preparing for seasickness

[ModestMouse]

We have booked our first cruise ever (on the Dream) and I'm a little worried about seasickness. What have you more experienced cruisers found to be helpful? I know about the patch you put on behind your ear. Any other tips? Thank you in advance.

 

[shanesgirl]

We have booked our first cruise ever (on the Dream) and I'm a little worried about seasickness. What have you more experienced cruisers found to be helpful? I know about the patch you put on behind your ear. Any other tips? Thank you in advance.

I'm worried about it too! I get motion sickness in a IMAX Theater. I heard those things behind the ears work great. One of my clients that gets really bad motion/sea sick used them her last cruise. She said she for once didn't get sick at all. Her best cruise ever. That made me feel real hopeful. They say those bracelets work great too. I cruise on the Dream in Nov and hope they work.

 

[dovbniak]

A friend of mine suggested a room with a verandah (looking far away helps apparently) if your budget allows as well as getting a room somewhere just behind the midship (not at the very back but not in the middle of the ship either). The boat moves the least in this area.

My wife was worried about sea sickness but after our cruise on the Dream, she said she felt very good throughout and she never used the medication we brought along.

 

[TinkBell10]

I got EXTREMELY sea sick on my first cruise....now I take non-drowsy Dramamine and have NEVER been sick again (even with really rough seas). It doesn't make me tired at all, either, like the regular formula does. Even with a few alcholic beverages, I wasn't tired.

My dad swears by the patch, but you need a prescription for that. Plus, with the pill, I don't take it when we're at port....the patch stays on you for, I believe, 3 days at a time (whether you are at sea or not).

Good luck! Sea sickness is the worst feeling ever....so do anything you can to prevent it!

 

[beachpal]

My son and I both use the wrist bands (I think the brand is Seabands) and they always work well for us!

 

[ModestMouse]

Most travel doesn't make me sick but I cannot ride Star Wars at Hollywood Studios, things like that just do an absolute number on me. I had heard on the Dream that you hardly know that you are on a ship.

 

[thomprod]

There are many past threads on this subject that you can search through if you'd like more information. I tried the Scopolamine patch on one cruise and found that it worked well at preventing nausea, but also caused dry mouth and blurred vision. I now use generic meclozine (the active ingredient in the brand names Bonine, Antivert and Dramamine II). Some common side effects such as drowsiness, dry mouth, and tiredness may occur, but they are less than the patch. In my opinion, the benefit outweighs the mild side effects. You take one tablet a day, whether you need it or not, and it works great for me with no side effects. Do not wait until you feel sick to take any medication. The best course of treatment is preventative.

 

[JennLK]

We have booked our first cruise ever (on the Dream) and I'm a little worried about seasickness. What have you more experienced cruisers found to be helpful? I know about the patch you put on behind your ear. Any other tips? Thank you in advance.

We took our first cruise Feb 3. I was worried too. I get carsick easily and motion sickness as well. I can honestly say I did not feel sick at all on the ship.

That being said I swear I was "land sick". I don't know if it is real or not but let me tell you. On CC Day we got off the ship and I was sick for half the day. All was well when we were back on the ship. After we were off the cruise I was dizzy / disoriented for almost 5 days ! The only cure? Booking another cruise LOL

 

[thomprod]

Most travel doesn't make me sick but I cannot ride Star Wars at Hollywood Studios, things like that just do an absolute number on me. I had heard on the Dream that you hardly know that you are on a ship.

It is true that most modern cruise ships (including all DCL ships) have stabilizers that minimize the rocking motion while underway. Some people are just more prone to motion sickness than others, and the rocking affects people to different degrees. In general, after a few days, the symptoms subside as your body adapts to the rocking motion.

 

[rachelm23]

I have the patch but after reading all the negative horrible side effects, I am going to use some OTC stuff. I did use patch last yr on cruise and my biggest issue was blurred vision. It lasted months after cruise too. Don't want that again.

 

[grandy w]

I am a bit prone to Sea sickness and I own a boat! It has to be very rough though,On our April cruise it was very rough,according to the bridge report on our stateroom tv there were 15-18 foot seas The whole family felt it a little,I went down to the health center and they had the Bonine outside the door,we each took 1 went to bed and felt pretty good! We litterally rolled back and forth on the bed that night! Getting to my point YES the ships have stabilizers that worked incredibly well but if it gets that rough the ship will move,we felt some waves at dinner that shook the whole side of the ship.
The funniest thing is when the boat shudders a little from a wave take a look at the faces on some of the people at dinner you may get a laugh and take your mind off it.

And yes we all get land sick after being home

 

[jodie3134]

Another vote for Non-Drowsy Dramamine. I swear by it. As I get older, I get nauseous on rides, in a plane, sometimes in a car and definitely on a boat. I take 2 of these every 24 hours and have no issues at all.

 

[cvac]

DH and I both took Bonine before our cruise just in case. I didnt know whether we'd get sea sick or not but I didn't want to find out the hard way. It worked great. Even the last night of the cruise there was a hurricane in fairly close proximity making it much more rough than usual. Lots of people were absent from dinner that night but we felt totally fine. Better safe than sorry is my theory with this one.

 

[JackSparrowLive]

As a diver (and subject to rough water on small boats), I swear by my personal favorite: Ginger pills.

I'll take 2 x 500mg pills every morning. Oh, make sure you start taking them 2 days before you travel to get it in your system. Never been sick...and I've been on some really bad waves before!

 

[spoohs]

I do get sea sick, but I found a combination of the non drowsy Bonine and then a ginger pill once a day works great!

 

[tvguy]

As a diver (and subject to rough water on small boats), I swear by my personal favorite: Ginger pills.

I'll take 2 x 500mg pills every morning. Oh, make sure you start taking them 2 days before you travel to get it in your system. Never been sick...and I've been on some really bad waves before!

Apologizes to those who know, but never ever take Ginger without clearing it with your Doctor. It can kill you if you take certain prescription drugs, or having certain health issues.

Okay off my soap box.
Off topic, but same for grapefruit. It can also interact with prescription drugs.

 

[kveens]

I carried ginger candies with me in my camera case. My DH started getting sick when we were forward at the sports bar one afternoon and the seas were pretty rough. I gave him the candy, and he felt better right away. I buy them on Amazon. They are called Original Ginger Chews.

 

[iluvwdw4ever]

Seabands and Bonine!!!!!! Use both and you will have no problems!!!!

 

[slmarkert]

I took Bonine for our cruise and it worked perfectly. We, too, had seas rough enough to make us move in bed. We walked around like a bunch of drunks laughing at each other! I started taking it a day or so before we got on the ship, took one pill in the morning and one in the evening and kept taking them for a couple of days after we got off the boat to avoid the landsickness. I felt a little queasy the day we got off the ship and felt the rolling of the ship when I slept at night for a few days.

 

[mmmears]

Ginger candy, ginger snaps, ginger ale at dinner. I've also read that green apples can help.