New Jersey to Bermuda - Sea Conditions

We want to give cruising a shot and are really excited. I figure maybe a 5 night cruise from New Jersey to Bermuda and back to test our love for Cruising :)

There are a couple of questions/concerns I have that I was hoping someone with similar issues may be able to help with...

1) Sometimes I get claustrophobic, and hate feeling trapped, can cause me pretty serious panic attacks. Makes flying difficult. Does anyone experience this on cruise ships?

2) I am a little worried about the sea conditions between N.J. and Bermuda. The thought of intense seas and being trapped in the middle of the ocean (see #1) makes me a little nervous!

To remediate these concerns some I figured we would take the Anthem of the Seas... seems like a huge boat. In either August or September. Smart idea?

Thoughts? And thank you!

Welcome to Cruise Critic. Bermuda is absolutely amazing....but there is absolutely NO way for any of us to predict what the ocean conditions will be. The months you state are hurricane season..which is a hit or miss. Half of the year is hurricane season.

I understand. I was just hoping since it's a bigger ship the conditions wouldn't be too rough. Like a little rocking here and there... I totally get. But a miserable tossing about all day long would be pretty awful.

Part of me thinks it can't be too bad, or they wouldn't go so often, lol

As mentioned previously, there is no way to predict sea conditions and there is no "typical" with the Atlantic over any other ocean in our experience. Some of the calmest seas we've experienced was on a NJ - Bermuda cruise, and the roughest seas we've experienced was in the Caribbean from the Panama canal to Jamaica. But we've also had some moderate roughness heading to Bermuda as well as very calm seas in the Caribbean. In other words, it will be what it will be.

But with 5 cruises so far from Baltimore and NJ to Bermuda, the sea conditions in general have been very good.

How rough is rough? Like I don't want to YouTube videos and freak myself out. I mean, realistically if it is a little rough and we're on the Anthem of the Seas, will the size of the ship make it more bearable?

How rough is rough? Like I don't want to YouTube videos and freak myself out. I mean, realistically if it is a little rough and we're on the Anthem of the Seas, will the size of the ship make it more bearable?

Do you suffer from motion sickness now, such as when you are in a car, etc.? Talk to your physician or pharmacist regarding preventative motion sickness remedies to take during your cruise if you have a concern regarding that.

Again, there is no way to predict how rough the seas will be - or to define how rough is rough. How it will affect you may be different from others. What are calm seas with gentle motion to one person may be heavy seas that create sea sickness to another.

Anthem is a large ship that (as with all cruise ships) is stabilized to reduce the motion effects of the sea, and I am sure you will be fine. There is also no reason to expect the seas to be "intense" unless it would be the result of a significant storm - which the Captain will do everything in his power to avoid. IMO it would also be rather hard to feel claustrophobic on a ship that large. I really think you are over thinking this.

Enjoy your cruise! My guess is it won't be your last.