fitness classes also cost extra. Save your money. Plenty of things will keep you fit on vacation. For example, there are stairs everywhere on cruise ships, so take a walk after every meal. When you get off the boat, explore the port cities on foot.
Don’t make big purchases
If there is something you want to buy while on the ship or ashore, shop ahead of time and know what price you would pay at home. However, it is a lot more interesting to tell your friends you bought a pair of diamond earrings on vacation. No regrets is a good phrase to remember. I have left a destination wishing I had made a certain purchase.
If you have any travel-related questions, contact Sue or Bruce Mitchell, your Cruise Planners land and sea travel specialists. Visit our website at redmountaintravel.com. You also may send an email to smitchell@cruiseplanners.com, or call (480) 396-8084.