Motion Sickness / Seasick on Cruise
Oct 9, 2015, 9:38 pm
#16
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Atherton, CA
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP; Owner, Green Bay Packers
Posts: 21,690
Unless you are pretty prone to motion sickness such as in cars, etc., the likelihood of having many problems on a big cruise ship in the Gulf is fairly low. Take along some meclizine. It can be slightly sedating, but not too bad. The advice about getting fresh air and getting somewhere you can see the horizon is good. The nausea and feelings of imbalance in seasickness are caused by mismatches in the inputs to your balance sensing systems. In a closed cabin, your semicircular canals in you ears tell you you are moving, but your eyes see no motion.
Oct 10, 2015, 7:43 am
#17
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: LGA - JFK
Programs: UA, AA, DL, B6, CX, KE, Latitude, VIFP, Crown & Anchor, etc.
Posts: 2,589
Platinum cruisers here, which we prefer over flying ... more bangs for one's bucks.
OP's choice of cabin location is key for a smoother ride - midship & lower deck are best for those known to experience motion sickness. Each person's remedies & best "preventive" cure for motion varied - you will just have to explore to see if one non-drowsy OTC Rx is better than another. Some sworn by their acu-wrist bands & others with ginger products, there's no reason to have backup ... get some ginger ale (not all ships stock them, they should). Saltine crackers, green apples and plain (white or whole wheat) toasts are all good old crew member's "secrets" when the stomach is upside down, lying horizontal & not wanting to eat anything with 30' seas in gale force cross winds - and we've been 2 or 3 of those, including one Nor-easter a week after SS Sandy in 2012 out of NY. Family doctor recommended bringing along some meclizine - DW sometimes take it for 1 or 2 days, starting 24 hours before the cruise - if forecast isn't nice, most of them just not needed.
Gulf sailings are usually fine & ship captains don't "like" to sail into stormy weather unless they have no choice or do they want to for thrills - very often, they will go or navigate around rough seas.
In the unlikely event you run into rough seas, it's usually no more than a few hours when conditions improve - avoid going to the upper deck (i.e. typically where the pools & buffets are ... it's usually half empty as folks calling Room Service delivery instead, even when there is a fee nowadays and/or tipping is expected as extra) - go eat in the MDR whenever is possible & sit away from those giant windows as watching the raging waves & horizion rising & dipping aren't nice while you try to eat, for most people. Or, eat in the casual cafe or diner, as they are usually at mid-level. Front of the ship (Fwd) will experience more dips & rises and rear (AFT) of the ship will generally feel more sideway motions in addition. Use those hand sailings if things begin to rattle a bit up & down the hallways.
Your ship is likely NOT one of the biggest monster sized mega-ships but more of a mid ship ones as it need to navigate the water channels from port out to the wide body of water, so you will not experience anything rough for the 1st. 12 or 18 hours, nothing can be guaranteed on the 1st. sea day - there is usually a live ship navigational channel (like "live ATC" or cockpit audio) to provide all with temperature, waves, forecast & current ocean conditions - use them as a guide. Odds are that the gentle rocking motion are great for sleeping ... and, why not treat yourself & partner to a breakfast in bed (well, at least room service delivered to your "stateroom")
OP's choice of cabin location is key for a smoother ride - midship & lower deck are best for those known to experience motion sickness. Each person's remedies & best "preventive" cure for motion varied - you will just have to explore to see if one non-drowsy OTC Rx is better than another. Some sworn by their acu-wrist bands & others with ginger products, there's no reason to have backup ... get some ginger ale (not all ships stock them, they should). Saltine crackers, green apples and plain (white or whole wheat) toasts are all good old crew member's "secrets" when the stomach is upside down, lying horizontal & not wanting to eat anything with 30' seas in gale force cross winds - and we've been 2 or 3 of those, including one Nor-easter a week after SS Sandy in 2012 out of NY. Family doctor recommended bringing along some meclizine - DW sometimes take it for 1 or 2 days, starting 24 hours before the cruise - if forecast isn't nice, most of them just not needed.
Gulf sailings are usually fine & ship captains don't "like" to sail into stormy weather unless they have no choice or do they want to for thrills - very often, they will go or navigate around rough seas.
In the unlikely event you run into rough seas, it's usually no more than a few hours when conditions improve - avoid going to the upper deck (i.e. typically where the pools & buffets are ... it's usually half empty as folks calling Room Service delivery instead, even when there is a fee nowadays and/or tipping is expected as extra) - go eat in the MDR whenever is possible & sit away from those giant windows as watching the raging waves & horizion rising & dipping aren't nice while you try to eat, for most people. Or, eat in the casual cafe or diner, as they are usually at mid-level. Front of the ship (Fwd) will experience more dips & rises and rear (AFT) of the ship will generally feel more sideway motions in addition. Use those hand sailings if things begin to rattle a bit up & down the hallways.
Your ship is likely NOT one of the biggest monster sized mega-ships but more of a mid ship ones as it need to navigate the water channels from port out to the wide body of water, so you will not experience anything rough for the 1st. 12 or 18 hours, nothing can be guaranteed on the 1st. sea day - there is usually a live ship navigational channel (like "live ATC" or cockpit audio) to provide all with temperature, waves, forecast & current ocean conditions - use them as a guide. Odds are that the gentle rocking motion are great for sleeping ... and, why not treat yourself & partner to a breakfast in bed (well, at least room service delivered to your "stateroom")
Last edited by Letitride3c; Oct 10, 2015 at 7:48 am
Oct 12, 2015, 2:35 pm
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: About 45 miles NW of MCO
Programs: Acapulco - Gold, Panama - Red, Timothy Leary 8 Mile High Club
Posts: 29,247
Mrs BV has had the patch prescribed but only for 1 cruise out of 4. We carry Bonine just in case but she hasn't taken any.