homeboy4

I went to a screening of the film Project X last night and because it uses hand-held camera thoughout I had to leave after about 10 minutes due to motion sickness. (I wasn't the only one, by the way. There were several of us in the lobby.) The same thing happened with Blair Witch Project.

I have never been on a cruise. Does my susceptibility to motion sickness watching movies suggest that I will have a problem on a crusie or is this apples and oranges?

homeboy4

I went to a screening of the film Project X last night and because it uses hand-held camera thoughout I had to leave after about 10 minutes due to motion sickness. (I wasn't the only one, by the way. There were several of us in the lobby.) The same thing happened with Blair Witch Project.

I have never been on a cruise. Does my susceptibility to motion sickness watching movies suggest that I will have a problem on a crusie or is this apples and oranges?

HMPS

Do you also have vertigo ?

a7800

I would say this is apples and oranges. I have problems watching shaky home movies, but I don't have any problem on cruise ships.

My Dad who does have some motion sickness issues does fine on a cruise ship. He does say that having a balcony helps him as the only times he really feels it is when he lays down. Being able to see out the sliding glass door helps him.

homeboy4

No problem with that.

RobbieRunner

Eat some Ginger next time about 1 hour before you see the movie.
It's my motion sickness spice of choice.

JennyElf

I get motion sickness during movies but never in any other situation. For a lot of people, if what they see doesn't match up with what they feel in their inner ear, it can cause motion sickness. Movies in a theater can be particularly problematic because your entire field of view is taken up by the screen, while at the same time you are sitting still so your body is basically confused.

HMPS

That is true. In many parts of the world, in all cinema theaters, the farther you sit from the screen, the more you pay.Remember the advice not to sit too close to the TV ?

Randeman

It's hard to say. Most cruises are in fairly calm waters, but there are exceptions. On my last cruise through the Caribbean there was a lot more motion than on past cruises because we were in the vicinity of a tropical storm. Even with the stabilizers deployed, there was still noticeable movement. Keep in mind that stabilizers help minimize rolling (side to side movement) but don't do much for pitching (bow to stern, or up and down). There are transdermal patches that deliver medicine through the skin which many people swear by. Keep in mind that Scopolomine (the drug) and Dramamine (another drug) can cause drowsiness and may make it hard to get out of bed in the morning. Most cruises in the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, Mediterranean, and the Alaskan coast are generally safe bets for smooth seas. If you really want to try, a short cruise to test your sea legs may help you to determine if cruising is right for you. Most of the mass market lines like Norwegian, Carnival, and Royal Caribbean offer three night trips, mostly from southern Florida, you could try before deciding on a week. You should definitely avoid transatlantic crossings as they can be rough. Hope it works out for you. I love cruises!

gene438

Going on my first cruise in 3 weeks. A 5 day cruise out of New Orleans. I have heard conflicting comments on the best method (product) for sea sickness...I guess I will take a poll and go with the winner....so please,

What product do you think works best to deter sea sickness?

Hoyaheel

Though I don't get motion sick in general, I have been on a couple of rough trips. I always carry meclizine - non-drowsy motion sickness medication, OTC in the US. That's the generic name - Bonine is one brand name, and the non-drowsy Dramamine is another (regular Dramamine is another drug and can cause drowsiness -which is fine at bedtime ;-)

I buy mine at Costco - generic, huge bottle, cheap price.

I always travel with ginger tea as well - that helps calm my stomach in general, whether due to motion sickness, overindulging etc. If you're interested in non-drug ways to deal with motion sickness, ginger candies, pills, teas are often recommended. Personally, drugs are fast & effective so I start there

wrp96

Do you get motion sickness in cars, trains, planes, etc? Or are you just assuming you will get motion sick on the cruise?

If you know you are prone to motion sickness then you can try some of the following:

I buy a 100 countbottle of meclizine (it's OTC but I buy it at the pharmacy counter at Krogers), and use that to help prevent my post cruise reverse motion sickness.

Meclizine does not work, however, for my mother. The only thing that works for her is the patch. It can have bad side effects though so I wouldn't recommend it unless other products don't work.

Ginger pills can also be effective. I've also known people where a product called Sea Bands have helped (uses pressure point).


If you aren't prone to motion sickness, then I wouldn't worry about it in advance. Other than to maybe bring a small package of Bonine with you just in case.

One other thing, always keep your stomach lightly full, as an empty stomach can increase the sloshing of stomach juices increasing nausea. Even if you don't think you can, at least eat a light meal. Eating foods like green apples, breads, etc can also help.

Note, on most cruise lines you can go to either guest relations or the infirmary and get motion sick meds.

Romelle

The shops on the ships carry most over-the-counter seasick medications.

On the large modern cruise ships it really is pretty rare. The stabilizers they have prevent a great deal of the motion that can cause sea sickness.

It may be too late to change your cabin for this cruise, but for future reference .. middle of the ship cabins experience less motion. Outside cabins that let one look at a point of reference help. Just staying out on the deck provides that same point of reference.

There is more discussion on Cruise Critic. You can also just search on "sea sickness" for further ideas.

Not to downplay your concern, but to some extent thinking about sea sickness can bring it about. Positive thinking or just not thinking about it is worth a shot.

Romelle

Kagehitokiri

i was amazed by silversea stabilizers in alaska inside passage, but when they were not on, people were unpleasantly surprised. i thought it was kind of funny because seabourn pride transatlantic was like a rollercoaster, with a rogue wave that tilted perhaps as high as 45 degrees. on seabourn ~10 years ago staff could get you free OTC from their supply. towards the end i used some of my onboard credit for a shot (syringe) of something, but i think my main problem was too much liquid, not just alcohol but also water.

fredjr

gene438,
Bonine is the least disruptive drug you can take and still keep the body in balance.
Ginger works well for quite a few too.
Start it before you begin your travels. Don't wait until you think you might need it.
Going on deck and focusing on the horizon does wonders as well.
Avoid scopolamine patches. The side effects can be far worse than any feeling of motion sickness. Disoriented vision is a major side effect.
Don't get too caught up over the possibility of motion sickness. Sometimes we can talk our way into an uncomfortable situation for no reason AND enjoy your cruise.