From the buffet to the bar, cruise ships are the perfect place to indulge with some delicious food. A passenger has shared how they enjoy themselves and manage to lose weight.
They said on Reddit: “I always lose weight on cruises. My secret? Never use the elevators, always the stairs.
“Ships are basically high rise buildings. Also I go on active shore excursions (scuba diving, swimming, snorkelling, walking tours).”
Large ships may have at least 15 floors for passengers to explore while the world’s largest ships can be as long as a skyscraper.
If guests choose to take the stairs and walk a few laps of the ship each day, they might be able to keep any extra pounds off.
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Another passenger agreed saying: “If you’re physically able to, don’t use elevators! I’ve honestly lost a combined three and a half pounds on my last two cruises by just walking everywhere.
“You end up easily walking 14-15,000 steps a day on a ship without even really trying and can easily do about 30 floors of stairs a day. Plus you’re not sandwiched into some elevator where you can’t breathe.”
Although ships will always have elevators for passengers, those who are able to could try taking the stairs.
According to StepJockey, a person can lose around half a calorie for each stair climbed. That means guests could burn off quite a few calories climbing the floors of a cruise ship.
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Guests are also less likely to pick up germs on the stairs than in the elevator which could be cramped.
Passengers may also find they have to wait around 10 minutes for the elevator when the ship is busy.
Another guest suggested: “I’ve always lost a couple of pounds on a cruise and not because I tried. For me, the key is to just eat normally.
“At home, I don’t have an appetiser, salad, soup, main and dessert so on a cruise I don’t either.
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“We do port heavy cruises so most days we are doing lots of walking around. On sea days, I might do a two mile walk around the track.
“Basically my normal routine…but probably a bit more exercise on port days so that offsets any extra food.”
Although guests can indulge with several courses on a cruise, they could also stick to three meals a day.
If tourists book a cruise with lots of city stops, they’ll find they rack up quite a few steps exploring each destination.
Another guest said:“Portion control was a huge part of my success. I can enjoy food, but I need to stop before I feel full.
“No clean plate club. Not taking it just because it’s offered. Planned, mindful. Enjoy some but make it count.”
While some cruise ships have enticing extras such as unlimited ice-cream, passengers are under no obligation to take it.
If guests are worried about gaining extra pounds, they could also visit the ship gym or join an exercise class.