Hot tubs on cruise ships could give you more than a nice soak

Using hot tubs on cruise ships could give you a whole lot more than you were expecting. 

US health officials have warned of potentially serious health risks soaking in cruise ship hot tubs, news portal Travel Mole reports. 

Cruise ship hot tubs have been linked with several cases of Legionnaires’ disease.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says eight cases of Legionnaires’ disease were reported “from a single cruise ship.”

Less than helpfully, the agency did not name the ship or cruise line. Nothing gets in the way of making money in the US. 

The cases were reported between November 2022 and April 2024.

A CDC investigation found hot tubs were the likely source of the bacterial infections.

It saud four additional cases of Legionnaires disease were found on a second cruise ship from January to June 2024.

It said hot tubs were again the likely source.

“Epidemiologic, environmental, and laboratory evidence suggests that private balcony hot tubs were the likely source of exposure in two outbreaks among cruise ship passengers,” the CDC report stated.

“These devices are subject to less stringent operating requirements than public hot tubs, and operating protocols were insufficient to prevent Legionella growth.”

The bacteria can affect the lungs, causing cough, fever, muscle aches and shortness of breath. Which does not sound like fun.