cruise ship australia 800 covid

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A cruise ship with 800 covid cases docks in Sydney

An earlier version of this story said the Ruby Princess cruise ship is owned by Carnival Cruise Line. The ship is owned by the Carnival Corporation. The story has been corrected.

A cruise ship carrying some 800 people who have tested positive for the coronavirus docked in downtown Sydney on Saturday, triggering memories of a deadly ship-related outbreak in Australia’s largest city in the early, pre-vaccine days of the pandemic.

The Majestic Princess, which returned from New Zealand, is carrying more than 4,000 people, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corp (ABC). Princess Cruises, the cruise line, said in a statement that all guests onboard took a rapid antigen test within 24 hours of disembarking and that passengers who had tested positive would exit separately and not take public transport. Australia no longer requires people who have tested positive for the virus to isolate, though local authorities have issued guidance that covid patients onboard ships should isolate for five days after testing positive.

“Our onboard medical team will continue to support guests until they disembark,” Princess Cruises said in a statement. It did not respond to a question about whether customers who had tested positive could isolate onboard until they recovered, though the company said it would help guests access accommodation for isolation. The Majestic Princess was scheduled to soon sail to Melbourne, Australia’s second-largest city.

The health department of New South Wales, the state in which Sydney is located, said in a separate statement that patients had been isolating onboard. State authorities said that there was a “Tier 3” covid risk level aboard the Majestic Princess, indicating a “high level of transmission.”

Cruise ships have been a potent incubator for the coronavirus. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention monitored such ships for transmission at sea for about two years ; it also warned against cruise travel amid the omicron spike during last year’s holiday season. The CDC still recommends getting vaccinated and taking a coronavirus test before boarding a cruise ship.

In early 2020, Carnival Corporation’s Ruby Princess allowed thousands of passengers to disembark in Sydney, placing the cruise ship at the center of one of Australia’s largest covid outbreaks. At least 28 people died and 700 cases were linked to the ship, according to the ABC . Another Carnival ship, the Diamond Princess , also logged 12 Covid-related fatalities earlier that year, including the first Australian national to die of the virus.

But the country has since lifted coronavirus restrictions on international travel: Proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test are no longer required for entry, and mask-wearing on international flights is encouraged but not mandatory, according to Australia’s Department of Health and Aged Care.

The absence of restrictions is a far cry from how Australia first handled the pandemic. Sydney, the commercial capital, enacted a 106-day lockdown in 2021, while Melbourne endured the world’s longest stay-at-home lockdown. Australia also closed its borders to nearly all international travelers for nearly two years , reopening in February. It deported tennis ace Novak Djokovic for being unvaccinated, preventing him from competing in this year’s Australian Open. The country has one of the lowest covid death rates in the Western world.

One side effect of cruise covid rules: Norovirus has plummeted

Australia’s reopening came after it achieved one of the world’s highest immunization rates. As of Nov. 9, nearly 96 percent of residents older than 16 have received two doses of a coronavirus vaccine . The country of 25.7 million people reported a seven-day rolling average of 12 deaths on Friday, or about half that of a month ago.

But New South Wales authorities said this week that the state had entered a new wave of the pandemic, and some medical experts fear that the upcoming holiday season will trigger a spike in infections that could challenge the hospital system in a country that has removed virtually all curbs on the virus.

“If the major public hospitals on the east coast aren’t overwhelmed with patients and facing staff shortages over the holiday break - I’ll donate $1000 to charity,” tweeted physician Steve Robson, president of the Australian Medical Association, in response to news of infections on board the Majestic Princess. (Most of Australia’s population lives on its east coast.)

Katerina Ang contributed to this report.

Princess cruise ship with at least 800 positive COVID-19 cases docks in Australia

A cruise ship carrying at least 800 passengers infected with COVID-19 has docked in Sydney, Australia, multiple outlets reported.

The Majestic Princess , which returned from New Zealand, was carrying more than 4,000 people aboard, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corp .

Princess Cruises, the cruise line, said in a statement that all guests onboard the holiday cruise took a rapid antigen test within less than a day of disembarking and passengers who had tested positive would exit separately and not take public transport, the Washington Post reported Saturday.

“Our onboard medical team will continue to support guests until they disembark,” the cruise line said in a statement.

The cruise line did not say whether guests who had tested positive could isolate onboard until they recovered, the outlet reported, though the company said it would help guests access accommodation for isolation.

Fact Check: No evidence that DJ Mighty Mouse's death was linked to the COVID-19 vaccine

Marguerite Fitzgerald, the president of cruise operator Carnival Australia, told the BBC a large number of cases started to be detected about halfway through the 12-day voyage. Princess Cruises is part of the Carnival Corporation.

All cases were either asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic, Fitzgerald said.

COVID and Disney Cruise line update: Royal Caribbean, Disney Cruise Line further lift COVID-19 requirements

As of Saturday, the Majestic Princess was scheduled to set sail to Melbourne, Australia.

Australia no longer requires people who have tested positive for the virus to isolate, though local authorities have issued guidance that coronavirus patients onboard ships should isolate for five days after testing positive.

Natalie Neysa Alund covers trending news for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter  @nataliealund .

Hundreds of COVID-positive passengers disembarked cruise ship in Sydney

Around 800 people were infected on board the majestic princess..

The Majestic Princess cruise ship docked in Sydney with about 800 COVID-19 positive people aboard before heading to Melbourne and then Tasmania. Source: AAP / DEAN LEWINS/AAPIMAGE

• About 800 passengers were infected with COVID-19 on board the Majestic Princess.
• NSW Health says the COVID risk level for the ship is Tier 3, indicating a high level of transmission.
• At least 580 positive cases disembarked from the ship in Sydney.

Queensland is re-introducing COVID-19 rules amid a surge in cases. Will other states follow?

Return of cruise ships to Australia not a heal-all for ailing tourism sector

'poor communication upset us', covid-positive passengers told to isolate, nsw health says covid risk level is high.

Ruby Princess inquiry slams 'inexplicable' and 'unjustifiable' decisions by NSW Health

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Cruise ship docks in Sydney after 800 people on board infected by COVID outbreak

• A cruise ship where 800 people on board have tested positive for COVID has docked in Sydney.
• The president of the cruise operator said cases began to rise halfway through the voyage. 
•  54,661 cases of COVID were reported across Australia in the last week. 

A cruise ship suffering a major COVID outbreak has docked in Sydney, Australia.

The BBC reports that approximately 4,600 passengers and crew were aboard the luxury Majestic Princess, and 800 people were affected by the outbreak of the viral bug. 

President of the cruise operator Carnival Australia Marguerite Fitzgerald told ABC Australia that they began seeing many cases halfway through the 12-day cruise around New Zealand, with all cases either asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic. 

Related stories

She told the news outlet, "Reflective of the increase in community transmissions, we too have seen more guests test positive for COVID-19 on the current voyage of Majestic Princess. This is a result of mass testing of our 3,300 guests."

She added that staff would be assisting all COVID-positive guests "with accessing private transport and accommodation to complete their isolation period," according to ABC. 

One passenger told ABC, per The Guardian: "It was scary because we heard about it, but of course, we tested negative, and the Majestic Princess were really good with the protocols. [We] wore masks for these last seven days, and we were very careful when we went ashore."

Carnival Australia did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. 

COVID cases are spiking across Australia, with 54,661 cases reported across the country in the last week, said The Guardian.

According to Reuters , Australian authorities have been working to assure the public that this ship outbreak is under control. Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil said that authorities had created "regular protocols" since the March-April 2020 Ruby Princess outbreak when hundreds caught COVID-19-linked an Australian cruise around the coast of New Zealand, and 28 people died.

O'Neil told Reuters that the authorities are determining how to get passengers off the Majestic Princess "on a case-by-case basis."

The ship will soon depart for Melbourne, Australia.

Watch: The rise and fall of the cruise industry

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VIDEO : Carnival Australia briefs media as ship with 800 COVID cases docks

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The President of Carnival Australia says health protocols are being followed, as a cruise ship with 800 cases of COVID-19 docks in Sydney.

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More Than 800 Passengers Got COVID On A Cruise Ship, Which Then Let People Off In Australia

The cases are all mild or asymptomatic.

BuzzFeed News Reporter

The Majestic Princess cruise ship docked at the International Terminal at Circular Quay in Sydney on Nov. 12, 2022.

Passengers on a cruise ship where more than 800 people tested positive for COVID-19 disembarked on Saturday in Sydney.

The Majestic Princess returned from a 12-day voyage to New Zealand carrying more than 4,000 people, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corp . That means 20% of the people on board got COVID.

Marguerite Fitzgerald, the president of the ship’s cruise operator Carnival Australia, said at a Saturday press conference that cases started to rise about halfway through the trip. She also said that all cases were mild or asymptomatic.

A spokesperson for the ship’s cruise line, Princess Cruises, said in a statement that all guests on board took rapid antigen tests within 24 hours of disembarking. Those who tested positive were told to exit separately from others and to avoid public transportation. Cruise line staff were also helping people who were positive find accommodations to continue isolating, Princess Cruises Senior Vice President Stuart Allison said in a statement to Australian outlet 9 News .

The Majestic Princess prepares to depart from Sydney in November 2022.

In an additional statement to CNN , Fitzgerald said the cruise operator has been implementing “the most rigorous and strict measures which go well above current guidelines,” including testing staff and passengers for COVID before they board and requiring 95% of guests over the age of 12 to be vaccinated. She said that Carnival Australia ships have made more than 50 voyages, “with a vast majority of more than 100,000 guests unimpacted by COVID.”

“However, the emergence of COVID in the community has meant we have seen a rise in positive cases on the last three voyages,” she added.

The Majestic Princess has since continued on to Melbourne, carrying 220 people from the original New Zealand cruise, SBS News reported . That means at least 580 people who got COVID on the ship disembarked in Sydney.

The Majestic Princess docked in Sydney

After Australia closed its borders for two years, tourism is back in the country, and neither proof of vaccination nor a negative COVID test is required to enter. The country also no longer requires people with positive COVID tests to isolate, but local authorities in New South Wales advised individuals who test positive to isolate for five days after. These relaxed guidelines serve as a sharp contrast with Australia's once-intense COVID regulations .

Carnival cruise ships have been incubators for COVID in the past. In March 2020, the Ruby Princess allowed thousands of passengers to disembark in Sydney. At least 700 cases were linked to the ship, and at least 28 people died, according to the ABC . There were 12 COVID-related fatalities later that year linked to the Diamond Princess .

“Didn’t… didn’t we already do this?” one Twitter user wrote in response to the news about the 800 COVID cases on the Majestic Princess .

Other users are raising questions about how safe it is to cruise while the pandemic is ongoing, even if vaccines provide protection against severe illness.

The Twindenberg @jonkudelka I didn’t understand why anyone would pay to go on a cruise ship before covid but seriously how much would you have to hate yourself to do it now? 12:33 AM - 12 Nov 2022 Reply Retweet Favorite

The Cockatoo @DarcyAmaroo Back to square one. That’s how it started. A cruise ship docking with hundreds of cases of Covid on board. Why would you go on a crowded cruise ship with Covid still spreading through the population? 08:32 PM - 11 Nov 2022 Reply Retweet Favorite

covid is not over @twee_i_a I get it, I really do. The need 2 get back to a "normal life" is absolutely critical for all of us. But we are going to have to realize that for ALL of us to have any hope of doing that, many of us are going to have to change the way we go about things. Cruises are not necessary. 07:26 PM - 11 Nov 2022 Reply Retweet Favorite

MelissaD 🔥💧🐨🌱💓🌍 😷 @D_Melissa2 If cruise ships are going to have 800+ Covid-19 🦠 + cases of people disembarking from them we really need to talk about responsibilities to the community. 11:12 PM - 11 Nov 2022 Reply Retweet Favorite

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Over 800 people tested positive for COVID on an Australian cruise ship. Are Florida cruises safe?

• Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again later. More content below

A cruise ship carrying at least 800 passengers infected with COVID-19 arrived in Sydney, Australia from New Zealand, multiple sources reported .

The Majestic Princess of Princess Cruises, part of the Carnival Corporation, was carrying more than 3,000 passengers and 1,000 crewmembers according to the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Marguerite Fitzgerald, the president of cruise operator Carnival Australia, told the BBC that all the cases were either asymptomatic or mild.

"Reflective of the increase in community transmissions, we too have seen more guests test positive for COVID-19 on the current voyage of Majestic Princess. This is a result of mass testing of our 3,300 guests," Fitzgerald said .

As Florida's numbers begin to rise again , should you be thinking about canceling that cruise?

The Majestic Princess: Princess cruise ship with at least 800 positive COVID-19 cases docks in Australia

Not quite a surge: Florida COVID cases rising again as BQ subvariants of omicron spread

Is Florida seeing another COVID surge?

Not yet, no. Cases appear to be on a slight upswing as we head into cold and flu season with the highest weekly addition last week since the last week of September when new omicron variants were spreading. But it's still a much slower rise than previous variant-fueled surges.

Lots of new omicron variants have popped up such as BQ.1, BF.7, and BN.1, and they make up most of the COVID infections across the southeastern United States now, but they're not anywhere near as prevalent as what we saw over the summer with BA.4 and BA.5. The so-called "nightmare" omicron variant , XBB, remains rare in Florida.

This doesn't mean you can't catch it, however.

What are the COVID testing requirements for Florida cruises?

Most major cruise lines have dropped their requirements for vaccinated guests or are about to.

Royal Caribbean International is no longer requiring pre-cruise testing on most sailings, according to its website .

Guests 12 and older who are not fully vaccinated on cruises from the United States and the Caribbean with stops in Colombia, Haiti or Honduras need to take a test within three days before their cruise. All passengers 2 and older sailing from Australia also need to test prior to boarding, as do those 5 and up on transatlantic cruises. The day you set sail is not counted as one of the days.

As of Monday, November 14, Disney Cruise Line will no longer require testing regardless of vaccination status for sailings from the U.S., according to its website . They still highly recommend that you get vaccinated.

COVID testing required? Royal Caribbean, Disney Cruise Line further lift COVID-19 requirements

'Was it worth the risk? I don't think so': What it's like to cruise with fewer COVID rules

'Hell of a Cruise': Highlighting the panic, failures of the COVID early days

Major lines including Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line , Princess Cruises and Virgin Voyages also removed all remaining testing and vaccination requirements for many voyages in recent weeks.

"However, irrespective of vaccination status, we encourage all guests 5 years and older to test three days prior to their cruise," Carnival spokesperson Matt Lupoli told USA TODAY in an emailed statement.

There are no testing requirements for entering Mexico from the U.S.

With relaxed COVID guidelines, is it safe to take a cruise?

That's up to you, your level of comfort, and your own medical situation.

Traveling by cruise will expose you to other people in an enclosed location for long periods of time, not a great thing for easily-spread respiratory viruses. Fortunately, the immunity from being fully vaccinated seems to have helped arrest the spread.

If you have a weakened immune system, however, or are at increased risk for severe disease, or you're traveling with someone with those risk factors, you should talk to your healthcare provider first.

'We're kind of out of cruising for a while': Ending COVID-19 requirements only brought new limits for some high-risk travelers

More: I got COVID while traveling, here's what I wish I knew (and what I needed) to go back home

Do not travel or board a cruise ship if you tested positive for COVID-19 less than 10 days ago . Follow the CDC recommendations for isolation . If you were exposed to a person with COVID in the past 10 days, get tested yourself at least 5 full days after the last exposure and wear a high-quality mask around other people .

What can I do to avoid COVID on a cruise?

First and foremost, get up to date on your vaccinations and boosters, particularly the latest bivalent booster that attacks the variants as well as the original coronavirus strain.

Consider wearing an N95 or other high-quality mask in crowded settings, especially indoors. Dr. Wafaa El-Sadr, a professor of epidemiology and medicine at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, recommends travelers wear the highest-quality mask they can get that they can tolerate. "If you can't tolerate (it), you're going to take it off," she said.

Spend as much time as you can outdoors and away from crowds.

Bring rapid tests with you in case you (or someone around you) start showing symptoms.

"I feel like for someone who is immunosuppressed or have other severe comorbidities that are not well-controlled, I think it behooves them to do whatever they can within reason to protect themselves, while at the same time enjoying all the pleasures of travel," El-Sadr said.

You may want to consider getting travel insurance that covers health care and emergency evacuation, especially if you're traveling to remote areas.

Contributors: Nathan Diller, USA TODAY; Chris Persaud, Palm Beach Post

C. A. Bridges is a Digital Producer for the USA TODAY Network, working with multiple newsrooms across Florida. Local journalists work hard to keep you informed about the things you care about, and you can support them by subscribing to your local news organization . Read more articles by Chris here and follow him on Twitter at @cabridges

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: COVID on cruise ships: How safe are Florida cruise lines as numbers rise?

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Grand Princess cruise ship hit by double Covid and gastro outbreaks docks in Adelaide

South Australia Health says infections now back to normal levels ‘you would expect on any cruise ship’

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A double outbreak of Covid-19 and gastroenteritis on a cruise ship has been declared over after it docked in Adelaide and passengers disembarked on Monday morning.

South Australia Health said the remaining cases on the Grand Princess cruise ship, operated by Princess Cruises, were “consistent with numbers you would expect on any cruise ship”.

Princess Cruises said there was no current double outbreak on the ship, which had a capacity for 2,600 passengers and 1,150 crew members and was on a four day round trip from Adelaide to Melbourne. A spokesperson said the number of unwell guests with symptoms was in the “single digits”.

The spokesperson said on a previous trip, which was a 14 day round trip from Melbourne to Queensland, a number of people had symptoms of a respiratory and gastrointestinal illness.

“While most guests were unaffected by illness on that voyage, we proactively launched a comprehensive disinfection program, developed in coordination with international health authorities to prevent further spread,” they said.

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The South Australian premier, Peter Malinauskas, said those on board the ship that arrive in Adelaide on Monday and needed urgent care would be transported to hospital facilities in a way that was safe.

“It’s been something we’ve been monitoring pretty closely over the last 48 hours,” Malinauskas told Nine’s Today show on Monday.

“The good news is reports that we’ve got from the cruise operators that the number of cases presenting has actually dramatically decreased over the course of the last couple of days.”

SA Health said in a statement the ship docked in Melbourne on Saturday to undergo a clean and all passengers disembarked while that was undertaken.

Princess Cruises said the ship will again be disinfected in Adelaide on Monday before returning to Melbourne.

Maureen Monk, a passenger aboard the ship, told ABC passengers started reporting feeling unwell on the second day of the cruise. After that, more and more were confined to their rooms.

She said she felt a lack of communication about the outbreaks created an “unsafe environment” for passengers.

It comes amid a new Covid wave in Australia, with 2,493 cases confirmed in South Australia on Friday following 1,700 confirmed cases the previous week. Cases have also risen nationally after a dip following the winter period, according to data from the federal health department.

There have also been warnings over a gastro outbreak in Australia, with cases in the past 12 months more than double the usual number .

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Easter 2024

17 reported hurt after river cruise ship hits a concrete passageway on the Danube in Austria

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Seventeen passengers were hurt when a Bulgarian river cruise ship lost steering and hit the sides of a lock on the Danube in Austria, the apa news agency reported Saturday. Eleven of the injured were taken to hospitals.

The ship with 142 passengers aboard, most of them from Germany, temporarily lost power to its electronics system and became unsteerable as it passed through narrow locks at 9:45 p.m. Friday, apa reported.

The ship’s power was restored but not before the bow and stern struck the concrete sides of the lock passage near the town of Aschach, a few miles upriver from Linz.

The ship sustained minor damage and continued to its next port. The cause of the loss of electrical power was under investigation.

What Happens If You Get Sick on a Cruise Ship?

W hether you prefer family cruises or adults-only cruises , no one wants to get sick while they're on vacation. This is especially true when you're on a ship—after all, it's tricky to cut your trip short if you're floating in the middle of an ocean. Plus, falling ill on a cruise ship can have bigger implications these days. There are considerations related to cruise ships and COVID-19 that are designed to keep everyone aboard safe and healthy.

If you're planning a trip on one of the best cruise lines or one of the most affordable ones, you need to know what to do if you feel under the weather on a cruise ship, whether it's a little sea sickness or a more serious illness or injury. Consider this advice some of the essential cruise tips that all passengers should keep in mind before they board.

Get  Reader's Digest ’s   Read Up newsletter for more travel, cleaning, humor, tech and fun facts all week long.

Are there still pre-boarding health checks?

Yes. To protect you as well as your fellow passengers and the crew, cruise ship staff screens passengers for health issues prior to boarding. You'll be asked to fill out a form that addresses health questions and illness symptoms like fever, vomiting and diarrhea. You may also have your temperature taken by walking through a thermal-imaging scanner. Checks for certification of COVID-19 vaccination or negative tests have, at least for now, ended (here are other recent changes that might affect your cruise ). A staff member may ask you additional questions, and you might be sent for secondary screening by a doctor. Should they determine that your or anyone else's health would be jeopardized, they may not let you board.

"It's always important to answer any pre-boarding health questionnaires truthfully and to report any signs of illness to the ship's crew as soon as symptoms arise," says Cruise Critic's editor-in-chief, Colleen McDaniel. Don't worry—it doesn't necessarily mean you won't be allowed to board or you'll wind up quarantined. Being honest not only affects your health and the health of everyone on the ship, but it could also affect the care you receive and any compensation either from the cruise line or your travel insurance if something goes wrong. We'll give you more details about insurance below.

What kind of medical facilities are on a cruise ship?

Choosing a cruise line that's a member of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)—the largest trade association for the cruise industry—means you'll know the ship meets or surpasses a minimum standard for health and safety. CLIA requires infirmaries to have an equipped examination room and a room for intensive care. Equipment is required to assess and monitor vital signs, administer medications and IV fluids and process some lab tests like checking blood sugar and electrolyte levels and diagnosing some infections. Other typical onboard equipment includes defibrillators, ventilators, cardiac monitors and stretchers. Some ships even have X-ray capabilities.

CLIA members must follow mandatory guidelines for their oceangoing ships, but many non-CLIA members have great medical facilities too. Check any cruise line's website before you book. The number of medical staff on board depends on the size of the ship. Larger ships usually have more than one doctor, as well as a combination of paramedics and nurses. All crew, regardless of their jobs, need to be trained in safety and first aid too.

What happens if you get sick on a cruise ship?

The medical staff on cruise ships can diagnose and treat some illnesses on board and prescribe medications too. While cruise ships typically stock a broad range of meds, including antibiotics, there's not always a large supply. Doctors may give you a prescription that you can fill at a pharmacy in the next port.

If medical staff are concerned about your condition, they may advise—and even require—you to seek the advice of specialists on shore, says William Spangler, MD, global medical director with AIG Travel. Port agents will often arrange a taxi or even an ambulance to the treatment center for you. In the best-case scenario, your appointment will be quick, your issue resolved or aided by the specialist, and you can hop back on board to your cruise cabin to heal while watching the scenery go by.

But that's not always a guarantee. "It's really up to the physician as to how comfortable they feel with keeping you aboard, versus disembarking you to make your way home or to a nearby facility where you can be definitively cared for," says Dr. Spangler. Sometimes it's the ship's itinerary that poses the problem. For example, if the ship has a number of days at sea before it reaches the next port, the ship's doctor and captain might be worried that you couldn't get the help you need if your condition worsens and could deny you continuing with your cruise.

Here are some of the more common illnesses and how they are typically handled onboard.

If you get seasick

Though ships are equipped with stabilizers to maximize comfort, seasickness can happen to even those with the strongest of stomachs in rough waters. Many cruise ships offer seasickness medication to passengers—sometimes it's free of charge and you can take pills from a basket outside the infirmary or at the purser's desk. Medication is also available at the gift shop.

However, it's wise to make a cruise packing list and travel with the medications or remedies that you know work for you, like Dramamine, Gravol or a motion sickness patch. Many people rely on sea sickness bracelets that activate a pressure point on the wrist. Ships' doctors can prescribe stronger medications if needed.

If you have a cold or other mild illness

Before COVID-19, colds and other minor respiratory illnesses were not taken as seriously as they are now. If you have any respiratory symptoms on a cruise, you may be asked to take a COVID test—likely on multiple days and with swabs of both the mouth and nostrils—to rule it out. If COVID-19 is ruled out and the ship's doctor thinks you likely do have just a cold , no one else on board wants to get a cold or other mild illness either. So be extra diligent about washing your hands often, and wear a KN/N95-type mask to keep your germs from spreading.

The ship's medical center will likely give you the same advice as you would get at home—drink lots of (nonalcoholic) fluids and rest. If the doctor suspects your symptoms are caused by bacteria rather than a virus, they may prescribe an antibiotic.

If you have COVID-19

If you come down with COVID-19 while you're on your cruise, you'll likely be quarantined in your cabin. It's important to prevent the spread, because it also affects the blood vessels, and one in 10 infections is causing long-term problems to the heart, circulatory system and brain. If you're quarantined, says Dr. Spangler, "they bring you your meals and they check on you once or twice a day accompanied by one of the ship's nurses." There's likely medication on board that will help ease some of your symptoms, but don't assume that the ship (or the country you're traveling in) will be able to provide antivirals like Paxlovid, even by prescription.

Dr. Spangler also notes that patients may be treated differently. He says a healthy, young person with COVID-19 would likely be quarantined in their cabin, but "if you're 75 years old, with a condition like COPD, hypertension or diabetes, you will likely be disembarked." Cruise ships rarely take chances with passengers that are very ill—or somewhat ill with the likelihood of getting worse.

Your key card will likely be deactivated while you're under quarantine. If you disobey the doctor's orders and leave your cabin anyway, you could be removed from the ship, and the cruise line may ban you from ever traveling with them again. Everything is "at the discretion of the ship's doctor," says Dr. Spangler, "and policies vary on different ships." Some ships will quarantine you for five days, and others will while you're showing symptoms, plus for another 72 hours beyond that to ensure you're symptom-free. Often you'll need to test negative on two antigen tests taken on subsequent days before your quarantine ends.

If you have norovirus

If you haven't heard of this one before, it's also known as viral gastroenteritis, which is highly contagious and presents with symptoms we commonly associate with food poisoning . It's not the stomach flu, though many people use this term to describe it. The CDC estimates there are about 20 million cases of norovirus in the United States annually. It can occur anywhere, and because it is very contagious, it spreads particularly easily when people are in close quarters—like on an all-inclusive cruise . You might hear about norovirus on cruise ships, because cruise lines are required to track outbreaks of gastrointestinal disease, though hotels and restaurants are not.

As with COVID-19, you might be quarantined in your cabin if the ship's doctor suspects you have a contagious disease like norovirus. The doctor may prescribe medications to prevent vomiting and diarrhea and give you advice to drink lots of fluids and rest as much as you can, but there is no treatment for norovirus, and it usually clears up after a few days.

When there are suspected cases of viral gastroenteritis onboard, many cruise ships change their operating procedures. This includes more frequent cleaning of high-touch items like door handles and railings, insisting that passengers sanitize their hands when entering dining rooms, and changing buffets so that it's only staff who touch the serving utensils. You might want to pop on a KN95-type mask too, as there's increasing evidence that norovirus is airborne.

If you have a medical emergency

If you have a serious problem like a heart attack or a stroke or need surgery, the ship's crew will do their best to treat and stabilize you until you can get to a facility at the nearest port that has the resources you need. Someone who has a heart attack or a stroke might be initially treated on board with a defibrillator or thrombolytic medications (which can help break up a blood clot). However, cruise ships' infirmaries are not hospitals, and they are not equipped to treat every health problem. Should the ship's doctor decide that you need care at an onshore hospital, they'll keep you as safe and comfortable as possible until you get there.

Sometimes that means being transferred by boat or helicopter to shore, even diverting the ship from its planned itinerary to reach shore faster. When you're too sick to be treated onboard, Dr. Spangler says, "the ship will disembark you at the next port, and it may not be anywhere near a major metropolis with highly rated medical facilities." It's a wise idea to have a travel insurance plan with robust medical evacuation coverage, since you must follow their orders if the ship's doctor decides you must be medically disembarked.

What happens if you get hurt on a cruise ship?

Dr. Spangler says that really depends on the size of the cruise ship as well as the type of injury. A cut needing a few stitches can usually be addressed on board, as can minor burns. And for something like a minor fracture or a broken arm, "they might provide a splint and pain medication to get you through the end of the cruise," says Dr. Spangler.

More serious bone breaks—like when the bone protrudes through the skin—will be handled differently, according to Dr. Spangler. "Obviously, with an open fracture, you're going to be disembarked after first aid is administered."

How much does it cost to see the doctor on a cruise ship?

Doctors on cruise ships are independent contractors and set their own rates. You can expect a basic visit to cost at least $100. Tests, medications and the use of equipment, like X-rays, will be charged separately.

If you do get sick or injured aboard a cruise ship, any medical costs will be added to your shipboard account. You'll then need to submit receipts to your insurance company to determine what will be reimbursed.

Will your regular medical insurance cover these expenses?

Your everyday medical insurance is unlikely to cover any medical expenses aboard a cruise ship, even if that ship is in U.S. waters. That means it's important to have good travel health insurance. It's a small price to pay for peace of mind and, if you do get sick or injured, coverage of potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars of medical expenses.

Prior to your trip, check your existing insurance to see what it covers and determine any additional insurance you need to purchase. Both third parties and cruise lines offer insurance, but insurance purchased from the cruise line may not be as comprehensive, and reimbursement might be in the form of credit for a future cruise rather than a cash refund. Every insurance policy is different; it pays to read the fine print.

Your insurance may or may not cover a full or partial refund if, for example, you're denied boarding, quarantined in your cabin or have to leave the cruise partway through. That depends both on the reason for not being able to continue with your cruise and the type of insurance you've purchased.

A good travel health insurance company can help you find the closest medical facility that's best suited to treat your condition and, assuming it's not nearby, help you get there, even if it requires expensive transportation. If your condition is very serious, many travel health insurance policies will help a family member get to you or arrange a medical evacuation for you to get home. If you had to pay for these services out of pocket, Dr. Spangler says the price tag could range "from $20,000 easily into the six figures."

How can you stay healthy on a cruise?

Cruise lines' crew work hard to keep everything clean to minimize the spread of communicable diseases, but it's up to you to be cautious as well.

It may bring you peace of mind to know that many cruise lines updated their HVAC and ventilation systems in the first few years of the COVID pandemic. This helps with not just the spread of COVID-19, but also colds, flus and even gastrointestinal diseases. You can also hang out on the deck of your cruise ship rather than indoors whenever possible.

Washing your hands frequently is also important to prevent illnesses. Sanitizer is better than nothing, but washing with soap and water does a better job—though here are the ways you might be washing your hands wrong . Aboard many cruise ships, you'll be asked to sanitize your hands when you enter the dining room. Washing your hands after you leave the restaurant or bar minimizes the spread of your germs too. That keeps everyone, including you, much safer.

Another stay-healthy tip is to try to touch fewer things. No one is suggesting not using the handrail on a staircase, but get in the habit of pushing the elevator button with your elbow and not putting your hands on the bar when you order a drink. And just FYI, if you're sharing these things that germ experts wouldn't share , you're putting yourself at an increased risk of getting sick.

Whenever you travel, you should bring a first-aid kit packed with these essentials  so you have key products on hand whenever you need them. For a cruise, add seasickness medication (whether in tablet form like Bonine and Dramamine, or motion sickness patches). Many people find that anti-nausea acupressure wristbands work for them.

• Colleen McDaniel, editor-in-chief of Cruise Critic
• William Spangler, MD, global medical director with AIG Travel
• Cruise Lines International Association: "Public Health and Medical"
• Cruise Critic: "Cruise Ship Doctors and Medical Facilities Onboard
• British Heart Foundation : "Is coronavirus a disease of the blood vessels?"
• Infection Control Today : "CDC Offers Tips on Preventing the Spread of Norovirus"
• Centers for Disease Control : "Ventilation in Buildings"

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