Are Cruises Really Safe? Tips to Protect Yourself

You're excited. You have just booked your first cruise and you can't wait to go. Enjoy the moment, and the cruise, but don't throw common sense to the wind. Cruise ship security is usually very good and a cruise ship crew is usually honest and professional, but don't forget the precautions you normally take in everyday life when you embark on that cruise.

You are going to have fun, see new things, enjoy new people, enjoy the food and wine and all the activities a cruise ship has to offer. But, be aware that there is a potential downside - the possibility of an outbreak of some sort of illness on board, or the possibility that one of your fellow passengers, or a crewmember, may be on board for criminal purposes.

Size of Small Town

When you get that many people together in the same place, up to 5,000 (the size of a small town) on some cruise ships, there is a possibility that all will not go well all the time. Fortunately, you can be prepared if you do a little homework and follow your instincts.

Fortunately for the traveler, cruise ships get evaluated. Probably the best reports you can find on the Internet are from the Vessel Sanitation Program of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. These reports grade ships for a host of things, including state of repair, preparation of food and its storage, cleanliness, quality of the water onboard, hygiene, pest control and more.

Go to the CDC website and check your ship's record before booking your trip. The reports provide results from the ship's latest inspection and give the ship a grade. You can compare the ship you are considering to its competitors and make an informed choice. If you check all the ships cruising where you want to go you will find the safest cruise ship, at least in terms of the criteria mentioned above.

Read Reviews Before You Book

You should also use the Web to read reviews written by previous passengers. Google the cruise ship you're thinking of along with the word "reviews" and you should find some. You can start with www. and www.cruisemates.com/articles/reviews

The authority on the topic is Terry Riley, who wrote the book Travel Can Be Murder. In the book he notes that while you want a vacation where others are doing all the work, your personal safety is your responsibility.

His book provides some tips for the novice, and even seasoned traveler. Act as you would if you were in a city. Don't take cruise ship security for granted. Don't walk down a dark hallway. If people are involved in a heated argument, stay away from them. You've heard the story about not accepting candy from strangers. Don't take drinks from strangers either.

Continue to: The Most Ideal and Important Cruise Safety Tips