Over coming sea sickness on a cruise ship.?

Question

l tend to get motion sick when l go in a fishing boat on the ocean waters.l was wondering would l feel the same going on a large ocean liner.Would l be sick initially and then would it wear off.Or can something be prescribed other than over the counter pills.Thanks to anyone who has been through this as well.

Answer 1

As stated by many, todays large cruise ships do not rock anywhere nearly as much as a fishing boat or anything small. If you get a little motion sick, you shouldn't have too much of a problem. If you get very motion sick though, or frequently get car sick, you might still have issues. Here are some ideas to make it less of a problem:

1) Take over the counter anti-seasick pills before you get on the ship/before the ship pulls anchor.

2) Eat lightly the first night of the cruise. Ginger is helpful, so is drinking soda very slowly.

3) Pay attention to what makes you sick, if you tend to get sick when you are not looking at your surroundings, then make sure to get a room with a porthole. If you tend to get sick when you do see the water line bobbing, get an inside room with no windows.

4) Research the cruise before you go. For instance, cruises to the Caribbean out of Florida will feel most 'active' at sea on the very first night and the very last morning as they pass over ocean currents. But once those are done, it's generally very smooth sailing. Also check on what the weather will be like at different times of the year. Cruising the Caribbean in Autumn will mean much rougher seas than cruising the Caribbean in early Summer.

5) Don't psych yourself out too much. Sometimes all it takes to make yourself seasick is being worried that you'll be seasick, and so every little twinge of your stomach is a 'sign' that you're feeling ill, when maybe it's just a bit of gas.

Answer 2

It is possible that you may feel the same thing. To make sure I didn't get sick I took the sea sickness pills on the day of departure, so my body could get adjusted to the ships movement. Its hard to say if you will feel it, everyones sensitivity is different. I noticed I felt it more when I drank and when we were going through rough waters. Ginger is good for motion sickness, a lot of the crew recommended green apples, something in the skin helps with sea sickness. Both of these remedies are used to treat symptoms, does not prevent motion sickness. Also I use bonine and it works, never felt drowsy or anything, and its long acting. Bonine aka meclizine is OTC but is the same med and dosage that doctors prescribe. I would recommend you take the pills, its better to prevent than it is to treat the symptoms.

Answer 3

It is said that eating ginger is a very good natural preventative for sea sickness. I haven't been in a boat for years so I haven't had the opportunity to try it.

Answer 4

Most people with sea sickness don't have a problem on large cruise ships.  

I do know one person who does, and she uses a sea sickness patch of some sort that goes behind her ear and releases the anti-nausea medicine.

Ginger is also a good idea, but be aware that most Ginger Ales DO NOT CONTAIN GINGER (another case of answerers giving bad advice).  The bubbles and sugar may help, but Schwepps and Canada Dry contain no ginger.

My editorial: Fishing is unethical and cruel.

Answer 5

I, too, suffer from terrible seasickness, but found that on the newest and largest cruise ships (like Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas) the ship was so big, and the stabilizer system is the newest and best, that I was fine.

Be sure to book a cruise on a large, new ship.  Try to get a cabin in the middle (on a deck that is vertically in the middle of the ship, and a cabin mid-ship).

Also consider the itinerary -- a ship leaving from New York and sailing down to the Caribbean in the Atlantic Ocean in the rough winter seas will experience more movement than a ship that leaves from San Juan and heads off to the southern Caribbean in the calm Caribbean Sea.  Try to avoid any itineraries that have long ocean sailings, and instead, choose one that sails in more sheltered seas.

Depending on where you want to go and the features you want on your cruise -- ships in the Cunard line are built for stability and Royal Caribbean's Freedom class (Freedom and Liberty of the Seas) are probably your best choices.

Happy Cruisin'

Answer 6

A fishing boat is like a cork in the water.  It is going to move with every ripple.  A cruise ship is big and sits 20 - 30 feet deep in the water.  A cruise ship is not going to move much.  In addition, cruise ships have stabilizers that help keep the ship from rocking too much.

Like you, the last time I was on a fishing boat I also got seasick.  In fact, I get seasick easily.  However, I have never gotten seasick on a cruise ship.  One time I was warned ahead of time it might be a little rough, so I brought along some ginger tablets.  I took one with water in the morning before breakfast and one before dinner, also with water, and I was fine.  I heard others on the ship did get seasick, so I can only assume the ginger tablets worked.  

I like ginger because it is not a drug and it is the only thing that worked on Mythbusters.  Another good idea is to eat bland foods, like bread and crackers.  

Seasickness is caused by a conflict between what the eyes see and what the ears feel.  So if you are inside, your eyes don't see any movement, but your ears will feel it.  Thus, the best place to be is outside where you can see the horizon.

This also works in reverse.  I was playing a driving video game will sitting on a couch.  My eyes saw movement, but my ears didn't sense any, and soon I was loosing my lunch.  

If you want a prescription, you will have to speak with your doctor.  However, most drugs have a side effect, so see what your doctors says about ginger first.

Answer 7

I get motion sickness very easily and was afraid of the same thing before my cruise. I didn't experience any motion sickness though. The ships are very large and have stabilizers. Ginger, ginger ale, fruit..those kinds of things will help if you do feel anything. There are also the motion sickness pills and patches, but I just took them with me and didn't need them.

Have fun on your cruise. I had a blast..and am planning another for this spring.

Answer 8

I feel your pain I get sick too on ships if they rock too much.  I've been on a cruise 6 times.  On the first night before the ship departs I take Bonine.  It won't make you sleepy and it works well.  I usually do not have to take anything else for the remainder of the cruise.  My last cruise rocked so much everyone was sick. It was on Costa Cruise line I took a Bonine because I felt the rocking before hand and did not get sick.  But most everyone else did.

The sickness wears off in my opinion after you throw up or take a good nap.  But usually cruise ships are so big you won't feel rocking at all.  Have fun.

Answer 9

Try to avoid taking pills as these can cause other side effects.  Drink ginger ale, buy those wrist bands, and keep a bag of potato chips handy (for the salt).  For the most part, you should be OK.