This will be my wife and I first cruise. It is on the Holiday in April. She gets motion sickness. Any suggestions? Seems like all the preventatives make you sleepy.

Hi dbrand and welcome to the cruise chat I also find that I suffer from motion sickness on most Boats but we have done two cruises and I found that I have been ok on the cruise liners we go for balcony cabins quie high up and i found this helps if your wife does suffer she can go and get an injection from the ships docter that does not make you sleepy this was my plan but did not need them i would go that way and see how she does. enjoy the cruise and try not to worry. Julie

A few tips;
1. Get a room in the center of the ship and the higher the better, I always look for something over the 7 floor.

2. Use the patch or dramamine but remember to take it a little time early, before leaving the port because.

quote:

the higher the better

Well...I don't know about that.

Cabins on the lowest decks have the least amount of perceived motion. They are closest to the waterline and there is less motion the closer you are to the water. Think of a ship as an upside down pendulum, with the highest deck being the pendulum and the waterline being the pivot point.

^^^
Well about this, we all think different,



I can only tell by my experience;

You cannot consider it a Pendulum, because the pendulum is fixed at the top, the ship oscillate around it's center (center of mass)not the top,
Because the ship is not fixed at any point.

The best guess will be to book a cabin on the center of the ship, but that will depend on its design and because it's center of mass will change depending on the distribution of the mass of the ship,It does not have to be exactly on the center...

I actually ask two other professors of physics just to check my point, because of last time and they also think the same way as I do..

The other day Travel channel on their program

"Cruise do and dont's"

Gave the same recomendation, as I do, base on their experience in order to avoid sea sick...

I also get motion sickness, (a funny feeling in my head..swaying). I get it no matter where I am on the ship, but I take Bonine twice a day and the feeling goes away within minutes of chewing one pill. I have tried to go without it, forget it....! Even if the seas are calm, ect. it doesn't matter..lol!!! I also like Bonine better because I do not get tired from it, the only slight side effect I get is that I am a bit thirsty..but..hey I am on a cruise...have a cocktail and enjoy yourself!!
Just a note to, I have tried sea bands and ginger but they do not work for me. Also, a trick I learned here on the boards is to go on deck and stare at the horizon, it does work but the minute my eyes turn away...ITS BACK! Hope this helps!

I agree with Dave, the lower down on the ship you are, the more stable it will feel. I've had folks attend parties in a top-deck lounge who started feeling queasy when the boat was rocking. When they went downstairs to a lower deck, the motion was much less noticeable.

Sandy

yea, dont get the preventitives they make you super sleepy and then its not so much fun..I went on my first cruise this past september, and my family took tylenol and asprin because we thought it would be really bad motion sickness, well it wasnt. It was actually really smooth. and it was alot of fun.

ok I can tell you this,

I know for fact that this work,
but since we always think different, and as I remember we never decided which one is the correct point of view,
I will give up...

Dbrand, I can tell you this Dramamine does make me sleepy, that is why I take Bonine. I tried both at home before my cruise and that's how I found out what works better for me. Like your wife, I knew I was prone to motion sickness before I even went and I did not want to be sick with that feeling during my vacation. Everyone is different but it is worth a try beforehand as opposed to getting sick.

Actually there is much to be said about being able to see the horizon - which means a higher deck. Part of motion sickness is that the person has no sense of balance. Sort of the same thing that afflicts those with inner ear infections. Being able to have the horizon as a reference point can help.

Although it is true the keel of the ship is still moving around, it's motion relative to the highest deck is less. You also have the friction of the water against the hull to retard motion.

I know for a fact that during my Navy years, when in rough seas, we looked forward to going back on watch in the engine room because it was below the waterline and the ride was much more stable than what we had to deal with in the berthing area. In the same sea conditions - with blue water crashing over the bridge and 40 degree rolls - I had to strap myself into my rack in berthing, but could walk around with a cup of coffee in the engine room.

Hello C.F.; physics aside, from personal experience I would have to disagree with you. My wife and I never use the elevators on ships and we have a favorite cabin on Island and Coral Princess that is up high and all the way forward. When going from, say, the dining room on deck 5 to the cabin on deck 11 in rough weather, you can feel the motion increase with each successive deck; which is another way of repeating what Sandy already said.

after 6 cruises and the 7th coming up...give me a lower deck and my patches. never had a problem. take a clear glass fill it with water. tip it side to side and see where the motion is. lower is better.

I believe this was also the reason the classic ocean liners had their dining rooms set low in the ship.

Ginger is supposed to work well for queasiness. You can buy ginger tablets in any store that sells vitamins, but getting candied ginger is even better.

Dave has a good point about looking at the horizon. That is supposed to coordinate what you're feeling in your inner ear with what you're seeing, which is supposed to make you feel better.

I hear eating a green apple works well, too.

As for choosing a cabin, don't forget that most of the day you'll be out of your cabin. And at night, gentle rocking may help you fall asleep!

Sandy

I recommended the eating green apples to two of my friends and it worked for them.

My daughter went on a cruise in Dec. our family Christmas cruise and was sick the entire time. I belive it was more from all the "PREVENTIVE" meds she took. Even the ginger or apples just made her turn greener. We were happy to make land and have fun in the Bahammas.good luck with whatever you try. But don't try them all at once like she did..Silly girl.

The lower passenger decks in the middle to middle aft seem to have less movement to me. It really will depend on sea conditions on how the ship moves.

A half of a Bonine (meclizine hydrochloride) the night before sea days and the other half in the morning seems to help without too much drowsiness.

Dwayne

ok I can prove my point but will have to link to other site and that's against the rules, but if you want to just send me a PM.

check this info:

"How Can I Avoid Seasickness?

Staying busy and keeping your mind occupied are the best ways to avoid seasickness. Try to stay on deck in the fresh air and focus on anything other than the moving ship. Take deep breaths and drink plenty of water. When on deck, facing forward (rather than to the side) seems to help most people. Remember that you need to let your brain adjust to this new unstable environment by allowing the horizon to act as the true point of reference.

Although drinking plenty of water is important, you also need to keep something in your stomach (although spicy or fatty food is not recommended). Lying down in a deck chair in the fresh air often helps many people; it's almost like you can sleep it off! Most modern cruise ships are equipped with stabilizers that eliminate much of the motion that causes seasickness. This is one time when bigger might be better-the larger the ship, the less it will rock! If you know you are prone to seasickness, try to get a cabin on the outside (with a window) and mid-ship where there is less motion"

Also I don't want to start a fight about this so like I said before I give up...

Hi I have had 2 occassions when I have needed an injection whilst on a ship.
I tend to take Sea Legs with me now and generally take on before we set sail and if the sea gets choppy. They dont make me drowsy but I know we are all different.
Dramamine (I think its called) is also a good chewy tablet which has an instant effect. Hapy cruising. Cruse qween