10 Ways to Beat Post-Cruise Depression

Cure Post-Cruise Depression

If the sudden absence of towel animals, umbrella drinks and endless horizons leaves you hollow, you might have Post-Cruise Funk (PCF), an affliction that's affected nearly 100 percent of cruisers, according to a well-cited study we just invented.

But know this: The situation can be remedied.

We've compiled 10 tips and strategies, many sourced from Cruise Critic members in recovery, to get you through the painful sea-to-land reacclimation period. Enjoy a dose of the collected advice, and be sure to add to the group therapy session in the comments.

1. Prescription: The Photo Detox

If a picture is worth 1,000 words, a few of those words must be therapeutic. "I found if I take lots of fun photos while on the cruise, I can stave off some of the depression by reviewing and organizing them into a book," writes member Tudy. She and her husband periodically host "cruise evenings," during which they peruse photos, share stories and laugh. Check out our tips for taking better onboard photos, and learn how to enhance your mobile gallery with these five free photo-editing apps.

There are also a handful of web and mobile apps, like Shutterfly or Flickr, that make it easy to preserve your cruise experience.

Side Effects: Narcolepsy, if too many photos coupled with tedious narration are shown to friends

2. Prescription: Write a Review

As with photos, reframing the at-sea narrative can be like reliving the experience. When you reminisce by way of review, you're doing thousands of readers a service through your insights, tips and tricks. Heal yourself by writing a cruise review. Don't forget to include photos from your vacation in your review to fully relive the experience.

Side Effects: Narcissism sparked from the respect and adulation you receive from thousands of Cruise Critic readers in search of the right ship

3. Prescription: Focus on Diet

If you're pining over the loss of cruise food -- the availability, the variety, the fanfare -- there are antidotes. Drool over epicurean content in Cruise Critic's cruise food section, re-create at-sea meals with readers' favorite recipes or chew on some useful member advice in the Cruise Foodies forum. For example, member MissMap keeps all the nighttime pillow chocolates from her cruise and deposits them in a desk drawer at work: "So if I'm having a stressful day at work," she writes, "I savor one and take a moment to remember the latest great cruise vacation." Or borrow cruising's culinary nomenclature, like member Econom405, who admits to referring to the first post-cruise family dinner she cooks as the "chef's regional specialty."

Side Effects: Minor weight gain, modest weight gain or excessive weight gain

4. Prescription: Re-create Your Favorite Cruise Cocktails at Home

Martini Flight from Celebrity Cruise (Photo: Celebrity Cruise Lines)

For many passengers, that first slurp of sail-away daiquiri marks the official start to a cruise. If you drink to remember, there might be nothing easier than re-creating your favorite cruise cocktail at home. Put those cocktai