sea sickness

[kruz2011]

first time cruisers and I usually get sea sick on catamaran and booze cruises? Ive read that I won't even feel the ship move so I will be ok, but have also heard that b/c it isn't a big ship I will feel it move? Any help with past cruisers on this?

[kruz2011]

Is there going to be any night life on this cruise, we are on holidays after all!

[RMLincoln]

first time cruisers and I usually get sea sick on catamaran and booze cruises? Ive read that I won't even feel the ship move so I will be ok, but have also heard that b/c it isn't a big ship I will feel it move? Any help with past cruisers on this?

I don't know where you are cruising or when but sometimes it can get pretty rough so be prepared with your favorite remedies. I alwasy bring and often have used Sea Bands, the accupressure wrist bands and Bonine for a back-up but I have never needed those.

You WILL feel the ship move... it's a ship in the ocean. No one can predict if you will get sick. Sometimes it hits people the first night or morning and then they get used to it. I haven't been sea-sick in 14 cruises but my DH has, OY.

On board you can request green apples, boullion and crackers and emesis bags (like airplanes used to have). The infirmary may be able to dispense a medication by injection at a high cost, maybe $100 for a visit, maybe more.

[vbmom87]

We have been on three cruises and always felt movement in the forward part of the ship and that was in relatively calm seas.

[trophy_23]

first time cruisers and I usually get sea sick on catamaran and booze cruises? Ive read that I won't even feel the ship move so I will be ok, but have also heard that b/c it isn't a big ship I will feel it move? Any help with past cruisers on this?

Not sure where you are cruising, but the sea conditions anywhere are hit and miss. You could have the whole trip be calm or the whole trip be just nasty. On our last trip for example (Eurodam), it was really nice everyday except one night, but that one had the 'puke bags' hung at the elevators and outside decks were closed, and there were a few people that looked a little 'green'. As mentioned, take the necessary precautions, so you are prepared just incase, but hope for the best.

[wldflr]

I have had bouts of sea sickness and to avoid it I take a dramamine (or bonine) the day of sailing, usually with lunch, on the lido deck:D. This is assuming a 4 or 5pm sail. Take more the next morning with breakfast and will keep it up for as long as needed, usually taking less and less as the days go on.

If I feel in the least bit queasy, take a fraction of a tablet immediately and make sure I don't have an empty stomach if the ship is really rolling - apples and crackers are good.

But everyone is different and this is what has worked for me. Spent a week on a Windjammer cruise bouncing around like a cork on large waves but still had a great time. Wish that cruiseline was still around :(

[eh2zed]

You will likely feel some movement. If you are sensitive then bring along what works for you. I use natural ginger tablets when needed.

[SwissMyst]

There are several things you can feel on a ship, just like there are strange things unique to airline travel. Yes, there is the motion of the waves that Mother Nature hands you at her whim. There is also the internal vibrations of the ship itself.

Some times there are noticeable shudders and sometimes you sense the stabilizers going into action. A lot of vibrations seem to depend upon the speed of the ship -some times far more noticeable than others. But all of these extra sounds and feelings just seem to melt away into the white noise background once your head hits those dreamy pillows and bedding on HAL ships.

I found I do get sea sick so the collective wisdom I got from this board and checked out with research first confirm this OTC product is okay for you, then take a Bonine (less drowsy making than others) tablet the night before, even if you don't think you need it, and then every night there after for at least the first few days.

Supplement it with daily doses of candied ginger that you can get in health food departments or from the YumYum man at the door of the main dining room in the evenings.

I carry both electronic and regular "sea bands" which are acupressure devices which I have never used and have no idea if they work or not, but reports from many have been good and that is a back-up just in case and for instant benefit. The Bonine takes a day to get into your system.

Other friends swear by the heavy duty medicine scopolamine patches you see some wearing behind their ear - doctors prescription necessary and some side effects make this choice the harder one.

I remember someone telling me the Alaska Inside Passaage cruise was one of the smoothest possible trips, yet that one had parts of it that about had half the ship under the weather. This was the first time I had tried the Bonine Ginger combo and we sailed happily through it all and were about the only people in the late seating dining room one night.

And the bags were out in the hall, but I felt nothing and enjoyed every bite of my dinner that night. Good stuff - but even the non-drowsy makes me drowsy for the first few days.

What ever you decide to take ahead of time, do try it out before you leave just so you can see what side effects to expect first.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

Yes -- there could be times when you may feel the ship move.

If you are that prone to sea sickness -- then you should not even consider a cataman excursion -- you will feel motion there.

And mixing Dramamine and booze is not a wise idea.

[kazu]

Welcome to cruise critic. We always take our sea bands with us. The front desk does have sea sick pills that are available (free of charge) which can help if you are having a bout. We usually manage ok, but dh has used them once and found they really helped.

My solution - move out to the fresh air and I always feel better and then just carrryon :D

My friend gets sea sick on a ferry, but the ship has no effect, so you just never know.

[innlady1]

We take ginger capsules found in any health food store, or your drug store. Target and WalMart carry it as well.

You on a ship on a moving body of water...you can never tell how calm...or how rough...the seas will be.

We've found the Caribbean to be calm overall...although on our most recent Maasdam cruise, we were rocking and rolling a bit heading back to FFL from Aruba.

When the Noordam sailed from NYC, we did that twice...one cruise in particular, we experienced 18-20 foot seas the first full sea day! I'd taken Bonine and ginger...and was fine. DH grew up on boats and was fine w/o taking anything. But that's the way it is in the Atlantic...I think to and fro Bermuda can be the same.

[Live4cruises]

I tend to get queazy pretty quickly on small boats and (very) small planes. I don't have any problem with the normal movement of a cruise ship, even in moderate seas. The longer I've had to get my sea legs, the more motion I can deal with comfortably. We always get an aft cabin, and speaking for myself I don't notice any difference in the motion aft vs more mid-ships. I do understand the physics of that whole discussion, though.

[lcand1923]

I suffer from motion sickness in all sorts of conveyances. If you have suffered in the past on catamarans and booze cruises, you will probably feel motion on a cruise ship. Any med with booze is not a good idea. I'd go with the battery-operated sea band type of thing. It is the least invasive and very comfortable to wear. It also works AFTER you start feeling queezy. All you have to do is increase the acupressure until you start feeling better then leave it on until you go to bed. If you don't have any problem, you don't have to use it. The regular sea bands have to be worn all of the time and I find them quite uncomfortable when worn over about 10 hours.

[mauiedin87]

Over the last 16 cruises we have been lucky enough never ever to get seasick, even in 20 ft seas. DH uses the non-drowsy Dramamine, I swear by my now ancient SeaBands as well as ginger capsules from the health food store. Never tried ginger candy, but since I have to avoid sugar, I prefer the capsules. One friend of ours always wears the scopolamine patches and has essentially just slept through many cruises, many countries and not seen much of anything. That's a side effect I would rather avoid!:eek:

[big green]

My old cure from my US Navy days--

saltines and sardines. yum

BG

[Tampa Girl]

first time cruisers and I usually get sea sick on catamaran and booze cruises? Ive read that I won't even feel the ship move so I will be ok, but have also heard that b/c it isn't a big ship I will feel it move? Any help with past cruisers on this?


It would help if you mentioned the ship, the cruise, and the time of year. Hard to answer your questions without the info.

[3rdGenCunarder]

I tend to get queazy pretty quickly on small boats and (very) small planes. I don't have any problem with the normal movement of a cruise ship, even in moderate seas. The longer I've had to get my sea legs, the more motion I can deal with comfortably. We always get an aft cabin, and speaking for myself I don't notice any difference in the motion aft vs more mid-ships. I do understand the physics of that whole discussion, though.

I do notice the difference beween motion midships and aft, but it doesn't bother me. It isn't unusual to have trouble with the motion of a small boat like a catamaran, but be OK on a ship. As for a booze cruise, maybe that wasn't the boat's fault...

We can always tell if rough weather is expected. The "little white bags" make an appearance.

It takes a lot of big waves to make me uncomfortable. If the motion bothers me, I swear by ginger ale and crackers. The ginger ale needs to have real ginger in it, not an artificial flavor. I never heard about green apples as a cure until I read it on CC.

My old cure from my US Navy days--

saltines and sardines. yum

BG

I think that would "solve" the problem, but not in the way most people would want to. :eek:

[gelo7]

I never cruise without Bonine.

[luxurysailer]

If you're that susceptible to motion sickness; and if there are no medical contraindications, I'd highly recommend you take some form of meclizine. If you have medical problems or take other medications you should probably check with your physician first. The most common trade name of this drug is Bonine, but the generics work just as well and are cheaper. I'm pretty sure meclizine is what HAL gives to passengers at the front desk.

The goal in seasickness is to prevent it, rather than waiting for it to occur and then treating the symptoms. Although meclizine isn't foolproof, it is a surer bet for most people than giner, seabands, etc. It is recommended that mecilizine be started about 24 hours prior to anticipated need. Some people claim meclizine makes them sleepy, so we take ours at bedtime.

[nothriver]

I suffer from seasickness and have only been on one cruise. I took Bonine (meclazine sp?) the first two day as we had a small ship excursion the first day prior to embarkation, and then the second day we were in open ocean. Then I quit taking the Bonine - bad idea. I should have continued to take one each morning each day of the cruise. I have taken trial doses of Bonine in regular life and have not noticed any side effects of any kind, so no reason not to take it. I believe it takes at least an hour to have any effect, so you really need to take it before you are feeling ill. Once you are feeling ill, I've had pretty good luck with the ginger candy. The green apples did not seem to help me at all.

My first cruise we were fairly high up in an aft cabin. I absolutely LOVED my aft cabin, but next cruise, I'm looking to book at mid ship lower deck in hopes it will relieve a bit of my motion sickness. And I'll make sure to take my Bonine EVERY day!

[centuryguy]

I'm prone to sea sickness. I absolutely recommend Bonine. I've been unlucky enough to experience moderate to rough seas on one night of my last two cruises. On both I was in a cabin high on the ship and forward. No issues with sickness whatsoever. I also went diving in Barbados and it was pretty rough on the small dive boat. Two people on the boat were queasy, but not a hint of sickness for me.

[electra2008]

as everyone else says don't wait until you feel it, be prepared pill wise. Get a midship, low deck cabin. And FRESH AIR even it is only managing to hold the door open for a few mins cause the wind is sooooo strong:) Went accross Atlantic in Dec from Canary Isles to N Africa and the waves were really going, I have to take a pill to ride a bus and the fresh air was the magic answer.

[NMLady]

first time cruisers and I usually get sea sick on catamaran and booze cruises? Ive read that I won't even feel the ship move so I will be ok, but have also heard that b/c it isn't a big ship I will feel it move? Any help with past cruisers on this?

I take some Meclizine (generic Bonine) with me in case the water gets choppy. I'm not usually prone to seasickness but there have been a few cruises when I've been glad that I had either Meclizine or Dramamine with me. I have also learned that ginger capsules help so I bring those with me as well. Also, saltine crackers from the buffet can help.
And on most HAL cruises, the 'yum yum' man outside the dining room at dinner has crystalized ginger as one of the choices. This is a help, and we also always ask for green apples for our cabin (oceanview) since those also help settle a stomach.

[Himself]

We have been on three cruises and always felt movement in the forward part of the ship and that was in relatively calm seas.



There will always be some rolling factors but with today's stabelizers, it is nothing like it was in the pre-stabelizer era.

[innlady1]

I tend to get queazy pretty quickly on small boats and (very) small planes. I don't have any problem with the normal movement of a cruise ship, even in moderate seas. The longer I've had to get my sea legs, the more motion I can deal with comfortably. We always get an aft cabin, and speaking for myself I don't notice any difference in the motion aft vs more mid-ships. I do understand the physics of that whole discussion, though.

We always have a cabin abaft of midship...a couple times on the stern. I'd rather be abaft of midship than directly on the stern, IMHO. The stabilizers and vibrations on the stern are really bothersome.

LOL...perhaps because the last time we were on the stern was out of NYC to the Caribbean with 20 foot seas!