Are aft cabins good for people prone to motion sickness?

We are in the very early stages of planning a cruise to Alaska for September 2010. Have pretty much decided on NCL Pearl due to Freestyle atmosphere. I've been doing my research on these boards and learned that the Aft Suites, (we are looking at room # 9670 or 9170) are quiet, far away from elevators, etc... and we should book now and keep checking for lower prices. One question - this is our first cruise and I am very prone to motion sickness. Are these cabins a good location on the ship for less rocking or does it not matter where you are? Would hate to spend the whole trip in the room on dramamine! Thanks!

Best location for seasickness is midship on a lower deck. Think about the motion of a seesaw, the ends receive the greatest motion.

However since you are doing the inside passage, which is largely a big river, there shouldn't be excess motion for most of your cruise days. However the beginning and end of your cruise can have some heavier sea days.

Instead of Dramamine, I would suggest using Bonine. It's available over the counter, has fewer side effects then Dramamine, and seems to work better for many people.

I agree with what the other poster has written, however I have to tell you that we stricktly sail in the Aft (except our next Alaskan cruise where we will be Forward), and we always find when there is rough motion on the ship, although there will be motion Aft, it is never rough, but usually much more gentle for some reason. My partner will get sea sick from time to time and always gets better when we go back to our Aft cabin.

The only example I can say that I had an issue being Aft was when we sailed on the Sun. Yes, our cabin was Aft, but I didn't have any issues there. It was when we were having dinner in Teppanyaki. I don't know if it was the chairs they use there, how crowded we were.. I really couldn't tell you, but I had to hold onto the table the entire meal to keep from literally falling over. It was on deck 12 or something like that and our cabin was on deck 10. Don't know how two decks could make that much difference, but I was glad to be done with dinner, I can tell you that.

They say low and center. We do not have any sea sickness going on in our family, so I can't help out. I did not notice that much more motion in the back of the ship though. Good luck on whatever you decide.

I see a lot of people wearing those wrist bands and the patch behind the ear. They must work a little.

DH and I much prefer the aft balcony cabins but neither of us suffers at all with motion sickness. The best place on the ship for the smoothest ride is mid ship and the lowest deck.

I will say that we loved our aft balcony, but except for when we were in port I was pretty miserable with motion sickness. Sleeping at night was great, the rocking really soothing, but during the awake times, especially trying to get ready for dinner made it a problem for me. I am not prone to motion sickness, but the aft was not my friend:o

Everyone reacts differently to motion and it is impossible to know how you will be based on the experience of other travelers. I did not enjoy my experience in an aft cabin (RCL Rhapsody) because there was constant vibration, even when the ship was not moving. Plus there was an lot of soot and debris (mainly cigarette butts) on the balcony; chairs had to be wiped off daily.

A ship is not like a see-saw. The stern, having much more weight, does not pitch up and down as much as the bow will. While not as calm as a lower cabin midships, we have not found the aft facing cabins excessively uncomfortable and the view is more than worth it.

It's funny = everyone says mid ship and lower deck is safest as regards sea sickness. Yet the best suites aren't there !!!!

The modern sea sick pills are excellent - just make sure you have one at the VERY first sign of trouble. They don't cause drowsiness and you can enjoy dinner and walking about with no problem.

Don't risk ruining things by trying to be brave and strong - use medication. They work like magic.

From another VERY prone to motion sickness person, congratulations on thinking this through. Lower decks are definitely better and it always annoys me that the shhips continue to put their best cabins on higher decks! While aft may be okay for most purposes, we were on an Alaskan cruise with some rough waters for several hours (where the ship was not 'protected' by land on both sides, so you still might consider mid-ship. I, too, am a fan of Bonine and find that it works best if you begin taking it before you board the ship and just keep taking the recommended dosage throughout the cruise, even if you think you're going to be okay. I also have one of the Wrist Relief devices that gives you a little electrical shock; believe it or not, it really does help, and I use it when we're on land tours if there are winding, twisting roads. I finally got brave enough to try the scopolamine patch (prescription from your doc) on this past cruise and was delighted that I had absolutely no side effects; the waters were smooth, however, so don't know how effective it will be in rough seas, but I sure will give it a try. Finally, ginger gum is available in most drug stores and is a really good aid; if you're feeling a little quesy, it's just the thing. I've shared it with lots of fellow-travelers. Good luck!

I suffer from not only seasickness at times (usually just on small craft), but I also have issues with vertigo from time to time as something happened to my left inner ear two years ago which leaves me feeling lightheaded much of the time. I have adjusted somewhat with treatment. That said, I didn't have an issue with the aft even with my problems. It's a million dollar view for me and so worth the chance! I take meds and sea bands with me just in case. I know many say that the sea bands don't work for them, but I used them after my episode with the vertigo, because I actually felt like I was on a ship for about a month and they really helped me. I always feel like a zombie on the medication.:eek:

Thank you all for your responses! Since we want the extra room of a suite, I think we will go for the aft cabin.... And I will stock up on Bonine and ginger gum and ask our doctor for the patches before we leave home!

I have always sailed mid-ship on Deck 11 until this past February when we were upsold to a AE Penthouse Suite on Deck 8 of the Pearl. I was very nervous about the AFT location, since I don't react well to motion, BUT I was not going to pass up the opportunity to be in a suite!!!

We absolutely loved the location and had no problems. If you do begin to feel uneasy just look out of the glass door, or as I do - go out on the balcony and look out at the horizon. It works like a charm for me. On our first cruise on the Dawn we were in 30 Ft. seas with gale force winds and that balcony and the horizon were my saving grace.

Enjoy your cruise on the Pearl, she is a beautiful ship with an awesome crew. I am booked for 9670 on her in 2011. After your cruise don't forget to come back here and tell us how you liked it.

Thank you all for your responses! Since we want the extra room of a suite, I think we will go for the aft cabin.... And I will stock up on Bonine and ginger gum and ask our doctor for the patches before we leave home!

Do Not use both Bonine and the patch. It's either one or the other. Which ever you choose to use, start taking it/wearing it the day before you board the ship. The good thing with Bonine is that it will not make you drowsy.

Do Not use both Bonine and the patch. It's either one or the other. Which ever you choose to use, start taking it/wearing it the day before you board the ship. The good thing with Bonine is that it will not make you drowsy.

I wrote on another thread about the patches...my personal experience with Scopolamine is to avoid using them if at all possible...and maddycat is right....definitely pick only one medicine or the ginger. The Seabands won't hurt you. Wait to see how it goes because you might not have any issues at all. On our third cruise, we had to leave GSC because the sea was so rough. Never felt the motion on the Leeward at all! (I LOVED that ship!)

My wife get's motion sickness very easily.

That said, we have sailed 24 times and she has had sea/miotion sickness only once when we had an inside cabin.

We sail in aft facing cabins almost exclusively (well at tleast the last 6 or 7 cruises) as we love the position and view.

Thank you all for your responses! Since we want the extra room of a suite, I think we will go for the aft cabin.... And I will stock up on Bonine and ginger gum and ask our doctor for the patches before we leave home!

Don't mix the patch and Bonine (non-drowsy Dramamine is the same stuff).

The patch is stonger but will likely give you more "dry mouth" feeling than Bonine. Bonine is much cheaper.

I get motion sickness very easily......never had a problem with the aft cabin we had on Carnival Legend. I use the "Sea Bands" and I take ginger tablets the night before sailing and for about 2 or 3 days to see how things go....usually do not have to take any after that. But, I do keep the "sea bands" on just about the whole cruise.

I knew not to mix the patch and the Bonine - just figured I'd have both on hand in case the Bonine didn't work, I'd try the patch. But, I'd much rather try the sea bands and ginger -- where do you get the Sea Bands - I assume in the drug store near where the Bonine would be? Thanks for all the help! This will be our first cruise so don't want to take any chances on not having a good time!

I knew not to mix the patch and the Bonine - just figured I'd have both on hand in case the Bonine didn't work, I'd try the patch. But, I'd much rather try the sea bands and ginger -- where do you get the Sea Bands - I assume in the drug store near where the Bonine would be? Thanks for all the help! This will be our first cruise so don't want to take any chances on not having a good time!

You can purchase the "sea bands" at your local drug store or a Kmart or Target might have them in their drug department. The ginger tablets you can get at any health food store.

I only experienced bad sea sickness "once" 20 years ago during a huge storm...I woke up sick as a dog. I went to the on board medical facility and they gave me a shot and I was completely better before I even got back to my cabin. The shot lasted the entire cruise....not sure what was in it. LOL

Enjoy your cruise...the newer ships are much more stable.

I knew not to mix the patch and the Bonine - just figured I'd have both on hand in case the Bonine didn't work, I'd try the patch. But, I'd much rather try the sea bands and ginger -- where do you get the Sea Bands - I assume in the drug store near where the Bonine would be? Thanks for all the help! This will be our first cruise so don't want to take any chances on not having a good time!

I got mine from Wally World. I believe most of the major drug stores, Target or a local travel store probably have them as well. You may have to ask where they are because I don't believe I saw them around the Bonine.

A friend we travel with always wore the patch on cruises and after one cruise she became very ill after we got home and she removed her patch and hasn't worn one since. Another friend asked for prescription and Dr said that there were so many side effects that he is against using them.

Take Bonine starting the day before the cruise if you think you might get seasick. If the sea is rough stay away from the front of the ship. Once I decided that maybe I could hold down a cup of tea until we went up to the buffet...whoa!

The good days make up for any bad ones and any day on a cruise is better than working! :D