Has anyone that gets motion sickness easily been on a cruise?

FiancB · February 2014

We're looking at honeymoon options and we're trying to keep the budget small. Cruises seem great for this since food and everything is included. I'm worried though because FI gets motion sickness really easily, like sometimes even while he's driving on a straight stretch. Not enough to throw up, but enough to feel queasy. He almost always drives when we go anywhere to help alleviate it. Things like carnival rides, forget it.

I've heard from some people that cruise ships are so big that you don't really get seasick. I don't really want to take a chance on FI being miserable though. I know there's anti nausea stuff but even the nondrowsy stuff seems to make people pretty tired, and it isn't a cure all. If you get nauseous easily, have you done a cruise and how did it go?

Jells2dot0 · February 2014

My stepdaughter gets motion sick VERY easily and she has been on a Royal Caribbean cruise in the Western Caribbean. She did not fare well on the cruise without Dramamine and the Dramamine made her very sleepy. She said she will never cruise again.

I'm actually curious to hear other responses because I get seasick when out at sea (I'm fine closer to land) and we're planning a cruise in the South Pacific for August. I'm concerned, but really want to go.

edit- I guess I should add that I know I get seasick without having been on a cruise because I've been deep sea fishing and I've also taken an overnight ferry from Maine to Nova Scotia. It was a nightmare.

winelover123 · February 2014

I've been on 2 cruises and got sea sick on both of them. I felt more light headed than nauseated, so it wasn't too big of a problem. Here are the things I learned:

The most important thing I found is to get a room in the middle of the ship. I got really light headed if I went to lower floors (there were things to do on floor 5, for example) so I just avoided those. I did much, much better when I was on higher floors than lower floors. When sitting to eat dinner, make sure you are facing the way the ship is going.

I heard good things about the pressure-point bracelets that people wear for motion sickness, so I'd suggest picking up one of those and some Dramamine.

FiancB · February 2014

My friend's tip for stuff like that is to just take half a dramamine. It's enough to alleviate the problem without putting you out. I don't think she gets sick as easily as FI though. A tip from my bio teacher is to lay with your head sideways for a bit, because your inner ear gets confused from the up/down motion (along with staring at things that should be still but are moving due to the waves, like a wall) but turning your head can help alleviate that. I doubt that works 100% though- if that was the case, why do people get carsick when that's not an up/down motion?

Me, I'm impervious. I took many a road trip through the redwoods as a kid, and my dad drives like a batshit crazy psycho. It did take like 7 years of biannual trips to get to the point where we'd all get through without throwing up though. But now I can even read a book on roads like that.

monkeysip · February 2014

I get motion sickness easily, and I've been on two cruises (very similar Carnival ships).

The first cruise had ROUGH seas. I felt nauseous a lot and had to go back to the room. Higher floors are actually worse because you feel the waves more. And the dining halls were on the top floor, so I had to eat in my room a lot. Lower floors are closer to the center of gravity.

The second cruise had smoother seas, and I didn't get sick at all. It probably just depends on exactly how sensitive the person is and how rough the seas are.

SmileDamnit · February 2014

I went on an Alaskan cruise about 10 years ago and was sick for the entire 10 days (even with bomine, ginger root, and the bracelets). Still loved it though, FWIW. I pretty much get sick on any boat…ferries, sail, lakes, oceans. Guess I'm just prone to sea sickness. Apparently there's a prescription med you can get that's supposed to work really well, but I haven't tried it yet.

AzAnnie · February 2014

I have found that as long as I am in a cabin with a window or balcony! I am fine on cruises. If I am in a inside cabin, I am as sick as a dog!

monkeysip · February 2014

The pressure point bracelets, I think they're referring to "Seabands" which should be available at any grocery store or drug store. They don't help me.

I thought the neck patches were actually medicinal though, unless I'm thinking of something else.

LadyMillil · February 2014

I get motion sick easily. I was motion sick when we were entering and leaving ports, but fine on the open sea. I usually take non-drowsy gravol and it works well.

Teddy917 · February 2014

Absolutely pointless but funny story: My dad used to be in the Navy (he's retired now). My parents went on a cruise for their honeymoon. Very first night and my dad couldn't stop throwing up. He was fine after the first couple of nights, but me and my brothers have never let him hear the end of it.

CMGragain · February 2014

I never get seasick, and I have been on 17 cruises. Many people get a prescription patch from their doctor that they wear behind their ear. It seems to work for most people, although a few people do get a druggy reaction. (Watch for pupil dilation.) I've never met anyone personally who had that reaction, but I have heard of it.

misshart00 · February 2014

I get somewhat seasick. I like the patch the best. I cut it into quarters and haven't had a problem.

WinstonsGirl · February 2014

I get queasy on boats, but I've never puked. We did a cruise for our HM and I was queasy docked in port on calm seas. No one believed me that I could feel the boat moving, but I could. I used Seabands, but don't know if they did anything for me.

One days was bad, but lying down seemed to help me a lot, so we found a spot by the pool several days. The worst was our 2nd full day on the ship. We stopped for an excursion, and I figured this would give me a nice break for the rocking boat. Well, my body was halfway through adjusting and I had sea legs. Totally felt like we were in an earthquake to me. Add in the heat and humidity and there were a couple of times with I told DH that I needed AC and a chair immediately or I was going to chuck. Cokes help my stomach too, but I'm weird like that. The sweetness takes my mind off of it and the bubble calm my stomach for some reason. I did get better, but was never 100%

misscoffeeplease · February 2014

I have. The last two cruises I went on, I got easily seasick. Regular OTC medicine took some time for me to kick in and I did ginger pills. I was stuck in the room for at least 2 days (vomiting often) because I couldn't handle the motion sickness. If I plan to do a honeymoon cruise, I am going to my doctor and ask for a script for motion sickness.

Vivandiere8 · February 2014

I use to get motion sick very easily because of an inner ear imbalance. Things have gotten much better over the years and I thought I would be fine when I went on a cruise for work. Well wile the rolling of the ship is pretty mild it can be felt, and I found the slight moment now and then did start to make me feel nauseous. Knowing my motion sickness past I quickly went to the from desk and bought some Dramamine and it did the trick. I just consistently took it the whole time and didn't have a problem at all. Some people had sea sick bracelets that they said worked great as well. I loved the cruise and just did the same thing the next year, this time bringing my own dramamine. I didn't have any trouble with feeling too tired to enjoy the trip, but what I would suggest is ahead of time having him take some on a regular day before hand to see if it doesn't have any unhappy side effects. Maybe even try it on a long trip.

flyingfoxes · February 2014

I have been seasick on two of my cruises because of rough water. I bought the bracelets on the ship, and I don't know if they really work or not, I figure if it's all mental it's still better than being nauseous! I also take Dramamine. It just takes me time to get over it, then I'm okay. It's miserable though - there's nowhere you can go. I love cruises though so I'll continue to go on them. I might see about the prescription stuff before I take another one.

FiancB · February 2014

I have taken the prescription stuff for a period of time where I was nauseous for no reason. Worked great. Could've been placebo effect, but at least it didn't make me drowsy. I kind of forgot about that.

Has anyone that gets motion sickness easily been on a cruise?

Re: Has anyone that gets motion sickness easily been on a cruise?

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