A cruise holiday is all about enjoying yourself, making memories that will last a lifetime and also perhaps over-indulging on the scrumptious food and drink on offer once onboard.

Whilst we would never try and persuade you from doing that, you are on a well deserve holiday after all, there are still somethings that you can do to keep healthy whilst at sea.

It is a different environment from what most of us experience for the rest of the year, in terms of been onboard the ship but you also have the differing environmental impacts of sailing in destinations that are often hot and humid or cold and dry.

By keeping healthy onboard your cruise ship, you can really make the most of next getaway and not have to spend time in your stateroom recovering, but just what are our top 10 tips for staying healthy on a cruise ship?

That is just what we look at in this list, but do remember that I am not a medical professional and this is not medical advice but just things we have learnt from our years of cruising.

Our Top 10 Tips for Staying Healthy on a Cruise Ship

Use The Stairs

This is a simple one for most of us and something that me and my wife always try to follow. It can be easy to simply jump in a lift and head to the floor that you want to visit but by using the stairs, you can not only burn calories and improve your circulation, but you can free up lifts for those who need them.

Of course, going from deck 3 to deck 18 maybe a bit too much for most of us, if you are only going a few decks up or down, the stairs is the way to go and can often be quicker if the lifts are busy.

Stay Hydrated

On a cruise, most of us will spend more time out in the elements than we would do at home and no matter if you are sunbathing in the Caribbean or waterfall watching in the Norwegian fjords, remembering to drink often can get overlooked.

An easy way that we help with this is to have an extra drink of water with meals and we always make sure we have a bottle of water each when heading ashore.

Balanced Meals

It can be easy to simply grab a burger and chips, followed by a couple of cakes for pudding when eating in the buffet or to choose a full English every morning for breakfast but, and I am speaking from first hand experience with this one, that can soon leave you feeling bloated and sluggish.

It really does pay to stick to a more varied diet onboard your ship and to try and balance your meals, but we’ll let you off with having that extra slice of cake!

Wash Hands Frequently

The cry of washy washy as you enter the buffet isn’t just a living meme at this point, but it is something that should be followed by all.

Cruise ships see’s people from across the globe all live alongside each other in close and often confined quarters and that is the perfect breeding ground for several gastrointestinal symptoms and that can ruin anybody’s cruise.

By washing your hands regularly, especially before eating and drinking you can not only help stay healthy on holiday but help others as well so everyone can have a great getaway.

Don’t Forget To Move

We have all been there where we have found a comfortable seat on an outside deck and just sit there for hours taking in the scenery, we have found the perfect sun longer to soak up the sun or we found the perfect place onboard a ship to relax and read a book.

Sea days are great for doing all of that and so much more but what we often forget to do is move!

That will often lead to poor circulation, extra aches and pains and that extra bit of laziness creep into your thinking that may mean that you miss out on something you were planned to do.

If you are out on the upper decks, simply take a stroll around the walking track or if you inside the ship, head to the promenade deck for a stroll.

Don’t Forget Fruit and Vegetables

If your anything like me, fruit and veg is often the last thing I think about in the buffet and it can often get forgotten about but just as we all known the benefits in our everyday meal choices, on holiday it really can be important.

Most of us will eat much more than usual and a lot more heavier food and we will be a lot more active whilst on holiday, so all of the benefits of eating fruit and veg becomes that bit more important.

Not Just Booze

Enjoying your favourite drink or trying a new cocktail is one of the great things about cruising, especially if you have a drink package that once paid, you don’t need to worry about the cost of your drink.

That can often turn into a negative however as some people think that they need to drink much more than alcohol than they usually would to justify the cost of that package or on a sea day they will start drinking much earlier than they usually would as they have nowhere to go.

Whilst having a few drinks more than normal or enjoying a cocktail around the pool for elevenses is part of cruising, drinking so much you are ill or need to miss out on something as you need to nap, doesn’t need to be.

Try to remember that you can enjoy other drinks including mocktails or premium teas and coffees can also be enjoyed in cafes and bars around the ship.

Plan Ahead For Seasickness

If you are prone to seasickness, or motion sickness, make sure you take patches, ginger capsules or medication as these always work best when taken in advance of been ill and if you buy them onboard, the cost can be astronomical.

If you have not suffered from seasickness before, we would always recommend having at least something basic such as ginger capsules at hand just in case as rough seas can hit at any time especially when sailing in areas such as the Bay of Biscay, North Sea, North Atlantic or the infamous Southern Ocean.

Head To The Gym

This one may seem an obvious one but something that often gets overlooked is that heading to the gym isn’t just about keeping up with your fitness routine or burning the calories.

Many lines offer free classes which can be a great social event as much as it is staying healthy as you get to meet new people from across the world but with the added benefit of workout.

Remember Your Not At Home

For many your ship quickly becomes a home away from home when on a cruise holiday but when you step off it and head for a day of exploring, you can find sanitary conditions that are far different from what you are used to.

These can often go unnoticed and will not be a problem to locals but with your immune and digestive systems not used to the new conditions, you can quickly find yourself falling ill.

Keep that in mind when eating, drinking or in confined places to make sure you can enjoy exploring with no impact on the rest of your holiday.