“Make sure to pack your insurance
cards, and determine what medical services are covered on the
cruise ship,” Dr. Guerrero says. “You may want to carry a letter
from your physician describing any pre-existing medical
conditions and names of medications, along with any medications
you take in their original containers with labels. Also, take an
extra week's worth of medication with you in the event of an
emergency.”
You’ll also want to be current on your vaccinations, including
tetanus, seasonal flu and H1N1, and hepatitis A. People over age
65 may want to consider getting a pneumonia vaccine. Depending
on where you’re going, you may require additional vaccines for
specific diseases like typhoid and malaria.
Common cruise ship ailments
Good times at sea can quickly take a turn for the worse if you
get motion sickness. Let’s face it—the ship will bob up and down
in the ocean, no matter how calm the water appears. For some
people, this constant rising and falling motion confuses your
inner ear, eyes, and other body parts that detect motion. When
these conflicting messages get sent to your brain, the result
can be nausea, dizziness, excessive sweating, and in some cases,
an uncontrollable urge to vomit. Motion sickness most often
affects children between two and 12 years old, while infants and
people over age 60 rarely get it. Fortunately, there are many
techniques to control motion sickness.
“Try to focus on looking at the
horizon or another distant object that is always still, as this
can sometimes help ease the symptoms. In some cases, you may
want to lie down and keep your head as still as possible,” Dr.
Guerrero suggests. “Don’t read, and avoid heavy meals and
alcohol. Try to chew some gum, or get some fresh air. There are
also over-the-counter and prescription drugs that can ease
nausea symptoms.”
Food safety and ship
cleanliness
Once you’re underway, one of the many attractions of a cruise
ship is the fabulous food. But because of the close quarters
inside the ship, there is always the potential for food-born
disease, which can lead to diarrhea, food poisoning, and other
problems.
Food that sits out on buffets
for long periods of time can be particularly susceptible to
bacteria that may make you sick. And when you’re docked at some
exotic port-of-call, be wary of eating local specialties that
may contain raw food products or local, potentially contaminated
water. Always stick with well-cooked food and bottled water just
to be safe.
The Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention offers some guidance on the cleanest cruise
ships. Twice a year, the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program
inspects the food, water, spas and pools, employee hygiene, and
general cleanliness of ships while they are docked at U.S.
ports. The results are complied on a scale from 1 to 100 and
published on the CDC’s website, www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp. Scores of
86 or higher are considered safe for travelers.
“The potential for food-borne
illness shouldn’t preclude you from having a wonderful time with
friends and family,” Dr. Guerrero says. “Just remember, common
sense goes a long way toward making the right food choices.”
A word about noroviruses
Noroviruses are a group of viruses that affect the stomach and
intestines, and tend to be associated with cruise ships. The
main reason you hear a lot about noroviruses on cruise ships is
because health officials closely monitor illnesses on cruise
ships, so outbreaks are found and reported more quickly than on
land.
Noroviruses can lead to
gastroenteritis, an inflammation of the stomach and the large
intestines. It’s also known as food poisoning, even though food
isn’t always the cause. Key symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea,
and some stomach cramping, as well as a fever, chills, headache,
and fatigue.
“Noroviruses are spread by eating food or drinking liquids
infected with the noroviruses, touching surfaces or objects
infected with noroviruses and then touching own mouth, nose, or
eyes, or having person-to-person contact with a norovirus-infected
person,” says Dr. Guerrero. “That’s why it is often associated
with cruise ships. However, the virus exists on land as well,
and can be just as easily spread at home or in the office.”
Though the virus is highly
contagious, the infections are usually not serious and go away
completely within one or two days. To help minimize the spread
of noroviruses, wash your hands frequently or use an
alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Common sense rules
Cruise ships are like small cities, with thousands of other
passengers. As a result, you should take all the precautions on
a cruise ship that you would in any urban environment, Dr.
Guerrero advises.
“Don't throw all caution to the wind just because you're on a
ship,” Dr. Guerrero says. “Leave your valuables at home, limit
your alcohol intake, and no matter what, never lean over the
railings. You might find yourself tempted to relive the famous
scene from Titanic, but many people fall from cruise ships
because they're trying to climb on a railing. By staying safe
and following some straightforward guidelines, you can have a
wonderful, relaxing vacation.” |
