Cruising: Some myths and realities

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If you are an avid cruiser, I don't need to convince you to sail again once the cruise lines open.  That could likely happen in July, at the earliest, and I'm sure you're eager to go onboard.  But what if you have never been on a cruise and are reluctant to try one because of all what's gone on in the last few months?

You might have some concerns and questions about the safety of cruising and whether you could get COVID-19 or another sickness.  

It seems that the media focuses on whatever might go wrong on a cruise, which then creates the perception that ALL cruises (or at least the majority of them) must have problems.  But when you think about the number of cruise sailings that sailed at the start of the COVID-19 epidemic, it was relatively small.  What wasn't small was the number of stories that focused in on the two Princess Cruise ships quarantined offshore.

I'll go over a few myths and realities when it comes to cruising, as reported from the Cruise Line International Association.  Then you can begin to make some judgments for yourself and your future travel plans.  

1. Cruise ships are causing over-tourism - MTYH: If you see how many people can sail on a cruise ship, especially those that hold a capacity of 5,000 or greater, you might automatically reach this conclusion.  But ocean cruises will allow their guest to disembark for about half a day, and sometimes overnight.  Land tours, on the other hand, will have people stay for longer and occupy popular tourism spots to a greater degree.
2. Cruise ships are some of the most scrutinized vessels at sea - REALITY: If you are a company that's responsible for carrying thousands of passengers, you want to make sure each one will be safe and healthy.  That's why each ship undergoes rigorous inspections on a period basis to make sure the ships sail well and staterooms and public area are sparkling clean.
3. Cruise ships are breeding grounds for disease - MYTH:  This is probably the most persistent assumption about cruises.  News stories focus plenty on disease outbreaks, but as Conde Nast Traveler reports, ships aren't any more risky than any other public places.  We'll likely have to practice more social distancing on cruises, and for this reason, they probably won't be filled to capacity for the foreseeable future. 
4. Cruise ships release untreated sewage into the ocean - MYTH: Some of you may have heard of a larger cruise corporation dumping their waste at sea.  They were subsequently fined and threatened with suspension of operations.  Thankfully, the vast majority of cruise lines don't do this at all, and most know that this would be a major business-killer if they did.

What cruise myths have you heard, and which ones still might confuse you?  Let me know in the comments!

Until next week, stay safe and healthy!