sea sickness-does everyone get it? Can you prepare for it? - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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sea sickness-does everyone get it? Can you prepare for it?
I am a flatlander. I have been on big ferry boats with the cars in the bottom. We even did an overnight one (on a ferry) about 15 yrs ago but that was between islands. But I have not been on a cruise in open waters. Any way to know if I will be effected by it? Any way I can prepare for it before the snow comes?? I think we are on the 9th floor (I think-does the number before the letter indicate the floor number?) The only thing that freaked me out about the ferries is how deep the water is and knowing that there are mean fishes down there.
Flying bothers me but doesn't make me sick. I just don't like turbulents if that is any indications, and yes, a loooong flight to Florida is going to be putting me out of my comfort zone too.
Thanks a million
I get affected by sea sickness and so does DH. We had no idea we'd suffer from it until we did our first cruise.
We now have some great tablets over here that really work for us (I won't name them, as I'm sure you have different stuff in the States ) and they're a great help. Also, if we hear that it's going to be rough that night perhaps, we'll go to bed early, so that we don't have to deal with it.
My DH was very intimidated (nice word for scared!) by cruising. He also was nervous by the open water idea, sharks, and he gets motion sick pretty easily. We talked to a pharmacist at the store before going and she recommended Bonine (also called melczine sp??, and we got a bottle of that with many more pills for the same price as the name brand Bonine). She also recommended a herbal/more homeopathic liquid that you dab on behind your ears. We got both in case one would help him more or have easier side effects.
He chewed two tablets every morning just in case, and had absolutely no problems. We did have fairly calm waters, but he didn't feel anything at all. They will have a doctor on board so if you really feel badly, someone will be able to help. Everyone is different so I don't want to say you won't feel any movement, but DH really ended up loving the cruise and wants to go on a longer one. He tried the tablets before the plane ride to see how they would affect him (which I would recommend, to see if it causes sleepiness, etc), but he didn't have any bad side effects. Also there were so many great things to do on board, he never really thought much about the open water thing.
Anyway hope that helps! Definitely talk with your doctor if you are really apprehensive, or at least with a pharmacist. They will give you more info and recommendations.
We always bring Bonine. I was a little "off" on our first night of our first cruise (thinking more nerves than sea sickness) but after that had no problems. We always get a balcony room, so I can just sit and watch the horizon and that helps too.
My plan is to take along some meclazine (I recommend the Bonine brand over Dramamine because at least personally Dramamine makes me really drowsy), some ginger capsules, and maybe some Scopolamine patches for if I am feeling really bad and the first 2 aren't cutting it. I would try out any medication before your trip because you never want to be on vacation and having unknown side effects.
I carry alcohol swabs (a box can be purchased in any stores first aid aisle, usually 100 for about $2-3). They are great for any motion sickness....cruises, airplanes even rollercoasters. They work like a smelling salt. Rip open and take a few deep breaths the feeling goes away in minutes. It is great as they are obviously easy to keep with you at all times.
I can tell you I did not get sea sick.....but one thing we did do was I called the doctor since it was my 1st time sailing and she gave us a patch that we could use. You should put one on the day before you sail if you think you will get sick and you change it daily. They could go anywhere on your body and you could swim with them on. I did not end up needing them but I will get them again for this trip just in case. This way to medical Ins. paid for them.
I think I am the Queen of MOtion sickness... I get it in the Train, Car, Plane...you name it.
The clue is to take Bonine 1 hour BEFORE you get on the ship, then start drinking ginger ale as soon as you get in the boat. I also wear the pressure point bands. It also helps being on deck to watch as the boat sails away (it helps the brain see the land) and then we take the Patch in our bags in case nothing else works!
Seasickness on Bahamas cruises is not at all common, although lots of people worry about it and many take precautions before they even know whether they'll have a problem.
If you don't have a history of motion sickness, chances are you'll be just fine. Still, the motion of cars, buses, trains, and amusement rides is different than the motion of a ship, so some folks will encounter motion sickness for the first time in their lives when they step onto a ship.
Note that the reputation seasickess earned comes from the days when our ancestors crossed the Atlantic by ship. You really can't compare the motion encountered in the open North Atlantic during autumn or winter, let's say, with seas in the well-sheltered Bahamas. You also can't compare the experience on smaller vessels (the Mayflower was about 100 feet long and 25 feet wide) with that on today's superliners, which also come equipped with computer-controlled stabilizer fins to counteract side-to-side motion.
But that doesn't mean sea sickness doesn't happen. The first 8 hours of a Bahamas cruise departing from Port Canaveral will be out in the open Atlantic, and the first hours at sea are almost always when folks are at their most vulnerable - their bodies haven't had a chance to adjust to the new sensation. (Of course, there's a difference between being aware of the ship's motion, and being made ill by it.) However, bedtime is just about six hours into the cruise, and if you haven't gotten ill by then, you should be able to sleep soundly.
If you'd rather not pre-medicate, the ship's medical facility distributes Bonine (Meclazine) at no charge.
We devote a lot of space in our cruise guidebook to motion sickness and the various remedies available.
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This will be our first cruise so whether or not either one of us gets sick is still up in the air. I have bought the appropriate medication and I still have not decided whether i will use it even before we get on the ship or wait to see if i even need it.
I hate to medicate us if we don't need it on the other hand I hate to need and than have to wait for it to take affect.
I have only been sea sick once on a katermeran in Kauai. The reason I got sea sick is because the water was extremely bumpy (like we should not have gone out that day) and I went below deck and then came above deck. For some reason that can make you sea sick so watch out for that. From now on I take Dramamine in case and I am fine.
Wow, thankyou for all the info....keep it coming. I am writing all this down so I know what to ask the dr. If the Bonine works to make you tired, maybe I need that while I travel to help me sleep some nights lol I do want to see if I can get it here.
I also found out that I should get my family vacinated for Hep A too before we leave (should have done it a long time ago since my mil had hep A from travelling).
I want to go on a Carribian (sp) cruise as well one day....so gotta get those sea legs Glad that the Bahamas cruise has alot of islands around it...that should make me feel abit better. Do you feel the ship sway when you sleep much? Would plain candied ginger help and would they allow you to bring it on board i wonder? Do kids younger than 10 yrs old get sea sick much?
Thanks again and any more suggestions, ideas etc please post.
No you really don't feel it move much at all. The one day we had rough water I could feel it a little but the rest of the family was fine. They tell it was in my head. Sleeping was great and I never really got a bad nights sleep. Expect for the last night I just did not want to get off the ship and go home I wanted to last longer.
My plan is to take along some meclazine (I recommend the Bonine brand over Dramamine because at least personally Dramamine makes me really drowsy), some ginger capsules, and maybe some Scopolamine patches for if I am feeling really bad and the first 2 aren't cutting it. I would try out any medication before your trip because you never want to be on vacation and having unknown side effects.
I definitely agree with these choices. DH gets very motion sick. He can't ride a lot of rides. Has used ginger tablets & Trans-derm Scope patches with good results. the patches are prescription, so call your health care provider. most are glad to call you some in without a visit
Our doc suggested taking motion sickness pills starting a couple days prior to the cruise. We did. Me and DH quit taking them after the first day. No sickness for me , but he was green. I would stick with low doses of dramamine or the like.
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I get affected by sea sickness and so does DH. 
We had no idea we'd suffer from it until we did our first cruise. 
) and they're a great help. Also, if we hear that it's going to be rough that night perhaps, we'll go to bed early, so that we don't have to deal with it.
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I do want to see if I can get it here. 
Glad that the Bahamas cruise has alot of islands around it...that should make me feel abit better. Do you feel the ship sway when you sleep much? Would plain candied ginger help and would they allow you to bring it on board i wonder? Do kids younger than 10 yrs old get sea sick much?
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