Cruise ships are cesspools of disease and miseryYet for some reason people keep paying Sitting on a boat for months if not years. It’s no surprise that people get sick while on a cruise, but two ships made headlines after giving guests an unexpected illness: Legionnaires’ disease.
Report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on outbreaks of legionnaires on two unnamed ships between November 2022 and July 2024, both traced to “hot tubs on private balconies.” According to the CDC, private hot tubs are held to lower standards of cleanliness than public bathtubs, which can lead to the growth of Legionella bacteria.
Legionnaires’ disease is a serious form of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria. From November 2022 to June 2024, 12 cases of Legionnaires’ disease were reported to the CDC among travelers on two cruise ships. 8 people on cruise ship A and 4 people on cruise ship B. CDC, working with cruise lines, initiated an investigation to determine potential sources of onboard exposure following reports of a second potentially related case on each ship. Epidemiological data collected from patient interviews, environmental assessments, and sampling results identified private hot tubs on the balconies of selected cabins as the most likely source of exposure. (…) Private hot tubs on cruise ships are not subject to the same maintenance requirements as public hot tubs in common areas. Given the variety of hot tub-type equipment offered as amenities throughout the cruise industry, to reduce the risk of Legionella growth and transmission, cruise ship water management program staff members should ensure that heated water on private balconies is not It is important to inventory and evaluate your hot tub and adapt your public hot tub. Maintenance and operational protocols for use in private outdoor hot tubs.
The ship’s private hot tub turned out to be nothing like I had imagined. Window unit full of condensation from air conditioner instead of chlorinated water. In fact, simple maintenance items such as cleaning and draining frequency allowed Legionella bacteria to take hold. The CDC report said the ships in question took cleaning and mitigation measures after the outbreak was reported, but one ship may still be working on its last few hot tub repairs. It seems like there is. You might want to stay away from cruise ships for a while until that’s fixed.
With so many reports of illnesses and problems on cruise ships, it’s strange that people still pay to go on cruise ships. Put that money into something safer, such as motorcycle track school?
