A cruise ship expert has revealed the number one rule cruisers should never break while they are travelling.
In a video on his Tips for Travellers YouTube channel, cruise ship expert Gary Bembridge decided to carrry out a poll of cruisers, asking them what key rules their fellow passengers break which annoys them the most.
Gary explained that, based on their responses, there were six key rules that, when broken, “drive cruisers crazy more than any others”.
A massive 88% of people who responded to the poll said that the issue of norovirus was their biggest bugbear.
Norovirus is a very contagious virus, causing acute gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach, intestines or both). Norovirus can be contracted from an infected person, contaminated food or water, or by touching contaminated surfaces.
The virus causes inflammation in the stomach or intestines leading to stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. According to cruising.org, the risk of getting norovirus each year is about 1 in 15. A cruise passenger has about a 1 in 5,500 risk of getting laboratory-confirmed norovirus during a shipboard outbreak.
Gary said: “There’s a few rules passengers regularly break that can lead to outbreaks. First, before boarding, we are supposed to report if we have signs of norovirus, upset stomachs, or vomiting, so the medical team can assess.
“But some worry they will be isolated for a couple of days in their cabin until it has passed so do not own up.”
However, Gary said that while this annoyed people in the poll, the issue that “really drives most of them mad” is people not following the rules on stopping norovirus from spreading and causing an outbreak.
“That is by washing hands frequently, especially after using the bathroom and before going to the buffet, or using hand gel which is a fairly good alternative,” Gary said.
In September, more than 500 passengers were affected by a norovirus outbreak on P&O’s Ventura which departed Southampton for a two-week cruise around the Canary Islands in May.
P&O Cruises said it had “proven protocols” to deal with health issues on board its ships.
Gary said that reserving seats, rule breaking kids, balcony rule breakers, toilet rule breakers and dress codes were the other big five rules that, when broken, annoyed cruisers.