What to do during rough seas?

I'm going on my first cruise to the Mexican Riviera. There aren't any expected storms and we should hopefully have calm waters. During heavy turbulence on a flight there's not much to do but to sit, strapped in your chair and endure it. On a boat, what does one do if traveling through rough waters? Do you stay in your cabin and curse Poseidon for this unwanted adventure? Go to the bar drinking with others? My dad told me in his Navy days they would strap themselves while at their posts to keep them from being tossed around. Just curious what one does :). Thanks!

I'm going on my first cruise to the Mexican Riviera. There aren't any expected storms and we should hopefully have calm waters. During heavy turbulence on a flight there's not much to do but to sit, strapped in your chair and endure it. On a boat, what does one during if traveling through rough waters? Do you stay in your cabin and curse Poseidon for this unwanted adventure? Go to the bar drinking with others? My dad told me in his Navy days they would strap themselves while at their posts to keep them from being tossed around. Just curious what one does :). Thanks!

There's a HUGE difference between your dad's ships and the modern ocean liners. During a storm you would just go about your daily/nightly activities that you would any other time. If there were a major storm the capt. would merely steer around it.

I'm going on my first cruise to the Mexican Riviera. There aren't any expected storms and we should hopefully have calm waters. During heavy turbulence on a flight there's not much to do but to sit, strapped in your chair and endure it. On a boat, what does one during if traveling through rough waters? Do you stay in your cabin and curse Poseidon for this unwanted adventure? Go to the bar drinking with others? My dad told me in his Navy days they would strap themselves while at their posts to keep them from being tossed around. Just curious what one does :). Thanks!

The ships in your Dad's day didn't have stabilizers. Today's ships do.

I follow whatever schedule I'd originally planned, lurching and hanging onto any handrails until I get to my destination.

Or I sit reading a book in one of the public areas if the sea is too rough for safe walking, which is very rare.

As stated above, with the stablizers, there is not as much movement in modern ships. We generally go about our business, soing the same things we would do in calm waters. We are more careful walking.

Dh and I are not prone to seasickness, thankfully.

We use care when moving about the ship and hold the handrails and rails along the corridors but we go about our usual activities, including breakfast, lunch and dinner. :)

Oh yes, I forgot.... cocktail hour as well.

Even with today's stabilizers, cruise ships sometimes go through some very rough waters.

The most stable place on the ship in such situations is down on the lowest deck, in the center of the ship.

On my first cruise we were on our way down to Fanning Island and went through a storm. Evidently the only folks who didn't have any trouble walking were those who were drunk. I guess the rockin' & rollin' of the ship was offset by the drunk's stagger.:D

On the way back to Hawaii we ran into another storm. Since we were sort of in the South Pacific, at least the rain was warm.

Avoid the buffet!

On my last cruise, there were a couple of hula classes in which even the instructor (who's been on the Princess Hawaiian cruises for some years now) felt the swaying, and warned her students to be careful while we were moving.

As others have said, passengers usually don't stop doing what they're doing. If you're like me and suffer from motion sickness, take your remedies, and then continue on. Some activities can be a good distraction.

Thanks for everyone's input. After flying enough I've encountered some heavy hour+ long turbulence that it makes my palms sweat thinking about it now that rough seas are the main concern for my first cruise. But sounds like I'll be good to go!

First, do not listen to any of these people. I have been on a bunch of cruises, allure of the Seas on down, and they ALL can have motion problems. I would only say I'm average bothered, but some people are much worse. Of about 12 cruises, I say I had BAD problems on one, and mild problems on two others. I would not fear it, but I also wouldn't ignore it either.

First pick a good room. Typically the closer to the center of the ship the better, and that is both front and back and top and bottom. In the front tends to be the worse.

Second, pack some Dramamine but if you forget it you can get it on the ship.

If it strikes, and it could strike at almost any time, there are a few schools of thought. Some say you should get where you can see the ocean, and stare out toward the horizon. Again if you can be in the middle of the ship, the better.

Other people say to go to your room and lay down. You probably want to lay with feet and head facing the sides of the ship. Some alcohol may help you relax if your a nervous person, and like on a plane, listening to an iPod can help, so bring one.

Typically the rough waves won't last more than a few hours, because like a aircraft pilot, the captain can steer around it. Also, don't think a storm always means rough waters. I've been in big storms that were pretty smooth and clear weather very wavy.

Finally, depending on your personality, if you are out-and-about when it gets rocky, I think its best to go back to your room and relax, unless you have an inside room. In that case, go where you can see the horizon.

So don't expect to get seasick often, but its also a lie to say nobody every gets seasick, even on the biggest newest boats.

I should add one thing. There are really two aspects of seasickness, the motion and the fear. Just like on a plane, the motion is one part that can cause physical symptoms, but the second part is fear. Having a giant ship rock violently can cause the same fear as bad turbulence in a plane. The fear of something bad happening. Depending on you, the motion may be worse or the fear may be worse, and the treatment for each is a bit different.

Good luck and have a great trip.

When heavy weather hits, run to a restaurant and order the clam chowder.

When it comes up, it looks, tastes, and smells the same as when it went down.

And it doesn't hurt your throat.

If the seas were to get very rough for those who get sea sick you should take something to prevent this and you should walk around very carefully holding things such as the handrails if walking up and down steps.

Keith

When heavy weather hits, run to a restaurant and order the clam chowder.

 

When it comes up, it looks, tastes, and smells the same as when it went down.

And it doesn't hurt your throat.

The Great Santini coms to mind!

When heavy weather hits, run to a restaurant and order the clam chowder.

 

When it comes up, it looks, tastes, and smells the same as when it went down.

And it doesn't hurt your throat.

From now on I think everyone on here will be thinking of you every time we eat clam chowder. :D

That is, if we can still eat clam chowder after that visual.

We have been in some rough seas.

We were just careful walking -- holding rails. Did not eat anything greasy.

Now that I have to use a walker, on rough sea days, we stay in the cabin most of the time.

Neither of us have ever gotten sea sick.

If it is going to be rough, I take Bonine. I go about my business (relaxation and fun). Also, fresh air helps me a lot. Have never been really sick.

Even with today's stabilizers, cruise ships sometimes go through some very rough waters.

 

The most stable place on the ship in such situations is down on the lowest deck, in the center of the ship.

Lower yes but the stern is actually the most stable.

Rough seas a re great at night, rock me to sleep, rough seas are rough seas, stay away from the edge, go about your bees and que's and do not think about it or else you be like the rest.:p

We take videos of water sloshing about in the pool. :)

The funny thing is, the footage end of the video doesn't reflect the size of the swells that day. We didn't stick around to see how the chocolate dessert tower buffet set-up fared.

It has not happen yet ..

I get motion sickness really easily and prefer to be outside with fresh air bit I would be towards the middle of the ship if I could. Doing a TA in November will let you know how it goes.

I was on an older ship years ago in a suite with a wall of closets and drawers with worn latches the ship was rolling so much that all the doors would swing open then closed open then closed......

A shot of Phenergan took care of me!

Surprised no one suggested balcony club activities. Might add something special ;)

Yes seas can get rough enough to make any ship move. How much a ship pitches or rolls is dependent on a long list of variables that I won't get into here. Yes modern ships have stabilizers, but that doesn't stop all rolling, not even in fairly light seas, they just minimize it a bit. At the same time, the seas can get bad enough to make any ship move a lot. The OP didn't say what kind of ship his father was on, but it was likely a much smaller ship than a modern cruise ship, and depending on what type of ship it was it might or might not have had a deep, v-shaped hull.

It is really unlikely that you will encounter really rough seas, though it can and does happen.

If it does: whenever you are walking around, keep one hand on a handrail or other solid thing to hold on to AT ALL TIMES; if you are having some motion illness problems (the subject of many other posts), stay somewhere where you can see the horizon and take whatever other illness medications or non-medications (ginger pills, etc.) for that; and make sure any loose items in your cabin are properly stowed.

In really rough seas -- 25 ft + -- I'm usually in the cabin laying down. Less than that, especially if not accompanied by rain & other foul weather, you can do what you like. It is a good idea to hold the handrails because sometimes the floor isn't in the same place it was when you picked up your foot to take that last step.

There have been days when I'm green & DH just laughed at me because it didn't bother him in the slightest, but like your father he's a veteran & the luxury cruise ships are way more stable than the miltary troop transports.