Do 14 Foot Waves Effect A Ship?

lugnut33

DIS Veteran
Joined
Jan 17, 2008
My sister is heading on a cruise next Monday that goes to Bahamas and I see they are calling for a front to be in the area producing a 14 foot swell with winds 25-35 knots. Will they even notice it or are ships so stable now that seasickness is a thing of the past?
 
Believe me, seasickness is not a thing of the past. :eek: But everyone is different and react differently.:confused3
 
They will notice it, but waves alone are not what causes motion. A combination of the current and wave height and direction and wind speed and direction affects how a ship moves. For instance, if a ship is in a 30 knot crosswind, you will definitely feel it, but if the ship is in a 30 knot tailwind, you probably will hardly notice at all. But most likely with those conditions they will be feeling it, but it wont be too horrible.
 
They leave Monday out of Port Canavaral and head to the Bahamas (I'm guessin' the Nassau area). Forecast says there will be a southwest wind 25-35 knots with the 14 foot swell.
 


why did you say that sea sickness is a thing of the past?
is there something that can be taken that ensures no sickness?
please advise -- im worried about our upcoming cruise.
thanks
della
 
why did you say that sea sickness is a thing of the past?
is there something that can be taken that ensures no sickness?
please advise -- im worried about our upcoming cruise.
thanks
della


I have no clue about it. I'd just heard the ships being advertised as being super stable and stuff.
 
The ship has good stabilizers that minimize the motion, BUT we've been through some pretty rough nights. Good for rocking you to sleep!
 


Unfortunately, if you are prone to seasickness, you will get seasick, even from much gentler motion. However, I am one of these people and I still love to cruise! Don't let it deter you! My advice is to try out an OTC motion sickness med like Bonine or Dramamine a few weeks before you leave and see how they work for you, side effects, etc. Then take it starting the day before your cruise and thru the first day. If you feel great, no need to keep taking it, but no harm in continuing a daily dose throughout the trip either. They work well for me. They have meds on the ship too. You'll be ok!! :)
 
Unfortunately, if you are prone to seasickness, you will get seasick, even from much gentler motion. However, I am one of these people and I still love to cruise! Don't let it deter you! My advice is to try out an OTC motion sickness med like Bonine or Dramamine a few weeks before you leave and see how they work for you, side effects, etc. Then take it starting the day before your cruise and thru the first day. If you feel great, no need to keep taking it, but no harm in continuing a daily dose throughout the trip either. They work well for me. They have meds on the ship too. You'll be ok!! :)


:thumbsup2 Excellent advice! My entire crew gets seasick...we take Dramamine every night at dinner...works like a charm! :thumbsup2


Also wanted to add..we have been on one of the newer Royal Caribbean ships...LOTS...and it rocks like crazy! So I am not sure if newer is better...I think that the weather and surf play a huge role! :rotfl:


princess: Crystal
 
:thumbsup2 Excellent advice! My entire crew gets seasick...we take Dramamine every night at dinner...works like a charm! :thumbsup2


Also wanted to add..we have been on one of the newer Royal Caribbean ships...LOTS...and it rocks like crazy! So I am not sure if newer is better...I think that the weather and surf play a huge role! :rotfl:


princess: Crystal

It's funny you mention that. We were on the FOTS and we felt it rocked considerably more than the DCL Wonder.
 
Heres the thing with ships in general, and seasickness.
Yes, almost all modern liners have stabilizing fins, that are designed to minimize the effect of the waves on the ship.Theres several factors that will determine how much motion you will feel.
1. The direction of the waves.If the waves come bow or stern on, or fairly close to it, you prob wont notice it unless they are fairly large.Waves coming from the sides, tend to produce more motion, since theres less ship (120 feet or so compared to 800 for a bow wave)to move.
2. The size of the waves.The bigger the wave the more like the motion.
3.Swell or chop.A swell is a more rounded wave that is usally spaced evenly apart, and can be just about any height.A chop wave, is the more classic wave, that has the white top to it, and are usually steeper, and results in more noticable notion.
4.The frequency. The more waves that come at you the more likely youll notice it.
5.Which way the current is moving vs the wind.If they cross or worse meet head on, the waves will usually be higher.
6.The higher you are on the ship, the more motion you will feel.

Seasickness.
Seasickness can be caused by any number of things ranging from fluid build up in your ears, to pyschosymatic to dehydration. It can affect everyone differently and some not at all.It can also be caused by confusion between what your eyes see and your body feels.
Heres a few tips to beat seasickness.
Stay hydrated.Drink plenty of clear fluids
Dont think about it. The more you think about it, the more likely you are to experience some type of discomfort.
If you start feeling sick, go outside,on deck and close your eyes for a minute, relax, and when you open them focus on the horizon, only.Let you eyes and body resync.
Dont fight the motion.Go with it.
If you think that you need dramamine or anyother type of med, take it at least 24 hours BEFORE you get on the ship,or as recomended in the directions.Give it time to get in your system, and do what its supposed to.If you wait until your sick, its too late.
 
I have never had any issues with motion sickness or anything even along those lines and I was sick the first night on our "smooth sailing" cruise. What a strange feeling if you have never felt it before.

I would advise your relative to bring sea bands...they saved me!
 
...My advice is to try out an OTC motion sickness med like Bonine or Dramamine a few weeks before you leave and see how they work for you, side effects, etc. Then take it starting the day before your cruise and thru the first day...

Great advice to test Bonine/Dramamine ahead of time. Dramamine is chemically related to Benadryl, and can cause drowsiness. Most people are fine on it, but for a few people it's as good as a sleeping pill.

It's worth repeating that if you're going to take Dramamine, take it the day before so it can build up in your system.
 

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