Seasick?
Once upon a time I was so worried about being seasick I called my doctor for prescription patches to prevent seasickness.
Nothing that follows is medical advice. You should always consult your doctor for you particular healthcare concerns. As usually, I’m just sharing stories.
Growing up I experienced motion sickness riding in cars and on rollercoasters. As an adult, I had been on snorkeling boats, whale watching boats, ski boats, and tour boats one particularly rough ferry between Maui and Molokai. So, when boarding a cruise ship I was concerned. I had seen people become very ill on some of these trips. I packed original motion sickness pills, less drowsy motion sickness pill and the above mentioned motion sickness patches.
I soon learned that I had overdone it. The behind the ear patches made it hard to stay awake and the ship I happened to be on hardly moved at all. Knowing that prevention is easier than curing when it comes to seasickness, I stepped down to the original pills every 4 hours. By the end, I was taking 1 less drowsy pill at night. Ships are very different to boats. Their size and stabilizer help a lot. That said, rough weather, bodies of water known for rough seas can move even the large ships enough to make some of us queasy.
Here are some suggestions I have been given to combat motion sickness. The one I’ve heard most often from crew member on boats and ships is to look at the horizon. On a snorkel trip I heard a crew member tell a few passengers to mover to a central location on the boat, drink natural ginger ale with grated fresh ginger added, look at the horizon, don’t lay down and not to close your eyes. most folks took her advice and disembarked only slightly green. One lady disagreed with the suggestions. Her family had to carry her off the boat. I’ve also heard ginger candy chews or hard candies and green apples suggested. A lot of passengers opt for “Sea Bands” to avoid side effects. If you haven’t seen them, Sea Bands are stretchy wrist bands with a plastic nub that activates an acupressure point. If you do get sea sickness you can’t overcome, don’t suffer. Call the onboard medical center, they can help.
Now, let’s say cruises look like so much fun you wish you could try one. Or maybe you feel left out while your friends and family cruise. Here are my suggestions for testing it out. First, the prevailing thought is the lower you are in the ship and closer to the middle your are the more you can avoid sea sickness. I have heard this point argued, but of course different things work for different people. Think of it like a hobby horse. The middle moves less than the head and tail. As stated earlier, having an ocean view or balcony is helpful. Fresh air helps me. If it helps you, you’ll want a balcony cabin. I would choose a season and location with calmer seas. A common one would be the Bahamas or Caribbean outside hurricane season. I would choose as short a cruise as possible. For example, on a three day cruise you’re generally onboard between about 11 am and 2 pm and the ship won’t leave the dock until 4 to 6 pm. Most often you will be docked in a port by the time you wake up and remain there until late afternoon or early evening. The next morning you should be near or in the next port and stay there several hours again. The final morning you will nearly always wake up docked back in the home port and off the ship by 9 or 10 am. Point being, you aren’t actually sailing all that much. You may also want to consider an Oasis class ship from Royal Caribbean. Oasis, Allure, Harmony, Symphony, and Wonder of the Seas are all HUGE, Unless there is a terrible storm, you may forget you are on a ship. Many venues and activities are interior facing. In fact, some balcony cabins actually face inward overlooking a garden or boardwalk area. I was on the Allure one year in June and only felt any movement at all once in the shower. It was hardly noticeable. We were on a upper deck very far forward.
One finally thought, some folks experience an unbalanced feeling after they disembark. I usually continue my less drowsy pills each night after I disembark as well as a day or two before boarding.
Cruise, Packing
Once upon a time I packed for my first cruise and was a little overwhelmed.
There are many considerations when packing for a cruise. First, the obvious ones like weather and number of days.
Next, having what you need for onboard activities. Will there be a formal night? How formal is formal? What about theme parties. Red party, white party, glow party, 80’s night are just a few possibilities. Will you celebrate a holiday on board. Will you need extra layers of swim attire to avoid embarrassment learning to surf. Once upon a time my daughter queued for a zip line in sandals only to find she needed closed toe shoes. She was able to zip, but with her sandals duct taped to her feet.
Also, what are you doing on shore excursions? What will you need for those? Something to carry a water bottle or a change of clothes? Hiking shoes? Flashlight?
Finally, there may be items you routinely take along on land based trips that are prohibited on ships. Magnets are a better idea than tape. Don’t bring a surge protected power strip, a travel iron, a candle, or your travel bar. These will be collected and returned to you when you disembark. There are also items often recommended that aren’t always a good idea. Over the door shoe pouches may be a good way to store small items, but there are cruise lines that will fine a passenger if said shoe holder scratches the door. I’ve read recommendations to take nicer toilet paper. That could add to your comfort, but could also clog your toilet.
So, while this seems overwhelming, there are some fairly easy work arounds. First, read your cruise contract and prohibited item list. It’s all spelled out for you. Read through your itinerary and entertainment offerings. Information about what to expect onboard will probably come to you after you pay in full either by email or snail mail. Port excursion suggestions are easily found on cruise line’s websites with requirements listed. If you have a travel agent, they will probably provide a suggested packing list. Finally, join a FaceBook group for the cruise line you are sailing with or for your particular sailing. If you search your cruise line, ship and sailing date on FaceBook you are likely to find a group sharing information, planning meet-ups, or gift exchanges. Disney Cruise Line is well known for these FaceBook groups, but you can find them for other lines as well. Just keep in mind you may get advice based on a trip taken a few years ago. The final word on important questions is the cruise line phone representatives.
Cruising, 8 Likes and 5 Dislikes and 1 Regret
Likes:
1) I don’t have to drive, navigate or find a parking spot or gas pump from arrival to departure. Also, while I don’t recommend over indulging. it is nice that nobody needs to be the designated driver.
2) Easy access to all activities, amenities and dining locations. Everyone can do what they want, eat when an where they like because everything is walking distance.
3) Disconnection. A sense of being truly “away from it all” you can only experience when you look out and only see the ocean. Looking at the vast ocean can make your day to day concerns feel smaller.
4) Multiple destinations, unpack once.
5) Meeting crew members from all over the world and learning about their homes and cultures.
6) It’s easier to meet other people. Even sailing on large cruse ships you see the same people over and over. Occasionally, we have shared a table with strangers in the main dining room. This was something I dreaded, but ended up loving. Not everyone we’ve shared a table with has been a delight, but most have. The others were just okay. No one has made us dread dinner and everyone has broken up the day and taught us new things. Comparing previous cruises, how did their excursion went compared to yours and recommending activities are just a few benefits of sharing a table. The biggest benefit is breaking up the conversation. Usually, you are only assigned table mates when you travel with a small group. If you’ve spent the whole day with one other person you may just need a new topic of conversation. If you are traveling solo you will be seated with other singles if possible. No need to worry about dining alone. The last table share positive is if it doesn’t go well, just see the head waiter about moving you. It’s very unlikely you’ll be stuck in an awkward dining situation.
7) The service is usually great. Most cruise lines provide wonderful customer service. Little things like offering a wet wipe or hand sanitizer as you arrive at a dining location, towel animals, chocolates on your pillow, and a friendly group of crew members checking on you and reminding you to take ID and cruise ID when you leave the ship.
8) The view is unique. Wide open seas, islands in the distance, sailing into ports and the lights from other ships at night are exclusive to sea travel.
Dislikes:
1) Noise and vibration. If you aren’t careful you could accidentally book a cabin with engine noise and vibration. You could also find yourself above or below areas like clubs, bars, dining venues or pool decks. I am very careful about the location of the cabins I book and have been able to avoid these problems.
2) Wish there was more time in ports of call. Unless you are on a very extended cruise, you are usually only in port a few hours.
3) Having to leave the ship early on the last day.
4) If you find yourself on a cruise you don’t enjoy, your kind of stuck. Unless you want to forfeit your cruise fare and fly home you just have to make the best of it.
5) Being disconnected. I know I had this on the plus list too, but it’s a negative if something goes wrong. I’m always sure to provide those at home with the emergency phone number for the ship and my travel insurance information. Internet and cell service at sea can be spotty and expensive. The good news is that more and more lines are upgrading internet service and improving the variety of service packages they offer.
Regret:
1) Not asking questions. As long as you are polite and don’t ask unrelated questions while a crew member is busy, they are a wealth of information. For example, I wouldn’t ask a server what they like to do in the next port while they are serving. They usually have a minute to chit chat at the beginning or end of the meal. Cabin stewards are a great source of information. Finally, on my first cruise I was shy about asking what was included and what was an extra charge. I missed out on a lot just because I didn’t ask.
Cruising, How It Began
Once upon a time I was afraid to cruise. Then, I went on a cruise and LOVED it.
My first cruise was long ago. It was a three day adventure to the Bahamas that our family business earned as a sales incentive. It was on an older ship with few amenities. Few activities and no evening entertainment. What we did have was food. Lot and lots of food. We spent a lot of time on the deck and exploring the on shore offerings. I loved it! That said, I have to own up to being one of those people who could happily spend a whole day with a book, on a deck chair, listening to the ocean and watching the waves roll by.
For several years our family concentrated on land based adventures. As those years rolled by cruising became mysterious and unsettling. In other words, I got in my head about it. I did what I do best. I worried. I worried about every possible catastrophe that could possibly occur on a ship. I began to believe cruising as not for me.
Then we were invited to travel with my daughter’s friend and the friend’s family. You guessed it, they we’re planning a cruise. As nervous as I was to step on a ship, I was more afraid of letting my daughter go without me. She really wanted to go, so we booked the trip.
By dinner the first evening, I realized just how wrong I had been. Of course bad things can happen on a ship just as they can on land, but I felt much safer than I expected. When I stepped on to the veranda the first time I realized it would be very difficult to fall off the ship. I was overwhelmed by the deck height at first, but soon adjusted once we left port. Finally, I expected the ship to move like smaller boats I had experienced. That was not the case at all! With the size of the ship and modern stabilizers I often forget I was on a ship. This particular ship was more like a hotel or all inclusive resort.
I have to give credit to the friends who included us on their vacation. They showed us the ropes and taught us how to enjoy cruising. They also did a great job of picking a cruise line and ship. There were always tons of activities and the atmosphere was comfortable and relaxed. I know I wouldn’t have enjoyed it as much without them leading the way! They are why I am an avid cruiser and I am so grateful!