With the new CDC advisory issued on December 30th discouraging cruise travel, even for those fully vaccinated, and with reports of positive cases onboard most cruise ships, many cruise lovers are wondering what the implications of all this are for their immediate and future cruise plans.
I’m currently onboard Holland America’s ms Zuiderdam. A few days ago the Captain announced positive Covid cases among both crew and passengers and one of our port stops in Mexico was cancelled by local authorities. We’ve also seen hazmat-suited crew members at the doors of three of our neighbors on deck 8.
While I don’t have any immediate plans to cancel any of my booked cruises (the next one sailing in just a few weeks), I do wonder what life is like for passengers who are quarantined to their staterooms. Specifically, I wonder what they’re eating in there! Is it like those scenes of Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman ordering everything off the room service menu at the Beverly Wilshire or is it more like an elementary school lunch tray during a supply chain crisis?
I asked this question of my room steward who was kind enough to share yesterday’s menu with me:
I was surprised with how limited the menus are and upgraded to KN95 masks for the remainder of my sailing. Not today Covid, not today! Because it doesn’t even count as a cruise for me unless I’m consuming upwards of 40,000 calories a day with bread pudding oozing out of my pours as I disembark (a skin condition with the scientific name acne cruise-aris).
Note that quarantine menus and dining procedures will vary depending on the cruise line and ship you’re sailing on (please post in the comments any other menus you’ve seen or experiences you’ve had with this!). But these menus give you an idea of what you might be faced with if you test positive for Covid on your cruise and get quarantined to your cabin. Is this enough to convince me to cancel a cruise? No. But it’s one of many factors to consider in making that decision.
And with that…
Class Dismissed.
Homework (10 points): Answer this question in the comments: Have the new CDC recommendations against cruising caused you to cancel or reconsider booking a cruise? Why or why not? And don’t forget to subscribe to the blog and follow Prof. Cruise on social media:
Twitter (@cruiseprof)
Instagram (@profcruise)
Carnival's Express Dinner Menus (new 2026 menus).
Carnivals new updated gluten free dinner menus for 2026.
Carnival's new dinner menus for 6 night cruises. Updated in 2026.
Updated menus for 8 night cruises on Carnival.