Yacht Club YC Location and Seasick Risk

[zenworks911]

Seems like a lot of the new "Suite Experience" "ship within a ship" locations are putting everything at the front of the ship.   While our family doesn't tend to be seasick  under "normal" conditions (13 cruises under our belt), we have always booked middle or aft staterooms.  I will also admit that on a half dozen occasions in "rougher" seas I have needed seasick medicine and my daughter has too.  My recollection from walking around all those ships over the years is that the up and down at the front of the ship can be quite significant. 

 

Can anyone comment on their experiences with this?  I wanted to book a YC stateroom Caribbean Cruise on the Meraviglia next Jan/Feb, but I am having 2nd thoughts.  I mean, the restaurant, lounge, and stateroom are all right up there at the front of the ship.  If seas were rough could it be we won't even use the YC? LOL

 

Thanks,

 

zenworks911

Edited March 19, 2019 by zenworks911

[sptrout]

We were in Seaside's YC this past December and are booked this December in Meraviglia's YC. We sailed Seaside's eastern route and had moderate seas at the worst so it is hard to tell if high seas would have been a problem for my wife who does get seasick from time-to-time (I have not been seasick in any of my 24 cruises and some have been rough).

 

Anyway, we never noticed any movement issues at all and my wife never had any problems. If she does get seasick she takes "Bonnie", which is available at nearly all drug stores. You are correct that the restaurant on the Seaside (and I believe on the Meraviglia), are very far forward providing great views of the sea. Many of the cabins are not as far forward as one might imagine; think that they are in the rear forward section of the ship. Try to book one of the most aft YC cabins as possible and I do not think that you will have a problem. If it was me, I would go for it the YC is worth the chance.

Edited March 19, 2019 by sptrout

[dexddd]

Yeah, in rough says the YC and NCL's Haven (on the new ships) will get quite a bit of movement but "rough" depends on your ability to handle the motion.

[WonderMan3]

I am very prone to seasickness and have stayed in cabins at the very front of ships (Deluxe Owners Suite in NCL Haven) and at the very back of ships (aft corner Sky Suites on Celebrity) and never had any issues. I take a Bonine every day and am good to go. Only time I've ever had problems was when I forgot to take my pill on time so then I was a little queasy for a few hours until the pill kicked in and then on one cruise when we were sailing away from an approaching hurricane and experienced some very large swells which forced me to rest for a few hours.

[Dr. Cocktail]

19 minutes ago, WonderMan3 said:

I am very prone to seasickness and have stayed in cabins at the very front of ships (Deluxe Owners Suite in NCL Haven) and at the very back of ships (aft corner Sky Suites on Celebrity) and never had any issues. I take a Bonine every day and am good to go. Only time I've ever had problems was when I forgot to take my pill on time so then I was a little queasy for a few hours until the pill kicked in and then on one cruise when we were sailing away from an approaching hurricane and experienced some very large swells which forced me to rest for a few hours.

As someone one who  has LOVED your blogs and has sailed on Celebrity and the YC frequently, I thought that I would weigh in here.

 

Seaside (and Seaview) are completely new designs in the cruise industry. Since MSC purchased drawings/plans that had literally been sitting around in drawers (memory sticks?) at Fincantieri for about a decade, the same plans have been purchased by NCL (Project Leonardo) and Virgin (Scarlet Lady +).

 

The plans place the engines amidships for stability which supposedly allowed them to build up much higher.

 

Except ... it's not necessarily that stable.

 

Let me say up front that after spending 21 days in the YC on Seaside this past year, there is no better value in cruising today.

But ... the ship moves. Not lurches or hits potholes (not my expression!) but constantly weaves for lack of a better expression.

Not seasickness inducing but definitely land-sickness inducing when you get home!

[Até]

21 minutes ago, Dr. Cocktail said:

But ... the ship moves. Not lurches or hits potholes (not my expression!) but constantly weaves for lack of a better expression.

I definitely agree, Seaside has a strange side to side motion that is actually more prominent at the aft.

[Dr. Cocktail]

1 hour ago, Até said:

I definitely agree, Seaside has a strange side to side motion that is actually more prominent at the aft.

 

My partner defines "low maintenance" but actually commented on it this last trip. It's just .... different!  Completely agree with your comments.

 

I define "movement" as when I can't put on my socks standing up without holding onto something!

[CGTNORMANDIE]

The worst weather in the Caribbean happens between December and March.  You would have to be in or near a storm to experience rough seas and they don’t usually last more than 24 hours.  If the seas get rough then it won’t matter where you are onboard.  Chances are that you will not have any problems but there is one solution that works every time...BONINE.  Take one per day and you’ll be fine.

[mickey89]

10 hours ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

The worst weather in the Caribbean happens between December and March.  You would have to be in or near a storm to experience rough seas and they don’t usually last more than 24 hours.  If the seas get rough then it won’t matter where you are onboard.  Chances are that you will not have any problems but there is one solution that works every time...BONINE.  Take one per day and you’ll be fine.

Rather strange comment when the the Caribbean Hurricane season is June to November.

[zenworks911]

Thanks for all the information.  I appreciate you all taking the time to share.  I feel more confident to give booking YC a shot.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

44 minutes ago, mickey89 said:

Rather strange comment when the the Caribbean Hurricane season is June to November.

 

I knew I would get a response...lol.  The hurricane season also has excellent sailing conditions.  The chances of hitting a hurricane during the season is very remote...and ships are able to sail around them...most of the time.  We have done well over a dozen cruises in the Caribbean between September and October and have had excellent weather in the majority of those cruises.  The winter, on the other hand, can be a crap shoot for heavy seas.  We have run into all kinds of weather in the Caribbean between December and March.  So much so that we will not cruise during February.  The Caribbean can be fickle when you least expect it.  

[Hlitner]

Count us among the frequent cruisers who do not even consider "seasick" as an issue when choosing a cabin on any ship :).  But it is true, that in heavy seas (with lots of long swells) the bow quarter of a ship will suffer the most movement.  As to the comment about a strange side to side feeling on the Seaside, this is something we have noted on quite a few newer ships with modern Azipod drive systems.  Why?  There are some ship professionals here on CC that can probably write a book about the marine engineering/science issues.   But when you are in the part of the ship that has the props (aft) there are multiple factors such as cavitation, harmonics, propeller damage, etc. that can cause almost a "shimmy" kind of motion.  I do not understand it, but sure do feel it.  Put me on the bow of a ship in a hurricane when it is pitching to and fro and I am happy as a clam.  But put me in an aft cabin on a ship that has that strange "shimmy" and I am not a happy cruiser.  

 

And here is another interesting factoid.  Look at the design of quite a few smaller ultra luxury vessels (such as on Seabourn and Silverseas)  and you will notice that most of the cabin are located in the forward 2/3 of the ship...with a majority being in the forward half.  Go figure.

 

Hank

[WonderMan3]

5 hours ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

 

I knew I would get a response...lol.  The hurricane season also has excellent sailing conditions.  The chances of hitting a hurricane during the season is very remote...and ships are able to sail around them...most of the time.  We have done well over a dozen cruises in the Caribbean between September and October and have had excellent weather in the majority of those cruises.  The winter, on the other hand, can be a crap shoot for heavy seas.  We have run into all kinds of weather in the Caribbean between December and March.  So much so that we will not cruise during February.  The Caribbean can be fickle when you least expect it.  

 

You can have high seas any time of year. That being said, I’ve done 9 cruises in the Caribbean in the January/February period over the past 6 years and could count on one hand the number of days that were spoiled by high wind or all day rain; never any storms or violent seas though. Meanwhile the two cruises that I’ve ever opted to sail during Hurricane season (one in July and one in October) we actually were outrunning a hurricane on one and cruised through a violent thunderstorm (only time that’s ever happened to me) on the other. There is a reason most cruise ships are diverted out of the Caribbean during hurricane season and return en masse for the winter season...

[CGTNORMANDIE]

47 minutes ago, WonderMan3 said:

 

You can have high seas any time of year. That being said, I’ve done 9 cruises in the Caribbean in the January/February period over the past 6 years and could count on one hand the number of days that were spoiled by high wind or all day rain; never any storms or violent seas though. Meanwhile the two cruises that I’ve ever opted to sail during Hurricane season (one in July and one in October) we actually were outrunning a hurricane on one and cruised through a violent thunderstorm (only time that’s ever happened to me) on the other. There is a reason most cruise ships are diverted out of the Caribbean during hurricane season and return en masse for the winter season...

 

The cruise ships start to appear in Florida in September - November during the hurricane season.  You seldom hear of a ship sailing through a hurricane...they sail around them.  We have had some great cruises during hurricane season.  I have seen violent weather in the Caribbean at different times of the year, even in May and June, and thankfully it does not last long.  A lot of pax who are reading these threads are scared stiff of any motion and I want them to know that you can run into rough seas at anytime but they do not last long and if you take some medication you will be fine.  

[mickey89]

1 hour ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

 

  We have had some great cruises during hurricane season...........?

That’s your choice but don’t advocate that it’s an ideal time to enjoy the Caribbean, you also forget to mention that it’s also the high humidity time of the year and can be intolerably hot.

Edited March 20, 2019 by mickey89

[CGTNORMANDIE]

2 hours ago, mickey89 said:

That’s your choice but don’t advocate that it’s an ideal time to enjoy the Caribbean, you also forget to mention that it’s also the high humidity time of the year and can be intolerably hot.

 

Sorry but we agree to disagree.

[phissy]

On 3/20/2019 at 12:15 PM, mickey89 said:

Rather strange comment when the the Caribbean Hurricane season is June to November.

Agree, this Is the “season” . There will always be exceptions and unusual weather conditions, especially the last few years.