How to Stay Healthy and Enjoy Your Trip
Cruise vacations are meant to be relaxing escapes where you can enjoy delicious meals while sailing across serene waters. However, not every dish served onboard or enjoyed during a port visit is safe to eat. Foodborne illnesses can quickly ruin your vacation, so it’s wise to know which items to avoid. In this article, we provide a guide covering 10 foods to never eat on a cruise ship.
1. Scrambled Eggs
Scrambled eggs, especially when prepared in large quantities or kept warm for prolonged periods, can become a breeding ground for bacteria if not handled properly. On a cruise, the challenge of maintaining consistent cooking temperatures for large buffet lines means the eggs might not always be thoroughly cooked or kept hot. This increases the likelihood of harmful microbes surviving in the food.
2. Sushi
Sushi often involves raw or lightly cooked seafood, making it an attractive target for bacteria and parasites. In a cruise environment, even slight lapses in the cold chain management, such as delays in refrigeration or exposure to higher temperatures during buffet service, can cause sushi to spoil. While many onboard chefs are highly trained, using ingredients that require stringent temperature controls might still lead to foodborne infections.
3. Tap Water
Tap water may be safe in certain parts of the world, but on a cruise ship the water system may include water that has passed through various filters, storage tanks or even recycled water supplies. Although modern ships follow strict guidelines, some passengers are still advised to avoid tap water, especially for drinking, as it can sometimes harbor unwanted bacteria or chemicals.
4. Soft Serve Ice Cream
Soft serve ice cream might seem like a harmless treat, but it can become a hazard if the machine’s internal components aren’t maintained correctly. Since soft serve machines require precise temperatures to remain hygienic, any lapse in maintenance or cleaning schedules can result in contamination. On many cruises, soft serve is dispensed continuously in high-traffic areas, raising the risk of bacteria accumulation.
5. Seafood
While seafood is a favorite among many cruise-goers, it carries a higher risk of spoilage and bacterial contamination due to its perishable nature. Cruise ships can struggle with the logistics of constantly refreshing seafood supplies while keeping them at ideal temperatures. Even slight temperature fluctuations can result in the rapid degradation of these products.
6. Unpasteurized Foods
Unpasteurized products, including certain cheeses and juices, do not undergo the heat treatment process that kills harmful bacteria. Although these items can offer a richer flavor profile, they come with increased risk of harboring pathogens such as E. coli or Listeria. On a cruise ship, where food handling might be centralized and scaled up for many passengers, the absence of pasteurization could mean that even minor lapses in hygiene become significant issues.
7. Old Pizza
Pizza left out for extended periods, or improperly stored in a buffet setting, can develop bacterial growth, particularly when it has cheese or meat toppings. The combination of warm, moist conditions at a cruise buffet encourages germs to multiply rapidly in old slices. Even though cruise ships often reheat pizza before serving, reheating may not always eliminate all the bacteria if the food has been sitting out too long.
8. Communal Condiments
Condiment stations can be breeding grounds for bacteria simply because so many fingers and utensils make contact with the same shared container. Whether it’s ketchup, mustard or salad dressings, communal condiments that are not regularly replaced or handled with unclean utensils can inadvertently lead to cross-contamination. When dining on a cruise, consider asking for a fresh serving or use your own packet-sized condiments if available.
9. Steak
Steak, particularly if ordered rare or medium-rare, requires careful handling during preparation and service. While most cruise ships employ skilled chefs, the maintenance of proper temperatures is crucial to avoid strains from bacteria like Salmonella. The risk increases if the meat has been stored for long periods before cooking or has been inadequately reheated.
10. Heavy Sauces
Rich and heavy sauces, often made with cream or mayonnaise, provide a delicious complement to many dishes, but are also ideal environments for bacterial growth. When these sauces are left at room temperature for too long, or not stirred properly, they can quickly become unsafe to eat.
Keep reading to learn about 10 things you should never do on a cruise.