First Cruise Questions

[magpies66]

We are taking our first cruise in March next year and would really appreciate the answers to a couple of questions.

I get pretty bad motion sickness and I have heard the best remedies for this are not available in Australia. Can anyone advise me please what the best options available are?

We are going from Sydney to the South Pacific. Is it likely that we will encounter rough seas?

Thanks in advance

Jodi

 

 

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[lilly4350]

We are taking our first cruise in March next year and would really appreciate the answers to a couple of questions.

I get pretty bad motion sickness and I have heard the best remedies for this are not available in Australia. Can anyone advise me please what the best options available are?

We are going from Sydney to the South Pacific. Is it likely that we will encounter rough seas?

Thanks in advance

Jodi

 

 

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Not sure who told you the best remedies are not available in Australia but there are plenty of solutions. I personally find Avomine works. It is available over the counter at pharmacies. I am sure you will get lots of suggestions

[Sharky61]

Jodi, I have done two cruises from Sydney to the South Pacific. Most modern ships are fitted with stabilizer bars which greatly reduce side ways motion which obviously reduces sea sickness. The ships do alter course if heavy weather is approaching.

Like most oceans there is always the possibility of heavy seas. Don't worry yourself to much or you will end up spoiling your cruise. I've never suffered sea sickness so can't comment on remedies. Cheers Grant.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Ask your GP. Our GP prescribes Stemetil for sea-sickness. It's very good, DH survived 5 metre seas across the Tasman last Christmas without any problems.

 

It's hard to predict what the seas will be like for any particular cruise. March is still cyclone season so there is a possiblitity of encountering some heavy weather although the ship's captain will avoid it as much as possible.

 

We've done two cruises to the South Pacific from Sydney. One, in late December, was a bit bouncy for a day or so leaving Sydney but relatively calm after that. The other, two weeks after Cyclone Pam, was quite calm for the whole trip.

 

Modern ships are very stable. Even though you suffer from motion sickness on other forms of transport you may find you have no problems at all on a large cruise ship. DH doesn't but he did turn a bit green on a one rough tender ride last year.

[lyndarra]

Having never had a problem with motion sickness I can't reply from experience. There will be others who will chime in for that. One thing that can help is the cabin selection. A lower deck midships is usually a smoother ride. (Eating) Ginger products is said to help but any pharmacy can recommend effective motion sickness medication.

March, Pacific, cyclone season? Anywhere on the ocean can get rough. The Pacific (peaceful) Ocean is usually smooth, hence its name. These days, with their size and use of stabilisers, ships are very smooth and stable. Many new cruisers are surprised at how stable they are. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Edited July 8, 2016 by lyndarra
many typos

[mum and son]

I've never taken them, so correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that most motion sickness remedies work better if taken a couple of days before boarding the ship... not when you're onboard and already feeling unwell??

 

I also note that you're travelling on a large ship so it should weather any seas pretty well. I went to the South Pacific in March this year on the Pacific Aria (which is a relatively small ship) and I thought the seas were calm as a swimming pool... yet I did hear a few people commenting about the "big" swell for the first couple of days... I had no idea what they were talking about.

 

So, I would say that there will always be people onboard who feel the swell for the first couple of days after leaving Australia. On their way back to Aus they don't seem to notice it. I think that's what they call "finding your sea legs" :).

[Russell21]

Avomine taken every night before bed starting at least 1 day before departure. My wife gets seasick on a windy day on our local lake, but with Avomine she has done 2 cruises without any sign of sickness even on a pretty rough trip to NZ.

[OzKiwiJJ]

I've never taken them, so correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that most motion sickness remedies work better if taken a couple of days before boarding the ship... not when you're onboard and already feeling unwell??

 

 

It depends on the remedy, Libby.

 

The best thing to do is to look at marine forecasts for the first day or two before boarding and decide whether the seas are likely to affect you the, depending on the type of medication, it may be wise to start taking it they day before boarding. Once onboard the captain usually advises upcoming conditions in his daily broadcast.

[mrs and mrs]

Crystilised Ginger.

 

Swells can vary,a long gentle deep trough swell,can be worse than a storm swell.

Everyone is different.

[magpies66]

Thank you everyone for taking the time to reply and for all your suggestions.

I had heard of Avomine but was told you couldn't take it if you planned to drink alcohol. Does anyone have any opinion on whether this should be strictly adhered to?

We are not big drinkers but do plan on having wine with dinner and a few cocktails now and then.

I had heard about being mid ship and low down for the smoothest ride, so I booked a cabin on the hump, midship on deck 6.

I am looking forward to this cruise so much that I don't want something like sea sickness to ruin it [emoji2]

 

 

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[OzKiwiJJ]

Here's the product info on it. No mention of alcohol. http://www.medicines.org.au/files/swpavomi.pdf

 

You should be fine on Solstice. We crossed the Tasman on her and even the five metre seas we encountered on Christmas Day didn't bother us, although I felt like I was about to roll out of bed that night. Apparently I solved that problem by sleeping diagonally on the bed, according to DH! :eek: :D

 

She's a lovely ship and I'm sure you will enjoy cruising on her.

[mrs and mrs]

This might sound strange,but you will be fine onboard,but feel really weird when the motion has finished.

I usually end up feeling weird on dry-land.:):)

Another trick is,not to focus on the horizon if you feel unwell,and snack on dry crackers.

Edited July 8, 2016 by mrs and mrs
hopeless speller

[GUT2407]

We are taking our first cruise in March next year and would really appreciate the answers to a couple of questions.

I get pretty bad motion sickness and I have heard the best remedies for this are not available in Australia. Can anyone advise me please what the best options available are?

We are going from Sydney to the South Pacific. Is it likely that we will encounter rough seas?

Thanks in advance

Jodi

 

 

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Mrs gut swears by

 

Ginger, in pretty much any form

 

And

 

Green apples

 

And she used to suffer badly, these have given her almost total relief.

[OzKiwiJJ]

This might sound strange,but you will be fine onboard,but feel really weird when the motion has finished.

I usually end up feeling weird on dry-land.:):)

 

Oh yeah! But the more I've cruised the less I get mal de debarquement. AFter our first cruise it was dreadful, it lasted a week at least, but I didn't notice any symptoms after our last cruise. So the remedy for mal de debarquement is to cruise more often. :D :D

Edited July 8, 2016 by OzKiwiJJ

[MrPantsOz]

I'm that crazy person who wears (and swears by) a band aid on your belly button for motion sickness. It worked a treat on my last cruise but I was sick for about two weeks when I returned home, just couldn't get my land legs back.

[magpies66]

Here's the product info on it. No mention of alcohol. http://www.medicines.org.au/files/swpavomi.pdf

 

 

 

You should be fine on Solstice. We crossed the Tasman on her and even the five metre seas we encountered on Christmas Day didn't bother us, although I felt like I was about to roll out of bed that night. Apparently I solved that problem by sleeping diagonally on the bed, according to DH! :eek: :D

 

 

 

She's a lovely ship and I'm sure you will enjoy cruising on her.

 

 

Haha. I don't know that my DH would put up with that.

Thank you for the product info. I will definitely be trying Avomine.

 

 

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[magpies66]

This might sound strange,but you will be fine onboard,but feel really weird when the motion has finished.

I usually end up feeling weird on dry-land.:):)

Another trick is,not to focus on the horizon if you feel unwell,and snack on dry crackers.

 

 

 

Mrs gut swears by

 

 

 

Ginger, in pretty much any form

 

 

 

And

 

 

 

Green apples

 

 

 

And she used to suffer badly, these have given her almost total relief.

 

 

Dry crackers, ginger and green apples...check.

I will be sure to pack all three.

Thanks so much for all these ideas.

 

 

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[magpies66]

Oh yeah! But the more I've cruised the less I get mal de debarquement. AFter our first cruise it was dreadful, it lasted a week at least, but I didn't notice any symptoms after our last cruise. So the remedy for mal de debarquement is to cruise more often. :D :D

 

 

I'm liking that remedy [emoji106]

 

 

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[mrs and mrs]

Oh yeah! But the more I've cruised the less I get mal de debarquement. AFter our first cruise it was dreadful, it lasted a week at least, but I didn't notice any symptoms after our last cruise. So the remedy for mal de debarquement is to cruise more often. :D :D

 

This is a true thing MAL DE DEBARQUEMENT.

2 perforated ear-drums.

4 yrs off bouncing around the Cook Strait and Tasman sea and the world in tin cans.

And we are getting closer to a solution to one of my little problems.

The big problem is cruise more often,means $$$$$.:):):)

[mum and son]

I'm that crazy person who wears (and swears by) a band aid on your belly button for motion sickness. It worked a treat on my last cruise but I was sick for about two weeks when I returned home, just couldn't get my land legs back.

 

Hahaha! Did you forget to take the band aid off when you got home? :D

[megsie]

When we first started cruising we used Avomine. If the seas are agreeable, after say 3 days you will probably be used to the motion and may be able to do without them.

I still don't like being in enclosed small areas if the seas are rough but I seek out some fresh air and have a light snack. But never been seasick - as yet.

[mrs and mrs]

And at the end of the day carry some puke bags round with you,any-one worth their salt wont judge you,dont be embarrassed,eat,puke,eat,puke,eat,eat,eat and its all good enjoy your cruise and next year you will be giving advice and

recalling your experience to someone who asks the same question.ENJOY.:):)

And in reality there is a huge probability it wont happen.

And once you get past cairns parallel its like a mill pond.

Edited July 8, 2016 by mrs and mrs
no reason needed

[Russell21]

As I posted earlier my wife uses Avomine, and she drinks. Usually a couple of Scotches before the evening meal, and we share a bottle of wine with the meal. A couple more drinks if we go to a late show.

[mum and son]

eat,puke,eat,puke,eat,eat,eat and its all good enjoy your cruise

 

Just don't do it in the dining room on formal night :eek:!

[GUT2407]

Just don't do it in the dining room on formal night :eek:!

 

Don't eat in the dining room on formal night:confused::eek::p