What if I need antibiotics on a cruise?

Onboard Pharmacies Pharmacy stocks are available onboard, which means you will be able to get basic medicines. The size of the inventory varies by ship, but staff will be able to provide you with antibiotics, seasickness pills (often complimentary), aspirin and other common medicines.



If you require antibiotics while on a cruise, every major cruise ship is equipped with a medical center staffed by licensed doctors and nurses. These facilities function like an urgent care clinic and maintain an onboard pharmacy stocked with common medications, including various broad-spectrum antibiotics for infections like strep throat, UTIs, or pneumonia. You must first have a consultation with the ship's doctor, who will diagnose the issue and write the prescription. Be aware that medical services on ships are typically not covered by standard land-based health insurance and can be quite expensive; a visit and medication can easily cost several hundred dollars. This is why most regular cruisers strongly recommend having travel insurance, which usually allows you to file a claim for reimbursement after you return home.

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In general cases, cruise medical centers can prescribe and administer medications, perform minor surgeries and stabilize patients with more serious medical conditions. If your medical condition is treatable on board the ship, you will be given the relevant treatment or condition.

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Guests who must isolate due to an infectious disease diagnosis will remain in their stateroom or be moved to a stateroom near the medical center where medical staff and Guest Services will check on them regularly, depending on availability.

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The short answer: Drink water and go see a doctor. If you experience symptoms of a UTI at sea, respond first by drinking plenty of water. Increasing your urinary flow can slow the progression of a UTI, which is especially important if you do not have immediate access to professional medical care.

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The medical staff on cruise ships can diagnose and treat some illnesses on board and prescribe medications. While cruise ships typically stock a broad range of meds, including antibiotics, there's only sometimes a large supply. Doctors may give you a prescription you can fill at a pharmacy in the next port.

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Infectious Disease Outbreaks The most frequently reported cruise ship outbreaks involve GI infections (e.g., norovirus), respiratory infections (e.g., coronavirus disease 2019 [COVID-19], influenza), and other vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs), such as varicella.

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In 2023, a decade-high number of cruise ships have reported an unwelcome passenger on board: norovirus. Outbreaks of the stomach bug have surged on cruise ships this year, reaching the highest levels seen in 10 years.

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A medical consultation on a cruise usually costs around $100 (£85) if during medical centre opening hours. This price rises to around $165 (£137) for appointments outside of opening hours and can rise as high as $205 (£170) if a doctor needs to visit a guest's cabin.

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Medical staff varies by ship size, but typically ships have a doctor and at least two nurses. The world's largest cruise ships may have two doctors and five or six nurses. River ships and small ships that hover close to shore have less staff since they can easily access health facilities on land.

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One of the biggest misconceptions about cruise ships is that they're germ incubators—that you can't escape. But the likelihood of catching a stomach bug on a seven-day voyage is less than 1 percent—which is about a third the risk of getting infected in your day-to-day life back home, says Dr.

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In the U.S., 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.

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You can get norovirus from an infected person, from contaminated food or water, or by touching contaminated surfaces. The virus causes your stomach or intestines or both to get inflamed (acute gastroenteritis). This leads you to have stomach pain, nausea, and diarrhea and to throw up.

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If you get diarrhea, drink lots of fluids to stay hydrated. In serious cases of travelers' diarrhea, oral rehydration solution—available online or in pharmacies in developing countries—can be used for fluid replacements.

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