[Steve_Seattle]

Why do so many cruise ships have these major outbreaks of illness? It seems that we hear about this problem about ten times a year.

[pepsionice]

The problem has always been around. It’s just that the internet is here to advertise the issues as newsworthy. Go back to the 1700s...the trans-Atlantic trip usually resulted in two or three people dead from each trip.

[ken5050]

I don’t believe I’ve ever heard of an outbreak of any type on an Alaskan cruise..

[Atlas Sneezed]

Why do so many cruise ships have these major outbreaks of illness? It seems that we hear about this problem about ten times a year.

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It’s media bias. Stomach viruses go around hotels, restaurants, schools, government offices, etc. but it’s not the gleeful event that allows luxury travelers to get their comeuppance with a media story.

Just like they report priest abuses, but not public school teacher abuses.

[grania]

What do cruise ships have these major outbreaks of illness?

They're germ factories. So many people touch the same surfaces, a lot of the venues are really crowded for the ventilation, and a ship has a lot of dampness and corners that collect dirt. The gym equipment, pools, hot tubs and lawn chairs are probably best to be used early in the day.

A cruise I was on two years ago had a norovirus threat, but they kept it under control. It involved a lot of rules like hand sanitizers, no self-serve food, washing surfaces and quarantining people with symptoms.

I would cruise again; it's my favorite way to travel. But I'll always use public facilites early in the day and avoid crowds.

[Mama Shawna]

I can’t help but think of them as giant, floating petri dishes.