sick on cruises

[Buck Turgidson]

during my last few cruises I seem to get sick like a head cold or sinus congestion after about 10 days of cruising, this is over the last 10 years or so, I'm am 71 yo but eat well at home and regular exercise. Maybe it's the AC? I wash hands often 

Edited November 23, 2021 by Buck Turgidson

[cruisemom42]

It's the exposure to many people at close quarter over a period of days -- same thing that causes COVID infections.

 

I imagine that on cruise lines requiring masks be worn, transmission of these types of respiratory infections has also decreased.

[chengkp75]

It is likely the AC, but not as most would think.  The AC system dries out the air far more than a home system, or even land based commercial systems do, to reduce corrosion.  This dry air dries out your mucus membranes in your nose, eliminating this most important barrier to pathogens.

[LHT28]

I would end up with an URI   on several winter cruises

so took a small travel humidifier last 2 cruises to use at night in the cabin

it worked

Plus  spending more time outside  than inside helps also

 

 On  a rough crossing  we could not go outside for days  & many people were sick

DH had to go to the medical centre for antibiotics

[lissie]

9 hours ago, LHT28 said:

I would end up with an URI   on several winter cruises

so took a small travel humidifier last 2 cruises to use at night in the cabin

it worked

Plus  spending more time outside  than inside helps also

 

 On  a rough crossing  we could not go outside for days  & many people were sick

DH had to go to the medical centre for antibiotics

Hmmm just put a humdifier on my list. i travelled in the Tibetean region of China a few years ago - very high, very dry. I had a continuous cough. I got to a more "fancy" town and the fancy hotel had a  humidifier which I thought was just a gadget to clutter up the bedside table - but my cough disappeared within hours - incredible difference 

[Nebr.cruiser]

My husband seems to have this problem often--I sometimes think it is something he picked up on the plane.  With masking, maybe this year it will be better.

[jwattle]

21 hours ago, Buck Turgidson said:

during my last few cruises I seem to get sick like a head cold or sinus congestion after about 10 days of cruising, this is over the last 10 years or so, I'm am 71 yo but eat well at home and regular exercise. Maybe it's the AC? I wash hands often 

Try a regimen of Airborne or Emergen-C a couple of days before and during the cruise; can't hurt, might help! 🙂

[mom says]

Cruise crud.  As common as the cold. A web search will pop up all kinds of theories as to causation and an equal number of postulated treatments/preventatives. Usually it's bothersome but self limiting.

[Markanddonna]

Some people just get that cruise crud. I tend to not, but my poor husband regularly travels with a little pharmacy. He's just as careful as I am but gets sick over almost every cruise.

 

On our last cruise in mid Feb 2020 which was a two week B2B, the first week was lovely and I thought it was perhaps the healthiest group of passengers I ever traveled with. Then, a huge number of school age kids came onboard and the ship was nasty, with coughing and sneezing people all over the place. Really, on the second last day, I just wanted to bubble wrap myself and go home early!  I never encountered so many people who just coughed and sneezed into the air. Yuk.

[pris993]

We had a similar problem for many years, until I decided the air conditioning might be contributing.  Once I started to turn on the heat to the lowest sitting, so we were not sleeping under cool air from the air conditioning, we no longer had the problem.    Even in warm weather ports, when we go to bed I turn on the heat to turn off cold air in the cabin.    Worked for us.  We do this plus wash hands, use bath in cabin as much as possible to avoid picking up germs from others. 

[cruisingguy007]

On 11/24/2021 at 8:53 AM, jwattle said:

Try a regimen of Airborne or Emergen-C a couple of days before and during the cruise; can't hurt, might help! 🙂

 

A CDZ vitamin a day can help as well.  

[Elaine5715]

On 11/24/2021 at 11:53 AM, jwattle said:

Try a regimen of Airborne or Emergen-C a couple of days before and during the cruise; can't hurt, might help! 🙂

Can hurt which is why they were sued

[Elaine5715]

On a recent flight with a newer plane,  they were humidifying the air.  I found it to be noticeable.  I also need to run humidifiers at home and work to keep nasal passages from drying out which prevents nose bleeds for me.  Having nose bleeds puts one at a more susceptible risk for respiratory illnesses  

[jwattle]

6 hours ago, Elaine5715 said:

Can hurt which is why they were sued

They were sued because they claimed to cure and prevent colds, unproven...not because they caused harm

[navybankerteacher]

On 11/25/2021 at 10:12 AM, Markanddonna said:

Some people just get that cruise crud. I tend to not, but my poor husband regularly travels with a little pharmacy. He's just as careful as I am but gets sick over almost every cruise.

 

On our last cruise in mid Feb 2020 which was a two week B2B, the first week was lovely and I thought it was perhaps the healthiest group of passengers I ever traveled with. Then, a huge number of school age kids came onboard and the ship was nasty, with coughing and sneezing people all over the place. Really, on the second last day, I just wanted to bubble wrap myself and go home early!  I never encountered so many people who just coughed and sneezed into the air. Yuk.

Bet you never sail during Presidents' Week again  --- a painful lesson to learn.

[Elaine5715]

6 hours ago, jwattle said:

They were sued because they claimed to cure and prevent colds, unproven...not because they caused harm

That is harm and why they paid 

[jwattle]

2 hours ago, Elaine5715 said:

That is harm and why they paid 

That is false advertising... An exaggeration, not physical harm.

[ldubs]

On 11/24/2021 at 8:53 AM, jwattle said:

Try a regimen of Airborne or Emergen-C a couple of days before and during the cruise; can't hurt, might help! 🙂

 

20 hours ago, jwattle said:

They were sued because they claimed to cure and prevent colds, unproven...not because they caused harm

 

Aw man, I wish you hadn't brought this up.  All this time I was thinking Airborne helped.  Now that I know, the placebo effect probably will no longer work!  Guess I'll go back to less expensive doses of Vitamin C.  😃

[mom says]

Get a cold  and it will usually be gone in a week. Treat it with OTC remedies and it will usually be gone in 7 days.

[dobiemom]

On 11/23/2021 at 11:13 AM, chengkp75 said:

It is likely the AC, but not as most would think.  The AC system dries out the air far more than a home system, or even land based commercial systems do, to reduce corrosion.  This dry air dries out your mucus membranes in your nose, eliminating this most important barrier to pathogens.

 

On 12/3/2021 at 7:06 AM, Elaine5715 said:

On a recent flight with a newer plane,  they were humidifying the air.  I found it to be noticeable.  I also need to run humidifiers at home and work to keep nasal passages from drying out which prevents nose bleeds for me.  Having nose bleeds puts one at a more susceptible risk for respiratory illnesses  

I used to travel a bit for work. The AC in hotels made the air so dry (both the room and conference rooms) I always ended up with an upper respiratory infection after a trip. (Once I got sick towards the end of a trip. It was agony flying home. 😨) Same thing but less severe on a cruise. 

I started bringing a vaporizer when traveling and I no longer have that problem. 

[ldubs]

1 hour ago, dobiemom said:

 

I used to travel a bit for work. The AC in hotels made the air so dry (both the room and conference rooms) I always ended up with an upper respiratory infection after a trip. (Once I got sick towards the end of a trip. It was agony flying home. 😨) Same thing but less severe on a cruise. 

I started bringing a vaporizer when traveling and I no longer have that problem. 

 

Happened consistently to me on any flight over 2 or 3 hours.   Then some Doc on the radio says avoid alcohol & soda and drink lots of water instead (on the plane of course).  Seemed to work for me.  Except, an aisle seat became more essential.  😀😀😀