Sea Sickness

[watergirl27]

Try sea bands. They work for me

[kristel595]

Thanks, I might just get some ginger and try the bands...then I guess if I really start to feel ill I can always use my hubby's patches (depending on how he is doing) or visit the medical and get some. Certainly hoping I don't need anything though!!

[LynnTTT]

On most caribbean cruises I'd bet very few (maybe 1 in 200?) people get seasick. But on a rocky trip (north Atlantic etc), it might be higher. On one trip crossing the Gulf of mexico it got rougher than usual and we saw one teenager looking positively green!! Like my son when he rode "the Teacups" at Disney World!

[Finslfrt]

Can anybody tell me if the cruises to the Med, from Venice to Turkey are prone to sea sickness?

[rocklinmom]

We were on the Golden Princess in Alaska last week and two of my four cruise rookies got seasick. We're talking dizzy and nauseous husband and my poor preteen son throwing up all morning. Luckily I had packed less drowsy Dramamine pills and also some seabands (I don't know if those made any difference since they took the pills too). They took a pill every day (my son took one every morning and night, since he had it the worst) and it worked wonders. We ran out of pills so I had to buy more in the ship gift shop, which had only regular Dramamine but also thankfully Bonine (which is the same medication as the one I had brought). If you have cruise rookies, or even think you might get seasick, bring these pills along with you. They are much cheaper at Walmart or Target than on the ship (it was $9 for 8 pills there). Bring enough pills for two a day. Believe me, you will be glad you have them if you end up needing them. Otherwise, if the pills don't work, you have to go to the ship medical center (in person, they don't come to your cabin) and get the prescription ear patch (if they even have that, our ship said they were out of those) or else a shot (!). Thank goodness the pills helped my son and husband and we didn't have to do that.

You really don't know if you get seasick or not until you get on a cruise ship. It was a surprise to us. Come prepared!

[Doglovertoo]

I have pretty severe motion sickness so after a little bit of trial and error, here is what works for me. I pick up a bottle of Meclizine, which is the key ingredient in Bonine. I start taking it twice a day two days prior to sailing. This way, it's in my system before we leave, which was something I learned the hard way on our very first cruise. Remember to eat! You need to have food in your stomach and I always feel better when I'm in fresh air - even when the weather isn't great. It's good to be able to see the horizon and the air moving around seems to help.

 

Finally, try not to go with the attitude that you're going to get sick. Prep ahead of time and then enjoy your cruise!

Is the Meclizine a prescription?

[brookelovescruises]

Hi, I have not yet read all of the replies to your post yet but I can offer my two cents as an experienced cruiser who is prone to sea sickness! First off, the guest services offers Dramamine for free and that has helped MANY times as long as you take it at the time that it directs on the packaging. For my next cruise, I'll be bringing Bonine along because it has helped me during many flights/car rides. If the water is calm, cruises are great compared to small sailboats and car rides. Good luck!

[rocklinmom]

I did ask passenger services on the Golden and there was no free Dramamine offered at all. They just said to buy some in the gift shop or else go to the medical center if it got worse.

[PhDiver]

You guys need the concentrated stuff. The stuff that worked best for me was a product called Herbal Antiemetic by Elk Haven Herbals. It has pure gingerols.

[lovely_serenity]

I never get seasick, even on the roughest seas, and my husband always does, even on a lake. I used to believe it was mind over matter, but now I am convinced it has something to do with your inner ear. Take Bonine with you if you're worried about it. There are other remedies also--ginger candy/pills and those wristbands.

Personally since at s young age, I've been the type that gets motion sickness on pretty much everything. After about 10 years of experimentation, the best motion medication I've found to work is Bonine.

 

After you take it, eat something and you'll most likely be okay. It prevents your nausea from getting out of hand and stops you from like.. throwing up.

 

Honestly, it doesn't mstter where your cabin is, because if a wave hits your boat, the whole thing is gonna move.

 

Take Bonine once a day at dinner time or something so thst the effects last through the night and through the next day before you have to take it again.

 

It's the best motion sickness medicine I've ever tried. Taking it can make you drowsy, so thats why you take it at night. I normally take half a pill to keep me from falling asleep too quickly. :)

[MiamiSpartan]

Depends on the person....I've never been seasick, and one of our trips featured 18-28 foot seas for two days....

[Emmasoma]

If you've EVER had motion sickness, BE PREPARED. I take it all with me; Scopolimine patches, Dramamine, Seabands, Ginger. I wear the patch and have even had to add the other items when it gets rough. Once I went on the ferry from England to Ireland without anything and spent the entire ride in the bathroom. I learned the hardway, "Better be safe than sorry"

[sjde]

I have been on about 11 cruises and if there are rough seas, I get sick. I did going to Alaska, one of two times in Canada, 2 of 4 times in the Mediterranean.

 

The other four I usually travel with did not get sick. Yet I can read in a car and they can't. Go figure.

 

Ginger tabs and the wrist band did not help me. Meclizine does but it makes me very tired so I don't want to take it all the time, nor use the patch. If rough seas are expected I'll take the meclizine. Usually they know ahead of time. I tried 1/2 dose last time (because of the drowsiness) and it didn't work.

 

I also found one time that if I was in bed , even watching TV, I was fine. But as soon as I got up it affected me.

[KCcruisin07]

I don't usually get motion sickness, but on our last cruise we were further forward on the ship. I had Bonine, but it didn't work. Someone said the crew takes green apples, so I did that, and it helped. They had them in the cafeteria.

Celebrity offered Bonine or something similar, but RCI did not.

Next time I am going to have more than Bonine with me.

[Corfe Mixture]

I have been on about 11 cruises and if there are rough seas, I get sick. I did going to Alaska, one of two times in Canada, 2 of 4 times in the Mediterranean.

 

The other four I usually travel with did not get sick. Yet I can read in a car and they can't. Go figure.

 

Ginger tabs and the wrist band did not help me. Meclizine does but it makes me very tired so I don't want to take it all the time, nor use the patch. If rough seas are expected I'll take the meclizine. Usually they know ahead of time. I tried 1/2 dose last time (because of the drowsiness) and it didn't work.

 

I also found one time that if I was in bed , even watching TV, I was fine. But as soon as I got up it affected me.

 

Try a pair of these:

http://www.force4.co.uk/9304/Force-4-Anti-Motion-Sickness-Glasses.html

 

(Note this is a UK link, but I am sure they are available from yacht chandlers in the US)

 

They are a French invention and work on the basis of creating a sub-conscious artificial horizon, at the periphery of your visual area / just outside your normal angle of vision.

 

I am a yachtsman and although I tend not to suffer, I carry a pair on my yacht, for others to use, simply because they are so effective. You probably won't need to wear them all the time, just until your body adjusts and your inner ear settles down.

 

OK, they look a bit silly and can be a source of amusing conversation, but if they work for you, as they almost certainly will as tests with the French navy show them to be effective for 95% of folks, then those who are still suffering will be more than a little envious.

 

NOTE: They do not work if you have taken anti-seasickness medication until the medication is out of your system, as the medication supresses the senses, but if you haven't taken medication then, if you put them on as soon as you start to feel ill, within five minutes you should feel absolutely fine.

 

This is a link to the French manufacturer's site. Click on the union Flag to get the English translation. They also emphasise the point that I made in that they do not work if you take motion sickness medication.

http://www.boardingring.com/boutique/index.php?item=mal-des-transports_-mal-de-mer_-lunettes-adulte&action=page&group_id=8&lang=FR

 

They also make a sunglasses version.

Edited September 3, 2014 by Corfe Mixture
Added link to manufacturer's site

[letsgo39]

I tend to get a little sea sick the first couple of days. I have learned to start taking my Bonine at night 2 or 3 days before the cruise and continue with night Bonine and Ginger pills in the morning through out the cruise and it works great.Have never really had a problem on my cruises. The Ginger Root pills work so great that I keep it in my house all the time now for nausea.