Booked Cruise now regretting it - advice please?

[LS78]

Hey everyone,

 

I am new to cruising and have just booked a cruise for me and my partner for next year and am now regretting it and very nervous!

 

My mum has been and always said how amazing it is so I started looking into it. The thing is I have a phobia of being sick and am petrified! When we booked we went for Caribbean in Feb next year but a fly cruise as we knew this was the best time for weather, and have also booked a cabin mid ship.

 

However I have been researching it and it appears you can get rough seas whenever you go so I am now thinking of cancelling. I am so scared of being sick I dont want to spend the whole holiday worrying as what a waste of money that would be. I dont suffer motion sickness in planes, trains or cars but dont have much experience of boats. Ive been on a speedboat in Maldives which is fine as fast, one of the older boats which was slower and more rocking which I was still fine but cant say I enjoyed (its like a little traditional boat which a few seats on the edge) and a Hurtigruten in norway last year for 5 hours which went down the coast. Again didnt feel ill but not sure I loved it!! But these cruise ships are massive so dont compare I guess!

 

Anyway I was hoping you guys could give some advice on what the area we are going to is like and what it should be like. We are going on Azura with P&O flying out to Barbados. Our itinerary is:

 

Barbados (overnight in port) next day there

Day at Sea

Curacao

Aruba

Day at Sea

Catalina Island

Day at sea

Tortola

St Maarten

St Kitts

St Lucia

Grenada

Day at Sea

Barbados

 

It seems we dont have too many days at sea but what are the chances of it getting rough or big swells. Are we going into waters that could be rough?

 

Any advice would be appreciated or I guess we will just need to lose our deposit :-( Wish Id researched more!

 

Thanks all

[operafan]

If you don't suffer motion sickness you'll be just fine! Cruise ships have stabilizers to minimize movement. Don't worry about the weather. While it can be stormy at any time of year or on any given day, the 3 times we've sailed in February have been clear, beautiful weather. I can't speak to the ship you're on, but the itinerary looks fabulous. Relax. Sounds like a beautiful trip.

[Keith1010]

Every cruise is different so no one can no for sure if you will enounter any rough seas. The itinerary looks nice and while first time cruisers worry about what they will do during sea days most who cruise often appreciate those wonderful sea days.

 

You have done right by booking a cabin that is mid ship. You should feel the seas less than others.

 

Keith

[LS78]

Thanks guys for the advice :-) I completely understand nobody can control mother nature and what seas we will get but was just wondering if where we are going is known for rough seas. As we are going around the islands would we be more protected?

 

My mum went from Southampton to the caribbean and says it was fine :-)

 

In calm seas can you feel the ship moving?

 

Opera - The Azura is the new P&O ship which I think is similar in size to Ventura etc

[operafan]

The Caribbean is known for beautiful, sunny weather. That's why it's so popular in the winter....... As far as feeling the ship moving in calm seas... It depends on the ship. In calm seas if you really focus on movement I'm sure you'll notice some (maybe) but tbh, you're going to be so busy and having so much fun you won't have time to even think about it.....

 

Good Morning, Keith!!

 

Vicki

[Havin'fun]

We have been to the Caribbean twice, last year and this year. The roughest seas we saw were on my first cruise coming out of the Port of Miami of all places. Once we got past that (1/2 hour) we had the most amazing time on the cruise that when I got home I immediatly booked another cruise.

 

Some people are more prone than others to feel the motion of the ship, you might consider wearing a motion patch behind your ear as a precaution. While I have never tried it, I have spoken with people who have worn them and they say they work like a charm. If all else fails you can go to the medical facility onboard and get the shot which I hear will definatly take care of any motion sickness. Then it's time to just kick back and have the time of your life - you have a great cruise planned!

[Keith1010]

Thanks guys for the advice :-) I completely understand nobody can control mother nature and what seas we will get but was just wondering if where we are going is known for rough seas. As we are going around the islands would we be more protected?

 

My mum went from Southampton to the caribbean and says it was fine :-)

 

In calm seas can you feel the ship moving?

 

Opera - The Azura is the new P&O ship which I think is similar in size to Ventura etc

 

When the seas are very calm you usually do not feel the ship moving. In no time it's easy to forget you are on a ship.

 

You are not the only person to be worried before their first cruise and won't be the last.

 

Enjoy!

 

Keith

[cb at sea]

There are medications to prevent you from feeling ill...doesn't sound like you'll need it, but the ship has it, should it become necessary!

Rough water can occur anywhere..or not! The ship will handle seas under 8-10 feet with ease...and you'll barely notice any motion.

The only thing to do is try it....I'm betting you'll have a fine time!

[John Bull]

Brilliant itinerary, ideal time to cruise the Caribbean.

Unless you're very very unlucky it'll be as flat as a millpond - each morning you'll need to look outside to see if you're docked or still at sea :)

You just might feel the swell crossing to/from Barbados, but I've barely noticed it on much smaller ships than Azura.

 

Only place on your itinerary I've not been is Catalina (privately-owned by Carnival, I think, and I'm pretty sure that's your only port of call where you go ashore by tender boat). Rest of the itinerary is excellent and varied.

You're unlikely to see Barbados on the way out - if you're on a P&O chartered fly-cruise, when you arrive your aircraft will taxi to the perimeter road & you'll walk a few yards to the bus (no immigration, no baggage reclaim, no customs, you don't even go to the terminal). You'll have checked in your bags at your UK airport & wont see them again until they appear at your cabin door an hour or two after you board. Easy-peasey. But take any essentials/change of clothes/swim gear in your carry-on.

 

Curacao - you dock at the very Dutch town of Willemstad. Laid-back, interesting place.

Aruba - also Dutch, but you'd think it was the 51st state of the USA.:rolleyes:

Take a bus from the bus station near the dock gate to "hotel district", under $3 return, for super beaches with all the toys. Lots of shopping (esp jewellery) close to the port. Much of this island is barren.

Tortola - Google "swimming with dolphins Tortola" Just a short taxi ride from the dock, way cheaper & better if you book direct rather than through the ship. (90% refund if your ship misses the port - it can happen anywhere). Or ship's excursion to the island of Virgin Gorda (google Baths of Virgin Gorda) - much much cheaper by ferry but serious grief in the unlikely event that the reurn ferry is cancelled. Or a short taxi ride to Cane Garden Beach.

St Maarten - mebbe a taxi to check out the french side, then time in Philipsburg (Caribbeans best laid-back d/f shopping & a beach behind the shops. Walk or water-taxi back to ship. Or taxi to Maho beach, at the end of the airport runway

Ooops, forgot. You get sick easily. Best not watch that video :D

St Kitts - the sugar plantation train is only available via ship's excursion, great atmosphere but pretty expensive & 2/3rds of the tour is by road. You can follow the route by the road which circles the island for about $20 pp by taxi/minibus. Get the driver to take you up to Fort Brimstone.

St Lucia - for a first-timer it has to be the drive-in volcano. By taxi or minibus for about $25 pp plus pennies admission. Or by ship's land-and-sea excursion (goes both ways round, book early & insist on road out/catamaran back).Aim to end the day at Reduit Beach (tourist beach, all the whistles & bells) or Choc Beach (closer to port, idyllic palm-fringed locals' beach, just one bar)

Grenada - taxi or minibus into the rain-forest/spice stops, back via St George's fort to Grand Anse beach, taxi or water taxi back to the ship.

Or town's spice market, then taxi tour.

Barbados- lots of sight-seeing or watersport options, you may have only 1/2 day, consider a ship's excursion which ends at the airport.

 

But should you chicken-out, I'll let you have my address to send your tickets :D

 

John Bull

[LS78]

Ahh bless you John thats such a brilliant and helpful post! How long does the crossing from Barbados take? Could it be a big swell? I think my fear stems from my phobia rather than the boat itself as Ive never been ill travelling (like I say Ive done speed boats, the hurtigruten in Norway, planes,) and even a seaplane in the maldives which banked hard and everyone gasped, but not me.

 

Wow I cant believe that video - amazing!! Id be ok with that though - its the sea I worry about ha ha.

 

Yes your right in that Catalina is a tender - what happens with that? Its the small boats that take you ashore isnt it? Can that be rough then? It does say on my booking a possible tender for Tortola, St Kitts and Grenada aswell.

 

It really does sound amazing and a great experience, and Im guessing 4 days at sea out of 14 isnt really that bad?

 

Does anyone know how common sea sickness is?

[goose30]

OP you should not go on a cruise. You are too uptight about getting sick. stick to something you will not worry about.

 

It is not that important. What is important is that you enjoy yourself on yur holiday.

[LS78]

This is what I am wondering goose. I dont want to spend all my time worrying.

 

What is OP?

[ariawoman]

OP you should not go on a cruise. You are too uptight about getting sick. stick to something you will not worry about.

 

It is not that important. What is important is that you enjoy yourself on yur holiday.

 

I have to respectfully disagree. I worry that I'll be seasick for each cruise I'm on as well (have been on one, going on another this fall). Some of us are prone to a little queasiness, and it's normal to worry that one might get sick.

 

On the 1st cruise I was on, i was on a small yacht which was tossed around a ton on our sea day due to a storm we had to get through. Over half the staff and passengers were not feeling well that day. Considering the STAFF was effected, I presume it was indeed very rough! Even though I know that could happen again, it's not deterring me from my next cruise, as this time, I'll be on a larger boat (more stabilizers) and hope that it will be even smoother.

 

You're booked mid-ship I read, so that should be the best area for you. Once you go on one, you'll be hooked for life. I am. And that's WITH some queasiness....

 

As other posters mentioned there are various seasickness remedies you can try as well. Personally I tried the patch, sea bands, and dramamine....you have to find what works for you. This time I might try ginger and bonine.

[operafan]

This is what I am wondering goose. I dont want to spend all my time worrying.

 

How about we find something else for you to worry about like......

 

Sleeping in and missing the wonderful breakfasts.

Not being able to decide between the Snorkel Adventure or the Submarine shore excursion.

One dessert or all of them?

What to pack, what to pack????

Dining room for lunch... or buffet.... or poolside grill?

Bottle of wine or glass? (Or bucket of beer...)

Party till the wee hours or get enough rest?

 

Anyone else want to chime in??????

[John Bull]

Ahh bless you John thats such a brilliant and helpful post! How long does the crossing from Barbados take? Could it be a big swell? I think my fear stems from my phobia rather than the boat itself as Ive never been ill travelling (like I say Ive done speed boats, the hurtigruten in Norway, planes,) and even a seaplane in the maldives which banked hard and everyone gasped, but not me.

 

Wow I cant believe that video - amazing!! Id be ok with that though - its the sea I worry about ha ha.

 

Yes your right in that Catalina is a tender - what happens with that? Its the small boats that take you ashore isnt it? Can that be rough then? It does say on my booking a possible tender for Tortola, St Kitts and Grenada aswell.

 

It really does sound amazing and a great experience, and Im guessing 4 days at sea out of 14 isnt really that bad?

 

Does anyone know how common sea sickness is?

 

Barbados to cross through the windward islands takes I guess about 6 or 8 hours, depending on the route. It'll be at night. That time of year, most of the time the swell is hardly noticeable, just the occasional slight movement. But no guarantees.

 

Yes, at tender ports you go ashore by boat - usually the ship's own tenders - you'll notice that 6 or 8 of the lifeboats look a bit "de-luxe" - they're the tenders. You enter the boat from a gangway near the waterline. Bad news is that you need not worry about seasickness on the tender - if there's a heavy swell they'll cancel shore-leave because of the risks transferring passengers to the boats. Has happened to me - when the ship itself was as steady as a rock.

Going ashore by tender involves a lot of time wasted waiting for your turn. Those on ship's excursions get priority, we independent plebs have to collect a tender ticket at an advertised time in an advertised place eg 9am in the theatre. Get there up to 30 mins before the advertised time to get an early tender number. Then tender ticket holders will be called down in rotation to the tender gangway. Can be an hour or even two before late ticket-holders get the call.

You'll be told to be back at the jetty at the end of the day by a specified "last tender" time. No priorities for the return trip, just make sure you're at the jetty in time - the queue will probably still be there by last-tender time & they'll keep shuttling to mop up the queue.

"possible ashore by tender" means possibly more ships than they have docking facilities (some islands can port only one ship), and allocation is in the lap of the gods.

 

Sea days - your first will be good for exploring the ship, finding your way around, etc. Even for someone like me who prefers port-intensive cruises rather than day after day at sea, the occasional "day off" from sight-seeing comes as a welcome break.

 

Cruising the Caribbean on a big ship is very different from cross-channel/North Sea ferries. I see plenty of seasickness on them in bad weather (empty buffets, extra-generous helpings of fried breakfast :D) but very rarely on cruise ships & never in the Caribbean. Although on a cruise ship I guess folk will tend to suffer in the privacy of their own cabin, there's never been an empty seat for dinner at my table for that reason.

Might be worth taking bonine or sturgeon (spelling?) or ginger just in case, but I doubt you'll need it.

 

You are now making me feel very jealous.

Have a great time

 

JB

[colomom]

OP is "Original Poster"...that's YOU!

[Lard Greystoke]

I think my fear stems from my phobia rather than the boat itself as Ive never been ill travelling (like I say Ive done speed boats, the hurtigruten in Norway, planes,) and even a seaplane in the maldives which banked hard and everyone gasped, but not me.

 

Your concern certainly does not stem from actual experience. Based on what you say, motion sickness should be almost at the bottom of your worries.

 

Very few cruise ships are smaller than a WWII battleship and most are much larger. If they're not in a hurry they put out stablizers which make things even smoother.

 

The entertainment on ships typically involves dancing with lifts, acrobatics and even ice skating - hardly things we associate with instability.

 

If I were you I'd start worrying about having a good time.

[lil_ducky]

LS78 ~ you sound a whole lot LESS worried since you've received so many awesome responses!

 

Between the patches, the Dramamine, and all the other great advice on here.. I have a feeling you're going to love your cruise! :p

[JerseyGirl115]

Take some Ginger Root...an herb that has no side effects. so it's easy to take as preventive medicine. I bought Sea Bands for the kids to wear during the cruise as preventive medicine.

 

No one got sick.

 

If you feel a little bit sick, got outside on the deck. Do not stay in your cabin.

[QLUVS2CRUZ]

I would also recommend sea bands or the stickers you put behind your ear...then you won't have to worry about it at all! I'm not prone to motion sickness but it did happen to me on one cruise when there was a storm...so from then on I just knew to get sea bands.

[Dusie]

Maybe I can give you another perspective. I do get motion sick easily. Ever since I was a child, in the back seat of a moving car, on most carnival rides and even on the backyard swing. (I think you would know if you were prone to it by now) I have an amazingly easy time on cruise ships. One does not get motion sick while in dock or while one is sleeping. The best course of action is prevention. I tried Dramamine first. It made me sleepy. Then I tried the non drowsy Dramamine worked OK. Then I tried Bonine because it was less expensive. It worked just fine. Then I got a great tip here on Cruise critic to go with the generic Meclazine. It is exactly the same ingredient as Bonine, but you get 50 tablets for about $5 instead of bonine which cost me $8 for a vacuum packed sheet of a dozen or so tablets. In the US it is behind the pharmacist's counter you do not need a prescription, but you do need to ask for it.

I take it at night so that it is already in my system when I wake up. On sea days I take another in the morning and I'm good to go. Port days I can skip the daytime dose. By day 3 or 4 I don't have to take anything, I must get my "sea legs".

On another subject, you have chosen an absolutely amazing itinerary. My husband and I went on a similar route last March. You're going to love it.

[janina]

I get sick on any boats, sitting on a dock that's in the water, swings, and on some winding roads. I wear the ear patch that you change every 4th day, and have no problems. The only time I had a problem was when I didn't have my husband put the patch on, and I had gotten a piece of hair stuck on it. This caused the patch not to work properly, and I felt quesy. Otherwise no problems, except I do get a little thirsty. I have been on long cruises 16 & up days with really rough seas, and no problems. Use the patches and enjoy your cruise.:)

[UlvaZell]

Cruise ships today are floating cities. Most likely you will not even feel the ship moving. You get bounced around more in your car that you do on a ship. If you don't get car sick I doubt you will get sea sick...

[LS78]

Thanks all for your responses, your right I definitely feel a lot lot better about it now. I'll take some preventative stuff with me, and the ginger but dont fancy patches and things as I hear they get side effects. Has anybody ever tried the injection they give out on ship? Cant I have one of those just in case (I dont mind paying) :-)

 

We are only actually at see for 4 days though so am thinking we will be sheltered from islands most of the time and at that time of year hopefully mother nature will be kind.

 

Im not letting my fear stop me though as you guys all love it and millions of people cruise all year round. If I dont go I think I could miss the trip of a lifetime.

 

Dusie - How was the trip last March?

[SheriAZ]

I get horrible motions sickness. cars, planes, carnival rides. I had fun on my cruise and with medications was only a little sick a few times. (not vomiting sick) You will have a great time. Take dramamine and ginger with you. The ship will probably have meclazine. Also buy some sea bands. I did all of these. If you have your supplies you will have a little peace of mind and maybe won't worry so much.