Avoid Getting Sick On A Cruise

Above, the Celebrity Mercury in Juneau, Alaska. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To date, I've been on two cruises and both times I've gotten some sort of bug.

The first time was in 2000 when we took a cruise to Alaska. I caught a flu bug during the cruise. It could have come from the flight from L.A. to Vancouver, Canada (where we embarked). It subsided after a couple of days.

The second time was during my recent cruise to Cuba. About the third day, I got congestion and a cough to go along with it. It ended about a week after the cruise ended. This one was more of a head cold. Again, I could have caught it during the flight to Fort Lauderdale, Florida where we embarked.

Above, the Majesty of the Seas in Havana, Cuba. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Getting sick while on a cruise is more common than one may think. It is not surprising since over 2,000 people are crammed into the confines of a ship and passing germs to each other. I got the cold even though I was taking Vitamin C before and during the cruise.

How does one avoid getting sick on a cruise?

Cruise Critic has some tips.

They begin with:

Most cruise travelers sail happily and healthily, but anytime you step out of your daily routine, you let your physical guard down and become susceptible to all sorts of illnesses. From tummy troubles to head colds, seasickness to sunburn and hangovers to jet lag, cruise ship passengers can easily succumb to a number of ailments. 

Have we made you nervous? Don't be. It's relatively easy to stay healthy and not get sick on a cruise ship if you take a few simple precautions. All you really need is a mental checklist and a few minutes a day. 

While we can't guarantee you won't get sick -- for all you know, your germy coworkers may have already infected you before you embark on your trip -- here are our top 10 tips for staying healthy and minimizing your chances of getting sick on your next cruise.

 To read more, go here.