Seasickness on a cruise: You may be wondering how to avoid seasickness on a cruise ship if you are prone to motion sickness. On a cruise, symptoms like headaches, cramps, nausea, and fatigue can be rather annoying.
Be at ease! By being prepared and knowledgeable, you can minimize the likelihood of motion sickness and make the most of your stay aboard.
During a cruise, over-the-counter medications, herbal cures, fresh air, and careful stateroom and itinerary selection can help prevent and alleviate seasickness.
While it may take some time to become used to a cruise ship’s movements, most passengers report that these symptoms go away after they acquire their “sea legs” and stabilize. Here’s everything you need to know to avoid becoming seasick on your next trip, regardless of whether you’re prone to it or are just getting ready for one.
Why do people get seasick?
When your inner ear feels something different from what your eye perceives, you get seasickness, a type of motion sickness. Your senses become confused when your body experiences motion but your eyes don’t, which can lead to symptoms including fatigue, headaches, nausea, and dizziness.
Motion sickness can occur on practically any kind of transportation, including cars, trains, and roller coasters.
What Seasickness Symptoms Are There When Cruising?
When you get seasick, nausea is the most common symptom you’ll experience. As the boat shakes up and down and back and forth, you can feel sick. It may also cause vomiting in more serious situations.
Dizziness is another common symptom of seasickness and frequently occurs alongside nausea. Your inner ear strains to interpret the movement, which causes dizziness that makes you feel unsteady or lightheaded.
- lightheadedness
- Weary
- Headaches
- emesis
- Absence of vigor
- appetite decline.
Headaches and fatigue are other possible side effects of your body adjusting to the motion of the ship. These symptoms could make you feel ill and prevent you from getting the most out of your cruise holiday.
Can food be brought on a cruise ship?
What is the duration of seasickness during a cruise?
Good news! Most travelers experience seasickness at the beginning of their cruise, but it normally goes away as they gain their “sea legs,” or your senses adjust and your equilibrium returns.
Taking over-the-counter medications and applying the procedures outlined in this article can help most travelers who experience seasickness at the beginning of a cruise feel better in a matter of hours to a day or two. In certain situations, seasickness may persist longer, especially in more choppy sea conditions.
On a cruise, can you sense the movement of the ship?
You won’t often even notice the Celebrity Cruises fleet moving because of how expertly planned and engineered each of their cutting-edge cruise ships is. Every ship is built to provide you with the smoothest sailing experience possible without sacrificing the variety of onboard activities or the breathtaking views from the deck.
We use stabilizers on our ships to prevent rocking. A mere 1% tilt is deemed unacceptable, and Celebrity Cruises employs cutting-edge technology to ensure your ship maintains stability and composure.
Which cruise ships are the most effective at preventing seasickness?
Celebrity’s Solstice-class ships, which include Celebrity Solstice, Celebrity Silhouette, Celebrity Equinox, Celebrity Eclipse, and Celebrity Reflection, are designed for smooth sailing and have fin-like stabilizers placed beneath the ship’s waterline to assist with seasickness prevention.
To put these ships’ size and mass into perspective, consider that all of them are built to post-Panamax proportions, which means they are too big to fit through the Panama Canal’s locks. They move through the water at a pleasant average speed of 24 knots, or around 27 miles per hour, with a weight of 122,000 to 126,000 tonnes. Passenger safety and comfort are the top priorities throughout the construction of their steel-hulled vessels.
The largest ships in our fleet are those in Celebrity’s newest class, the Edge class, which comprises Celebrity Edge and sister ship, Celebrity Apex. With a weight of 129,500 tons and a cruising speed of 22 knots, or around 25 miles per hour, these steel-hulled vessels also feature stabilizers to guarantee the security and comfort of the people they transport.
Where is the best area to cruise if you want to avoid feeling seasick?
Itineraries that spend a lot of time sailing on open water should be avoided if you know you’re particularly prone to seasickness. ship itineraries that remain within a sea, like Caribbean cruises from San Juan, Puerto Rico, or European cruises around the Mediterranean Sea, are frequently excellent choices for somewhat calm waters while on the ship.
If you’re worried that a cruise may make you seasick, one option to test the waters is to reserve a little trip on a big ship that travels in calm waters. We provide two-night cruises on our newly redesigned Solstice-class ship, Celebrity Equinox, and our Millennium-class ship, Celebrity Infinity, from Florida to the Bahamas.
Nassau, Bahamas
You’ll spend a day at sea in each way in the typically tranquil waters that separate the Bahamas from Fort Lauderdale or Miami. You’ll have a day to unwind and enjoy the balmy weather, pristine blue waters, and white sand beaches of Nassau when you arrive in port.
Selecting a voyage on one of our larger ships, such as Celebrity Edge or Celebrity Apex, with 10- or 11-night itineraries that sail through the usually calm waters of the Mediterranean Sea, is another option to reduce your chances of getting seasick on a cruise.
Italy, the famous Colosseum
Take a 10-night cruise departing from Rome and stop at some of the most stunning locations in the Mediterranean, such as Sicily, Naples, and the breathtaking Greek Islands. Alternatively, take an 11-night cruise that leaves from Rome and travels to Naples, Messina, Corfu, Greece, Dubrovnik, Split, Croatia, and Trieste, Northern Italy, along the Dalmatian Coast.
You will spend only two nights at sea on each of these sailings; the rest of the time will be spent in port, taking in the magnificent sights and pleasures of the Mediterranean.
Take the time of year into account while selecting a route to prevent seasickness. For example, the months of June through November are the finest times to cruise the Caribbean because these are the months when waves and ship movement are most likely to occur.
How to Avoid Getting Seasick While Cruising
Preventing seasickness at the outset is the best approach to mitigating the unpleasant symptoms of motion sickness during a cruise.
Motion sickness symptoms can be prevented and treated with the seasickness cures listed below. Even seasoned cruisers can have motion sickness, whether it’s their first or tenth cruise.
These are nine simple cruise seasickness prevention techniques.
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Carry Your Medicines
Seasickness symptoms can be reduced by using a variety of motion sickness patches and over-the-counter or prescription motion sickness drugs. If this is your first cruise or you are prone to motion sickness, bring your medication.
Over-the-counter medications like Dramamine, diphenhydramine (Benadryl), or meclizine (also known as Bonine) can aid in preventing seasickness.
If you fail to bring your seasickness medication, don’t freak out.
You can get a patch or tablet to assist you fight seasickness if you visit the guest services desk.
You can also see the ship’s physician if you require a stronger treatment, since they can provide motion sickness medication to relieve your symptoms.
Advice: Stow necessities in your purse or carry-on bag, like as prescription drugs for motion sickness. It could take a few hours after you board the cruise for your luggage to arrive.
Organic Solutions
Seasickness can be reduced using several natural cures, if you would rather not take medicine.
On a cruise, ginger is convenient to have on hand. Ginger comes in a variety of forms, including as powder, tablet, candy, and tea.
It has also been demonstrated that inhaling peppermint oil or sucking on a peppermint candy can help prevent seasickness.
If you become sea sick when cruising, chamomile tea may help, according to Healthline.
Select the Best Cabin to Prevent Motion Sickness
Selecting the ideal stateroom location can have a significant impact. Choose a stateroom in the center of the ship, on the lower decks. You will experience less motion because the lower decks are nearer the center of gravity of the ship.
Securing a cabin with a window or balcony will provide you a clear view of the horizon and aid with your equilibrium.
The greatest kind of accommodation is one with a balcony for the fresh air and horizon view.
To reduce motion sickness, choose cabins on a higher deck that are close to the ship’s middle if the lower levels are reserved.
Staterooms near the bow and aft of the ship move a lot as a result of the ship bouncing over the waves, so avoid booking accommodations there.
Take in some fresh air
A romantic couple relaxing on a cruise ship with a view of the setting ocean from their balcony cabin at dusk
Don’t stay inside your cabin if you begin to feel seasick. Exhale fresh air by finding an open window and stepping out onto the terrace.
Getting some fresh air can greatly help prevent seasickness. The crisp air helps you de-stress and lessens unwanted perspiration.
If you have a balcony reservation, head to the balcony or the pool deck.
Select a Large Cruise Ship
Keeping your eyes on the horizon is a useful tactic to help avoid getting seasick. This visual signal might lessen the feeling of motion sickness by assisting your body and brain in comprehending the ship’s movements.
The movement of the ship is the main cause of seasickness during cruising. In comparison to smaller ships, larger ships rock less.
Larger cruise ships nowadays, in particular, feature sophisticated stabilizers that greatly reduce motion. When choosing a cruise, think about choosing a more recognizable, contemporary ship for a potentially calmer journey.
Choose one of the larger, more recent ships, like the Excel class from Carnival or the Oasis class from Royal Caribbean, if you are concerned about getting seasick.
Keep in mind that you will experience some rocking even on the largest cruise ships in the world. However, it will be easier to handle than traveling in a smaller boat.
Select Your Location Carefully
An image of an Alaskan glacier captured from a Celebrity cruise liner
If you are aware that you are prone to seasickness, stay away from trips that involve a lot of open water sailing. Stick to cruise itineraries in the Mediterranean or Caribbean (especially those that leave from San Juan, Puerto Rico) if you’re looking for tranquil sailing.
Certain locations are more likely to have choppy waters, especially during hurricane season. Do some research on your destination before you go, and steer clear of places where there’s a good chance of choppy seas.
Avoid cruise places like Alaskan cruises, which are notorious for having rough seas and severe weather. Despite the generally calm waters in the Bahamas and the Caribbean, you should avoid going on a cruise during hurricane season.
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Cruise lines steer clear of hurricanes and other inclement weather, although the waves will be rougher.
Furthermore, you should steer clear of any cruise schedule that includes consecutive days at sea. It is generally assumed that a ship sailing through open waters for a prolonged period is likely to encounter more large waves.
Observe the Horizon
Although it may seem paradoxical at first, focusing your gaze far out into the distance can be beneficial. Your body’s senses become confused when you’re seasick, so concentrating on the horizon might help your body re-adjust and regain its equilibrium.
Remember to Eat
You should stay away from alcohol and oily or acidic foods if you’re feeling seasick. Drinking alcohol can make you more dehydrated and make your motion sickness symptoms worse.
While it may be tempting to skip meals when feeling seasick, it’s important to stick to a regular eating schedule. Eating small, frequent meals will help soothe your stomach and prevent nausea from seasickness.
Eating is necessary even when you’re not feeling well. The symptoms may worsen if your stomach is empty.
Make sure you keep hydrated and consume a lot of water.
Try Acupressure and Acupuncture
Try acupressure wristbands or even acupuncture treatments on the ship to help relieve the symptoms of seasickness if you’re open to attempting alternative therapies. For people looking for relief, these non-medical techniques can be a useful choice.
Another natural remedy for seasickness is to wear a gadget around your wrist, such as an acupressure bracelet.
If you’re seeking for a natural solution to lessen or prevent motion sickness, we heartily recommend the well-liked Sea-Band (Amazon). Up until we discovered these wristbands, my cousin would always get seasick on cruises.