Interesting Info

[Sea Island Lady]

Saw this thread on the RCCL board:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=762221

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Interesting thread, this would be a good question for Manbehindthecurtain as to if HAL is doing this.

[Sir PMP]

Heard that story before

[vbmom87]

The more I read, the more i am sorry I booked my cruise. This willl be my first cruise. I have been violently sea sick on a ferry across Lake Michigan. I was told a cruise ship would be much different with the stabilizers. Now I am worried. This may be the longest week of my life.

[Sea Island Lady]

I think having the stabilizers off at night (after dinner) would be fine...great sleeping medicine! :D However, daytime would be a different story.

Both my parents have balance problems, so I would worry about them on our upcoming Noordam cruise.

How are the waters for the Roman Empire Mediterranean cruise?

[Sea Island Lady]

The more I read, the more i am sorry I booked my cruise. This willl be my first cruise. I have been violently sea sick on a ferry across Lake Michigan. I was told a cruise ship would be much different with the stabilizers. Now I am worried. This may be the longest week of my life.
Although I didn't mean for this thread to get into a sea sickness med thread, if you take Bonine (Meclizine) BEFORE your cruise begins, you should be fine. Try it out before you leave for your cruise, at a time where you don't mind side effects (like sleepiness).

On my first cruise, I took a whole Bonine and did fine, but became sleepy by that evening. Ever since, I take just 1/2 a pill if I think the seas will be rough. Otherwise, I don't use anything.

My DH also takes Ginger capsules.

[sail7seas]

Please consult your personal physician for any medication advice. The most 'innocent' over the counter med could not be appropriate for you to take.

As to the stabalizers...... I have heard that also. Don't know if it is true but see it as possible.

[boccismom]

Well, that answers why I got seasick on the Veendam. I never get seasick and couldn't understand why it happened this time.

Luckily, I'm a better safe than sorry gal and packed both Bonine and some SeaBands and got over it fairly quickly.

[sail7seas]

I see that as possibly a big leap from cause and effect. We had been on about 25+ cruises and I was never seasick. Out of nowhere in mildly rough seas, I was seasick on Rotterdam some years ago. It shocked both me and DH as almost no one else was sick on the ship. The most experienced seamen (crew) now and then get seasick ....doesn't even have to be real rough seas.

[kakalina]

Very interesting indeed. Personally I would love it I like motion with my ocean!

[Boytjie]

I have no idea if stabilizers were used on any of the 3 cruises I have been on. The February cruise was quite rocky leaving Cozumel through the next day.

Is there a website that would explain how it actually works? I have seen diffferent things - some saying that it does not work for pitching but is more for rolling seas.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Actually in the case of Under Currents in Alaska the stabilizers do Nothing. Some of the worst jerking motions I have had was in the Inside Passage when the seas looked extremely calm.

I do highly recommend Bonine but I have also found like mentioned that even the most seasoned cruiser can feel ill.Then we have been in some really rough seas and I have felt great and loved the rocky motion sort of like a cradle putting you to sleep especially in the aft:)

[jhannah]

I have no knowledge ... but it seems to me that HAL would not sacrifice the comfort of guests to save some fuel.

Boytjie, the stabilizers work like aircraft wings that control the lateral axis of the ship. Side to side. They do not address pitching, which is bow up and down. Maybe this site will give you more information.
http://www.jerrylabella.com/on_the_level.htm

[manbehindthecurtain]

Interesting thread, this would be a good question for Manbehindthecurtain as to if HAL is doing this.


In short: Yes and no.

In the old days stabilizers were extended pretty much from the moment the ship left port until it reached the next.

These days, we only activate the stabilizer if the ship is developing a rolling motion, as that is what the stabilizers can stop. If the roll is only slight, we tend to only activate one of the stabilizers to limit the amount of drag. True, this will cause the ship to very slightly be pulled to the side of the stabilizer, but a very small rudder angle (which is less drag than a second stabilizer) will correct this.

If the ship is only pitching, we do not deploy the stabilizers, as they will not help against that type of movement.

Finally, please keep in mind that the stabilizers are only good at minimizing a rolling motion with a certain frequency. The system is basically 'learning' what correction to apply to reduce the movement. For the technically savvy: it works the same as a DIP regulator.
If the ship is experiencing swells/seas coming from behind or on one of her quarters (not directly from aft but under an angle), this is the hardest to correct as it is not a frequent movement but an infrequent one: periods of hardly any movement, and then suddenly a fairly large roll. Because these rolls don't happen at steady intervals, the system cannot 'learn' it, so also cannot compensate for it.

Finally, in Alaska some of the rolls are caused by the fact that the ship needs to make fairly sharp turns at times. Stabilizers will reduce the severity of the roll, but cannot eliminate it.

Hope this clears things up a bit.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Thanks, I knew you could answer this questions:)

[Sea Island Lady]

Great information...thanks! :)

Please consult your personal physician for any medication advice. The most 'innocent' over the counter med could not be appropriate for you to take.



And if that physician prescribes a patch, try it out beforehand. I have seen many people get very sick with the patch. Most of the time, they are too strong for the patient. Bonine is over the counter and safe to use...WITH your doctors blessing.

[cruisecrasy]

In short: Yes and no.

In the old days stabilizers were extended pretty much from the moment the ship left port until it reached the next.

These days, we only activate the stabilizer if the ship is developing a rolling motion, as that is what the stabilizers can stop. If the roll is only slight, we tend to only activate one of the stabilizers to limit the amount of drag. True, this will cause the ship to very slightly be pulled to the side of the stabilizer, but a very small rudder angle (which is less drag than a second stabilizer) will correct this.

If the ship is only pitching, we do not deploy the stabilizers, as they will not help against that type of movement.

Finally, please keep in mind that the stabilizers are only good at minimizing a rolling motion with a certain frequency. The system is basically 'learning' what correction to apply to reduce the movement. For the technically savvy: it works the same as a DIP regulator.
If the ship is experiencing swells/seas coming from behind or on one of her quarters (not directly from aft but under an angle), this is the hardest to correct as it is not a frequent movement but an infrequent one: periods of hardly any movement, and then suddenly a fairly large roll. Because these rolls don't happen at steady intervals, the system cannot 'learn' it, so also cannot compensate for it.

Finally, in Alaska some of the rolls are caused by the fact that the ship needs to make fairly sharp turns at times. Stabilizers will reduce the severity of the roll, but cannot eliminate it.

Hope this clears things up a bit.

Thankyou so much for sharing this info..much appreciated.

Have happy cruisin'!

[Two if by Sea]

Bonine is over the counter and safe to use...WITH your doctors blessing.

Someone said "take it before your cruise". But then what? Does one dose last you all week? Or do you take it every evening? Or every morning?

[RuthC]

Someone said "take it before your cruise". But then what? Does one dose last you all week? Or do you take it every evening? Or every morning?
Oh, no. You keep taking it. You start it before the cruise to get it into your system. Then take one about 2 hours before sailing. After that try taking them just at bedtime.

Bonine is supposed to be non-drowsy, but some people report it makes them a little sleepy. I haven't needed it in years, but when I did take it I would feel a little "funny". Nothing bad, just a bit "off". After a day or two I didn't need it for the rest of the cruise.

[jhannah]

... but when I did take it I would feel a little "funny". Nothing bad, just a bit "off". And that's a bad thing??? :D

[Sea Island Lady]

Oh, no. You keep taking it. You start it before the cruise to get it into your system. Then take one about 2 hours before sailing. After that try taking them just at bedtime.

Bonine is supposed to be non-drowsy, but some people report it makes them a little sleepy. I haven't needed it in years, but when I did take it I would feel a little "funny". Nothing bad, just a bit "off". After a day or two I didn't need it for the rest of the cruise.
Sorry! I should have explained a little better, but Ruth is correct.

I take my Bonine in the morning, because it does make me a little sleepy by the evening. If I take it at night, I can barely get out of bed the next morning.

[Taxguy77]

[QUOTE=jhannah;14397864]I have no knowledge ... but it seems to me that HAL would not sacrifice the comfort of guests to save some fuel.

The older ships, like the (at times Norwegian Sun) used a smoother acting stabilizer than some of the newer and larger ships which use a system that has small jerks in it. This was pointed out to me and another man by the Engingering Officer on the N. Sun. It is not noticable unless you stand and put your attention to feeling it, so most people don't know this.
The Royal Clipper uses large ballast pumps to transfer water from Port to Starboard (or vice-versa) and is super-smooth.

[Taxguy77]

The more I read, the more i am sorry I booked my cruise. This willl be my first cruise. I have been violently sea sick on a ferry across Lake Michigan. I was told a cruise ship would be much different with the stabilizers. Now I am worried. This may be the longest week of my life.

Go with an open mind and no fear. I have not been on Lake Michigan, but have heard it can be VERY rough. Probably more ships have gone down on the lake, than ALL the cruise ship disasters on the 7seas. Most of our cruises have been like being in a hotel that is in a different location each morning. Enjoy! We have a friend who wouldn't go near the water enjoy a 7 day cruise, much to her amazement. :) :)

[Momee]

To Cruise Crasy: My teens used the patch and it did not work we thought it needed another dose I put another on for them (i'm the mom) and their vision became blurry for the next two days. Stupid me! The patch was giving them the medication--------however they still got ill over and over throughout sea days. So in a nutshell patch did not work for them. Bonine or Dram. did not work either. I will book another cruise because they said that they like cruising even though they get sick 4 out of 10 days, go figure kids. Be careful overdosing on the patch, use one every 3 days like it says

[boatlover]

It would seem they couldn't get too carried away with this approach. More sea sick passengers would result in lower bar sales, casino activity and less interest in other revenue generating activities like spa treatments and specialty restaurants. Seems they would want to do what they could to keep at sea days as smooth as possible - they aren't competing against on shore vendors for our dollars.