In retrospect, maybe buying a cruise wasn’t the best choice for a stress-free vacation this year.

Don’t be too hard on yourself. When you decided a year ago to spend hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on a cruise, you had no way of knowing that coronavirus would become such a major health concern.

And you certainly couldn’t have foreseen the horror story that unfolded aboard Princess Cruises’ Diamond Princess ship. What started with 10 confirmed cases of the virus on Feb. 4 grew into more than 700 cases over two weeks the ship was quarantined off the coast of Japan.

Historians will forever debate whether quarantining vulnerable passengers aboard a ship was the right response in the outbreak’s early days.

But you’ve got these tickets now and you’re wondering whether you should go as planned. Most cruisers booked on voyages to Asian countries hit hard by the virus already have their answer — in February, their cruise lines canceled those trips and refunded their money.

So far, the cruise lines aren’t canceling voyages to other destinations, including the Caribbean, Alaska and Europe. Except for the few who spent money on “Cancel For Any Reason” travel insurance, you’ll forfeit the money you spent on your cruise if you decide not to go on a trip the cruise line does not cancel.

To go or not to go? This dilemma plays out in the social media section of the consumer-­focused cruise information website cruisecritic.com, which features a separate “roll call” forum for every cruise scheduled by the major cruise lines.

On a roll call for Carnival Cruise Line’s March 15 seven-day trip to the Caribbean and Mexico aboard Carnival Horizon, a woman named Brenda confided, “I know the Coronavirus is real bad and I have so many friends that are trying to TELL ME that the 8 of us should not do our cruise. I know it is still about 5 weeks away, so I’m praying that things will get better over this time period.”

Another member, TeresaJ, posted, “I am hoping the Coronavirus will be died down by the time we cruise. It seems to (be) mostly overseas so I think we will be OK.”

Brenda responded, “Yes Teresa, I hope you’re right.”

WHETHER TO CANCEL

Whether to cancel “is a personal decision,” said Chris Gray Faust, managing editor of cruisecritic.com. She noted: “I’m boarding a cruise in the Caribbean in less than two weeks and am not concerned. But there are certainly travelers out there who are reconsidering travel plans.”

Cruise lines and associated businesses spent much of last week reassuring consumers that cruising remains safe, even as investors have sold off cruise company stocks and driven down stock prices in anticipation of the virus’ spread scaring away more travelers and driving down revenues.

Cruise lines’ defensive posture is understandable. If consumers across the globe stop booking cruises en masse, the loss of revenue would cripple the multi­billion-dollar industry. So the companies put their best feet forward, even if behind the scenes officials are closely monitoring falling stock prices and rising numbers of cases in popular destinations such as Italy.

None of six major cruise lines — Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, MSC Cruises or Holland America — were willing to tell the South Florida Sun Sentinel how their cancellation rates so far this year compare to last year’s rates.

The virus’ impact on cancellations likely won’t come into focus until the publicly traded cruise lines release their first-quarter earnings reports sometime after March.

Cruise Lines International Association, the cruise lines’ Washington, D.C.-based trade association, responded to emailed questions by promising that “our priority at all times, and especially now, is the health and safety of our passengers and crew.”

The statement specified what member companies are doing to prevent the virus from spreading among passengers:

>> All member companies are required to have “robust” Outbreak Prevention and Response Plans, including procedures to provide care for and isolate passengers and crew as needed.

>> Preventative screening measures have been put into place, including denying boarding to anyone who has traveled from, visited or transited via airports in China, Hong Kong and Macau within 14 days of embarkation.

>> No one can board if they had close contact with, or helped care for, anyone suspected of or diagnosed with having the virus, or if they are currently being monitored for possible exposure.

>> Enhanced screening and initial medical support are to be provided as needed to anyone exhibiting symptoms of “suspected” coronavirus.

CONCERNS OVERBLOWN?

While cruise ships continue to operate as usual throughout the world, including the Asia-Pacific region, measures cruise lines took within hours of the World Health Organization’s declaration of the virus as a global health emergency “appear to be working,” CLIA’s statement says.

The Diamond Princess began its 29-day journey on Jan. 6, well before the World Health Organization’s emergency declaration on Jan. 30.

However, another ship, the Grand Princess, which had voyages to Mexico, Hawaii and California in February has now seen dozens of people who have tested positive for the virus, including one fatality.

Erika Richter, communications director for the American Society of Travel Advisors, which calls itself “the world’s largest association of travel professionals,” contends that concerns that cruise passengers are more vulnerable to getting infected are overblown.

“Our message has been to keep calm and keep cruising,” Richter said Thursday. There’s still time to take advantage of (seasonal) deals and prices. It’s important to know that fear is contagious.”

She recalled similar concerns raised about cruising after 9/11 and during an outbreak beginning in 2012 of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and in the early 2000s of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS. Yet “people keep traveling,” she said.

The current coronavirus, however, has already infected and killed more people than either SARS or MERS-CoV, which to a large degree explains the current level of concern.

Rob Stuart, who owns St. Petersburg, Fla.-based travel agency Creating Magic Vacations, said his agents are reporting a “sur- prisingly few clients saying, ‘I’m worried.’ ”

Likewise, Richter said her agents aren’t concerned about a long-term business drop-off. Chris Caulfield, owner of Chris Caulfield Cruise One in Hudson, N.Y., said his company will focus on selling trips to the Caribbean until “things bounce back in the next quarter.”

WHAT TO DO

Worried passengers, meanwhile, should continue to use common sense when approaching a cruise they’ve already booked, experts say. That means monitoring communications from the cruise line about itinerary changes, and travel advisories from the U.S. government. Wash hands well and often. Answer health questionnaires truthfully. Report any onboard illness to the ship’s crew as soon as symptoms arise.

Travel insurance is worth considering, as it can cover unexpected medical costs arising from accidents or sickness.

For passengers who have already paid for their cruises, it’s probably too late to purchase travel insurance with a “Cancel For Any Reason” option. That’s because most cruise lines make it available for only a certain amount of time after paying their deposit, says Julie Loffredi, manager of media relations for the agency InsureMyTrip.

For travelers still eligible to purchase it, “Cancel For Any Reason” insurance enables consumers to get up to 75% of their prepaid fare back if they back out of a voyage the cruise line refuses to cancel. The cost is reasonable — about $200 extra for a couple in their 50s already spending $200 on standard travel insurance for a $5,000 vacation to Aruba, Loffredi said.

If you didn’t buy travel insurance and you’re too afraid of infection to go on the cruise you bought, you’ll probably have to eat the cost of the cruise. “Cruise lines aren’t legally required to offer a refund for a cruise that’s past final payment and canceled by the guest,” Faust said. “The lines are protected by the contract that all cruisers sign at the time of purchase.”

But if the cruise line decides the trip is too risky and cancels, that’s a different ballgame. When cruise lines cancel, guests get full refunds and sometimes future credits as a gesture of goodwill, she said.

“So if you’re concerned about compensation for cruises in regions where there have been more severe impacts, and you’ve already paid in full, it’s usually better to wait until the cruise line has made a cancellation before jumping the gun and doing it on your own.”