Rough seas on R ships

I'm used to sailing on ships that range between about 90K - 140K size with stabalizers. The smallest I've been on was 46K and I got quite seasick on it, but that was my first cruise and I didn't use Seabands yet.

Wondering how badly the R ships pitch and roll in rough seas. 30K size seems so small. Do they have stabilizers?

If any of you have experienced seasickness on them, please share your insights. I always use Seabands and ginger capsules. We have fairly midship cabins.

We've only taken 2 R ship cruises, both in the Mediterranean.

DH, who gets motion sick, didn't have any problems, but he takes meclizine (generic Bonine) just to be sure.

We always pick a cabin as low and midships as possible.

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We have been on 4 cruises on Regatta. One was the northeast during Hurricane Sandy. Needless to say that was a nightmare. However I think that would have been bad on any ship. Another was a very bad storm on the passage from Bermuda to Norfolk. Actually had a chair fall over and break my Wife's toe. I don't believe any sea sickness remedies would have helped on either of these cruises. We made the mistake of having the same cabin (PH3 all the way forward) on both cruises. You're better off more toward the middle of the ship. Our other 2 cruises on Regatta were uneventful. The smaller ships have there charm but weathering rough seas is not one of them. I now take Bonine when we cruise and have had no problems since.

13 cruises on R ships so far. Two were in vista suites and never again. Both of us and our daughter were extremely sick going into Barcelona.

Since then we always book all the way aft which in most weather is fine. We too were in horrible weather Bermuda to Norfolk where pictures fell off the wall and many dishes broke forward it was bad but not that bad.

Your tolerance may vary!

We have had a few rough days

Insignia a gale in the Irish sea we were in 7115 bit rolly polly but just hang on

Regatta from Grand Cayman to Columbia ..36 hrs of rolling .. had deck 4 cabin ..just hang on

Regatta from Bahamas to Bermuda was a bit rocky but not too bad again on deck 7 aft

I just stay away from Horizons or the front of the lounge area... back by the bar seems to be OK for me

My worst experience was my 1st cruise on a 20,000 GRT ship sailing from Bermuda to Montreal

we were caught in a tropical storm the waves were as high as the ship

I missed all meals that day ...DH loved it :D

Hmmm. . . . had a feeling that a small ship wouldn't do well in rough seas. Don't the R ships have stabilizers??

Not so bad for our 7 day coming up, but feeling unsure about what it might be like for 6 months on the world cruise. I really want to do O's world cruise (love the itinerary), but wondering if a larger ship would be more comfortable. Hmmm. :confused:

Hmmm. . . . had a feeling that a small ship wouldn't do well in rough seas. Don't the R ships have stabilizers??

 

Not so bad for our 7 day coming up, but feeling unsure about what it might be like for 6 months on the world cruise. I really want to do O's world cruise (love the itinerary), but wondering if a larger ship would be more comfortable. Hmmm. :confused:

it was not that uncomfortable just be sure to hold onto the railings when moving about

one hand for you & one for the ship :)

if the seas are rough it usually does not last too long the captain will usually slow down during mealtimes

It is the Ocean & the seas are not predictable

The only places that bothered me was near the front if you stay mid ship you will probably fine

worst case you head down to deck 4 or 5 near the shops

YMMV

It is the Ocean & the seas are not predictable

I have figured that out, after having done 14 cruises.

But one of my questions has still not been answered: do the R ships have stabilizers? And do the small ships rock and pitch alot more than larger ships? Maybe someone who has been on both can answer these questions. Thanks so much. :D

Hmmm. . . . had a feeling that a small ship wouldn't do well in rough seas. Don't the R ships have stabilizers??

 

Not so bad for our 7 day coming up, but feeling unsure about what it might be like for 6 months on the world cruise. I really want to do O's world cruise (love the itinerary), but wondering if a larger ship would be more comfortable. Hmmm. :confused:

Of course the R ships have stabilizers.

By the way, your theory about bigger being more stable only works if the bigger isn't ALL ABOVE THE WATER LINE.

Of course the R ships have stabilizers.

 

By the way, your theory about bigger being more stable only works if the bigger isn't ALL ABOVE THE WATER LINE.

Thank you. I asked about the stabilizers because I've read that older ships didn't always have them. Aren't the R ships nearly 20 yrs old?

And I figured that a heavier weight of an object in the sea might help keep it more stable. I can see, though, that height would increase the shaking from wind. But a larger, heavier keel would seem to help alot too.

You may be interested in the following old thread:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=500643

My personal experience with the "R" ships is that they are not particularly pleasant to be on in rough seas, but as some of the posts in the above thread note, the size of the ship is only one factor. We were on the Insignia for a segment of the 2017 world cruise and had pretty rough conditions for about one third of the 22 day cruise. During the worst of it...the 5 day Pacific crossing from San Diego to Hilo, there were a lot of empty tables in the various dining venues, always a reliable sign of how passengers were feeling during the rough weather.

Did Tahiti on the Pacific Princess in 2015 which is an R ship. Stayed in PH midship and had no problems. We are booked on Sirena around the Cape this coming Nov and we are deck 4 C1 OCV exactly midship. Booked there because of the potential for rough seas.

The smaller ships are great.

Thank you. I asked about the stabilizers because I've read that older ships didn't always have them. Aren't the R ships nearly 20 yrs old?

 

And I figured that a heavier weight of an object in the sea might help keep it more stable. I can see, though, that height would increase the shaking from wind. But a larger, heavier keel would seem to help alot too.

When the Queen Mary of 1939 was built, as the largest ship in the World, mind you, Cunard did not originally have handrails installed because they too thought that her size would offer protection from the Ocean.

They soon learned (their words) that "she could easily roll the milk out of a cup of tea", and she got her Hand-rails ASAP.

The Queens, which were absolute money-spinners, earning £500,000 in profit per round trip after the war, were important enough to have their stabilizers installed as soon as they were invented in the mid 1960's.

Other, less glamorous passenger vessels followed swiftly behind, and there has not been a passenger ship built without them, since the middle part of the last century.

Of course the R ships have stabilizers.

By the way, your theory about bigger being more stable only works if the bigger isn't ALL ABOVE THE WATER LINE.

This one looks like it will be in the sea in a 20 MPH wind. Very little in the water. Scares me.

We were in a VS on Sirena this past October heading for Bermuda when we encountered waves from the hurricane (which was as I recall maybe 200 nautical miles north of us). Given that we were in a VS we should have felt it more. Well, *I* should have. I did take it easy and lie down rather than standing up a fair amount of the time, but wasn't really sick. And there have been times when I WAS sick ... just not then.

The worst seas we ever encountered were on a really small ship, Bergen to North Cape and back on the old Bergen Lines. This was a mail boat that carried passengers. I'm not sure how many but this ship was a lot smaller than the "R" ships. And given that this was 1975, maybe it didn't have stabilizers. The route pretty much hugged the coast but the captain said the storm we encountered was the worst he'd seen in 25 years of passenger service.

When I was lying down in my bunk I'd first be standing up and then totally upside down ... few passengers made it to meals.

Mura

Have sailed on 3000 passenger ships and both the R ships and O ships of Oceania. In very rough seas, you will feel the roll and/or pitch on any ship, I believe. Low and middle is the steadiest part of the ship.

29 foot waves in March off shore from Argentina on board Regatta was my worst encounter. The captain (a marvel of humor and patience!) told us he does not sail WITHOUT the stabilizers.

Don't worry--enjoy a very pleasant ship!

This one looks like it will be in the sea in a 20 MPH wind. Very little in the water. Scares me.

No, nothing to worry about there.They use lighter weight materials such as aluminum for the superstructure (the part of the ship that's above the hull) to ensure that the ship's center of gravity is low enough to remain stable in high seas and winds.

Even on smaller ships the naval architects have to be very careful about not letting a ship be too top heavy. I recall seeing a special on the building of Regent's Seven Seas Explorer, certainly not a large ship at 54,000 gross tonnage. It had a problem because of the amount luxurious, heavy materials such as marble that they wanted to use in the most expensive suites. As envisioned, the ship would have been far too top heavy. As I recall they had do things like using very thin slices of marble...a sort of marble veneer rather than using solid marble slabs. The ship might have keeled over had it been built the way the Regent executives envisioned it.

13 cruises on R ships so far. Two were in vista suites and never again. Both of us and our daughter were extremely sick going into Barcelona.

Since then we always book all the way aft which in most weather is fine. We too were in horrible weather Bermuda to Norfolk where pictures fell off the wall and many dishes broke forward it was bad but not that bad.

Your tolerance may vary!

Same for me in the Vista Suites heading to Alaska from San Francisco. A wild ride! Aft is the way to go and was on Insiginia in OS for close to a month for S. America and rounding Cape Horn was not bad.

Just getting back to this after taking my first O cruise to Cuba.

On our first day we went through a storm and lots of wind. Breakfast went well, but soon after I felt quite nauseous, even with my Seabands on. Went back to the cabin (deck 6, between midship and aft) and laid down. Fell asleep for a couple hours, but still felt sick when I woke up. My friend felt fine because she wears the patch (I'm allergic to decongestants and antihistamines, sadly). She went to the buffet and they gave her a green apple and crackers. I ate them and started feeling a little better, but didn't really feel normal again until we docked in Havana at 4pm.

This was the first time I've gotten seasick since 1989. :(

Just getting back to this after taking my first O cruise to Cuba.

 

On our first day we went through a storm and lots of wind. Breakfast went well, but soon after I felt quite nauseous, even with my Seabands on. Went back to the cabin (deck 6, between midship and aft) and laid down. Fell asleep for a couple hours, but still felt sick when I woke up. My friend felt fine because she wears the patch (I'm allergic to decongestants and antihistamines, sadly). She went to the buffet and they gave her a green apple and crackers. I ate them and started feeling a little better, but didn't really feel normal again until we docked in Havana at 4pm.

This was the first time I've gotten seasick since 1989. :(

Next time try some dried/dehydrated ginger. Works for my DW when even the patch does not work.

I'm used to sailing on ships that range between about 90K - 140K size with stabalizers. The smallest I've been on was 46K and I got quite seasick on it, but that was my first cruise and I didn't use Seabands yet.

 

Wondering how badly the R ships pitch and roll in rough seas. 30K size seems so small. Do they have stabilizers?

 

If any of you have experienced seasickness on them, please share your insights. I always use Seabands and ginger capsules. We have fairly midship cabins.

Sailed toug the tail end of a cyclone and across Bass Strait on Pacific Princess (another of e Rs) yes it can roll a bit but they handle it well.

In some seas I think they are better than big ships as they can pitch less.

As a teenager, many years ago...1961...our family traveled to France from the UK aboard a 'passenger craft' (AKA converted tug). Getting to the mainland was easy as the Channel was very cooperative, 45 minute sail. Returning was a different story. 2 ½ hours of continuous pitching, yawing and diving into the seas. The lounge area was devastated with chairs, tables and dishes flying from port to starboard. Soon after leaving Calais the motion started and the passengers were all smiles. Within several minutes the looks turned to horror as the passengers followed the furniture in its travels. My sister and I, 11 & 14, were advised by a worker to go outboard and watch the horizon. We were hesitant at first because of the weather but as the first "Wretcher" was joined by others we went and stood on the foredeck, just below the pilot house. Barbara and I did get wet but we were of the very few who didn't get seasick.

The method of being in the open and keeping eyes on the horizon has served me well during a Naval career and on many a small boat in high seas. (On a side-trip to Skellig Michael Island the journey was rough. One of the women came outside and was headed for the rail. I struck up a conversation with her and kept on asking her questions to keep her talking. The diversion worked!)

Going below deck and not having a view of the horizon is not a good way to save off sea sickness. I'd strongly suggest by the pool, keep a view of the ocean have a good chat with a fellow passenger - to take your mind off the tossing. Going below and continuing to think about your dilemma will only hasten its consequences.

Just getting back to this after taking my first O cruise to Cuba.

 

On our first day we went through a storm and lots of wind. Breakfast went well, but soon after I felt quite nauseous, even with my Seabands on. Went back to the cabin (deck 6, between midship and aft) and laid down. Fell asleep for a couple hours, but still felt sick when I woke up. My friend felt fine because she wears the patch (I'm allergic to decongestants and antihistamines, sadly). She went to the buffet and they gave her a green apple and crackers. I ate them and started feeling a little better, but didn't really feel normal again until we docked in Havana at 4pm.

This was the first time I've gotten seasick since 1989. :(

Scopolamine patches are neither an antihistamine nor a decongestant. It is always a good idea to check with your doctor prior to sailing and decide what is best for you. We encountered 30 ft. seas sailing around Cape Horn on a 100 passenger ship. I had the patch and a wrist band, also added pfenergan (what the astronauts used) and/or regular dramamine. Worked fine for me but I did learn to never take the patch off quickly at the end of the trip, due to withdrawal effects. I leave it on for a few days and let it wear down.

Never had a problem in six sailings on the R ships-Regatta, Sirena and Nautica. Always chose an inside cabin with the bed "facing forward." Watching the seas go up and down through a window is a sure fire way to get sick. I also sit facing forward in the dining rooms and/or away from the windows.

Mary

Going below deck and not having a view of the horizon is not a good way to save off sea sickness. I'd strongly suggest by the pool, keep a view of the ocean have a good chat with a fellow passenger - to take your mind off the tossing. Going below and continuing to think about your dilemma will only hasten its consequences.

Actually, when I look out on the horizon I get more nauseous. Lying in bed is the only position that helps. Guess everyone's different.

Scopolamine patches are neither an antihistamine nor a decongestant.

 

"Scopolamine has about 92 per cent of the muscarinic blocking power of atropine and affects numerous systems in the body. The search for a similar drug that may have fewer side effect led to the discovery of diphenhydramine (Benadryl) in 1937, a drug which is about 65 per cent as strong as atropine and is the prototype of the ethanolamine antihistamines, which include phenyltoloxamine, doxylamine (Unisom), bromodiphenhydramine, orphenadrine and others; the group is also closely related to other non-tropane anticholinergics."

 

Drugs ending in "-mine" are antihistamines or in a similar family. Scopolamine shares similar side effects with antihistamines so is not appropriate to take if someone is allergic to antihistamines.

 

also added pfenergan

 

Phenergen (an antiemetic) has a strong sleep-inducing effect, so should not be taken when there is a need to stay awake and alert. Bedtime is the appropriate time to take this.

The best ways for me to avoid or lessen n/v in storms are non-medicinal, but unfortunately they are often less effective. But that hasn't stopped me from cruising yet! ;)