Transatlantic Cruise - sea sickness

[CruznCalypso]

Hey there! We have been on MANY carribean cruises out of most of the ports. However, we are considering a transatlantic cruise on RCCL from Tampa to Amsterdam.

 

Here's my question: I am not prone to seasickness on other cruises. Should I be concerned about a transatlantic one?

 

TYVM

[Clarea]

Our experience has been that more often than not, there is constant motion on a transatlantic cruise. Sometimes the motion is strong, sometimes moderate, and sometimes minor, but there is usually some kind of motion virtually the entire cruise while in the Atlantic.

[Keith1010]

No one can predict what the seas will be like for your cruise. Even a Caribbean cruise can have rough seas.

 

You may have smooth seas, some sea swells that cause some movement or even at times signifiant movement.

 

The key is to prepare for this.

 

I would book a room on a lower deck and try to get as mid ship as you can.

 

I would also bring one or more items to prevent nausea.

 

A crossing is certainly a very nice way to cruise.

 

Keith

[Flatbush Flyer]

Hey there! We have been on MANY carribean cruises out of most of the ports. However, we are considering a transatlantic cruise on RCCL from Tampa to Amsterdam.

 

 

 

Here's my question: I am not prone to seasickness on other cruises. Should I be concerned about a transatlantic one?

 

 

 

TYVM

 

 

 

It's the open ocean - calm until it's not.

(Though "calm" does not mean "motionless")

 

 

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[SbbquilterUT]

Interestingly on our westbound Barcelona to Tampa in Oct 2016 the seas were mostly very smooth with almost no ship motion we noticed - I kind of missed it.

[Gwendy]

Interestingly on our westbound Barcelona to Tampa in Oct 2016 the seas were mostly very smooth with almost no ship motion we noticed - I kind of missed it.

 

 

 

Same here in 2009,was waiting for big Atlantic rollers. They never came. Even Captain announced smoothest crossing he had ever done. Now local cruise from Australia to New Zealand, on one of them they had to drain all pools, they had become wavepools! Buffet empty at breakfast, lots of green faced people on outside decks wrapped in blankets.

 

 

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[navybankerteacher]

The middle of the ocean can be as calm as a mill pond - the same way the Caribbean can be rough enough to make anyone at all susceptible turn green.

[Hlitner]

We have probably crossed the pond about 2 dozen times (both directions). Of all the crossings only 2 were what I would consider rough (we are talking 25 foot + seas). Most of the time it has been relatively calm. But experienced cruisers (and I think we fall into that category with over forty years experience) will tell you that there is no way to predict sea conditions. To be honest, we never even think about it as its something over which we have no control. We do normally carry a supply of Meclizine HcL (Bonine or generic) but I have not taken one of those things in the last 1000 or so cruise days. DW likes to pop a pill the first day and then she only takes them if it starts to get rough...or if we get a warning from the Captain.

 

Hank

[Cornhogio]

On 1/29/2018 at 5:12 PM, Hlitner said:

We have probably crossed the pond about 2 dozen times (both directions). Of all the crossings only 2 were what I would consider rough (we are talking 25 foot + seas). Most of the time it has been relatively calm. But experienced cruisers (and I think we fall into that category with over forty years experience) will tell you that there is no way to predict sea conditions. To be honest, we never even think about it as its something over which we have no control. We do normally carry a supply of Meclizine HcL (Bonine or generic) but I have not taken one of those things in the last 1000 or so cruise days. DW likes to pop a pill the first day and then she only takes them if it starts to get rough...or if we get a warning from the Captain.

 

Hank

Hank, curious if you've cruised a Transatlantic on a smaller line (e.g., Seabourn, etc.).  If so is it a considerably more turbulent experience?  We're looking at one from Lisbon to South Florida in October, but the potential turbulence, and the weather are a concern.  Appreciate any advice/feedback.  

 

Thanks, Chris

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, Cornhogio said:

Hank, curious if you've cruised a Transatlantic on a smaller line (e.g., Seabourn, etc.).  If so is it a considerably more turbulent experience?  We're looking at one from Lisbon to South Florida in October, but the potential turbulence, and the weather are a concern.  Appreciate any advice/feedback.  

 

Thanks, Chris

Yep, have done it on Seabourn (last year) and several times on the old Prinsendam.  Those were all good crossings, with relatively calm seas.  I think most experienced sailors would say that sea conditions are as much about luck as anything.  Even the largest ships will move in rough seas (especially with long swells) so size does not always matter :).   DW would say that she has never been seasick (on far more than 1000 sea days) because she simply takes Bonine (Meclizine Hcl) when we are warned of high seas.

 

Hank

[new_cruiser]

I've been on one Pacific crossing (Japan to Alaska), one Atlantic crossing (St. Maarten to Lisbon) and one crossing from New Zealand to Australia (much shorter but known for being rough). All were on Windstar Star class ships - 212 passenger for the Pacific crossing and the others after the ships were stretched to carry 312 passengers. 

 

The Pacific and Atlantic crossings were both mosrly pretty smooth - no rougher than typical on a Caribbean cruise. The Atlantic was having some really rough conditions on our course as originally planned, but the captain altered the course and changed our mid Atlantic stop from the Azores to Canary Islands to keep us in calmer waters. The one rough day (but not terrible) was the last one coming into Lisbon. 

 

The New Zealand to Australia crossing was rougher, but not that bad. The Tasman Sea is known for rougher conditions. 

[Hlitner]

Despite having cruised in waters all over the world, and done more than 2 dozen Atlantic crossings (and a few in the Pacific) our roughest cruise day, EVER, was on a basic 7 day cruise (Celebrity Meridian) from NYC to Bermuda!  It was on that relatively short cruise that we ran into Hurricane Bob (1991 or 92) with its 40+ foot waves!  And that was after being assured by our Captain that we would not get within 200 miles of the outer edge of the storm (we found ourselves well inside that storm after the storm path changed).

 

IMHO, folks who concern themselves with trying to book cruises in calm seas, might be better off staying on land 🙂  When you venture out on the sea you just never know what you will encounter.  Sea forecasts are certainly much better, but forecasting more than a few days in advance is often more luck than science.  Just ask the mariners here on CC.

 

Hank

[dolittle]

4 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Despite having cruised in waters all over the world, and done more than 2 dozen Atlantic crossings (and a few in the Pacific) our roughest cruise day, EVER, was on a basic 7 day cruise (Celebrity Meridian) from NYC to Bermuda!  It was on that relatively short cruise that we ran into Hurricane Bob (1991 or 92) with its 40+ foot waves!  And that was after being assured by our Captain that we would not get within 200 miles of the outer edge of the storm (we found ourselves well inside that storm after the storm path changed).

 

IMHO, folks who concern themselves with trying to book cruises in calm seas, might be better off staying on land 🙂  When you venture out on the sea you just never know what you will encounter.  Sea forecasts are certainly much better, but forecasting more than a few days in advance is often more luck than science.  Just ask the mariners here on CC.

 

Hank

Did the Meridian later sink of the coast of Greece 

[sullaRaffaello]

I was on the Seabourn Legend (440 feet long, 10,000 tons) in November 2010 for the crossing from the Mediterranean to Florida. About 5-6 days in we encountered force 10 seas. Bounced up and down a lot, but I was surprised how well the ship rode it all. Must have been very good stabilizers. There was none of the tipping to either side that I've experienced on much bigger ships in similar seas.
 

[navybankerteacher]

Our calmest T/A was on the small Prinsendam (about 650 pax) and the roughest patch was in the Med - just south of the mouth of the Rhône - where the Mistral can really kick things up, and we bounced a fair amount.  Size of ship matters a bit - but sea conditions (which really vary) are what matters — a QM2 crossing from Southampton to New York was like glass all the way)

[SPacificbound]

We have so far never been sea sick, but we also take Bonine and ginger capsules when indicated.

 

The roughest seas we have encountered that I remember, were in the Tasman Sea, and the other going around the horn of South America it got pretty high. We have done one Pacific crossing and a bunch of Atlantic crossings going both East and West. The sea rocks me to sleep, I love it!

[Hlitner]

13 hours ago, dolittle said:

Did the Meridian later sink of the coast of Greece 

Yep, that was the same ship.

[dolittle]

It was based in Phil. at one time (the only one ever I think) my daughter and her high school friends went on it for senior week in 1992. 

[CoW mAn]

My friend had a really rough time of it on our first transatlantic back in November but thankfully we brought along something that made him feel fine in less than 2 minutes

 

 

[sambamama]

I swear by those bracelets, and have for years.  I use them on planes as well.  I used to take Bonine as well, but don't any more.  I will if it gets really rough.  I usually only get motion sickness if there isn't enough ventilation, or if it gets too hot, or if I am breathing in diesel or gasoline fumes,  

The two TA's I did were both very smooth.  I hit 50-70mph winds on my Panama Canal cruise near Columbia and the sea got pretty bouncy there-enough to close the outside decks for 1 1/2 days!

[Giantfan13]

We did a TA on the RCCL Enchantment of the Sea, one of the smallest ships in their fleet. We sailed out of Cape Liberty and the first couple of days were pretty rough, but after that, we were fine. We have done 7 TA's and this was by far the smallest ship to do it. We had some concerns about that, but again, except for the first couple of days, it was fine. We did meet a family while eating dinner, whose daughter was sick for the first 5 days. It is the Atlantic, and it is what it is.

 

Cheers

Len