Shetland is now one of Scotland’s most popular destinations for visiting cruise ships, with numbers reaching record levels in recent years. It is great to see this industry thrive; it’s exciting, and the Shetland community has plenty to gain from the tourism sector.
While the community is generally supportive of these developments, it is only natural for questions to be asked about what possible risks to health exist. Look no further, as this blog aims to provide some insight and answer some of those big questions, such as:
- How do small island populations cope with a large influx of foreign passengers when we have a healthcare system with limited capacity?
- What systems are in place to minimise any potential harm from infectious diseases such as Norovirus or Flu?
Our Top 5 Facts
Here are our top 5 facts that should hopefully provide the Shetland public with some assurance:
NHS Shetland Health Protection Team (Public Health) work together with Shetland Island’s Council Environmental Health Team to monitor any potential health hazards on cruise ships. Every cruise ship must submit information on the health status of all its passengers and crew before the ship enters Lerwick harbour. Each submits a health declaration to the NHS and SIC through their local Shetland shipping agent. If our teams spot anything of concern, we can get in contact with medical personnel for further information.
All modern cruise ships come equipped with their own medical teams on board. The medical facilities available onboard cruise ships vary with the size of the ship but are more extensive these days than in the past. This means that cruise ship passengers and crew rarely need to access health care on land. In the rare event of an outbreak onboard a cruise ship, there are trained staff available to implement infection and control measures, and to track and isolate unwell passengers.
Some of the cruise ships that visit Shetland are part of a large fleet of ships owned by a single multinational company. These large companies often have a central hub from which ship medical teams can access specialist advice when needed.
NHS Shetland Health Protection Team has well-established links with other Health Protection Teams across Scotland, managing other ports such as Lothian, Orkney, Highland, Grampian and Western Isles to name a few. If there are any health-related issues aboard cruise ships moving between Scottish ports, we can quickly share relevant information to ensure preparedness across Scotland. We also have systems in place with Public Health Scotland whereby we can access expert advice and linkage to foreign ports as required.
Modern cruise ships generally maintain very high hygiene standards; it is in their interests to do so both to protect passengers but also their industry and ultimately, their income. It is rare that cruise ships pose any significant threat in terms of infections or communicable disease. If a potentially serious or harmful type of infection were to be suspected on board a ship, local authorities and the health board hold the power to implement protective measures under Public Health etc. (Scotland) Act 2008. This is the legal power to hold or prevent a ship from taking any actions that may put the public at risk.
Find Out More
For more information on public health in Shetland, or to learn more about how we keep our communities safe, visit the NHS Shetland website. To find out more about visiting cruise ships, visit the Lerwick Port Authority | 2026 Cruise List.
Photo Credit: Main image – John Coutts / Bottom image – Ivan Reid
