Millions of Americans embark on cruise ship vacations each year, and it's easy to see why. Cruises offer exotic destinations, fantastic entertainment, and top-notch dining at competitive, all-inclusive prices. As much fun as cruises can be, hardly a year goes by that there aren't media reports of at least one outbreak of gastrointestinal illness aboard an American cruise ship.
With frightening terms like "Norwalk virus" being thrown around, many people are scared and confused about the threat of illness aboard cruise ships. The truth is, Norwalk-type viruses are very common and more than 80% of Norwalk outbreaks actually occur on land. It is unfortunately very common for outbreaks of stomach illness (caused by Norwalk viruses) to occur in places where large numbers of people gather for days at a time, such as hotels, camps, convention centers, etc. Luckily, there are some simple steps you can follow to keep yourself healthy and "stomach virus" free while you're on your next cruise.
In order to protect yourself from illness, we first need to understand why stomach maladies seen to spread so quickly aboard cruise ships. Stomach viruses are typically transmitted via what scientists call a "fecal-oral" route. As gross as it may be to think about, the fact of the matter is that a lot of people don t wash their hands after they go to the bathroom. As I said earlier, the Norwalk virus is very common and it is not uncommon for someone to be infected with the virus and not even know it, since the symptoms are generally not extremely severe and self-limiting. All it takes is for a few infected people to start touching handrails, door knobs, lounge chairs and everything else on board, and before you know it, you have an "outbreak."
The best way to protect yourself from illness on a cruise is the tried-and-true advice of frequent hand washing. Studies have proven over and over that this simple step provides the most dramatic reduction in rates of illness. When you're on a cruise, get into the habit of washing your hands religiously. Certainly wash your hands before every meal and after using the bathroom. Also, carry a tube of alcohol-based "hand sanitizer" gel with you, and use it frequently, especially after touching potentially-infected objects like hand rails or door knobs.
Be careful at ports of call. While the food and beverages aboard your cruise ship should be perfectly safe, one of the most common ways people get stomach illness on cruises is by eating contaminated food in foreign countries when the ship is docked. When on land, be sure to only drink bottled beverages, as the tap water could make you sick. Make sure that any food you eat is thoroughly cooked, and avoid raw fruits and vegetables (i.e. salads) in particular as these items are commonly washed with tap water that could be contaminated.
If you do feel yourself getting sick with some sort of stomach illness, you should immediately report to the ship's infirmary, as it is very important that the medical personnel aboard the cruise ship have a record of your illness. If they do confirm that you are sick with a communicable virus, they may ask you to stay in your cabin for a few days. Please heed this advice...if more people did, outbreaks of stomach illness wouldn't be nearly as common.
Finally, if you are onboard a cruise and there is an announcement that there is an active outbreak aboard the ship, follow the instructions you are given carefully. Avoid touching objects in common areas, like serving spoons, magazines, or public telephones. You may also want to avoid gym equipment and shared restrooms. If you do get sick, don't panic. As stated earlier, cruise ship illnesses generally have a short course and chances are you'll be feeling better in a few days.
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