stablizers

[westielvr]

Our only cruises have been on HAL's Volendam and Oosterdam. We would like to try a smaller vessel. What about stablizers on Windstar's ships? Is motion sickness a problem? I had no problems with motion sickness on the above mentioned ships, but I definitely have a problem with motion sickness in small airplanes. After the Oosterdam, the Windstar really appeals to us.

[jsiegel]

The Wind Star has two stabilizers, but they told us that most of the time they only use one. We were surprised at how smooth the cruise was. Granted, the ocean around the Tahitian islands was pretty calm, but there was one day when the ocean swells were hitting our cabin portholes, yet there was hardly any feeling of rocking motion. I slept so well on our Windstar cruise, better than usual in a strange bed, in fact better than at home. I rarely have seasickness problems, but my S.O. does and he had no problem at all on the ship. For those that do, they provide free meclazine at the infirmary.

 

Go for it, you'll be spoiled. There's a risk though, you may never want to cruise HAL again.

 

Jackie

[Host Walt]

I agree. The stabilizers on smaller ships are very effective and, on the Windstar ships they are used to their maximum advantage. When we sailed from Sicily to Greece, not a serene route, the lateral motion was hardly noticeable.

 

The sunsets were marvelous, the deck strolls were outstanding and the day at sea was a great opportunity to recharge our batteries.

[rickcohen2]

My wife is very prone to motion sickness. I am not. She starts meclizine just before getting aboard a cruise ship and stays on it untill the trip is over.

 

On larger ships, she needs the drugs. On Windstar trips, she never has!

[mousemeat]

On our most recent trip one of the officers was explaining why passengers might be more comfortable on smaller ships than on larger ones in higher seas. We were having a bit of French wind called "the mistral." He said there are three reasons: the ratio of stabilizers to ship is larger on a small ship, a smaller ship catches less wind, and the top deck of a taller ship swings in a bigger arc. A few people were still bothered.