Pacific Coastal Cruises (Van-SanDiego etc.) - Ocean Conditions Vs Florida

[PetePanMan]

We have never done a cruise and would like to but my wife is a bit worried sea sickness. We like the Pacific Coastal cruise but are concerned that sea conditions may be worse relative to other options out of Florida or even Alaska. Looking for information / advice from experienced cruisers who have sailed in various locations. Thx much

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

We have never done a cruise and would like to but my wife is a bit worried sea sickness. We like the Pacific Coastal cruise but are concerned that sea conditions may be worse relative to other options out of Florida or even Alaska. Looking for information / advice from experienced cruisers who have sailed in various locations. Thx much

We did the Vancouver to San Diego in October 2015 and there was no problem at all, very calm. While I haven’t experienced it, I’ve read here on disboards the San Diego to Vancouver tends to be pretty rocky.

 

[lorimay]

We did The LA-Vancouver in May of 2013, the seas were fine ( I do take a daily Bonine) But it was a bit chilly. It was very different from a Florida cruise ( we are Floridians) in a good way of course! I had to go buy a pair of crocs and socks because I only bought sandal type shoes and my feet were freezing. I also bought a pair of DCL sweatpants for around the ship, I am always cold!
It was a great cruise, have a great time!

 

[cyclenut]

The Pacific ocean is much cooler and it can be unpredictable. I've been on one northbound that was pretty rough and a southbound that was very nice.

As you know, the real factor is the weather and you can have rough seas anywhere, but I think the chances of a little rocking are greater on that cruise you mention than, say, the inside passage in AK or the Caribbean during the summer.

 

[gilsan]

We did the cruise last May and it was cold and there was a lot of motion, I was seasick. We found it to be too cold to be on deck, but I am sure there is a chance you could have a beautiful cruise, like cyclenut said the Pacific is a bit more unpredictable.

 

[PetePanMan]

We did the cruise last May and it was cold and there was a lot of motion, I was seasick. We found it to be too cold to be on deck, but I am sure there is a chance you could have a beautiful cruise, like cyclenut said the Pacific is a bit more unpredictable.

Thanks for info. Did you take seasickness medication and did it help?

 

[gilsan]

Thanks for info. Did you take seasickness medication and did it help?

Yes I did and it went away quickly. The motion was worse at the top of the ship and I was sick in Palo , I apologize to anywhere that was there that day, luckily I was almost out of the lobby when I had trouble . I am prone to motion sickness, but have never had much trouble on a cruise before. If I had realized how rocky it was higher upper I would have taken something before hand.

 

[lklgoodman]

On our last 2 Caribbean cruises I wore sea bands, took bonine, used motion ease, and had ginger candy, all things that are suppose to help prevent sea sickness. I still got sick when we had rough seas, when the ocean was calm I was fine. I never had any problems when we did an Alaska cruise or on our first Caribbean cruise. Even though I've gotten sick, it doesn't stop me from cruising, we already have our next cruise booked. When I've gotten sea sick, it's only lasted a few hours.

 

[gilsan]

On our last 2 Caribbean cruises I wore sea bands, took bonine, used motion ease, and had ginger candy, all things that are suppose to help prevent sea sickness. I still got sick when we had rough seas, when the ocean was calm I was fine. I never had any problems when we did an Alaska cruise or on our first Caribbean cruise. Even though I've gotten sick, it doesn't stop me from cruising, we already have our next cruise booked. When I've gotten sea sick, it's only lasted a few hours.

It hasn't stopped me either, we are booked on the WBTA this year across the Atlantic, on a more more northerly route. We have a cabin on deck 1 for this cruise and I am going to be stocked up on anti-nausea medication and ginger candy

 

[PhiSigKris]

We did the San Diego to Vancouver 5 night cruise in May of 2016. Everything was calm. It is a cooler temperature cruise. My kids still swam, but we wore jeans & sweatshirts for pretty much the whole cruise. Short sleeved shirts a few days. We had a great time!

 

[rcchello]

I went Vancouver to Los Angeles many years ago. When we hit the Pacific it was very rough and a large percentage of the guests and cast were feeling it. Once the Bonine I took kicked in I was fine. Lunch and Dinner that day were very lightly attended, which was lucky since there were fewer dining room staff available to serve us. After that the seas calmed considerably and everyone reappeared!

 

[MichiMomma]

I went Vancouver to Los Angeles many years ago. When we hit the Pacific it was very rough and a large percentage of the guests and cast were feeling it. Once the Bonine I took kicked in I was fine. Lunch and Dinner that day were very lightly attended, which was lucky since there were fewer dining room staff available to serve us. After that the seas calmed considerably and everyone reappeared!

We did the Vancouver to San Diego cruise this past September. It was our first cruise ever, and the idea of being seasick worries me a little bit.

Like the above poster, we also hit rough seas upon entering into the Pacific. It was choppy for maybe one night on the Pacific, and the rest of the cruise was pretty smooth. I wore sea bands, and they helped me. No one else in our group was bothered by the movement. I’d say no matter where you cruise just be prepared to possibly feel sick. Bring what you need with you, so you can take immediate action.

I don’t have anything to compare the waters to, because that was our first cruise. However, I have friends who’ve cruised all over, and they have mentioned rough water at times. Best of luck! The coastal cruise was fun for us!

 

[Intr3pid]

The Tropic of Cancer - the warmest latitude in the northern hemisphere - passes just below Florida. San Fran, on the other hand, is at the same latitude as Virginia. You are essentially taking a cruise in the same general temps as from Virginia to Newfoundland.

That being said, the northern hemisphere is titled towards the sun in the first half of the year (after Dec 21 technically), but it warms up gradually. (There may be a 1- to 2-month lag.) So when DCL is running its northbound Pacific coastal cruise, things are still chilly. If you prefer warmer temps, take the southbound version in September.

Pacific, in general, is warmer (and calmer) than any other ocean, as it has the most surface area exposed to the sun. BUT - the ocean currents move clockwise, so the Caribbeans receive the warmer mid-Atlantic currents, while the US Pacific coast receives the cooler Alaskan. Hence, the feeling of that chill along the west coast.

 

[lilsonicfan]

We cruised in May 2017 from LA to Vancouver and the waters were very choppy on the first day. I'm sure it isn't always like that. Many of the passengers (this was a Princess cruise) had been on since Sydney, Australia, and said that the transpacific crossing had many rough days. I'm sure it varies.

 

[xavier2001]

We just came off the Panama Canal, the stretch from Mexico to San Diego was no more rocky than the Carribbean but it was definitely chillier, we wore jackets and pants on our last sea day (while the brave kids swam in the pool.

 

[WillowHaven]

We have only done cruises on the West coast. For us, we have found the worst part to be going through the Strait of Juan de Fuca. It has been anywhere from uncomfortable to miserable for us. Once we are through there, I haven't noticed any issues and I get motion sick easily.

 

[tobikaye]

We have never done a cruise and would like to but my wife is a bit worried sea sickness.

OP: If your wife is prone to sea sickness, then my only advise is to start taking something to help BEFORE you get on the ship. Once you get sea sick it can be too late to do anything for some. My mom can get sea sick on river cruises so I suggested she start taking something the day before our cruise, but she would not. Well, the first night (Atlantic Cruise), she got sea sick and started taking something immediately, but it was already too late. She was sick almost the whole cruise as the medicine basically never got the chance to kick in.

 

[bcwife76]

We did the San Diego to Vancouver 5 night cruise in May of 2016. Everything was calm. It is a cooler temperature cruise. My kids still swam, but we wore jeans & sweatshirts for pretty much the whole cruise. Short sleeved shirts a few days. We had a great time!

Crossing my fingers it's calm this year as well, we are on that cruise that leaves on the 16th! We were on the Van-San Diego cruise in Sept 2015 and apart from a bit of rough seas after we left Vancouver Island on the second night, it was smooth sailing down the coast.

 

[jetskigrl]

We have done a few and it seems to depend on the type of motion rather than just general vicinity. Coming back up the coast from Cabo we had very large waves but it is a regular up and down (bow up, bow down, front to back, etc). We learned why they have handrails in the hall on that cruise and got the strange sensation of having the stairs come up to meet your foot rather than you stepping down But no one in my family got sick. Also coming back down the coast from San Francisco with similar motion. The water in the Goofy pool would go from one end by the jacuzzis to the other by the Funnel Vision in big waves. DH and I got in and rode the waves back and forth (yes, we were big kids but it was late at night and no one else was in there).

But last summer on the first morning of our Alaska cruise we seemed to be going sideways to the waves so the ship was rocking side to side, from Port to Starboard, and that motion made me queasy and my DD very seasick. It was supposed to be her first brunch in Palo but she just couldn't do it. But 1/2 hour later we made the turn into the inside passage and the seas immediately calmed. My DD was even able to come back to Palo and join us for the remainder of brunch.

We are leaving on Sunday for the 3-night Baja and then the 5-night San Diego to Vancouver repo. My DD will start taking Bonine tonight or tomorrow and then take it every night as a precaution (with a second one if needed on any bad days).

 

[phinz]

I've never seen glassier water than our outside passage from Ketchikan to Victoria. My highly motion-sickness-prone wife didn't have to take meds the entire cruise. Best trip for her, ever.