alaska cruise motion sickness

[twentyknots]

We will be cruising on the Oosterdam on our first Alaskan cruise on June 2.  This will be our 25th cruise overall and includes many cruises that were smooth and some that were rough at times.  Acapulco to Hawaii was especially rough for 5 days, but neither of us got sea sick.   My wife takes nothing; I took Bonine.  I have only been seasick once and that was on a smaller ship out of Charleston, SC on the first night.  I had taken a Bonine pill about an hour before we boarded and became ill at dinner a few hours later.  I left dinner and went straight to our cabin and curled up and managed to fall asleep and the next day I was fine.  No more problems for the rest of the cruise.  That was the one and only time I've been seasick on a cruise out of 186 cruise days. Our TA thinks it might not have been seasickness that one time but rather something I ate.

 

Since our Oosterdam cruise is out of Seattle and will be sailing for the first couple of days in the Pacific I am wondering if it might get rough like it did on the crossing to Hawaii.  My wife had her annual physical today and mentioned our upcoming cruise to our doctor and he prescribed the patch for us both just in case we decided to try it.  She has decided not to, but I'm considering it.  I've always thought the Bonine worked for me all those cruises except for that one time.  I'm tempted to try the patch but I've read about quite a few cases of side effects that are unpleasant.  Since there are four patches in the prescription I would try one before the cruise to see how I react.  That would still leave three patches for 9 days protection, more than enough.

What do you think?  Stick with the Bonine or switch to the patch?

[grsnovi]

We always take Bonine in the morning and neither of us has ever had a problem. I would be inclined to think maybe your illness that evening wasn't seasickness.

[Mary229]

I have been fortunate and both of my cruises to Alaska have been smooth sailing, one was in May the other in July.  

[AncientWanderer]

I get motion sickness from everything, and while cruising have never needed more than a Bonine only when big swells are predicted.  We've done Alaska out of Seattle twice and I didn't need anything.

 

Boy of boy do I love cruising.  It's given me life on the high seas that I never would have thought possible.

 

Have a great time, OP!

 

[TwinMommyByGrace]

I always use the patches when I am on a ship or airplane but I KNOW I get motion/sea suck. (Tested it a couple of years ago on a short two hair flight.....long story short, it wasn't a short enough flight 😨). If you're not sure you are, I do think what you've been has been working. You know what they say, if it ain't broke don't fix it. I tend to agree with grsnovi, it may not has been seasickness. Also, I've been on 2 previous Alaskan cruises, my third one coming up next month, and I don't ever remember them having really rough seas. 

[CruiserBruce]

I would be asking this of my doctor, not a bunch of people I don't know on a board, and have no idea what their medical knowledge is...

[canadianbear]

I wonder if you could just check the weather conditions to see what the forecast is a couple days prior?  If weather is looking bad/rough, take the patch.   Everyone is different on how they react with rough seas-I haven’t had to use anything but hubby has.  Also, is your cabin mid ship?  That may also cause you issues if you’re forward or aft is it’s rough seas.

[bennybear]

Alaska can be rough when you are outside the inside passage, otherwise it is great!  IMO if it ain’t broke don’t fix it! 

[Katiebear64]

When traveling I buy a small bag (approx. $1.99) of ginger candy - Ginger People Gin Gins Ginger Caramel Candy (Traveler's packet) - no more nausea for me.

[wyobean]

Everyone is different. I get sick on everything. Have had good luck on most of our cruises but, I am always prepared. The medicine that works for me is Cinarizina that I purchase in Mexico. I take it based on the weather forecast. It can make you drowsy if you take too much, which is fine with me if it is really rough.  I have used the patch and it worked but,  my side effect was blurry vision and that made it hard for me to read. Not everything works for everyone. You have to find what works for you. People tell me not to lay down and not to close my eyes...lol...but, that works for me!

[*Miss G*]

You have been seasick 0.54% of your cruising days, and even that percentage is questionable as it could be attributed to something else.  You want to try a drug with a higher percentage of adverse reactions (3% - 29 %), including nervous system and psychiatric disorders, than you currently experience.  (Which, for all intents and purposes, is 0.0%.)

 

Does that make sense?

[twentyknots]

10 hours ago, canadianbear said:

I wonder if you could just check the weather conditions to see what the forecast is a couple days prior?  If weather is looking bad/rough, take the patch.   Everyone is different on how they react with rough seas-I haven’t had to use anything but hubby has.  Also, is your cabin mid ship?  That may also cause you issues if you’re forward or aft is it’s rough seas.

We are in a corner  suite 5190 so we're expecting a bit more motion than mid ship location.

[twentyknots]

1 hour ago, *Miss G* said:

You have been seasick 0.54% of your cruising days, and even that percentage is questionable as it could be attributed to something else.  You want to try a drug with a higher percentage of adverse reactions (3% - 29 %), including nervous system and psychiatric disorders, than you currently experience.  (Which, for all intents and purposes, is 0.0%.)

 

Does that make sense?

Your comments do make sense.  I think your logic plus others have convinced me to stick with Bonine.  Thanks to all. 

P.S. And I will take some Ginger candy.

Edited May 21, 2019 by twentyknots

[Paulinda]

Twentyknots  - I was told by some of the ships staffon our first sea cruise that If you start feeling sick try to eat something light to settle your stomach.  A couple years ago we did an Alaskan cruise not in the inside passage.  I felt a bit ill on day 2 feeling quite upset but managed to get down some toast and OJ.   By noon I was feeling fine.  I kept my tummy full from then on out.

 

We used sea bands on one cruise but found that although we didn't get sick we still had some sensation of movement.  Maybe the seas weren't as rough.   We now use Bonine when we are in open waters and limit them to a couple of days and that seems to work fine for us.  The doctor prescribed patches seemed expensive at around $200 for 10 days worth.

 

Good luck on your cruise.  Hope Poseidon keeps your seas calm. 

[Himself]

The Oosterdam goes out on the Ocean and that could be rough.  It might also be smooth.  I have seen it both ways but things are calm more often than not.  If it gets rough the outside decks will be closed.  I do not ever remember tat happening between Seattle and Alaska.  The patch should do the trick, and you might not need it.   I hope you have a smooth cruise and a wonderful time.. 

[bennybear]

I like the Bonine  because it seems to work well and then it is out of your system after 24 hours.  I also buy the ginger gravol, and eat green apples and have sea bands.  So far works for me. 

[twentyknots]

4 hours ago, Paulinda said:

Twentyknots  - I was told by some of the ships staffon our first sea cruise that If you start feeling sick try to eat something light to settle your stomach.  A couple years ago we did an Alaskan cruise not in the inside passage.  I felt a bit ill on day 2 feeling quite upset but managed to get down some toast and OJ.   By noon I was feeling fine.  I kept my tummy full from then on out.

 

We used sea bands on one cruise but found that although we didn't get sick we still had some sensation of movement.  Maybe the seas weren't as rough.   We now use Bonine when we are in open waters and limit them to a couple of days and that seems to work fine for us.  The doctor prescribed patches seemed expensive at around $200 for 10 days worth.

 

Good luck on your cruise.  Hope Poseidon keeps your seas calm. 

Our stomachs are full within one hour after boarding until we leave the ship.

[CATandSQUID]

I always told my Sailors to take a draminine the night before and then the morning the day before getting underway if we had been i port for a while or if they were new to sea duty. Better safe than sorry.  None ever got seasick... except the one that thought he was too macho (spent the day in sick bay).  

 

[Sharon in AZ]

I always take Bonine which is non drowsy.  I never wanted to try the patch because of the side effects.  I take the Bonine everyday, no matter what and even try to start it a few days ahead of traveling (even flying) so it is my system.  That might be overkill or just all in my mind but it helps.  I always try to get a piece of ginger after dinner in the MDR too.  Never thought to bring my own, I just might do that as others have recommended.  We did this same itinerary 7 years ago on the Oosterdam in an aft balcony and I didn't have a problem at all.  And we are on the same cruise as you June 2nd in a cabin really near yours 5172 and I do not anticipate at problem.

 

We are really excited, only 12 days to go!

[qoap24]

I have cruised out of Seattle 3 times and all 3 times I could feel myself starting to get sick. With my first trip to Alaska on Princess, it was really bad the first couple of days. I remember sitting in the MDR and seeing my plate get closer to my face and then go back down, and then come back up again.Then when we got off in port, I remember still swaying on land. Cruising out of Seattle is the only time I have felt sea sick on any cruise. 

 

If you are prone to getting sea sick, I would suggest taking something before hand. 

[IslaSarah]

On my three Alaska cruises (though to or from Vancouver not Seattle), I've only been sick once in high seas when we were out of the Inside Passage into the open Gulf of Alaska. If you're not typically seasick in calm to moderate seas, I wouldn't risk the side effects for a drug to treat an unlikely problem. 

[tuolumne couple]

or...they will give Sea Calm at the front desk, which can be handy. and Candied Ginger at the main dining room.  If those ideas dont work, try happy hour, lol. I havent had any sea sickness on the Alaska cruise, but anything can happen i suppose.

[Sharon in AZ]

19 minutes ago, tuolumne couple said:

or...they will give Sea Calm at the front desk, which can be handy. and Candied Ginger at the main dining room.  If those ideas dont work, try happy hour, lol. I havent had any sea sickness on the Alaska cruise, but anything can happen i suppose.

I believe Sea Calm is Bonine.  On our very first cruise (1987 Old Noordam) we had dinner each night with a Navy Chaplin who told me that was Navy issue for seasickness.  I have used it ever since.  I have even gone to the medical office/infirmary  where it is available for free.

[rj42]

You can check maritime weather forecasts right before the cruise to check wave height and direction for west of Vancouver Island, where the seas can be rough or smooth. If you're seriously prone to seasickness, then for future Alaska cruises you might choose a n/s cruise between Seward/Whittier and Vancouver, which stays in more protected waters. Another option on HAL is to order food from their seasickness room service menu, which has things like chicken soup and crackers.  Late dining and alcohol also aren't wise for preventing seasickness. As with rain, though, open ocean conditions can vary greatly in Alaska, as on the Pacific Coastal cruises I like to take. 

 

Personally, the rise and fall of a ship is kind of fun for me, and gives me great sleep, and I had a lot of fun with a wild ride going out of the sand bar in Astoria one evening without stabilizers, with the captain telling everyone to sit down or hold onto something and the Adagio violinist trying not to fall off her stool. 

[Walfam]

The Sea Bands are worth a try, in addition to Bonine.  We found ours at the local chain grocery store sitting next to all the Bonine and Dramamine.  For only +/- $10 for a pair, it is worth peace of mind in case we need it.  Bonine gives me a mild hangover feeling the next morning (with no alcohol involved), so Sea Bands are my first line of prevention.