We keep hearing stories about people getting sick and other cruise problems. We’ve cruised several times a year for the past 25, and can honestly report that we were never sick once. Of course, it hasn’t been all sunshine and smooth sailing.

On several of our cruises, passengers and crew members were sick or hurt, and some needed hospital treatment. Most news stories don't mention an important factor when reporting cruise ship illnesses. Many passengers are elderly, retired folks who bring preconditions aboard with them.

We’ve also heard of instances when passengers were robbed on shore excursions because they wandered off the main streets at night into unfamiliar and potentially dangerous port neighborhoods. The same could have happened to them if they had ventured into unsafe areas of London, New York, Paris, Chicago, Tokyo, Rome or Los Angeles. Newer ships take 3,000 or more passengers, and everyone rubs shoulders at meals, social events, theater, the pool, spa and other areas aboard. When at sea, we always take the usual precautions to keep ourselves healthy in crowds as we do ashore.

We bring enough meds to last the entire voyage plus a week. We carry info for instant contact with doctor(s). Before we sail, we ask for prescription and drugstore shelf medications for seasickness, upset stomach, simple colds and other minor ailments. 

When we wander in port cities, we go easy on the native foods and drinks from street vendors and in restaurants. We carry bottled water and eat only fully-cooked or packaged food. We rarely eat ashore on cruises, because of the all-inclusive meals served aboard.

For us, the advantages of cruising far outweigh the infrequent problems. You go aboard, unpack and the rest of it is pure pleasure within easy walking distance from your comfortable cabin. You experience great food, entertainment, spas, activities and exciting port city excursions.