Enjoy Your Cruise To The Fullest And Avoid Ordering This Food

When it comes to vacations, cruises can be a divisive topic. Some people love them and go on multiple cruises a year. Others can't stand the thought of being on a large vessel in the middle of the ocean with thousands of strangers. Then, if you're willing to splurge and hop on the boat for a week, there's always the question of food. You should generally do your best to avoid some types of food on a cruise, but you may still have questions. 

Do you stick to the included, casual and buffet-style restaurants, or do you splurge even more and opt for some of the higher-priced speciality dining options? Are the buffets safe to eat from, or are you risking a nasty days-long norovirus situation by eating that chicken lo mein? How often are those self-serve ice cream machines actually cleaned? 

So many questions. But one of the questions curious potential cruisers often ask: What about seafood? Should you avoid it altogether, or stick to the cooked dishes? Is sushi safe to eat on a cruise? Let's dig in.

It's not that all cruise lines serve bad seafood. And, in reality, chances are you could eat a ceviche or a nice platter of sashimi without suffering gastrointestinal repercussions. But that's where you measure the risk versus the reward. Just one bad oyster could put you out of commission for the whole cruise. Even with strict safety and preparation guidelines in most cruise kitchens, you can't be certain there's not a mishandled piece of sushi on your plate. If that's a risk you're willing to take, then go for it.

Our recommendation is to avoid the raw and stuff and stick with the cooked variations — of which you should have plenty of options to choose from on the ship. Go with a nice shrimp and grits, some steamed mussels, a pan-seared halibut, or a fancy butter-poached lobster. The cooked variations — whether steamed, boiled, sautéed, baked, or grilled — should reach at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit if safely prepared. That's hot enough to kill any bacteria, like salmonella, listeria, or E.coli, that has taken up residence in your nicely prepared fish of the day. And, please, no matter what eating choices you make, stay away from the buffet sushi. Unless it's being served by staff, you're trusting your gut health with total strangers who may leave a litany of germs on serving utensils or serving stations.

You've likely spent a lot of money and have been planning for this vacation for a while. Don't ruin it all by spending half the week hunched over a toilet boil and lying on the cold bathroom floor cursing at the seafood gods. Just avoid the raw fish, alright?