Over the past many months, we’ve been posting “news-type” stories of information that may (or may not) interest some of our readers, especially those who travel, whether seldom or frequently. For those of our readers who don’t travel often, don’t cruise, or travel internationally, much of this information may be dull and unappealing.

For those readers, we apologize for continuing to post stories that may only impact traveling readers. However, as we spend this quiet time in Cleveland without recent photos and stories to tell, we are using these morsels of information to fulfill our goal of preparing a post every day.

As you’ve noticed, we’ve been taking off about one day a week, most recently. This is not due to my lack of interest in writing to you but rather the lack of fodder that can be sufficient for a new post. Most of you have figured this out. Of course, we can’t wait to be on the move again and to be able to share exciting and engaging real-life stories with photos.

Thus, we continue in hopes of holding onto our readers, both new and long-term, for the next 120 days until we can leave Cleveland, Ohio, and recommence our travels to more exciting venues with less focus on my health, medical tests, and procedures.

We thank all of you for staying with us during this lengthy stay in the US. By leaving in early March 2025, we’ll have been in the US for 15 months, which is way too long for world travelers like us.

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In the past 12 years of world travel, we have sailed on 34+ cruises, all of which had hot tubs, except for river cruise ships. We’ve also rented several holiday/vacation homes with hot tubs. In either of those situations, we have not used the hot tubs. The only times we’ve used a hot tub are part of a swimming pool at a private residence we’ve rented.

We have not used hot tubs at community pools, condos, townhouses, apartments, or hotels we’ve rented along the way. Not once.

Here’s a new story we received by email last night from this publication:

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US government issues serious warning for cruise passengers

While many turn to cruise ships for a relaxing and luxurious experience, having that many people in an isolated and, except the deck areas, the primarily confined environment creates a heightened risk of disease outbreak.

That is why outbreaks of norovirus, measles, and different types of gastrointestinal illness are more common on cruise ships. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regularly warns about contagions that may be a small and calculated risk for healthy travelers but pose severe dangers for more vulnerable populations.

Related: This cruise line officially has the most unsanitary ships

Certain parts of the cruise ship can also carry higher risks. The latest report from the CDC found approximately a dozen outbreaks of Legionnaire’s Disease tied to private hot tubs aboard ships between November 2022 and June 2024.

Hot tubs offer favorable conditions for growth and transmission.

While not naming specific cruise ship companies, the CDC said that various “sampling results identified private hot tubs on selected cabin balconies as the most likely exposure source” on the outbreaks it studied.

Private hot tubs are those within the cabin or on a suite’s balcony. While viewed as extremely luxurious and a major upgrade of one’s cruising experience, the CDC warns that they may not always be cleaned as thoroughly as public hot tubs in the deck and pool areas, which many fear are disease carriers.

“Hot tubs offer favorable conditions for Legionella growth and transmission when maintained and operated inadequately, regardless of location,” the national health agency writes in the report. “Private hot tubs on cruise ships are not subject to the same maintenance requirements as are public hot tubs in common areas.”

One analysis found six of the ten samples from private balcony hot tubs on a given cruise ship contained Legionella bacteria. On a different cruise ship, 10 of the 12 passengers who fell ill from the Legionella bacteria experienced symptoms so bad they had to be hospitalized.

You need to know this about cruise ship cleanliness and hot tubs…

The study authors who examined the outbreak numbers warned that it is “important” for cruise ship staff to “assess and adapt public hot tub maintenance and operations protocols for use on private outdoor hot tubs.”

A running list from the CDC also identifies cruise ships based on cleanliness examined over the last two years; last month, Carnival was identified as having the most cruise ships at the bottom of its cleanliness rating.

The cruise line’s Elation, Miracle, and Breeze ships scored a respective 89, 88, and 86 points, while anything below 85 is considered non-satisfactory by the agency. That said, the ratings are still relatively high considering that Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ Hanseatic Inspiration ship received the bottom score of 62 — Carnival’s Panorama and Spirit ships also scored a perfect 100.

In response to these scores, Carnival issued a statement saying that it “continually strives [s] for the highest sanitation standards and implements [s] immediate corrective action [from] the outcomes of these inspections.”

We hope this hot tub warning to our travelers, especially those who have used hot tubs on cruise ships, will heed this potentially life saving information.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, November 1, 2014:

Plumeria flowers are often used to make leis. For more photos, please click here.