child seasickness

[melkel17]

As first-timers, we were just wondering if it is common for kids to get seasickness. we have seen a lot of posts that seem to mention people being sick on the first night at sea, is this a common thing? thanks.

 

[tlrotzoll]

We just got back from our first ever cruise. My boys did great. One of them complained (briefly) about being a little nauseaus on one occassion. It was very shortlived.

I spoke with our pediatrician before we left and he recommended we take Benadryl along. I did, but we never had to use it.

I think you all will do great. Have a great time!

 

[TLHB70]

We just got back from our first cruise 5 days ago. I will tell you that our two daughters did not get sick the first night like most people do. (I got a bit seasick the first night, but it wasn't too bad.) However, our last night the waters were EXTREMELY rough. The captain even came on over the speakers in our rooms and warned us that the waters were going to rough as we entered back into the gulf stream. He said they would start getting rough around 10:30 PM and continue until about 4 AM. Well, they were BAD! I dare say they started about 10 instead of 10:30, and when I finally died off to sleep from pure exhaustion at about 3:20 AM they were still rough. (I couldn't sleep because our closet doors kept sliding and slamming.....they are sliding doors) My 6 year old daughter DID get sick that night. She threw up a couple of times before she finally fell asleep at about midnight. I took Bonine the entire time I was on the ship. Bonine, Dramamine, etc. can't be taken by children under 12 (according to the box) so I gave my children over-the-counter herbal pills - Clear Motion - containing ginger. I guess that it helped some. However that last night was so bad that nothing helped!

 

[mackymaddyconnorsmom]

You can buy dramamine for children. I buy it for my daughter for car rides. It is now made in a chewable form for kids

 

[TLHB70]

I never saw the children's Dramamine when I was looking at sea sickness medicine! I am so glad to know that!!!!!!!!! I will definitely get it if we ever cruise again. Did you find it at a special drug store? I bought all of our medicine at Eckerd. I even asked the pharmacist about what to buy. The pharmacist said that the only thing that I could get for the kids was the herbal pill and the wrist band. Oh, I forgot to mention that we wore those, too.

 

[sewsew]

For the warning for rough seas, I did not think they were bad. I have been in rougher that you could not have a glass on the table and no one was at Dinner!
I was on the same cruise you were!
Not too bad, but if you are not use to it and it affects people different!
I was ready for it when it came over the intercom.

 

[TLHB70]

Yes, I definitely am not used to that since I was a first time cruiser! My husband and I fish a lot together so I have been in boats many times. I have never experienced anything like that, though. I knew that "turbulant waters" were coming after the warning. I guess that I just didn't know what to expect.
However, I have to say that at the "Til We Meet Again" celebration other people were commenting, too, about how bad it was. Also, in line the next morning at debarkation many people were talking about the rough night. I can't imagine how bad it gets if that is not bad. I don't know if I could handle that!
You are right, different people can handle different things. I also know that rough seas are a risk that you take cruising. I am glad that others can easily handle it. I wish that I could........and I certainly wish my daughter could have. She was really sick.

 

[sewsew]

Well I am glad it was only the last night, our waiter said that if it was bad we would not be at Dinner!!!!
Hope you had fun anyway.

 

[TLHB70]

Oh no! I couldn't have handled missing dinner!!!!!!!! I loved dinner..........and the desserts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am so thankful that it was only the last night too. My husband thought the the 3rd night was a bit rough. I thought that the waves were a bit bigger and the swaying/rocking was a bit more, too, but not too bad. Our closet door did slide and slam more than the first two nights. But the last night was the worse!
Your closet door didn't slide and slam all night? I tried sticking the towels in the door, shoes, even the life jackets. Nothing stopped that sliding and slamming! The slam was so strong that it knocked all of those things out and slammed anyway!

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

Sorry you had such a rough time. Your post makes me wonder how my DGS will handle rough seas.

Will duct tape work for the closet doors? I heard someone mention it here.

Sailing next week and never experienced rough seas before. DGS has never sailed before

Tink

 

[Masonpips]

My dd regularly gets carsick when traveling any switchback type roads (first time at just over 2 in Hawaii hauling butt up the mountain to see the sunrise; quite an experience) and did get sick on a private daysail in St. Thomas (was fine as soon as she threw up LOL), but has never been sick on the Magic itself and the first night last time MANY people were sick and leaving the theater was unbelievable - you can to crawl up the stairs because the bow was going up/down so much.

I think the larger the ship the less likely the chance. And this time of year the seas are calmer typically than in the summer!

 

[sewsew]

No Our Closet doors never moved.

We were on Deck 2 in the middle of the ship if that helps or our velcro on our doors worked good yet.

The last night (we had 14 in our group) someone could not make up their mind on Dessert so the waiter gave him all 5 !!!!

Everyone handles things different!

Hope that does not stop you from going on another one!

 

[TLHB70]

Tinkerbellmagic, your DGS may be fine. As Sewsew said, everyone handles it differently. I got a bit sick the first night, never threw up though. I was still able to eat the yummy food!
The last night was rough but I didn't get as sick as I did the first night. I just didn't like the swaying and rocking. My biggest problem was the closet doors making all of that noise and the creaking in the room.
My DD didn't get sick at all the first night, but got terribly sick the last night. I did bring along a lot of medicine, herbal pills, wrist bands, etc. because she does get motion sickness in the car on mountain and backroad trips. I expected her to be sick the first night. She didn't do it though. It just came the last night.
I will say that the captain did warn us ahead of time about it. That was good because, like sewsew said, we were expecting it.

As far as the closet doors go, I didn't bring duct tape. I guess that may have worked. I am not sure. I guess my door's velcro was worn out. I didn't even see it. It definitely didn't work! I think that it is ashame, though, that you have to pack tape for the doors. For the price you pay you would think Disney could do something else about the doors........latches, locks or something.

 

[CheapMom]

ok- I am really worried- I am very prone to motion sickness and so is dd (9) What is most highly recommended seasickness deterent. My plan was to take bonine the night before we set sail and then take it each day as well. (I am planning on giving it to everyone in my family except the baby)
(Here is how prone to motion sickness I am: I actually feel a little woozy just from reading the posts about the rough seas! )

 

[Miss Kelly]

You are not alone CheapMom. I'm feeling worried and woozy just reading this thread.

I've been on the Wonder before, but it was mid ship. I got sick the first night, but felt okay after that.

This time we are aft and I'm a bit worried that I'll be more seasick than the first time. Not to mention, I have 4 newbie cruisers with me. I can't be sick because I have to be the tour guide.

I just hope and pray that seas are calm in May!

 

[TLHB70]

I don't know that you should be scared; just be prepared that it may happen. Apparently the seas affect people very differently. Sewsew wasn't sick or concerned about them at all the last night. I thought they were terrible. You may get onboard and not even notice anything. If the captain suspects that the waves will be bad he will forewarn you I guess like he did us.
I brought all medicine......Bonine, Less Drowsy Dramamine, the wristbands and Clear Motion herbal - for my children. I asked the pharmacist what to get for the children since the Bonine and Dramamine specifically said "not for children under age 12". I didn't see the children's chewable version of Dramamine that mackymaddyconnorsmom gets. I wish that I would have.
I started the Bonine the morning before we got on the ship since it said take one hour before motion, and I wore the bands. I might should have started the night before because I did notice the movement immediately once we sailed. I just felt very woozy all evening and night. I never threw up or stopped the activities. I just couldn't fully enjoy them. The rest of my family weren't bothered at all. Now, the last night was terrible for my family. None of us liked the motion! Honestly, I felt like I was on a prolonged ride at the carnival. I didn't get sick; I just didn't like it. My husband and older daughter didn't get sick either. They were like me, though, they didn't like it. My youngest daughter did get pretty sick. By the way.......my husband didn't take anything for seasickness the entire time and never got sick at all. My two daughters (both under 12) couldn't take the over the counter medicine that I found at Eckerd. I bought them Clear Motion. It is herbal capsules that contain ginger and other things like that. I gave it to them both faithfully, twice a day. Plus, they wore the bands when the ship was in motion. It apparently worked until the last night. That is the only time that the youngest daughter got sick.

By the way, our room was in the forward of the ship. I don't know if that contributed to it or not. Also, the dining rooms (other than Triton's) are in the aft of the ship. I wonder if we felt the movement more there when we were at dinner each night. I am not sure. I do know that if we ever cruise again we will request a low room, deck 1 or 2, and mid ship!!!!!!

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

TLHB70, did you take your Bonine every day? I once got sea sick on a sail boat, so I took my Bonine faithfully on two past cruises and had no problems. . Contrary to what some have said, the Bonine did make me too sleepy to attend the late night deck party... or was it the chocolate lava cake at late seating?

I bought DGS some Benedryl, as suggested on this board. After reading this thread, I went out today and bought the childrens Dramamine.

Tink

 

[TLHB70]

Tinkerbellmagic, yes, I did take my Bonine each morning. It never made me sleepy. I started it the morning we boarded, though. I wonder if I would have started it the night before we boarded if maybe I wouldn't have been woozy that first night. I will never know I guess.
I read about the Benadryl for the children on these boards, too. However, I couldn't do that because both of my daughters are on Zyrtec daily for fall allergies (They take it October through the end of November.) and the Benadryl would have been overdosing for them .
Where did you get the children's Dramamine? I will have to make sure to look for it. My local Eckerd store where I shopped did not have it.

 

[mackymaddyconnorsmom]

We bought the childrens dramamine in a drug store in Florida. My daughter got sick so much on the ride down that I knew I had to do something. We asked the pharmasist about the wrist bands. He was explaining to me that if we didn't put them on the right pressure points that they would be useless. Then he went to tell me to get Dramamine . They just brought out a one for kids. This was in August. I still have it in my car for emergencies. It was a drug store close to Disneyworld. One of the chains in Florida. Im getting a new supply for the ship, but Im still talking to my Dr. because hers is related to very bad ears.

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

I found the children's Dramamine in Walgreens, here in the Midwest.

I know that Turner Drugs in FL delivers meds to WDW. There is a $5 delivery charge. They will deliver meds/prescriptions to the front desk at your resort. Not sure if they have the kids Dramamine, but you could call and ask. The resorts have the phone number.

Tink