Cruise expert shares five foods to avoid once you've set sail

A cruise expert has shared five foods to avoid on luxury voyages if you’ve got a 'sensitive stomach or simply want to avoid some of the worst options'.

Despite the penny-pinching that’s come to define the past couple of years, cruises have been as popular as ever among those who can cough up for the tickets and holiday expenses.

Aboard you’ll typically find a wide range of restaurants covering various cuisines from around the world. For some, the food and the promise of a delicious buffet is the main reason to head on a cruise at all.

The food can be a major draw for some passengers (Anthony Devlin / Stringer/Getty Images)

That said, one cruise aficionado who knows her way around the bow and stern has shared the five foods to avoid if you head out on one. Angie, posting on YouTube under Cruise Blog, captioned the video:

"Cruise ships are a foodie's heaven. There's something for every craving, whether it's late-night pizza, a juicy steak, seafood, or salad for those looking for a lighter option.

"Even so, cruise lines aren't typically known for their high-quality food. While that's not to say you won't have delicious meals, not everything offered will be the same quality you would expect in fine-dining restaurants."

Communal dips

First up is the communal troughs of dips and condiments.

Chips and dips are the ultimate grazing food, perfect for days lounging on a deck as the ocean rolls beneath you.

Angie reckons the communal dips are a no-go, though saying 'while it's suggested that everyone washes their hands before entering the buffet, it's unlikely that absolutely everyone is going to scrub with soap and water before filling their plates with food'.

She added that the condiments may be out for hours at a time and may spend time in the sun too, so you can’t be sure nothing has spoiled.

"Since their temperature isn't being controlled, the chances of pathogenic bacteria growing is increased," she said. "You do not want to get food poisoning."

Tap water

Next up is tap water, with Angie recommending bringing a refillable bottle – although, with that in mind, where are you supposed to refill your bottle if you aren’t using taps?

It must be the age-old Brit Abroad tradition of buying a case of bottled water rather than daring to sup from the taps.

"Drinking contaminated water is a quick way to ruin your trip," she said. The other thing to consider is that water from different sources can have different mineral contents to what you’re used to. If you’ve ever felt funny after drinking foreign tap water, it might just be the minerals giving you the runs rather than anything sinister.

Scrambled eggs

Let’s face it, scrambled eggs at a buffet are rarely any good.

Angie says they’re normally her go-to option, but she dislikes the use of ‘powdered egg’ and the ‘squishy texture’ typical of buffet eggs.

"Even if they're prepared fresh, scrambled eggs under heat lamps dry out quickly," she said, instead recommending you get them made to order if you can.

Cuisines from around the world are par for the course aboard a cruise ship (Jeff Greenberg / Contributor/Getty Images)

The final two on Angie’s hit list are ice cream cones and the free bread rolls waiting at your restaurant table.

Thankfully, the soft serve is only off limits for Angie if it comes from a self-serve station. If you’re wondering why, think back to the condiments section.

The bread, however, isn’t a hygiene concern for Angie. Instead it’s best avoided so you don’t fill up too early and find yourself struggling with the rest of your meal.

Sound advice indeed.