CAN YOU LOSE WEIGHT ON A CRUISE?

I don't know about you, but part of my enjoyment (well actually a BIG part of my enjoyment) is the amazing cuisine onboard today's luxury cruise ships. The thing is, I always find it so hard to resist the tempting food, that I do weigh a few pounds extra when I disembark. They say you gain a pound a day onboard a cruise - well last year on my 16 day cruise on Crystal Cruises I gained a while stone in weight! I went on as a passenger and left as cargo!

I'm not going to cut down on missing out on all those amazing flavours that the ships chefs have created - so for my next trip I have vowed to actually visit the gym, well more that just visit (which I usually do but just to have a look around), but actually use it! Yes I will pack my gym gear and get on that treadmill! Also maybe have the salad for lunch and perhaps only attend afternoon tea every other day, rather than every day.

There is of course the "lighter" menu that all luxury cruise ships provide these days, and the good old walkathon around the decks of course, which can be quite a social event too. On a recent Seabourn cruise I did enjoy the "tasting" menu served in Restaurant 2, the alternative dining option onboard Seabourn Quest. It was still five courses, but each course was small, like it says, a taste, so you experienced the delicious flavour combinations created by the chefs, without all the waistband-stretching calories. Maybe this is the way forward if my gym regime doesn't kick in!

What ways do you try to keep the weight off on a luxury cruise? Any tips you can give our readers? What's worked for you in the past?

See you in the buffet line!