HomeGuides
Cruise health guides
Plain-English, well-sourced answers to the health questions cruisers ask most.
Featured guides
Seasickness options compared: patches, pills, bands and ginger
A plain-English comparison of common seasickness options, what official sources say about each, and the questions to ask your doctor or pharmacist before you sail.
The cruise ship medical center: what it can (and can't) do
What to expect from a cruise ship's medical facility, based on CDC guidance and the American College of Emergency Physicians' cruise ship health care guidelines.
Travel insurance vs. medical evacuation cover: what cruisers need to know (plus a must-haves checklist)
The difference between trip, travel medical and medical evacuation insurance, what the CDC and State Department say, and the questions to ask before you buy.
Your cruise medicine cabinet: a health packing list
A practical, source-backed checklist of medicines, documents and health items to pack for a cruise, based on CDC and State Department guidance.
Caribbean cruise vaccines and health checklist
Which vaccines and health precautions the CDC lists for Caribbean cruise ports, plus mosquito, sun and food tips, in a simple pre-cruise checklist.
Alaska cruise health prep: vaccines, cold, motion and remote ports
What to know health-wise before an Alaska cruise: routine vaccines, Canadian port stops, layering for cold, sun on the water, seasickness and limited medical care in remote areas.
Mediterranean cruise vaccines and health: what to check before you sail
Measles, hepatitis A, heat and mosquitoes: what CDC guidance says for Mediterranean cruise ports like Italy, and a simple pre-cruise health checklist.
Further reading
More guides
What cruise medical bills really look like (with real examples)
How onboard medical charges work, why they surprise people, and real bills reported by news outlets and cruisers, plus how to protect yourself.
Staying well6 min readNorovirus on cruise ships: how to lower your risk (and what to do if it hits)
Why norovirus spreads so easily on ships, why soap beats hand sanitizer, how to check CDC outbreak reports, and what to do if you get sick onboard.
Packing7 min readCruise health packing for kids and seniors: a family checklist
What to pack and check for children and older travelers on a cruise: infant age rules, water safety, medicines, documents, fitness certificates and vaccines.
Health conditions7 min readCruising with a pre-existing condition: a step-by-step plan
How to prepare for a cruise with heart, lung, kidney, diabetes or other chronic conditions, based on the CDC's timeline: doctor's letter, medicines, cruise line clearance and insurance.
Health conditions7 min readPregnancy and cruising: the 24-week rule and what else to check
Cruise line pregnancy cut-offs, the fit-to-travel letter, Zika and mosquito-borne risks, vaccines, insurance and warning signs, based on CDC guidance.
Health conditions6 min readCruising with limited mobility or supplemental oxygen
How to plan a cruise if you use a wheelchair, scooter, oxygen, CPAP or other medical equipment: advance notice, cruise line forms, power, batteries and insurance.
Packing5 min readThe cruise first-aid kit: a printable checklist
A cruise-sized first-aid kit based on the CDC's personal travel health kit: wound care, everyday medicines, instruments, documents and prevention items.
Onboard care6 min readWhat to do if you get sick on a cruise: a step-by-step guide
When to call the ship's medical center, what to bring, isolation rules, paying the bill, evacuation and claiming on insurance, based on CDC and ACEP guidance.