Is it always rough sea with Alaska cruise?

We booked a cruise RT from Seattle late July and I was told the sea/ocean is "always" rough. Is this true? We cruised a lot, but dont really get sick, so never have the need for a patch, and now wondering do we need one for Alaska?

I know weather could be unpredictable, but wondering what is typical July like?

Thank you,

Tibby

Remember the advice about test questions that have "always" and "never" in them?;)

No, it is not "always" rough. But, realistically, you must be prepared every day on a ship for rough seas. You never know when the seas could be rough.

Remember the advice about test questions that have "always" and "never" in them?;)

 

No, it is not "always" rough. But, realistically, you must be prepared every day on a ship for rough seas. You never know when the seas could be rough.

Smoother sailing out of Vancouver.

Lol Bruce, that is why I quoted it.

I guess it depends on what you call "rough". In 6 cruises to Alaska (1 southbound, 5 round trip Seattle) I have never experienced anything that I would call "rough" seas. For me, that would mean enough motion to have trouble walking around. Usually I can't feel much motion at all. I do tend to sail mid-summer. Maybe I have just been lucky.

have sailed this route a few times. :o

the 1st 3 times, the ship motion was a little bumpy, no side to side motion at all.

The last time? as we headed out past the tip of Washington, where it enters open seas just a bit, we were going side to side a bit, and we both got a little wooooozy. My husband laid down (NOT supposed to do that) but I went out and walked around which made me feel better. The inside passage was pretty smooth.

We have taken two Seattle to Seattle cruises and encountered rough seas on half of the cruises. We always take our Bonine just to be on the safe side.

Expect one day of "rougher" sailing. This is more common on round trip Seattle trips. I have multiple trips to Alaska, and have encountered "rough sailing" (barf bags placed out :) ) on every route I have taken, including with a round trip Vancouver.

There is no way to predict anything, you are on water. Of course you can have "rough" sailings.

Any recommendation for meds or devices to help with motion sickness? I've taken non-drowsy dramamine in the past but it still makes me kind of sleepy. I'm thinking of buying a band (and packing back up dramamine just in case) but I'm not sure whether the PSI band or the Seaband is more effective. Thoughts?

Any recommendation for meds or devices to help with motion sickness? I've taken non-drowsy dramamine in the past but it still makes me kind of sleepy. I'm thinking of buying a band (and packing back up dramamine just in case) but I'm not sure whether the PSI band or the Seaband is more effective. Thoughts?

I can't speak for the PSI band but Seabands work great, My sister used them for years, in the car, on a plane, anything, and it stops her motion sickness with no side effects. If I recall the PSI band is the same theory, so either should work. For our upcoming cruise I am making my boyfriend wear them the first day or two, until he is adjusted, just to prevent his motion sickness. :p

1. The possible exposure to heavy seas varies based on itinerary. The shortest is roughly (pun intended) two 8 hour segments and the longest is two full days (first and last). During the time on the inside passage (typically 4 days) only a person with clinical motion sickness should be impacted.

2. When you are in exposed waters it can be rough. But it isn't always rough. We transited from Kodiak to Cape Spencer one time with the sea as flat as glass the whole way. The worst we have had in Alaska hasn't even come close to the North Atlantic.

3. We always take some form sea sickness medicine with us. It seems like inexpensive insurance.

4. It is highly recommended that you learn how sailors have avoided sea sickness without medicine. These methods do work. One of the posters above noted one of the methods - fresh air!

5. If you want to dig deeply into the topic, there are buoys along the passage to Alaska that post the sea state on the Internet. One example can be found at:

http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=46132

We have done the trip twice and no "rough" seas causing us sickness. We have lots of friends who have done alaska trips and only one had a trip had a single rough day. None of our friends have ever found the need for sick bags or medicine. Im not your doctor, but the newer ships are much different than the old ships as far as stability. I did the mardi gras in 77 and that was a much more eventfull experience during a storm.

We find a lot of people scare future alaska cruisers over the sea day, because they watch deadliest catch and think that is what they are going to be traveling in. It can be some larger rolling waves but the cruise lines would never be having so many people doing the alaska cruises if it was such a problem. It never hurts to be carefull, but no more than our trips out of other ports. We have had multiple cruises where weather has prevented us from tendering or entering a port, but we hardly noticed it on the ship.

And then there's our experience..... (Which was, in fairness, early May). On the open-water overnight on our penultimate night, we hit a hellacious storm. They stopped updating the weather on the TV. They closed the outside decks. We were on Deck 7, And every 4th wave *broke* across our balcony (granted, that's a combination of the ship heading down in to the trough while the next wave hits). No sleep for us....we went out into the public areas and hung out with the other "misery loves company" peeps, listening to a piano player (!) and watching the officers walk around exuding calm. :eek:

So rough seas exist. We made it through; so will you.

Trip up from Seattle in the open waters had been fine, but that's when my husband needed the Bonine. go figure.

We sailed on the Diamond Princess in 2008 - Whittier to Vancouver. Smooth the whole way but the last night overnight going into Vancouver. I think I heard it was always rough going into this area - thru the straits. The Captain announced it would be a little rough overnight. He was right.

That was in early August..

What about southbound from Seward to Vancouver could we encounter any rough seas?

What about southbound from Seward to Vancouver could we encounter any rough seas?

Yes, possibly on the last night would be the most common.

I have had it smooth as glass and have also had it very rough on the last day to Vancouver. No way to predict.

anywhere you have a large body of water you have the potential for choppy sailing. If you look at the maps of the area you will see that on both north and southbound cruises you are in open water in the Gulf of Alaska - or from where you exit from either Hubbard Glacier or Glacier Bay to where you enter into either Seward or Whittier. The other spot for open ocean is between the north tip of Vancouver Island and the area around Prince Rupert - I have seen ships huddled around the northern end of that bay due to 23-25kt winds and heavy seas.

What about southbound from Seward to Vancouver could we encounter any rough seas?

Lorey2007, I have done southbound out of Seward twice, the first time was pretty calm. The second time it was a little rocky the first day at sea due to near gale force winds, there were some green looking people the first day, but after that once in the inside passage it was smooth sailing. I used sea bands and was fine I also tried to stay on the lower decks as there was less motion. We will be doing another southbound this summer so it was nothing that scared me away.:D

What about southbound from Seward to Vancouver could we encounter any rough seas?

Sorry, I know that is not a very helpful answer, but a true one, as we have encountered widely differing sea conditions in that area on different trips.

I have done AK cruise twice. Both the smoothest cruises ever. The last a RT Vancouver/Whittier last summer we didn't even know we were on a ship. The other in 1999 was never more than 1-3 ft seas and that was Gulf of AK. Mostly sunny weather for both as well, another oddity I hear.

I can't speak for the PSI band but Seabands work great, My sister used them for years, in the car, on a plane, anything, and it stops her motion sickness with no side effects. If I recall the PSI band is the same theory, so either should work. For our upcoming cruise I am making my boyfriend wear them the first day or two, until he is adjusted, just to prevent his motion sickness. :p

Do you buy these bands at any drug store? I am going in August and tend to get motion sick in backseat of the cars and on theme park rides so trying to figure out what to do for me on the boat :)

Do you buy these bands at any drug store? I am going in August and tend to get motion sick in backseat of the cars and on theme park rides so trying to figure out what to do for me on the boat :)

I'm pretty sure you can. Another helpful item is ginger. I find the capsules to help - and the old standby green apples.

Do you buy these bands at any drug store?

Walmart, Target, Walgreens, etc sell them as well, as least in my area. I ordered my first pair off the internet several years ago and they worked well. I've since seen them at Walmart, etc.

Thanks I will take a look at Walmart next time I go :) Also I have never heard that green apples help, hmmm learn something new!