Wave Height Forecast

[Tres Gato]

I am leaving on a cruise out of FLL tomorrow with some friends, going to GC and Cozumel. I have been checking the wave height forecast for the Caribbean on weather underground and have noticed that it look like for the most part the seas will probably be @ 3-6 feet for the area, at least for the next 3 days. Being prone to seasickness I have started taking meclizine today and will put my patch on first thing in the morning so I should be fine. However this will be the first cruise for one of my friends and she is worried about getting sick (I think I freaked her out by telling her some of my stories of getting seasick - oops :o). I told her to start taking Bonine today just to be safe and to bring ginger pills because that helps some people. So I figured I would ask "the experts", my fellow CC'ers and much more experienced cruisers, are these seas normal for this area this time of year? I know you can never know for sure but should a ship like RC Navigator handle these seas with minimal rocking? I really think we'll all be fine but I told her I would ask anyway.

[firefly333]

I dont take anything until I start to feel seasick. I bring chewable bonine which goes to work immediately.

 

Why put all that in your system when you might not need it??

 

3 to 6 ft waves are flat, so I think starting your friend on meds early is a mistake. Most people on large ships dont get seasick in flat seas like that.

[Toto2Kansas]

With seasickness, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. It is always best to begin taking those meds before you need them. I have never heard of any seasick meds that work immediately, including Bonine. The only semi immediate relief is a shot from the Med center. (If you think meds worked immediately, you weren't seasick to begin with IMHO ;)) Once seasickness grabs you, it can take hours, even longer (after you take the meds) to rid yourself of this.

OP, I think you are wise to alert your friend to begin taking these meds before they board the ship. Enjoy your cruise!

[Keith1010]

You are right to prepare. You should not wait to be seasick to first take Bonine as it will not work properly.

 

We usually take it as soon as we board the ship but it's fine to take ahead of time.

 

Keith

[Hlitner]

3 to 6 foot is pretty calm seas. However, wave height has very little to do with the movement of really large ships. The main factor are what they call "long swells" which are difficult to predict with any accuracy. We think you are doing the right thing by going on Bonine (Meclizine Hcl) a day in advance. It's a terrific drug (its the one usually given out by the ships themselves). Most will agree that the best thing to do about the mal de mer is to take drugs in advance because its much easier to prevent then it is to cure.

 

Hank

[Dayenu]

Sorry, but Bonine/Meclizine won't help much taken in advance. 2-3 days before the cruise start taking ginger (100 capsules in Walgreens under $10) and if you know you will get sick, take Bonine on the ship.

 

Ginger is an herb, and as all herbs it works slowly, so it may be too late to take it if you are on the ship, and not feeling well.

 

Take ginger 2-3 days after the cruise to avoid "sea legs"

 

Do not combine patch with other medications unless advised by a doctor. Say "no" to ginger if you take blood thinners, or ask your doctor.

 

And by the way, did you know how to pick a cabin? Inside cabin makes sea sickness worse. Location should be in the lower middle part of the ship. Sweets and alcohol make sickness worse.

[Tres Gato]

I've talked to my doctor about combining meclizine and the patch and she said it was ok. I am fine with just the patch if I am not going on any tenders but it seems that I need the meclizine/patch combo to go on the tenders (or any small boat, for that matter). My friend wanted to try one of my patches but I told her to just take the Bonine because it should help her. I am just one of those people that needs the patch but I know that most people are probably fine taking one of the otc remedies. And I do have ginger pills as well. I am a walking medicine cabinet when it comes to seasickness remedies. :p

[Tres Gato]

3 to 6 foot is pretty calm seas. However, wave height has very little to do with the movement of really large ships. The main factor are what they call "long swells" which are difficult to predict with any accuracy. We think you are doing the right thing by going on Bonine (Meclizine Hcl) a day in advance. It's a terrific drug (its the one usually given out by the ships themselves). Most will agree that the best thing to do about the mal de mer is to take drugs in advance because its much easier to prevent then it is to cure.

 

Hank

 

I am familiar with the "long swells". I believe that was the problem I had on my cruise last year. My friend's brother is a fisherman and was on the ship with us. He said that the seas were @ 9-12ft but it was the swell length that was causing the ship to rock constantly.

I just saw that there is a low pressure disturbance near Puerto Rico - hoping that doesn't impact us in the Western Caribbean. And hoping that my friend has not seen that because then she may really get nervous about getting sick. :eek: