A doctor is urging travelers to rethink booking a cruise after revealing a disturbing reason behind his decision to avoid them.
Dr. Rubin, a pediatrician who shares medical advice on his TikTok page, explained why he would never set foot on a cruise ship — and it has nothing to do with rough seas or pirate attacks.
Instead, Dr. Rubin points to a much more alarming issue, warning others to reconsider their travel plans after uncovering the unsettling truth.
“Here’s why you won’t catch me on a cruise ship anytime soon — and why I think everyone should seriously consider this before booking one,” he began in his viral TikTok video.
“You’ve probably heard about all the recent budget cuts to federal public health agencies, right? Well, one of the programs affected is the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program, which normally inspects cruise ships at least twice a year.”
The doctor says a cruise may not be all it cracks up to be (Getty Images)
Explaining why this matters for cruise-goers and their health, the doctor said, “They track outbreaks to help prevent more people from getting sick.”
Even more alarming, he pointed out that health scares on cruise ships have spiked since the cuts.
“We’ve already seen 12 Norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships this year, compared to just eight last year,” he added.
He said it comes down to a sanitation issue (Getty Images)
According to the NHS, Norovirus — often called the “winter vomiting bug” — comes with some pretty unpleasant symptoms, including vomiting, diarrhea, body aches, a high fever, and headaches.
It’s also extremely contagious and can spread rapidly in confined spaces like cruise ships.
Safe to say, it’s the last thing you want ruining your vacation.
The warning comes after the Coral Princess reportedly experienced a major Norovirus outbreak, with 69 passengers and 13 crew members falling ill during a three-week voyage from Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale, according to VT.
The sick passengers and crew had to isolate while public areas were disinfected.
It also apparently wasn’t the first time the cruise liner suffered such an outbreak as the CDC reported the Coral Princess had another Norovirus outbreak in January.
Dozens are saying they wouldn’t consider a cruise anymore (Getty Images)
“The cruise ships are the ones who pay for these health inspections, so it’s not like we’re actually saving any taxpayer money. It makes absolutely no sense,” he concluded.
In the comments, dozens of his followers agreed that the idea of a cruise sounds pretty grim with Norovirus potentially onboard.
“Cruises are giant floating petri dishes. Ain’t worth it,” one person wrote.
Another added, “Norovirus on land is horrendous. In a tiny cabin, on a ship, surrounded by other passengers? Ugh!”
A third simply said, “You couldn’t pay me to go on a cruise.”
