Will I get seasick?

[tltay2005]

Just booked our first cruise. How do you know if you will get seasick? I can ride all the rides at the parks fine, I do not get car sick, and can ride in a small boat in the lakes with no problem. So I am assuming I do not get motion sickness. Is seasickness different?

 

[Cjtigger]

The first night of our cruise I got seasick. The boat was rocking (RCCL). I was very worried because even experienced cruisers were getting sick. I have never been motion sick before but after a few hours it went away and I didn't feel it again.

Be safe and bring something. I'm going to try the ginger tablets.

 

[bringmethathorizon]

its hard to tell.
sounds like you will be ok.just depends on the seas.being on the ship is different than on the lake.on the lake you are not normally up walking around or sitting down in a fine restaurant trying to eat.just carry something just in case,you never know

 

[bumbershoot]

I *can* get sick on some rides, and I've never been on a boat in a lake, and the only time I was ever actually sick was BOTH the morning after the night our ship left the Inside Passage for "real" ocean, and when I was newly pregnant. I get a bit woozy on the first night on a Bahamas cruise while crossing the Florida Straits, but that passes after the first night's sleep when we are out of those.

It's not something I worry about ahead of time.

 

[livie1205]

We always get a little green the first night ( right about dinner time) when we cross the gulf stream.. Even my husband who does not get motion sickness anywhere gets green. We start bonine the night before , it's non drowsy and works well.

 

[SailingSeas]

On the Disney ships, you can order green apples and crackers to your room from room service (free). There is a chemical in it that helps neutralize the stomach; tuck it into your nightstand along with the crackers, and nibble on them until your body acclimates to the motion. Always drink a ton more water to keep hydrated than you regularly do, and eat smaller, more frequent meals. Bonine as Livie recommends is good and offered at Guest Services if simpler remedies do not work. I have to take half a dose; i nod into my soup if I take a full pill. Yes, it's supposed to be non-drowsy, but my body doesn't listen.

 

[allison0523]

I think everyone is different and you don't know how you will do until you are there. I get car sick and motion sick on small boats and rising in the backseat of a car but have had zero problems on a cruise ship, even when rocking badly

 

[phinz]

I'm one of the weirdos that finds the rocking, and even rough seas at times, soothing. I kind of enjoy it. I get motion sickness in weird places, and on rides where you wouldn't expect it, but I can read in the car, sit on the pitching deck of a 28' offshore fishing boat in 10' seas or ride rollercoasters all day long and never miss a beat.

 

[ptcbass]

You could always take Bonine the night before your cruise. Then as it wears off the next afternoon you can wait and see if you start feeling sick before taking another dose (don't wait till you are sick though). I took it every night with no problems but everyone is different. It makes some sleepy and even makes some feel sick. I would recommend testing anything you might take for the cruise a week or so before. The apples and ginger is a great option too. I also always take a small bottle of ginger ale with me.

 

[tltay2005]

Thanks for all the replies. Most "non drowsy" meds still make me very loopy, so I am trying to avoid them. Has anyone used the wrist bands?

 

[phinz]

My wife used the wrist bands and all they did was leave bruises on her wrists. Scopalamine finally did the trick for her, except for in Remy on the second night, but up there everything is exaggerated.

 

[tltay2005]

Sailingseas, Can you order room service (for the apples & gingerale) as soon as you board so they are waiting in your room when it is ready, or do you need to wait till you get to the room?

 

[SailingSeas]

Sailingseas, Can you order room service (for the apples & gingerale) as soon as you board so they are waiting in your room when it is ready, or do you need to wait till you get to the room?

You would need to wait until you get into your room in order to order it, which is usually around 1:30 in the afternoon. Ginger ale is not free; there is a charge for that. Crackers and green apples are free of charge, although I do tip the person who delivers it.

As soon as you board, however, you can grab some from either one of the quick service restaurants near the pool, or at the buffet (they are usually plentiful there, and if not, you can ask.)

 

[SailingSeas]

You would need to wait until you get into your room in order to order it, which is usually around 1:30 in the afternoon. Ginger ale is not free; there is a charge for that. Crackers and green apples are free of charge, although I do tip the person who delivers it.

As soon as you board, however, you can grab some from either one of the quick service restaurants near the pool, or at the buffet (they are usually plentiful there, and if not, you can ask.)

TLTay, i get loopy too from most medications. I'm the world's cheapest drunk. It's rather pathetic. I would fare pretty poorly on an open bar cruise. rofl!

Phinz, once i get my sea legs (or look like a green apple myself) then I really enjoy the rocking motion too! Isn't it great? I sleep best on a boat with the verandah wide open, listening to the sounds of the hull slicing through the seas, then waking to the heat of the sun. Love love love it.

 

[tweis]

Well, I do not get sick on rides, I do not get car sick, I love when we take our boat out, I do not get sick on planes, I did NOT get sick on our first cruise BUT on our second cruise, I was violently ill the first night. However, people were having a difficult time walking down the hallway straight because the ship was rocking so much. We had really rough seas going through the straights of Florida and myself and many others got very sick. For our third cruise, I took preventive measures and started taking Bonine the night before because I had no idea how rough the seas were going to be. We had zero problems. Moral of the story, even if you've never been motion sick in your life, it is very possible that you can be given the right circumstances.

Generally, I enjoy the gentle rocking of the ship but that night was not "gentle".

 

[NobleAlyssum]

You sound like me in the fact that you do not get motion sickness on any occasion, so I will say there is a good chance you will not get seasick, as I did not get seasick on my first Disney cruise. I did feel weird on the first day and night of the ship. I was acutely aware of the rocking on the ship and it made me uncertain of my footing, but I was not ill, just a bit funny in the head at the worst (because my equilibrium was trying to adjust, I suppose).

But tweis makes a good point. The seas were quite calm my whole trip. Choppy seas could make more tolerant people ill, I would imagine.

 

[Dug720]

Just booked our first cruise. How do you know if you will get seasick? I can ride all the rides at the parks fine, I do not get car sick, and can ride in a small boat in the lakes with no problem. So I am assuming I do not get motion sickness. Is seasickness different?

I am much like you with no motion issues and I've never had any seasickness even on the roughest nights. (Now, I do still feel motion when I'm back on land - other than being completely off balance in yoga class, not a big deal and it goes away fairly quickly.)

That said, no one can say what your body is going to do. It's like looking at a weather forecast 2 weeks out for a race and saying "Is it going to rain??"

My own thoughts are that yes, there are people who genuinely get seasick and I totally get that. I'm not saying that it isn't 100% real for some people. But my suspicion is that at least a few people who end up seasick have talked themselves into it by worrying about it. It's the only thing they're thinking of, so the first bit of unwellness (which could also be the rich foods most of us aren't used to) or the first bit of motion they feel, WHAM...what's been in their mind suddenly manifests itself.

 

[KitkatMahn]

following

 

[tltay2005]

Going to take my chances and go med free, but will highlight the medical station on the deck plans just in case

 

[SailingSeas]

Going to take my chances and go med free, but will highlight the medical station on the deck plans just in case

You will be far better served to note the Guest Services location. Show up green and they'll help you fast. (meclizine/bonine is handed out there.)