First time cruiser question. Seasickness?

[Lilsia]

I think that seasickness is 99% mental. The more you dwell on it, the sicker you feel. On my first cruise, I could not look out onto the ocean when we were moving, my brain could not rationalize the motion. But if I was just walking around the ship, I was fine. With each subsequent cruise, it got easier and I actually love the motion. My oldest gets very motion sick in cars but does not get seasick and loves cruising. I think that whatever you have found that works for you for other motion illness, should work for you on the ship. But I highly recommend believing that you will not feel bad.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I think that seasickness is 99% mental. The more you dwell on it, the sicker you feel.

No. When I was one year old, I was (as my mother put it) "sick as a dog" for the entire crossing from Europe to US.

You can't convince me that a one year old child "dwells" on being sick and makes herself sicker because of it.

That said, as an adult I have no sea sickness issues, and I was extremely worried about it prior to starting cruising as an adult because of my history as a child.

 

[MsSimone]

I typically don't get motion sick, but I had a hard time the first night on our first cruise and had to leave dinner. After that first night, I popped a couple of gin-gin candies a couple hours before dinner and was fine.

We had also brought bands, bonine, etc, but didn't end up using any of those.

 

[andeesings]

What is your motion sickness like generally? I get it all. Air sick. Car sick. Bus sick. And boats are WORST OF ALL. I use prescription patches. And sea bands, which go over my pressure points. And chew ginger gum. AND I take one Bonine every 12 hours. Hand to god, there were days on the fantasy I STILL GOT SICK. Nothing that a little nap with my balcony window open to feel a breeze didn't take care of, but... Motion sickness PLAGUES me.

 

[andeesings]

I think that seasickness is 99% mental. The more you dwell on it, the sicker you feel. On my first cruise, I could not look out onto the ocean when we were moving, my brain could not rationalize the motion. But if I was just walking around the ship, I was fine. With each subsequent cruise, it got easier and I actually love the motion. My oldest gets very motion sick in cars but does not get seasick and loves cruising. I think that whatever you have found that works for you for other motion illness, should work for you on the ship. But I highly recommend believing that you will not feel bad.

For people who suffer from motion sickness, it's not just mental.

 

[Lilsia]

For people who suffer from motion sickness, it's not just mental.

That is why I said 99%. I know that it is a reaction when your brain can not reconcile the movement that it is seeing. But most people who work on ships will tell you that the best "cure" for motion sickness is to focus on something else. Ignore it until your body gets used to the motion. The more you focus on feeling sick, the sicker you will feel.

 

[Julia M]

I have had issues in the past. I now take bonine the night before the cruise, and each evening of the cruise, at bedtime. It can make you feel slightly drowsy, so taking it at night helps. My MD said that taking it the night before you cruise gets it into your system so you don't become sick. YMMV.