• Jenny T Visser.
• Department of Primary Health Care and General Practice, University of Otago, 23 Mein St., Wellington 6021, New Zealand.
• J Travel Med. 2020 Sep 26; 27 (6).

BackgroundBefore the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, cruise travel had experienced exponential growth in the preceding decade. Travel medicine practitioners were increasingly called upon to provide pre-cruise travel advice and medical clearance. Demand for these services will return at some time in the future.MethodsThe clinical conditions seen in those presenting for care on six small-vessel scientific cruises to Antarctica were analysed.ResultsPersonnel presented on 196 occasions resulting in 257 consultations (when initial plus all follow-up consultations were included). Personnel presented with a clinical condition at a rate of 17.9 per 1000 person-days at sea. The total consultation rate was 23.5 per 1000 person-days at sea. Injury accounted for 24% of all presentations at a rate of 4.3 per 1000 person-days at sea. Dermatological, soft tissue and musculoskeletal, general malaise and motion sickness were the four most common presentations.ConclusionsPre-cruise advice for travellers planning small-vessel cruises to polar regions needs to include skin care, prevention and management of sea sickness and how to reduce the risk of injury. Those providing medical care on such cruises should be prepared to manage a wide range of clinical presentations.© International Society of Travel Medicine 2020. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

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