Belly Problems - Is it Fair to Criticize Cruises?

[jtwind]

Lately, there have been lots of discussions on land based trips vs. cruises.  Everyone knows the reputation cruise lines have for occasional outbreaks of belly problems.  But is the alternative any better?  In my experience, I've had more issues on land based trips.  Any thoughts/

[SelectSys]

The Norovirus is the #1 cause of problems on cruise ships.  You have more opportunities for "food poisoning" on land.  On land bacterial and parasitic infections are also possible.  It really comes down to where you eat on land.  

 

My last bad experience with food happened several years ago on a land vacation in Huatulco, Mexico.  It was a very simple restaurant.  We saw the same sink used for cleaning plates also being used for giving a baby a bath.  Also, it was off season and the food that I ate might have been pretty old. 

[BoozinCroozin]

We have done theme parks most of our daughter's life because she is a single child. Now a teen, she needs vacations with others her age to hangout with. In all of our trips to Disney World, Universal Studios, Busch Gardens, we have not once had any type of stomach bug. 

[jtwind]

1 minute ago, BoozinCroozin said:

We have done theme parks most of our daughter's life because she is a single child. Now a teen, she needs vacations with others her age to hangout with. In all of our trips to Disney World, Universal Studios, Busch Gardens, we have not once had any type of stomach bug. 

 

I'd agree, in US.  But in some countries that we've visited via cruise, my spouse and I have made agreements that we wouldn't eat while ashore.

[iancal]

Never been ill on either.  Pre covid we traveled four months or more per year.  Eat food in the markets in Thailand and Vietnam.  Seven weeks traveling independently through Mexico last winter.  Never an issue with food.

[clo]

5 minutes ago, iancal said:

Never been ill on either.  Pre covid we traveled four months or more per year.  Eat food in the markets in Thailand and Vietnam.  Seven weeks traveling independently through Mexico last winter.  Never an issue with food.

Nor we. I drink tap water all over the world - except Cusco, Peru, as there was 'particulate' floating in it 🙂 The only time I've been sick was from salmonella tainted peanut butter, made in the US, that hadn't gotten removed from the shelf in a Rio grocery. We've eaten chicken at street markets in Guatemala, rat in Thailand from a roadside vendor.  I've wondered if our adventuresome palates have strengthened our immune system. We would likely stop traveling if we couldn't eat the local food.

PS: I love those little low-to-the-ground stools in Vietnam 🙂

[jtwind]

You two are so lucky.  I'm seriously jealous.  I would love to be able to eat street food anywhere and everywhere.

[clo]

3 minutes ago, jtwind said:

You two are so lucky.  I'm seriously jealous.  I would love to be able to eat street food anywhere and everywhere.

So have you gotten sick more than once?  I've read that one shouldn't eat raw fruit and vegetables and, of course, bottled water. Has your doctor recommended anything that you could take prophylactically? 

[Spif Barwunkel]

By far, the majority of belly problems on cruise ships occur among the masses whose unfettered, cult like actions are faithfully tied to the practice of "gluttony."  Belly problems notwithstanding, to them the process of getting there is worth it. I refuse to be lured in to this vast horde of true gastronomes. 

 

Nothing against these good folks. Basically, they are passive and slow-moving except when it is time to feed.  

[jtwind]

31 minutes ago, clo said:

So have you gotten sick more than once?  I've read that one shouldn't eat raw fruit and vegetables and, of course, bottled water. Has your doctor recommended anything that you could take prophylactically? 

 

Mexico, Egypt.  So, for example, we would choose to not eat street food in China.  We'd really like to.  But we would not see it as being worth it at the risk of screwing up a few days of travel.  While traveling in China, we'd see a cruise ship meal as being a safer option.  I know that it could be done safely, just not worth the chance.

 

So far, it would seem that people who don't get sick while eating on land based trips or shore excursions don't get sick from cruise food either.  This lines up with what people I know say.

[mom says]

I've never had a GI problem when on a cruise.  Even though we frequently eat while ashore in ports. And yes, that might include street food  ( Singapore and Thailand stand out for us). 

 

I've also never had a GI problem while doing land vacations in Europe, Asia , or the Caribbean.  And we certainly don't restrict ourselves to only eating at our hotels while there

 

Ironically,  the only time the family had a problem was during a trip to WDW, when we all became sick as dogs on the 6th day. 

 

However we are careful where we eat.  We look for places heavily attended by locals. If street food,  we look at how the food is stored and prepared.  And we are scrupulous with our hand hygiene.  

 

I wonder, if the OP has frequent problems in this area,  if they shouldn't be speaking to a travel clinic about how to deal with this.

[Sea42]

I have never had any food related illness on vacation yet my husband does almost every trip. We eat at the same places and most times sample each others food. People have different immune and digestive systems. It doesn't mean someone is a glutton!

1 hour ago, Spif Barwunkel said:

By far, the majority of belly problems on cruise ships occur among the masses whose unfettered, cult like actions are faithfully tied to the practice of "gluttony."

 

[clo]

31 minutes ago, mom says said:

I wonder, if the OP has frequent problems in this area,  if they shouldn't be speaking to a travel clinic about how to deal with this.

Which I kinda asked.

 

Also noro-virus is contagious person to person. Whereas 'food poisoning' isn't so, no to OP. They're not the same people. As far as regularly getting sick on shore, I agree that various things can cause it. Including "natural flora and fauna," which of course will vary from location to location.

[sfaaa]

Washy washy.

[Ashland]

The only place we are cautious is in China. First trip there extremely so ... subsequent trips less and less...but still avoid the water and ice in our drinks. But have never gotten sick when traveling by land or sea. However I do think I got a bit of a bug once on a flight.

[sfaaa]

Hit the gym on the ship. It's free and equipped with sanitized wipes.

[neverbeenhere]

As far as belly problems, I've shedded the unnecessary 30lb over the last year. Not rock hard abs, but no "belly problem".

[bonsai3s]

23 minutes ago, neverbeenhere said:

As far as belly problems, I've shredded the unnecessary 30lb over the last year. Not rock hard abs, but no "belly problem".

 

Same here. ☺️

Without cruising (and all the food and drinks to go with it), we have been on IF, Intermittent Fasting, since the beginning of the pandemic.  Disclosure: I did start a thread on IF a while back.

We are extremely happy to have lost that excess 30 pounds...but we are ready to put them back on...wishing cruises would start again.  On topic, we've been fortunate...no problems so far.

[Hlitner]

I think the OP makes a big mistake to limit the discussion to "belly" issues.  As long time (more then 4 decades) frequent cruisers we have never, ever cited "belly" problems as an issue that caused us concern with cruises.  But we have been among those who have posted that more land based trips will replace our 100+ cruise days a year...because of changes in the cruise industry.   We have made it clear that our independent travel habit does not work with mandatory cruise excursions.  That issue alone is enough to drive us away from all cruising.  As long as we can walk, talk. and do our own thing we are not about to cave in to large group excursions!  

 

Let me be clear that DW and I would be happy to spend the rest of our days doing extensive cruises.  But we understand that one needs to adapt and if the cruise lines choose to go in a different direction they will not be a big part of our future.  The  post COVID rules being suggested as part of cruises are a complete deal breaker of DW and me.   If it comes down to sitting at a table in a favorite Piazza Novana cafe and gawking at some large cruise/tour groups...then so be it!   Would we miss our cruising?   Absolutely!  But we would not give up our travel independence to take any cruise.

[Love.II.Cruise]

Well, I'll say this.  We always lose weight on a cruise.  We eat healthier and are much more mobile.  As far as belly issues, the last one I can really recall was when we got off the ship in Ensenada, Mexico and decided to go to a ceviche food truck that Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern went to (2 separate shows).  That was a very bad idea at 4:30pm in the afternoon in Jan.  SOOOOO SICK!  🤮🤢💩

[ldubs]

4 hours ago, Love.II.Cruise said:

Well, I'll say this.  We always lose weight on a cruise.  We eat healthier and are much more mobile.  As far as belly issues, the last one I can really recall was when we got off the ship in Ensenada, Mexico and decided to go to a ceviche food truck that Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern went to (2 separate shows).  That was a very bad idea at 4:30pm in the afternoon in Jan.  SOOOOO SICK!  🤮🤢💩

 

Same here -- generally always lose a few pounds on a cruise.  But it is really the additional exercise opportunity I think as I really don't eat better than I do at home.  

 

Sounds like you probably lost a few pounds in Ensenada.  Food poisoning is an awful experience.  

[K32682]

It's the difference between bacterial and viral spread. The risk from salmonella, e-coli and listeria, the most common food-borne bacteria, is primarily to the person eating the food. They are not easily spread to others unlike Noro or COVID. 

 

The problem is that cramped quarters on cruise ships facilitate the transmission of viruses so it is entirely fair to criticize cruises for putting people into circumstances where the risk of viral transmission is significantly higher than land-based vacations. 

[JRG]

12 hours ago, bonsai3s said:

Same here.

 

Same here too.   Started 2020 with a managed-portion low-carb Atkins type plan and then switched after 2 months to a high-fat Keto plan (think bacon) and good-bye 30 big ones.   

 

I also burn off alot of calories reading some of our daily posts here too.

 

 

[pris993]

14 hours ago, Love.II.Cruise said:

Well, I'll say this.  We always lose weight on a cruise.  We eat healthier and are much more mobile.  As far as belly issues, the last one I can really recall was when we got off the ship in Ensenada, Mexico and decided to go to a ceviche food truck that Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern went to (2 separate shows).  That was a very bad idea at 4:30pm in the afternoon in Jan.  SOOOOO SICK!  🤮🤢💩

I don't trust food trucks anywhere.

[clo]

40 minutes ago, pris993 said:

I don't trust food trucks anywhere.

Omigosh. NY, SF, SFO, etc. food trucks are a fave of ours. Why don't you trust them? Bad experiences?