A doctor is causing travelers to rethink their cruise plans for a very unsettling reason.
A pediatrician who shares medical tips on TikTok has disclosed why he avoids cruises, and it’s not due to rough seas or pirate threats.
Dr. Rubin has a more alarming rationale and is advising others to reconsider their travel choices after uncovering the issue.
“Here’s why you’re not gonna see me on a cruise ship anytime soon, and I encourage people to consider this before they book a cruise,” he stated in his viral TikTok video.
“So you know how there’s been all these cuts at federal public health agencies lately? Well, one of them is the CDC’s vessel sanitation program which conducts health inspections on cruise ships at least twice a year.”
He included a piece from a CBA news article indicating that cruise ship inspectors have been ‘laid off amid a bad year for outbreaks’.
Dr. Rubin explained why this is significant for cruise-goers and their health: “They trace outbreaks to help reduce the chances of more people getting sick.”
He further noted that since the cuts, there has been a noticeable increase in health incidents onboard.
“We’ve already had 12 Norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships this year compared to eight last year,” he added.
The NHS notes that Norovirus, often called the ‘winter vomiting bug,’ presents with unpleasant symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, body aches, high temperature, and headaches.
It’s highly contagious and can quickly spread in confined spaces, like a cruise ship.
Clearly, it’s not what you want to experience on vacation.
The warning aligns with reports of a significant Norovirus outbreak on the Coral Princess, affecting 69 passengers and 13 crew members during a three-week voyage from Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale, according to VT.
Affected passengers and crew were isolated, and public areas were disinfected.
This incident wasn’t isolated, as the CDC reported another Norovirus outbreak on the Coral Princess in January.
Dr. Rubin criticized the cuts, arguing they make no sense because they aren’t funded by taxpayer money.
“The cruise ships pay for these health inspections, so it’s not like we’re actually saving any money from the taxpayer’s perspective. This makes absolutely no sense,” he concluded.
In the comments, many of his followers concurred with the doctor, expressing that a cruise holiday sounds daunting with Norovirus as a potential issue.
“Cruises are giant floating petri dishes. Ain’t worth it,” one user remarked.
Another added: “Norovirus on LAND is horrendous. In a tiny cabin, on a ship, with other passengers. Ugh!”
A third person commented: “You could not PAY ME to go on a cruise.”