Top 10 Safety Tips While Cruising

A cruise is a wonderful vacation to take with your family, a group of friends or as a couple. Before your next cruise check out some of these safety tips!

1) Safety Orientation
Most cruise ships will have orientation on the first day that briefs you on what to do in case of an emergency. While this orientation may seem like an inconvenience it is critical to your safety that you attend. Know the evacuation plans!

2) Check the Weather
While a simple rain storm won’t do much to a massive cruise line, you should check the forecast to see what kind of weather to expect on your cruise. If there is anything extremely unsafe happening; http://travel.state.gov/content/travel/english.html will have the latest information. This also goes for any water activities such as scuba diving, kayaking, snorkeling, etc.

3) Have Your Doctor’s Number
If you happen to get sick on your cruise you should have the number for your doctor back home. Your doctor can help communicate with the medical staff on your cruise the proper treatment for you based on medical history and any existing conditions.

4) Leave the Expensive Jewelry at Home
On a cruise you are in close quarters with people you have never met before. While there may not be anything to worry about, it is better to be safe and leave your expensive jewelry and personal belongings at home.

5) Keep Your Cash Hidden
On the ship it is pretty easy to keep your cash out of site since you can usually use your room key as a debit card. Once you leave the ship, keep your cash hidden and tucked away close to your body.

6) Know Before You Go
Cruise ships have report cards on the Center for Disease Control website that report information such as cleanliness, repair, food prep, pest management, hygiene and much more. Before you book your trip check the CDC website to see what the report is for the cruise you plan to take.

7) Take Care of Your Health
As much as possible, try to use the restroom in your own room instead of the public restrooms to minimize the chance of exposure to contagious illnesses. You should also keep hand sanitizer on you to lessen your chance of getting sick.

8) Don’t Cruise Alone
A cruise is a great time to be shared with the ones that you care about.  Try to avoid going on a cruise alone as single travelers are more likely to be a victim of crime and theft.

9) Alcohol in Moderation
Similarly to not cruising alone, make sure you are conscientious of your alcohol intake. If you are drinking at one of the cruise’s bars, be aware of your surroundings and don’t leave by yourself. Intoxicated cruise-goers are also the more common victims of crime and theft.

10) Don’t Forget Sunscreen!
A simple but extremely important safety tip is to not forget your sunscreen. If you are going to a tropical location the sun’s rays are going to be stronger than what you may be used to and you could burn quicker. Don’t spend your cruise miserable inside because you got sun poisoning – lather up!