Cruise ships are a popular way to take a vacation, but what happens when you get sick on a cruise ship? It’s called “mal de mer,” which is French for “sickness at sea.” Mal de mer can be caused by many things, including motion sickness, seasickness, food poisoning, and even sunburn.
Motion sickness is one of the most common causes of mal de mer. It occurs when your inner ears sense movement that is not reflected in your visual field. Symptoms of motion sickness can include nausea, dizziness, and vomiting.
Some people may also experience fatigue and cold sweats. To prevent motion sickness on a cruise ship, try to stay on the lower decks and avoid looking at screens or reading while the ship is moving. Taking an over-the-counter medication like Dramamine can also help.
Seasickness is similar to motion sickness but it’s caused by the rocking of waves rather than movement from the ship itself. Symptoms of seasickness include nausea, dizziness, and vomiting. If you’re prone to seasickness, try to stay near the center of the ship where it will be less rocking and take an over-the-counter antihistamine like Benadryl before getting on board.
Food poisoning is another common cause of mal de mer on a cruise ship. Cruise ships have large buffets with foods that may have been sitting out for long periods of time or not refrigerated properly. If you become ill after eating something aboard a cruise ship, it’s important to seek medical attention right away as food poisoning can be serious and even life-threatening if left untreated.
Finally, sunburn can also cause mal de mer on a cruise ship if you’re spending lots of time out in the sun without proper protection from sunscreen or clothing. Sunburns are especially common aboard cruises because many people spend most days relaxing in the sun without taking proper precautions against getting burned. To prevent this, make sure to wear sunscreen with at least SPF 30 and reapply it every two hours while spending time outdoors.
Conclusion:
Mal de mer is a term used to describe an illness that can occur while aboard a cruise ship due to various causes such as motion sickness, seasickness, food poisoning or sunburns. To avoid getting sick on board a cruise vessel it’s important to take precautionary measures such as avoiding looking at screens while the vessel is moving and wearing sunscreen when spending time outdoors.