- 1). Eat at your usual time. Most cruise ships offer food 24 hours a day. You can eat at the late-night buffet, have room service at most any time and go to the formal dinner each evening. However, if you’re not careful, you’ll end up eating constantly without even realizing it. If you normally eat dinner at 6 p.m. when you’re not on vacation, make sure you eat at that time while you're on the ship. Don’t revisit the buffet at midnight just because it's there.
- 2). Keep the liquor to a minimum. The drinks flow on a cruise ship, and it’s easy to drink as much as you want, since no one has to drive home. Liquor can be full of empty calories that you won’t be able to work off before you go to bed. Do your drinking earlier in the day, when you’ll be able to get more exercise.
- 3). Stay with your normal exercise regimen. Cruise ships have exercise rooms and spas, but they can sometimes require an extra fee. If you are not comfortable paying extra, the ship is a great place to go for a brisk walk. Most ships even have a walking area on the top deck where you can not only get your exercise but enjoy the breathtaking view as well. If there are no fees or you have planned on paying for the gym, enjoy working out in front of a huge window where you can see the ocean in front of you.
- 4). Take in an exercise class. A lot of ships offer them at no extra charge. Check your ship’s itinerary for the time and place to meet.
- 5). Pass up on the calorie-rich foods. The buffets on a cruise ship are vast, so it will be easy to find low-calorie food items. While the luxurious offerings will be tempting, try throwing caution to the wind on just one night instead of every night. If you are going to be attending one of the formal dinners, you can choose what foods you’d like as part of your meal; light offerings are available.
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