7 Reasons You Should Never Take a Cruise

February 19, 2018 19 By EngineerMommy

You couldn’t pay me to go on a cruise. Literally!

I have actually been offered a sponsorship (by an unnamed brand) to go on a cruise with my family. I respectfully declined the offer. I have zero interest in taking a cruise. And I have many reasons for why I feel this way. Keep reading for my 7 reasons to never take a cruise.

7 Reasons You Should Never Take a Cruise

7 Reasons You Should Never Take a Cruise

Disclaimer: Everyone’s experience is different, and if you are a regular cruise-taker and love your time on the open water, feel free to post a comment below sharing your thoughts. This post is just my personal opinion and should not be taken as anything more.

Before I go into the reasons on why I would never go on a cruise, let me first state the obvious. People love cruises because they are generally an all-expenses-paid vacation. For many, it can seem enticing fun to be on a big boat with others, exploring exotic destinations, and having plenty of good food to go around. However, not all that glitters is gold. Let’s get into some of the details now, shall we?

1. Excessive Food
How is excessive food a negative? Well, if you are trying to lead a healthy lifestyle, it is. Most cruises offer food throughout the day and night on buffet lines littered with hundreds of items. Many of these foods are high in fat, salt, sugar and calories. I’m committed to a healthy lifestyle (see this post and this post) so the food situation on cruises does not appeal to me – at all.

2. Food Poisoning
Food poisoning is one of those things that makes life completely miserable. The fever, pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea create a really dreadful experience. Food poisoning can occur through improper handling of food or through a virus (like the norovirus). According to the CDC, the vast majority of diarrhea outbreaks on cruises are caused by norovirus. Norovirus is highly contagious, especially if food is shared with an infected individual.

3. Getting Stuck
Getting stuck on a cruise ship is actually not that uncommon. From power outages to malfunctions in the air conditioning system, being stuck at sea does not sound like a fun time to me. In fact, in 2013, a popular cruise line lost electricity, engine power and air conditioning for a few days at sea. Without effective refrigeration and sewage disposal, the spread of infections (like E. coli or norovirus) can skyrocket. Ugh!

4. Bed Bugs
Did you know that bed bugs have become a serious problem on cruise ships? These bugs love to live right where people sleep and tend to settle in nooks throughout the room, including inside furniture. If a bed on a cruise ship is infected with bed bugs, it becomes all too easy to then infect your bed at home too. What a nightmare! Be sure to sanitize your luggage & belongings before leaving the cruise.

5. Qualified Medical Care
The ship’s medical center may not be staffed with qualified, licensed medical practitioners. In fact, the “doctor” in charge may not be licensed to practice medicine in the United States – or anywhere at all. There has been at least one case where the “doctor” was just a graduate of medical school from another country.

6. The Crowds
Cruise ships tend to attract the masses. If you love to be in a sea (pun intended) of hundreds of people all day, then you might love the crowded nature of cruise ships. I do not love packed crowds and so I would not appreciate the environment on cruise ships. Make sure you don’t pick a cabin near elevators or the stairways; otherwise, expect plenty of noise throughout the night. Also, be prepared for crazy long lines at the buffet lunch.

7. Motion Sickness
If you’ve ever experienced motion sickness, you know the misery. The nausea, headaches, vomiting, dizziness etc. can all be very unpleasant. Recent statistics indicate that about 1/3 of adults experience at least mild seasickness – and that’s in calm water. Throw in a storm & rocky waters and it’s a different ball game!

Now, I’d love to hear from you. Have you ever taken a cruise? Did you enjoy your experience?


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