Sea Sickness - front, mid or back cabin

[Fatima1922]

If you are concerned about sea sickness, is it better to have a cabin toward the front, back or middle of the ship?

 

[kcashner]

Mid. Think of the ship as a teeter totter. When a wave hits, the ends move more than the middle. It's not a perfect analogy, and the stabilizers on the ship help a lot...but the closer to the center you are and the closer to water level the less motion. People differ as to whether they do better inside or whether they are better if they can see the horizon.

 

[sueandkent]

Definitely mid ship and usually the lower down decks for best stability.

 

[jdyer]

I get sea-sickness very badly sometimes, but didn't have a problem when we sailed on Disney a while ago. Our cabin was right at the front of the ship, so I was quite nervous prior to sailing about the sea-sickness thing.

My doctor prescribed Scopolamine patches - I've used them since on other ferry crossings, and they seem to work wonders for me - might be worthwhile you getting hold of some.

 

[Fatima1922]

I get sea-sickness very badly sometimes, but didn't have a problem when we sailed on Disney a while ago. Our cabin was right at the front of the ship, so I was quite nervous prior to sailing about the sea-sickness thing.

My doctor prescribed Scopolamine patches - I've used them since on other ferry crossings, and they seem to work wonders for me - might be worthwhile you getting hold of some.

Are there any side effects with the patch? I am glad you mentioned being in the front of the ship. We have cabin 2004 so I am concerned. And I should correct myself, I don't think my DH gets seasick but he does get motion sickness which maybe similar (I don't get either).

I just want to take any steps to make this a physically comfortable experience. If I can accomplish that I maybe able to sale him on doing other cruises.

 

[Fatima1922]

Mid. Think of the ship as a teeter totter. When a wave hits, the ends move more than the middle. It's not a perfect analogy, and the stabilizers on the ship help a lot...but the closer to the center you are and the closer to water level the less motion. People differ as to whether they do better inside or whether they are better if they can see the horizon.

If I am already assigned, can I ask for mid ship?

 

[sueandkent]

It would be unlikely you could get a mid ship cabin after assignment unless the sailing still is not full. Some hints for combatting sea sickness (if DH gets motion sick he should probably take precautions also) take 1/2 a non-drowsy dramamine twice a day starting the day before you board. Supplement that with ginger pills (you can buy these at walmart) every 4 hours and you should be good. Sometimes the patch can give you dry mouth and they don't recommend drinking when you wear the patch.

 

[plutojudy]

We book a cabin where my feet face the front of the ship while sleeping, that way I am not "riding" backwards. In the dining rooms I sit facing the front of the ship. On trains, etc, I cannot ride backwards.

 

[kcashner]

The thing that bothers many people about scope patches are eye effects. What is really happening is that the wearer can't keep his hands off the patch. If you touch the patch and then touch your eyes, you've just planted a significant dose of drug in your eye. First, consult your doc. Secondly, keep your hands off the patch!!!! Put it behind your ear, wash you hands with soap, and don't touch again!

 

[Mickeyhugger]

Mid. Think of the ship as a teeter totter. When a wave hits, the ends move more than the middle. It's not a perfect analogy, and the stabilizers on the ship help a lot...but the closer to the center you are and the closer to water level the less motion. People differ as to whether they do better inside or whether they are better if they can see the horizon.

Exactly why we request deck 2 mid ship never an issue

Rob

 

[jdyer]

Are there any side effects with the patch? I am glad you mentioned being in the front of the ship. We have cabin 2004 so I am concerned. And I should correct myself, I don't think my DH gets seasick but he does get motion sickness which maybe similar (I don't get either).

I just want to take any steps to make this a physically comfortable experience. If I can accomplish that I maybe able to sale him on doing other cruises.

The only problem I had with the patches was the advice to avoid alcohol...I'm not an alcoholic or anything!, but some of those cocktails looked very tempting!

Having looked into that since, I have found hints that you should be OK drinking alcohol with the patches, though everything in moderation of course! http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3243930 implies it should be OK, though that was a very small sample size.

 

[truck1]

Generally speaking, motion sickness and sea sickness are very similar. THey are generally caused by one or more of a few things.
The most common is a imbalance between what the ear is sensing and what the eyes are seeing. This sends conflicting signals to the brain, which in short gives you the nauseous feeling.

Theres a few remedies, though in some people will require prescription meds, such as the scop patch.If you or your husband cant make it around the corner in a car, then chances are youll need a patch or some sort of script dramamine, and none of the below will prob not work.

First is to stay properly hydrated and make sure your ear canals are as clean as possible, to reduce the chances of an ear infection which can trigger sea sickness.If you plan to take an over the counter med like dramamine, bonine or ginger tablets, start them at least 8-10 hours before you get on the ship, and take them regularly as printed on the directions.If you wait till your sick its too late.

Second,if you start feeling ill, go outside to an open deck, close your eyes and when you open them, look out to the horizon for a few minutes, to reset your inner ear balance.

Third, Relax and try not to think about getting sick. In a lot of people it can be pyschosymatic.(makes you get sick)

Fourth. Dont fight the motion of the ship.(If there is any.Its rare that there is.) Youll lose everytime. Move with the ship.Its a lot easier.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Generally speaking, motion sickness and sea sickness are very similar. They are generally caused by one or more of a few things.
The most common is a imbalance between what the ear is sensing and what the eyes are seeing. This sends conflicting signals to the brain, which in short gives you the nauseous feeling.

There's a few remedies, though in some people will require prescription meds, such as the scop patch.If you or your husband cant make it around the corner in a car, then chances are youll need a patch or some sort of script dramamine, and none of the below will prob not work.

First is to stay properly hydrated and make sure your ear canals are as clean as possible, to reduce the chances of an ear infection which can trigger sea sickness.Take an over the counter med like dramamine, bonine or ginger tablets, at least 8-10 hours before you get on the ship, and take them regularly as printed on the directions.If you wait till your sick its too late.

Second,if you start feeling ill, go outside to an open deck, close your eyes and when you open them, look out to the horizon for a few minutes, to reset your inner ear balance.

Third, Relax and try not to think about getting sick. In a lot of people it can be psychosomatic.(makes you get sick)

Fourth. Don't fight the motion of the ship.(If there is any.Its rare that there is.) Youll lose every-time. Move with the ship.Its a lot easier.

I fully agree with you post where I have put it into bold, I do not disagree with the rest, but I personally never recommend any Meds.

Seasickness is caused by Ear and eye giving mixed messages to the Brain, so you need to ''help'' it work it out. As you say, have reasonable amounts of water, not too much, nothing else, get fresh air, look at the horizon, do not look down, but widest view of horizon.

You need to let your Brain, work out the messages it gets, eyes say 'walls do not move' ears notice movement, thats why inside rooms are not so good.

My DD gets seasick on lower decks, the restaurants of AP and Parrot Cay are the worst. Enclosed where you cannot see, like tenders in Cozumel to the mainland.

People do disagree on decks, everyone agreed that Midship is better than Forward and aft, but personally middle decks Midship is best, the lower decks have issues of movement and motion the same as other decks, but the ship pivots around the middle/middle of the ship.

No deck can move more than another as they are all attached.

Most cruises do not have any issue, its rare to hit bad weather, they try to avoid it, and stabilizers are very good.

 

[indigodisney]

We were aft on our first cruise and I felt movement and felt sick. We were deck 7 midship and I didn't have one moment of sea-sickness....I am sure there were other factors at play but I am thinking midship is definitely best.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

We were aft on our first cruise and I felt movement and felt sick. We were deck 7 midship and I didn't have one moment of sea-sickness....I am sure there were other factors at play but I am thinking midship is definitely best.

You are correct, as it goes, in my personal opinion.

Forward is the worst place,
Aft is the next worst, the ships are built to flex in the water so the impact of waves on the forward part, is absorbed a bit, and aft moves a bit less.
Midship is best, think of it pivoting at this point.

Now the hull, bar very forward is actually more square than a point, often we think of a point when you look to the ship at the front to forward, but if you look at the back aft you see its more square. Therefore if it rolls, port > starboard, all decks move the same.

Doctors onboard, ( personal experience August 2005), said to DD when she was seasick, to go up on top deck, get fresh air, look at horizon drink water, they said avoid the medical treatment center as its enclosed and low.

Now every cruise is different, every sea condition and weather system is different, rough seas are rare, and stabilizers are good. So unless you have been unlucky and hit very bad weather on your cruise, you will not actually experience bad conditions for seasickness.

I have epxerianced bad days on the Magic, August 2005,(Cabo San Lucas) August 2007, (Med 11 night last day). Other than that minor wae conditions and movement. I found the best place was in our room, deck 8. DD who gets it bad, wouldn't stay in the deck 3 restaurants on thoose days and eat in our room or topsiders.

 

[truck1]

I fully agree with you post where I have put it into bold, I do not disagree with the rest, but I personally never recommend any Meds.

.

Should have read, if you plan to take. Its fixed. I try not to recomend meds either, and leave the scripts up to the docs.

The best place on a ship to avoid getting sick, if you can find it(it differs from ship to ship) is the ships center of gravity. Its the spot that would move very little left to right and front to back.Its not nessecarily the center of the ship either, depending on the ships loading, and can shift as the ship burns off fuel.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Should have read, if you plan to take. Its fixed. I try not to recommend meds either, and leave the scripts up to the docs.

The best place on a ship to avoid getting sick, if you can find it(it differs from ship to ship) is the ships center of gravity. Its the spot that would move very little left to right and front to back.Its not necessarily the center of the ship either, depending on the ships loading, and can shift as the ship burns off fuel.

It can as you say depend on so many factors, they take on water, or pump it out to conditions for ballast, ie Castaway Cay its normally 'light' as it has little space under the ship, in bad sea conditions is 'heavy, these all effect, the ships conditions.

On average Middle ship, Midship is the best place to be, but, anyone could argue any, place, in any discussion. As per my previous posts on sea conditions, weather, etc.

DCL placed the kids clubs in the middle middle for a reason, nit as the deck as liftboats, and is obstructed, but the best place for kids to play with least spills.