How to deal with motion sickness on your first cruise

Will you get sick? Read what I have to say about the topic.

From Mykonos to Delos. Photo from Carrie Finley.Bajak

When I was a travel agent, I would frequently get asked about motion sickness. Primarily the people asking me about the likelihood of seasickness were newbies thinking about taking their first cruise. It was always a difficult question to answer because the reality was that I just did not know.

What I did know is that people who suffer from motion sickness in the car are very likely to feel the movement on the ships. What I told people is that the ships have stabilizers and that they should book a cabin in the middle of the ship as low as possible to reduce the motion.

I have only been stricken by motion sensitivity once on a ship. The cruise was sailing in the Western Mediterranean heading toward Barcelona from Corsica. The pitching and rolling of the ship (a Disney Cruise Line vessel) was so bad that I had to remain in bed while we rode out the storm.

My answer to people considering their first cruise who think they might get seasick is to not go. I know it’s a little extreme to recommend not taking a cruise on the chance that you might get sick but….. the answer lies within. If you are sensitive to motion sickness in a car, chances are you will feel the movement of the ship. If you do feel uncomfortable in a car, but can take preventative measure to relieve your symptoms, then you can expect that your body will respond in a similar fashion on a ship. Ask you physician about medical remedies and check out some of my suggestions below for dealing with motion sickness.

Survival tips for seasickness on a cruise

1. Bring and use wrist bands (the acupressure or magnetic-type) they might help (they helped me when I was sailing while pregnant with morning sickness on a cruise ship).
2. Go for the ginger: bring chews with you (some ships like Silversea offer candied ginger), or drink ginger tea or ginger ale.
3. Ask room service to bring you chicken broth and crackers.
4. Help trick yourself that you are not seasick, look at the horizon because it is a stationary object and will help your balance.
5. Call the reception desk and get some Dramamine or Bonine.

What do you think? Leave me a comment or a suggestion for how people can avoid seasickness.