1st time cruiser...motion sick...gty?

[Jfine]

Hi all
So we're booking rather last minute. I am a little prone to motion sickness and it's my first cruise. I'm hoping it goes well, but because we're last minute, the only options are forward or aft or a 4a GTY. It looks like 4A is midship/midship aft. Do you think we'll be okay at 4A GTY? Concierge is sold out, so I'm assuming we won't get upgraded. I hate to cancel as taking a Disney cruise will be delayed a year, but I also don't want to increase the odds I'll be sick all trip

 

[TrySomethingNew]

If the main concern is motion sickness, there are many options available to prevent this -over the counter, Rx, and non-med. if you search this board you will get a plethora of ideas.

 

[Jfine]

Thanks! That's true and I'm planning on that. I take motion sickness pills for space mountain and I'm fine on those, but even the non-drowsy make me tired. I know there's other options other than the pills and I'll bring everything I can, but obviously if I avoid any motion-sickness triggers, I'd like to go that route. Everything I've read seems to indicate that midship is best for that. So I'm wondering if we're okay with 4A GTY. The cm said 4A includes midship and midship-aft. He also mentioned that we could be upgraded to a suite not that is not midship, but it looks like those are all sold out, so I'm thinking the odds aren't great. Is that a right assumption?

 

[TrySomethingNew]

Try taking your motion med right before bed. Lots of people do this to avoid being tired. I'm also prone to motion sickness and found the Bonine was making me tired if I took it in the morning. I switched to bedtime and it was great. Of course, I started to notice the motion of the ship a bit more as it got to the time (24hrs) of my last dose. Although I had other meds with me, the Bonine 1x per day worked well, although there were two times I had to lie down for 15-20 min. We were midship, deck 2, inside cabin on that cruise with some rough waters. Could hardly pick a more "stable" part of the ship -but we were hardly in our room, so I felt the motion as we were in the other areas of the ship.
Good luck -being motion sick is something to avoid if at all possible!

 

[malbergotti]

I am terribly prone to motion sickness. We cruised on the Dream last year, 4a and we were midship deck 8. I was fine, except one time in the dining room when I could tell I was sitting with my back facing the way the ship was moving. I took a dramamine every night after that and was fine the rest of the time. Which ship are you sailing? I believe on the Magic and Wonder 4a is all deck 8 and 9

 

[Jfine]

Thanks for these tips!
We're on the Dream. There's also an option for a room about 8 rooms from the back of the ship. That's about the closest I could get to midship with picking out a room now. The VGY is only $150 more, so i'm guessing it's worth the gamble to get something more midship?

 

[Mama Lisa 911]

My husband and 16yoa daughter are prone to severe motion sickness. Our doctor prescribed the motion sickness patch and it worked like a charm! Its non drowsy. The first night was extremely rocky on our cruise and they were perfectly fine.

 

[Amanda129]

I've always found the first night, and sometimes the last, to be a bit rocky, but have hardly felt the ship moving at all during other times. If you can find some hard ginger candies, they're supposed to help (or you could always ask for ginger ale to sip on) - a friend of mine who is prone to motion sickness says this works for her very well when she cruises. And from what my sister says, if you use Dramamine or similar medication, you want to take it 24 hours before you cruise to get it in your system. From my own experience on fishing trips over the years, any time you feel queasy, go out on the deck and look at the horizon - it helps trick your mind into thinking you're on solid ground and helps.

 

[hswillia07]

We were mid-ship on the Fantasy and it was the best experience I've had as far as motion sickness goes. I have always been sick on past cruises - VERY sick. On the Fantasy, I stuck with gravol ginger capsules because I was breast feeding and it worked amazingly. Per recommendations, I started taking them a day in advance (which was helpful for the flight, too), and then kept it up every day. Good luck!

 

[Mitura]

We use the wrist bands. You can get them at Walmart. Mom and the kids wear them all the time. They have the pressure point balls in the wrist. They work like charms.

 

[dclpluto]

I get motion sickness but on 18 cruises I never threw up. Remember you are on a floating city. Sometimes a little headache will start, I take a Bonine and I'm fine. I didn't take my first cruise until 2006 because I was afraid of being sea sick on the cruise. You can never turn back time. Enjoy your cruise.

 

[Quellman]

The ocean currents right outside of Port canveral were really bad on the 19th. We were in 8188, as aft as can be. I felt ill, and I never get sick. Took some of the meds from the ship and felt fine the next morning. No issues the rest of the trip. In fact no issues getting back to port on the evening of the 21st or leaving the port again on the 22nd.

 

[SpaceSquirrel]

I start taking bonine a couple days before I board (one each evening) and every night while on the ship. Also, I swear by seabands, I start wearing them the morning I board (at least an hour before boarding) and keep them on the entire cruise and I'm fine.
Once I took off the seabands to shower and ended up pretty sick.
(BTW, I can't sit in the back seat, go to 3D movies, etc, my motion sickness is pretty intense)

 

[joannamet]

Listening to a Dreams Unlimited podcast I heard someone mention that the cabin location may be less important than expected with regard to sea sickness because you're only there to sleep. The rest of the time you're all over the ship so if you could be sick or not regardless of cabin location.
I highly recommend the scopalomine patch. No side effects and it works great for me when I travel although I haven't cruised before.

 

[SpaceSquirrel]

The patch had terrible side effects for my husband and me.

 

[TrySomethingNew]

With respect to the patch, some love it and it works like a charm. Even those who love it often cite side effects (usually thirst and dry moth). Some, like SpaceSquirrel have bad experiences. It is a prescription med and does have side effects you should be aware of. Read the insert, talk to pharmacist and Doctor. Also ask what the cost is on you scrip plan/med insurance -my script cost $60 (4patches which constituted one box of patches, 11 night cruise) as covered by my plan at that time. I did get the patch, but only brought it with me as a last resort as the potential vision side effects concerned me. Happily Bonine alone worked for me. I additionally brought ginger caps, motion-ease (herbal type liquid to apply to skin behind ears), and Zofran (anti-nausea prescription). So I was covered and at least knew I had a very good chance of handling any rough seas.

 

[Bruiserknits]

Midship is best for motion sickness. My daughter is prone to small movements and the first day she was a little queasy, but she brought seabands with her and used them and they really helped. She now uses them when she flies or is going to be on a long car trip with great success. She can't tolerate many medications and was afraid taking any medicines would just make her drowsy and sleep the entire time. She was thrilled that the seabands worked.

 

[DizFanJ2015]

On our last cruise (at the end of January) one of our dinner tablemates was starting to feel ill due to the motions. Another tablemate (who suffers from motion sickness) was kind and offered her Peppermint essential oil to rub on her wrists, stomach and/or forehead. It worked like a charm!! I would try that as an option without the drowsy side effects. Hope it helps!