Nervous about a cruise?

Question

I'm going on a cruise in 2 weeks. I am Nervous as all heck. I've been on boats before and get sick with each wave. Many people have told me that the cruise shipps are so large I should be ok. Well I've herd this all before and it never is ok. Does anyone have any expereince with this or good suggestions?

Answer 1

I get seasick easily and I have never gotten seasick on a cruise ship.  Cruise ships are large and have stabilizers.  That said, if the ocean is rough enough you can get seasick, even on a cruise ship.

I take ginger with me.  I like ginger because it is not a drug and it is the only thing that worked on Mythbusters.  On one cruise, where I had been warned in advance that it could be rough (a storm followed us) I took one ginger tablet with water before breakfast, starting with the day I boarded the ship, and one ginger tablet with water before dinner, and I was fine.  I heard others on the ship did get seasick, so I can only assume the ginger worked.

On my most recent cruise we hit some rough weather.  I was feeling about 95%.  I took one ginger tablet with some water and sat outside where I could see the horizon for five minutes.  After that I was back to 100%.

Other things that help:

1)  Eat bland foods, like bread and crackers.

2)  Cabin location - low and near the center line has less movement.

3)  View - seasickness is caused by a conflict between the eyes and ears.  If the ears sense movement, but your eyes don't (because you are inside) you could get seasick.  So, being where you can see the horizon can help.

And just so you know, this works in reverse too.  I got seasick (actually motion sick) sitting on my friend's couch.  I was playing a video game.  My eyes saw movement, my ears didn't detect any, and my lunch ended up in the toilet.  

Check with your doctor for different motion sickness remedies.  Try some out to see if they have any adverse effects on you.  

Most likely you will be fine.

Answer 2

I'm known for barfing after being in a car for 20 min.

Dramamnie Less Drowsey pills are amazing. I take one every morning I am on cruise and I'm fine.

The ships are huge so it really should bother you. But get the Dramamine.

Don't be nervous, you'll just make your self feel worse. Crusies are the most amazing vacation get away. I'm 19 and  have already been on four. You'll love it. Just relax.

Answer 3

Hi

I am writing this from my own personal experience. I have been on 4 cruises so far, and I have gotten sick once on that day  I took Dramamine and I passed out after I took it. I have also tried ginger altoids I read somewhere that Ginger helped in reducing the queezyness and it did I just popped like two when I started to feel it and I was OK. So maybe get a hold of some sort of gineger pills and take those as the motion sickness medication will cause drowiness unless you are ready to go to sleep.

OH btw there is also a sea sickness patch that goes behind your ear but I think (not 100% sure) you may need a prescription for it.

Hope this helps

Answer 4

I usually have a iron tummy and I felt the swaying a little uneasy for the first day. It could be in my head but to see rooms tilting just didnt seem normal being last year was the first boat I had been on but their are pills or sticker things you can put behind your ears too.Good luck with that.

Answer 5

They are different, but you still might get sick.  My mom & sister get sea sick on cruises, but I don't.  They are usually fine if they take Dramamine.  If that isn't enough I think you can get some sea sick patch or something like that.

Answer 6

I also get a bit green around the gills when I am on certain boats.  My husband and I went on a cruise and my stomach did not churn once.  The only time you need to acclimate to it is the first hour at sea....I would suggest you walk around the ship and focus more on your surroundings than the movement of the ship.  Cruise ships are HUGE!!  It's like a floating resort!  Also, make sure you have Dramamine with you just in case you feel queasy, but I don't think you will.

Answer 7

Please do not worry! Cruise ships are gigantic and are built with stableizers. Unless in a vigerous storm you will not get seasick. Justto let you know cruises are amazing! You get takencare of so well, it is so fancy onboard and you'll enjoy the best food ever!

Have fun!

Answer 8

I have been on about 20 cruises and have never gotten sea sick. and you are not likely to either because the motion of ships is generally no more than a car traveling down a highway. There are several reasons I don't think you will need to worry.

(1) All of the new ships now being built have automatic stabilizer that all but eliminate any rocking from side to side. And these newer passenger ships are so long, most 900 feet to almost 1,000 feet, that the front to back motion is also all but eliminated.  Riding on a cruise ship is nowhere near like being in a small boat, a ferry, or a small ship.

(2) Cruise ships generally move from port to port overnight, generally about 6:00 PM. You go to dinner between 6 and 8 PM, maybe go to the evening show and maybe the disco and then go to bed. And when you awake the next morning you are in a new port. So you are busy or sleep a good portion of the time when the ship is moving. Most of the time you will not even know that the ship is moving.

(3) Cruise ships make every effort to stay away from bad weather that would affect the ship, even changing the order of port stops if weather is bad at one. They will cruise through a rainstorm but if there is a hurricane or big storm they steer away from it.

I have not had to use any type sea sickness medication but my wife once tried the patch behind the ear and it worked.  But after a couple days she had to take it off because the ship was not moving that much and the medication in the patch was causing side effects.  There are some options to combat sea sickness if you are really sensitive to motion. One is a prescription from your Dr for either pills or the patch that is applies behind the ear. Another option is a wrist bracelet that you can purchase at boating stores.

http://www.biobands.com/motionsickness/w...

And, if you do not get any of these before your cruise, the ship will have a doctor who can dispense sea sickness pills.

I have also been told that Ginger is useful in controlling nausea and vomiting. So, if you can, take along some ginger crackers, cookies, or candy, or other forms of ginger such as tea, gum, or capsules.

Also, avoid closed in spaces where you cannot see the horizon and stay near the center of the ship and on lower decks whenever you start to feel sick because these places get less motion.

Answer 9

Large cruise ships are very different, but it doesn't hurt to take sea sickness meds with you.  If the weather is bad, you'll feel it more, and on certain parts of the ship you'll feel it more.  90% of the time, you won't feel it at all.  I'd also recommend eating reguarly (not a problem on the ship, they feed you all the time) to help with any problems.