Island Princess questions...

[queenmoto]

I'm planning our Alaska cruise for 2007 and have a few questions. Any information will be greatly appreciated.

 

1. On the Baha dck room #B503, B504, B431, B416 are catergory AD which is a mini-suite, but the price on the brochure is only a difference of about $50 from a balcony room on the Caribe deck. So, I guess my question is, what's wrong with these mini-suite?

 

2. I get motion sickness and was wandering if there is a lot of difference between Caribe and Baha deck, as far as ship movements?

 

3. I enjoy cruises, but have not gone for more than 3 days. The cruise I'm planning is for 7 nights, has anyone used motion sickness medicine for this long or longer?

 

Thank you!

[MaryPoppinz]

1. Nothing. :) I"ve been in B503 and it was great. The balcony is pretty small, but I can't think of anything else.

 

2. Very unlikely. There might be a big difference between a forward and an aft cabin. But, not much between a forward cabin on Baja and a forward cabin on Caribe; ditto a midship cabin on Baja vs. Caribe.

 

3. That one I can't help you with.

 

Enjoy!

[ahracer]

The balconies will be bigger on the Caribe deck than those on Baha.

 

Scott

[Kaylas Mom]

We opted for the caribe becasue of the big hal covered balconies and were very happy with the decision. We spent about 1/2 the cruise outside. We had two cabins next to each other and with the doors, open, there was a ton of outside space to compensate for the slighly smaller cabins. I am a big fan of BA cabins on Princess.

[D&L-01]

If your "motion" sickness is minor, then the over the counters might work OK, but most are antihistimene based so drowesness may occure. If your motion sickness is severe then you might want to consider "the patch" (Scophalamine). It is prescription only so talk to your doctor. In any case it is important to take the medication before you get ill. The idea is to prevent it in the first place... not make it go away.

There is another device on the market... "ReliefBand" (check the internet). I have one but can't honestly say for sure if they work or not. Just got back from the Island Princess Los Angeles to Hawaii and seas were moderate to rough. I used the "patch" and the Relief Band. Did NOT get seasick. Which one was it... can't say... I only know that one, or both, worked. One word of caution... after effects from the patch may be "unpleasant".

Location... Midships is the best location, and close to the water line. I.E... as close to the center of gravity that you can get.

PS... I am not a doctor so I disclaim any "medical advice liability" :-)

[DesrtDrmr]

Hi Queenmoto,

Caribe would be lower, so it would be more toward the center of the ship.........at least from top to bottom, so therefore, less movement.

I get very seasick, and do use the patch, with the advice of my Doctor. It works for me, and I don't have any side effects. Others DO have side effects................since it is a prescription only thing, you would have to talk to your doctor anyway. You might ask for an extra one, and try it out at home before you go, so you can see how you react..........while you are still in touch with your Doc. Another oft used remedy is Meclizine, which is the generic form of the motion sickness remedy called Bonine. It is a non drowsy formula and can be bought from your pharmacist without a prescription. I believe Bonine is about $ 8.00 for 8 pills, but the generic Meclizine is about $10 for 100 pills. Others will come along with their favorite remedies, both pharmaceutical and otherwise. Check with your doctor. By the way, the Inside Passage is pretty smooth, and probably the only "bumpy" water you'll hit might be if you are in the Pacific for a short distance. Sometimes that is smooth as glass, too........................one never knows ahead of time!

Have a great time! Ships today have good stabilizers, too, so it's not like the days of sailing 30 years ago.............

[queenmoto]

Thank you everyone for sharing some great ideas.

[Druke I]

I wouldn't depend too much on the stabilizers. They are designed to minimize roll, but may have an adverse affect on pitch.

 

In certain running-sea conditions, they tend to act like diving planes on a submarine, pulling the ship down by the bow, which is not a good thing for a surface ship, so are retracted.

 

They also create a lot of drag, so may be retracted to improve fuel economy.

[tapia]

I have used "the patch" (Scophalamine--behind your ear) on a 7 day cruise recently (Golden Princess). One of these days we were also on a much smaller boat that hit MANY waves and a lot of people got sea sick. Also, I'm prone to being sea-sick, so my doctor gave me the patch.

 

About 2 years ago, I was on a different cruise where I got very sick a coupld of the nights.

 

So, basically you switch it every 3 days. I honestly forgot about it and on day 4 switched it. So, I only used 2 patches for this time. I didn't get sea sick ONCE!!!!! Worked VERY well for me!

[Times Prince]

I'm planning our Alaska cruise for 2007 and have a few questions. Any information will be greatly appreciated.

1. On the Baha dck room #B503, B504, B431, B416 are catergory AD which is a mini-suite, but the price on the brochure is only a difference of about $50 from a balcony room on the Caribe deck. So, I guess my question is, what's wrong with these mini-suite?

2. I get motion sickness and was wandering if there is a lot of difference between Caribe and Baha deck, as far as ship movements?

3. I enjoy cruises, but have not gone for more than 3 days. The cruise I'm planning is for 7 nights, has anyone used motion sickness medicine for this long or longer?

Queenmoto: We took the Island Princess last August in cabin A332, fairly close to midships but higher up.

1. Cabins: B431 and B416 have open decks to facing the front of the ship, and would be more subject to wind when the ship is moving.

2. Motion: Our cruise had glassy smooth water for most of the cruise, especially when in the channel between islands and the mainland. There was no rocking of note. This cruise was like staying in a land hotel with just a little vibration. I hope the weather is as good for you. The only night with some motion was when we exited the inland passage area to go to Glacier Bay.

3. We have only gotten motion sick under extreme circumstances, but we found the Island Princess, and the passage from Vancouver north to be the smoothest of ALL our cruises. You might want to consider minor precautions (Dramamine) at first, followed by more serious meds when or if needed. Do check weather reports first - our experience may not have been typical.