Talk about bad timing! But an illness doesn't have to ruin your trip. Here’s what happens if you get sick on a cruise, according to travel experts.
What Happens If You Get Sick on a Cruise—Or Just Before Your Trip?
Updated on Mar. 05, 2025
If taking a cruise is your idea of a dream vacation, then getting sick while on board may be your worst nightmare. After all, you don’t want to spend half your trip holed up in your cabin, feeling miserable. And if things are more serious, it can be tricky, not to mention costly, to cut your trip short when you’re floating in the middle of the ocean. You might also worry that cruise staff could turn you away from the ship before you even board if they realize you aren’t feeling well. So what happens if you get sick on a cruise or right before your trip?
While we hope you never have to find out, we gathered advice from two experts—the global medical director at Travel Guard, William Spangler, MD, and frequent cruiser Ange Fuller, a CLIA Master Cruise Counsellor and the founder of Explore with Ange. Ahead, they offer insights into what happens if you get sick on or before your cruise so you’re fully prepared, just in case, along with some cruise tips for how to stay healthy while on board.
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Can you board a cruise ship if you’re sick?
Although you may be able to board a cruise ship if you’re sick, the experts say you shouldn’t. “If you’re feeling unwell before your cruise, it’s important to consider the health and safety of yourself and others,” says Fuller. “We’ve all heard about outbreaks on board cruise ships. The goal is to avoid this, so cruise lines advise against boarding if you’re experiencing symptoms of a contagious illness.”
In a case where you’ve been sick recently but you’re feeling better, you don’t appear sick and you don’t have a fever, Dr. Spangler says it’s really a judgment call on your part. But—and here’s the important part—the cruise line has the final say on whether or not you sail off into the sunset. “If you look sick or there’s any concern about you being sick, the cruise ship’s medical team certainly has the right to evaluate you and refuse boarding,” he explains.
Are there still preboarding health checks?
Preboarding health checks to determine COVID-19 vaccination status and negative tests have ended, but many cruise lines require passengers to complete a health questionnaire before their trip. And during the boarding process, cruise staffers may ask you additional questions and can send you to a secondary screening by a doctor. If they determine you’d be putting yourself or others at risk, they may prohibit you from boarding, as Dr. Spangler noted above.
What kind of medical facilities are on a cruise ship?
Medical facilities vary by cruise ship, but they typically include an examination room staffed by a small team of medical personnel (on smaller ships, this may be just one doctor), defibrillators, ventilators, cardiac monitors and the necessary equipment to administer medications and IV fluids and process lab tests. Most cruise ship facilities are intended to handle minor issues and are not designed to provide long-term critical care or treatment of pre-existing conditions. In the case of bigger emergencies, more extensive care would need to be arranged on shore. (More on that below.)
How can you be sure you’ll be cruising on a well-equipped ship? Check the cruise line website before booking, or ask your cruise planner or travel advisor. Or take the guesswork out and book with a cruise line that’s a member of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). Member cruise lines must meet the CLIA’s health and safety standards, which include necessities such as an examination room and a room for intensive care, as well as the equipment required to assess and monitor vital signs, administer medications and conduct lab tests.
Here’s what some popular cruise lines offer:
- Royal Caribbean’s ships are staffed by licensed physicians and nurses, and their facilities include cardiac monitors, defibrillators, ventilators, X-ray machines, lab equipment, and minor surgical and orthopedic supplies.
- Regent Seven Seas has recently upgraded its medical equipment, and its ships are “abundantly stocked” with prescription medications and virus-testing equipment.
- According to the Hurtigruten Expeditions website, their onboard hospital includes a licensed doctor, at least one nurse, and essential equipment and medication for “small emergencies.”
What happens if you get sick on a cruise ship?
If you get sick on a cruise, visit the onboard medical facility immediately for diagnosis and treatment. Cruise ships tend to stock a range of medications, including antibiotics, but not all ships carry a large supply, so the doctor may give you a prescription to fill at a pharmacy in the next port. For more serious issues, the medical staff may require you to visit a specialist on shore, says Dr. Spangler.
Whether or not you can continue the cruise depends on many factors, including the severity of your case and the ship’s itinerary. For example, if you’re cruising in a remote location like the Arctic, where you’ll be at sea for several days in a row, it may be too risky to let you stay on board.
Here are some common medical situations and how they are typically handled on a cruise ship.
If you get seasick
If you’re feeling seasick on your cruise, ask the front desk or concierge for seasickness medication—it’s often available free of charge on cruise ships. Otherwise, you can usually purchase seasickness medication in the gift shop, or the doctor can prescribe stronger medications, if needed. But there is a fee for clinic visits, so it’s best to plan ahead and include seasickness medication on your cruise packing list.
If you have a cold or other mild illness
If you have a fever and/or respiratory symptoms on a cruise, the medical staff will likely test you for both the flu and COVID-19. “Anything that causes a febrile illness (a fever), the ship’s medical team is going to take very seriously,” Dr. Spangler says.
If you test negative for COVID-19 and the flu but have a cold, medical personnel will advise you to drink lots of (nonalcoholic) fluids, rest, wash your hands diligently and consider wearing a mask so you don’t infect fellow passengers.
If the doctor suspects your symptoms are caused by bacteria rather than a virus, they may prescribe an antibiotic.
If you have COVID-19
If you test positive for COVID while on a cruise, you will be quarantined, Dr. Spangler says. “However, it probably won’t be for five days, as it was in the past,” he adds. “It will probably be until you’re afebrile (no fever) for 24 hours and obviously getting better.” There may be medication on board to help ease some symptoms, but don’t assume the ship will provide antivirals like Paxlovid, even by prescription.
While quarantined, meals will usually be delivered to your cabin, and the medical staff may check on you periodically and retest you. If you’re an otherwise healthy, young person with COVID-19, Dr. Spangler says you’ll likely be quarantined in your cabin, but “if you’re 75 years old, with a condition like COPD, hypertension or diabetes, you will likely be disembarked.” Cruise ships rarely take chances with passengers who are very ill—or somewhat ill with the likelihood of getting worse.
If you disobey the doctor’s orders and leave your cabin, you could be removed from the ship, and the cruise line may ban you from traveling with them in the future. Everything is “at the discretion of the ship’s doctor,” says Dr. Spangler, “and policies vary on different ships.”
If you have norovirus
Norovirus, also known as viral gastroenteritis (and colloquially known as the stomach bug), is highly contagious, and the symptoms can be mistaken for food poisoning. There’s no treatment for norovirus and it usually passes in a few days, but the doctor may prescribe medications to prevent vomiting and diarrhea, and you may be required to quarantine so you don’t spread it. It would be wise to pop on a mask; there’s increasing evidence that norovirus is airborne.
An outbreak of norovirus may also prompt a change in the ship’s operating procedures. When there are suspected cases on board, many cruise ships will clean high-touch surfaces more frequently, require passengers to sanitize their hands when entering dining rooms and only allow staff to touch buffet serving utensils.
If you have a medical emergency
If you have a serious medical emergency, like a heart attack or stroke, or you need surgery, the medical team will do their best to stabilize you until you can get to a facility at the nearest port—which may require airlifting you or rerouting the ship. While cruising, Fuller has witnessed medical emergencies and the disembarkation of passengers on several occasions. One ship she was on returned to a port shortly after departure to drop off a passenger with a medical emergency; another was forced to arrive in a port a day early for a passenger emergency; and in a third case, a passenger was airlifted by helicopter for medical assistance.
One thing to note: If the doctor orders a medical evacuation, you’ll be footing the bill. This is why a travel insurance plan with medical evacuation coverage is a must.
What happens if you get hurt on a cruise ship?
Minor injuries, such as a cut needing a few stitches, can be handled on board. But for more serious injuries, like a bone protruding through the skin, the medical team will administer first aid, do what they can to keep you comfortable, and then disembark you to be treated at a more robust facility on shore. The level of care available on board depends on the type of injury, the ship’s medical facilities and, ultimately, the doctor’s discretion.
How much does it cost to see the doctor on a cruise ship?
It typically costs at least $100 for a basic doctor visit on a cruise ship. There are additional charges for tests, medications and the use of equipment, like X-ray machines. Cruise ship doctors are independent contractors and set their own rates, so the costs for medical care on board vary.
If you get sick or injured aboard a cruise ship, all medical costs will be added to your shipboard account. You’ll then need to submit receipts to your travel insurance company to determine what will be reimbursed.
Will your regular medical insurance cover these expenses?
Your everyday medical insurance may not cover medical expenses aboard a cruise ship, even in U.S. waters. Medical emergencies while on a cruise can be costly, especially if treatment, surgery or evacuation is required. Even a non-emergency visit to the onboard medical clinic can be pricey, Fuller says. When she needed to treat something minor while on a Princess cruise, it cost a few hundred dollars. “My [regular] health insurance would not have covered it,” she says, “but my travel insurance did.”
A good travel insurance company can also help you find the closest medical facility best suited to treat your condition. If your condition is serious, some travel insurance plans can help a family member travel to you or arrange a medical evacuation for you to get home. According to Dr. Spangler, the price tag for these services—if paid out of pocket—could cost anywhere “from $25,000 to six figures.”
Be sure to purchase travel medical insurance before your cruise. Third parties and cruise lines offer insurance, but insurance arranged through the cruise line may not be as comprehensive, and reimbursement might be in the form of credit for a future cruise rather than a cash refund. Every insurance policy is different, so it’s important to read the fine print.
How can you stay healthy on a cruise?
Packing a few essentials, such as hand sanitizer and a first-aid kit, can help keep you healthy on a cruise. The crew works hard to keep passengers safe and minimize the spread of communicable diseases (and many ships updated their HVAC and ventilation systems during the COVID-19 pandemic), but there are also a few additional things you can do.
- Pack a personal first-aid kit. Keep some essentials on hand—such as bandages, antibiotic ointment, seasickness and anti-diarrheal treatment, and pain medications—to tackle smaller issues that may arise.
- Keep your hands clean. Clean hands help prevent the spread of germs and viruses. “Wash your hands, and carry your little bottle of alcohol hand sanitizer around with you,” Dr. Spangler says. “Hook it onto your backpack, your purse or your belt—and use it.” You should also avoid touching shared surfaces as much as possible. Get in the habit of pushing the elevator button with your elbow and not putting your hands on the bar when you order a drink.
- Mask up. The experts suggest using a mask when in crowded areas. “You still see some passengers and crew wearing masks on ships,” Fuller says. Since the pandemic, Dr. Spangler says it’s become more common and less taboo, so don’t think twice about it. Better safe than sick and quarantined while everyone else is out enjoying the cruise!
- Give your body a break. Sometimes when we’re on vacation, our brain goes on vacation too and we forget the basics. Two of the best ways to keep yourself healthy on a cruise are the simplest, says Fuller: “Stay hydrated, and get plenty of rest.”
About the experts
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Why trust us
Reader’s Digest has published hundreds of travel stories that help readers explore the world safely, easily and affordably. We regularly cover topics such as the best places to visit (and the best times to visit them), tips and tricks to zoom through airport security, flight-attendant secrets, hotel-room hacks and more. We’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. For this piece on what happens if you get sick on a cruise, Johanna Read tapped her experience as a longtime journalist who covers travel and responsible tourism for Reader’s Digest as well as National Geographic, Travel + Leisure and Lonely Planet. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
Sources:
- William Spangler, MD, global medical director with Travel Guard; interviewed, February 2025
- Ange Fuller, CLIA Master Cruise Counsellor, ACTA Certified Travel Counsellor and founder of Explore with Ange, a travel planner member of Ensemble; interviewed, February 2025
- Cruise Lines International Association: “Public Health and Medical”
- Royal Caribbean: “What licensed medical staff/doctor and services are available onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship?”
- Regent Seven Seas Cruises: “SailSAFE Health and Safety Program”
- Hurtigruten Expeditions: “Health & Safety Onboard”
- Cruise Critic: “Cruise Ship Doctors and Medical Facilities Onboard
- Infection Control Today: “CDC Offers Tips on Preventing the Spread of Norovirus”
