Cruises are an amazing way to travel. They provide you with the opportunity to see multiple countries in one trip. Most modern cruise liners are also unforgettable in themselves. Typically, you’ll be spoilt for choice about everything from entertainment to eating. One thing’s sure; once you cruise, you may never want to go back on land.
Of course, taking an extended trip on water also comes with a fair amount of fear. Horror stories of cruise crashes scare many of us so much that we wouldn’t even consider this. A cruise novice may also assume a journey like this would be claustrophobic. The good news is that a little research should dispel both these fears. Thousands of cruise ships sail safely every year. and the size and stop-offs of most liners prevent claustrophobia.
Still, there is one pressing concern you might not be able to shake – what happens if you get sick? Illness is always a worry when we go away. Even for grounded holidays, navigating health systems is daunting. But, this becomes an even more pressing concern during a seabound trip. Lucky for you, we’re going to talk you through exactly what cruise ship illness entails.
Travel insurance
First thing’s first; you NEED travel insurance for a cruise. That’s because most liners travel across borders regularly. Even if health insurance covers you in some areas, there’s no guarantee it’ll cover your entire trip. By booking cruise-specific insurance, you ensure that you needn’t worry no matter where illness strike.
Ship doctors
You may be relieved to hear that every cruise ship has at least one doctor. In large liners, you can expect to find a rather extensive medical staff. Familiarise yourself with their location as soon as you step onboard the ship. That way, you’ll be able to head here if you ever start feeling under the weather. Cruise doctors are fully trained, and they have access to far more medication and equipment than you might imagine. Even if they can’t treat your condition on the ship, they’ll stabilize you while they phone for an international air ambulance to take you to a hospital. Either that or they’ll request an emergency stop for the ship. That will then allow you to disembark and seek further treatment. In the majority of cases, though, passengers are treated onboard and go on to enjoy their vacations.
The possibility of quarantine
It’s also worth noting that, in the case of a contagious illness, you might need to prepare for quarantine. This isn’t as terrible as it sounds. Doctor’s will merely tell you to remain in your cabin for the duration of your contagious symptoms. They’ll make every effort to ensure your comfort during this time. There’s then no reason why you can’t get stuck straight back into cruise activities once symptoms clear.
As you can see, there’s nothing to fear about falling ill onboard a cruise ship. There are plenty of plans in place to ensure that even this doesn’t ruin your experience.
