Cruise passengers return home with 'broader waistlines after 2-week break'

London, May 3 (ANI): Most cruise passengers put on a pound a day during their two-week vacation at sea - thanks to the relaxing onboard lifestyle and mountains of food available round the clock, according to a new poll.

A number of respondents reckoned that they put on more weight cruising than they do at Christmas, having enjoyed the high-class, but often high-calorie and 'all you can eat' dining facilities offered on most modern vessels.

The findings of the study, by independent cruise travel agents Bonvoyage.co.uk, are unlikely to persuade anyone watching their weight to sign up for a seaborne adventure.

Out of 1,281 Britons surveyed, who had been on a cruise, 52 per cent admitted that they put on up to a stone during a two-week holiday.

One in 11 (9 per cent) put on around 4lbs while an additional 6 per cent were even worse and put on up to 18lbs.

Over eight in ten (84 per cent) confessed that they ate a lot more than normal as they sailed the oceans and 31 per cent admitted they ate double their normal calories.

And more than four in ten (41 per cent) found it difficult to shift the extra weight once they got home.

"I am as guilty as these respondents when it comes to indulging when on a cruise holiday, as the delicious food and drink on offer can be difficult to say no to," Steph Curtin, cruise development manager of Bonvoyage.co.uk said.

"This is particularly the case when on an all-inclusive cruise, where you know that all of the tempting food on offer has already been paid for."

Most cruises comprises a wide range of eateries, from fine-dining restaurants to fish and chip-style takeaways.

Several of them provide 'midnight feasts', while restaurants often stay open until the early hours to indulge guests.

Some ships have recognised the difficulties for passengers and have started offering healthier alternatives. (ANI)