Just back from first cruise ever May 22nd Wonder

[HIHO...HIHO]

I took my first Bonine on Sunday morning, around 9:00, wanted to have it in my system before we boarded--it didn't seem to make any difference. One thing I've heard and it seemed to apply to all 8 people in our group: if you can read in the car, you are less prone to seasickness. All of the other 7 people can read in the car fine and didn't have any problems, I can NOT read in the car at all, and boy was I sick!!

I can't read in the car and I was only slightly dizzy the first night...not sick though! However, you could definately feel it...we just tried to keep up the conversation and keep busy. We did not notice it at all the rest of the trip!

 

[cjckclan]

Have your kids ever gotten motion sickness before, like on rides and such??

I am worried about this as we get motion sickness. I was hoping I could avoid it, but sounds like I better be more prepared.

Believe it or not, our DS was the first to feel the motion and its effects. He rarely gets car sick and never has been motion sick from any of the many wild coasters and amusement park rides he's been on. Our DD has a long history of car sickness so I was more concerned she would be the one that would suffer the most. She generally does okay on most coasters and such. but doesn't like the old wooden coasters that simply go over hills; she prefers the corkscrews and loops.

Their pediatrician prescribed Bonine for both kids. DD could take a half and DS could take a half to a whole. They started the meds on Sat for Sunday sailing. By Mon DS took a whole and DD took 3/4. I'm sure the docking, shore time, and slower speed played a large part in the fact that they were fine after the first night. DS noticed the motion of the ship on the return night, but not badly enough to stop him from doing anything he wanted.....including staying at the club until midnight.

 

[westjones]

We were on the 3 day last week. It was slightly rocky the first night, and 3 out of 4 of us were dizzy...but not sick. We just walked like we drank too much! We must have gotten used to it though, because we did not feel it the rest of the cruise. However, we were still rocking a little 2 days after we got off!

Yes, that is what it was like for us too. ACTUALLY I have to say that I enjoy the rocking of the ship at night when we went to sleep. It was rather relaxing.

But the roughness you experience going in and out of PC isn't that bad. Just take some meds and things should be fine and before the evening is over it usually calms down and is fine the rest of the cruise. NOW on the 7 night, that has been a different story for us....but on our two 3 night and two 4 night cruises, I have never missed a dinner or show or felt so bad I couldn't enjoy myself---just felt off balance a bit.

DJ

 

[JollyHoliday]

I had a great time! I wore the Transderm Scop patch and was fine. On the last day of our cruise I felt great so I took the patch off. About 4 pm that day I started to fell sick, so I quick put the patch back on and about 1 hour later I was fine. I very much recommend the patch . Works great!!!

 

[HIHO...HIHO]

Yes, that is what it was like for us too. ACTUALLY I have to say that I enjoy the rocking of the ship at night when we went to sleep. It was rather relaxing.

But the roughness you experience going in and out of PC isn't that bad. Just take some meds and things should be fine and before the evening is over it usually calms down and is fine the rest of the cruise. NOW on the 7 night, that has been a different story for us....but on our two 3 night and two 4 night cruises, I have never missed a dinner or show or felt so bad I couldn't enjoy myself---just felt off balance a bit.

DJ

So do you think if we book a 7 day we could have more problems with the motion? I mean...if the whole cruise were like the first day on the 3 day, I don't know if I would like it. Maybe it matters which one you go on? The eastern or western? I suppose it just depends on the weather also. Any thoughts?

 

[westjones]

So do you think if we book a 7 day we could have more problems with the motion? I mean...if the whole cruise were like the first day on the 3 day, I don't know if I would like it. Maybe it matters which one you go on? The eastern or western? I suppose it just depends on the weather also. Any thoughts?

It all depends on the weather. On our first 7 night we had great waters (on the Western itenary) until Thursday night (which just happened to be my twin DD's birthday, so they saved the cake for the next night because I didn't stay for dinner that night--the rest of my family did fine, I am just very sensitive to motion sickness).

Being 'at sea' would give more opportunities for rough seas, but there is no way to know for sure because the weather could be beautiful and you might have no problems at all!

When we went on the Eastern 7 night, we did fine until Wednesday and Thursday (our days at sea) and I was in bed for those two days BUT (and this is a BIG BUT) there was a Hurricane coming at us. Hurrican Jeanne hit Florida on the Sunday following our cruise and we were trying to out run it on those two days---so that was not a typical cruise.

DJ

 

[3mickeys&me]

I can't imagine not going. I was really scared about me or dh who has inner ear inbalance problems getting sea sick. It was our first cruise. We did the 4 night wonder. We didn't have any problems at all. The first night we could tell the ship was moving but it didn't bother us. It was actually cool.
Our first night and our last night the ship moved swiftly to get to its destination so it was more noticable. Not in a bad way though.

 

[nehdeh]

This was my 6th cruise, ranging from 3 nights to 6 nights. On each and every cruise I was only sick the very first night for about 4-5 hours. After that I guess I got my "sea legs". I would go ahead and cruise. As seen on this board it affects everyone differently and you'll never know how it will affect you until you try it! Good luck!

 

[logan1_2000]

I have done 2 four night cruises on the Wonder and 2 7 night Easterns on the Magic. The first night, crossing the Gulfstream, was an issue just once, the first night on this year's January 16th Wonder, which was my 3rd DCL cruise, 4th cruise overall. DW didn't make it through dinner, and by 11pm I felt quesy myself but didnt take anything beyond sipping a ginger ale at the show. DS, 8 at the time, was fine. seas were probably 16 feet or so, and the creaking to be heard was pretty dramatic. By 3-4 am, the ship was calm, I felt better, and DW woke up fine. We wore no patches. She wore a patch for the April 2nd Eastern a few months later, I still did not, and no problems. I wore no patch for either previous DCL cruise, and I dont think DW did, either, and no problems. We both wore patches for our first cruise, 4 nights RCCL out of San Juan.

I favor the longer cruises over the shorter based upon what percentage of the trip is spent in the "crossing the gulfstream" phase of travel. Never had problems on the days at sea going to or from the eastern caribbean. But a rough first and last night on a 3 or 4 day cruise, that is a significant chunk of the trip "at risk" for not feeling well. I can do roller coasters, but spinningrides at amusement parks get me nauseated big time, so I am not a cast iron immune stomach kind of guy. But so far, with 26 lifetimes nights of cruising, I've had one bad night of motion sickness. Those stats may change if indeed I stick with the current dates for mext DCL cruise, during hurricane season, though later in the season in October, in 2006, and we'll see what 4 nights or western caribbean in February feels like on RCCL out of port everglades in 8 months.

everyone is different--the patch, put on before boarding or at boarding time, works very well, and i dont think most people would have more to fear from the longer cruises, but there are definitely some for whom that is not true, either. Which is why many of us start with the short cruise, to address our fear of "what if I get seasick?" and being stuck on full week's cruise. The irony, I believe, is that the 4 nighter may often seem more nauseating more of the time for those affected.

We're all guilty here of forgetting that cruising just isn't for everyone. But we hope we can encourage people to give it a try to make sure they arent chickening out unnecessarily.

 

[bonnielynn]

Thanks for all the info.. I dont believe my husband would let me out of this trip if I wanted to ... I have gotten a cabin in the middle of the ship, but no windows.. think I should reconsider this? I heard the very middle of the ship rocks the least.. any truth to that?

 

[westjones]

Thanks for all the info.. I dont believe my husband would let me out of this trip if I wanted to ... I have gotten a cabin in the middle of the ship, but no windows.. think I should reconsider this? I heard the very middle of the ship rocks the least.. any truth to that?

The inside rooms are closer to the center of the ship, so the room you have is probably one of the best locations.

Don't worry, the cruise is wonderful. Even though I have gotten sea sick on 3 days during the 6 cruises we have taken, I keep booking more. I love Disney Cruises! The good days are super and there are hardly ever and bad days.

DJ