Transatlantic cruise rough?

[Ykcin]

I am booked on Oceania In Nov from Barcelona to Miami. I am prone to sea sickness when seas are rough. I use the patch, but will still get queasy if seas are very rough. We have a penthouse on deck 10 mid ship. What are your thoughts? Are seas rough TA crossings usually?

[DOJO466]

I am booked on Oceania In Nov from Barcelona to Miami. I am prone to sea sickness when seas are rough. I use the patch, but will still get queasy if seas are very rough. We have a penthouse on deck 10 mid ship. What are your thoughts? Are seas rough TA crossings usually?

 

Our T/A was a lot smoother than our recent Caribbean sailings. You are in a good location.

[KirkNC]

Maybe maybe not, no way to tell ahead of time. Remember that November is still hurricane season.

[sitraveler]

We've done many trans-atlantics. Up to now, very smooth each time.

 

Agree that the Caribbean has been the worst, then 1 day in the Med.

Next month we're booking the 2014 Barcelona to Miami.

[TKS]

TA we took in November was fine except the day approaching Straits of Gibralter, when we say waves crashing into the Marina and splashing as high as our Deck 10 cabin. I'm not normally given to mal de mer, but did suffer a little that day. The rest of the trip was smooth as glass, though. So be prepared!

[Mura]

We've done several TAs and have encountered both! Smooth sailing was more common than rough sailing, however, except for a December crossing on the QE2 some years ago. That was very rough for the first few days. Amazing how it got much smoother once I went to the doctor and got a shot for the mal de mer!

 

Mura

[doubledobles]

We have done a transatlantic every year for 10 years on Oceania and although we love them for the relaxation, there is usually a period as the ship enters the Atlantic Ocean that it is rough for a day. After that, it is smooth sailing.

[ksps cruise fan]

I am booked on Oceania In Nov from Barcelona to Miami. I am prone to sea sickness when seas are rough. I use the patch, but will still get queasy if seas are very rough. We have a penthouse on deck 10 mid ship. What are your thoughts? Are seas rough TA crossings usually?

 

We used to travel on the penthouse deck our first three Oceania cruises, and we loved everything about those accommodations. However, I would get stay-in-bed seasick one day on every cruise even in sheltered Caribbean waters.

 

When we booked an Asian cruise that would take us through the Strait of Taiwan, one of the roughest bodies of water in the world, my husband insisted we give up the pleasures of a penthouse for midships Deck Seven. Good move! The ship ran into rough seas twice. While lots of people were troubled by seasickness, I did just fine hanging out most of the time in the public spaces on deck Five (Nautica). We've never gone back to a penthouse.

[ebobh]

As Lord Byron wrote...

"Roll on, deep and dark blue ocean, roll. Ten thousand fleets sweep over thee in vain. Man marks the earth with ruin, but his control stops with the shore."

 

As others have noted, the sea can be as smooth as glass, or messy beyond imagination. November is usually not as bad as October (end of the hurricane season) or January's winter storms. Hurricanes generally start near the Azores and move west to the Caribbean or the Americas, and a track from Barcelona to Miami does cross through the southern end of a persistent turbulence zone (the one that stretches from the Arctic across the east end of Canada and out to sea). You'll know a couple weeks ahead of time if you check turbulence forecasts (both marine and aviation) but not before.

 

If you're on the Marina or Riviera, most all wave turbulence is pretty muted unless you get a Sandy-like storm (you seem to be in one or the other since you note a 10th level cabin?). Midship back is usually better than closer to the bow, but if the ocean rolls, it reminds us how small and insignificant we really are once we cross the shoreline.

 

Counterintuitively, it is also better to be where you can see the ocean's waves instead of being in a darkened room; it allows your brain to anticipate the movement instead of it being a continual surprise. As possible, stay in fresh air and be where you can see the horizon. You also want to avoid reading or other near-focus activity if you feel queasy; also avoid staring into binoculars for lengths of time. Lastly, stay hydrated (7-Up or coke works well to settle the stomach in these instances). If you want to avoid meds, eat ginger (candied) as an alternative. The medical proof it works is not strong, but in personal experience, almost anyone who does has relief from their symptoms.

 

Finally, enjoy the ride; you are safe in a ship that size in storms much larger and violent than anything Oceania will experience.

 

Best Regards, Bob H

[Paulchili]

As Lord Byron wrote...

"Roll on, deep and dark blue ocean, roll. Ten thousand fleets sweep over thee in vain. Man marks the earth with ruin, but his control stops with the shore."

 

As others have noted, the sea can be as smooth as glass, or messy beyond imagination. November is usually not as bad as October (end of the hurricane season) or January's winter storms. Hurricanes generally start near the Azores and move west to the Caribbean or the Americas, and a track from Barcelona to Miami does cross through the southern end of a persistent turbulence zone (the one that stretches from the Arctic across the east end of Canada and out to sea). You'll know a couple weeks ahead of time if you check turbulence forecasts (both marine and aviation) but not before.

 

If you're on the Marina or Riviera, most all wave turbulence is pretty muted unless you get a Sandy-like storm (you seem to be in one or the other since you note a 10th level cabin?). Midship back is usually better than closer to the bow, but if the ocean rolls, it reminds us how small and insignificant we really are once we cross the shoreline.

 

Counterintuitively, it is also better to be where you can see the ocean's waves instead of being in a darkened room; it allows your brain to anticipate the movement instead of it being a continual surprise. As possible, stay in fresh air and be where you can see the horizon. You also want to avoid reading or other near-focus activity if you feel queasy; also avoid staring into binoculars for lengths of time. Lastly, stay hydrated (7-Up or coke works well to settle the stomach in these instances). If you want to avoid meds, eat ginger (candied) as an alternative. The medical proof it works is not strong, but in personal experience, almost anyone who does has relief from their symptoms.

 

Finally, enjoy the ride; you are safe in a ship that size in storms much larger and violent than anything Oceania will experience.

 

Best Regards, Bob H

 

All very sound advice!

[Andromeda93]

For non-drowsy remedy for seasickness, DH and I have had good luck w/ ginger capsules. I had read the 'Mythbusters' TV show did an episode examining various non-prescription seasickness remedies (wrist bands, ginger capsules, I forget the others). The ginger was the only thing that worked in their experiment. NYT also reported on ginger for motion sickness several years ago: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/21/health/21real.html?_r=0

 

Rather than eat ginger candy, we use powdered ginger in capsule form, purchased at a reputable health food store. Get it a month or less before traveling; fresh capsules seem to work best. You take them like vitamins but more frequently. We even take it before flying to our embarkation port, so it helps w/ flight nausea. Dosage recommendations can be found online as it's also used for chemo nausea and morning sickness. I think we take 2 capsules 2-3 times per day if it's steadily rough. We combined it with 'drowsy' Dramamine at night to help us sleep on the ship when it rolled. That combo did the trick when it got rough in the Med (which surprised us; I thought it would always be calm there).

 

N.B. I have read ginger can have a mild anti-clotting effect; anyone taking blood thinner meds should consult a doctor before using ginger.

[wripro]

Remember that you are on a repositioning cruise, not a true crossing like the liners used to make in the good old days. Therefore you will be taking a much more southerly route where the seas are calmer and the temperature milder than in the North Atlantic. That is why the poster who travelled on the QE2 in December had such rough seas, it was a winter crossing across the North Atlantic.

[KirkNC]

Remember that you are on a repositioning cruise, not a true crossing like the liners used to make in the good old days. Therefore you will be taking a much more southerly route where the seas are calmer and the temperature milder than in the North Atlantic. That is why the poster who travelled on the QE2 in December had such rough seas, it was a winter crossing across the North Atlantic.

 

Unless there is a hurricane :eek:.

[Hawaiidan]

Any ocean in the world can be a lake or a washing machine. It all depends, I have done Cape Horn and Drakes... a lake once and a typhoon another, Bering sea, Tasman Sea, South Atlantic, South Pacific.

Everything is subject to the whim or weather and that is always changing.

 

Too, "rough" is like food, very subjective. My calm may be your severe ...

 

I am afraid its the luck of the draw. However, to some degree, you can predict the potential by consulting " Sailing Routes of the World" and a pilot chart for the region. ( sort of a farmers almanac of the sea). This is available from NOAA and nautical supply stores ( good reading as it covers every ocean passage in every month historical

 

Now as others and Archimedes have noted the higher you are on the ship the worse the ride. ( its a big lever) and Deck 7 will always be more comfortable that any higher deck. Too facing forward and having the wind in your face will help. Its simple physics and mental attitude.

 

I cant totally agree with being in an inside cabin because in heavy weather in the navy the best place was the deck grates in the engine/fire room... and in sailing boats the deck/floor of the dining area...was the primo place.

[Andromeda93]

Too, "rough" is like food, very subjective. My calm may be your severe ...

 

I am afraid its the luck of the draw. However, to some degree, you can predict the potential by consulting " Sailing Routes of the World" and a pilot chart for the region. ( sort of a farmers almanac of the sea).

 

Too true, on our same sailing the 'Indefatigable Mura' (as someone in our Roll Call anointed her) wasn't bothered at all by one or two rough patches in the Med, while we really noticed it.

 

I've also enjoyed the images and data at http://www.oceanweather.com/data/ Someone posted this link on CC last year. We used it to get an idea of how rough the North Atlantic crossings would be in the late spring and early summer. I enjoy looking at it on occasion and thinking about what's happening in those far flung oceans. Colors on the wave height graphic maps are not real-time, but seem to be updated multiple times per day.

[Miata6]

i am booked on oceania in nov from barcelona to miami. I am prone to sea sickness when seas are rough. I use the patch, but will still get queasy if seas are very rough. We have a penthouse on deck 10 mid ship. What are your thoughts? Are seas rough ta crossings usually?

 

 

 

 

Two days out from Bermuda headed West.

[Keith1010]

You just never know.

 

Best to prepare for the chance of rough seas by bringing something to aid you should you easily get sea sick.

 

Keith

[fairbourne]

I am booked on Oceania In Nov from Barcelona to Miami. I am prone to sea sickness when seas are rough. I use the patch, but will still get queasy if seas are very rough. We have a penthouse on deck 10 mid ship. What are your thoughts? Are seas rough TA crossings usually?

 

We are on the crossing with you! We have done a couple of TAs - one much further north which was as someone else said a little bit bouncy coming into the Atlantic from Ireland. We also did a more southerly crossing in November, along much the same routing as we will be doing in November and it was mainly plain sailing all the way apart from one night when we were just coming into the Atlantic, but really nothing to worry about. On the first TA, Our butler gave me ginger beer and dry biscuits telling me "you eat dry biscuits just like you do when you're having a baby!" ;):D So I made sure we always had crackers and ginger beer available! Apparently apples are good as well.

 

I wore the bands on the first TA, and took seasick pills as well, but the second one I managed with just my bands and only then for a couple of days, and I am not a great sailor at all! I also found, as has been advised, fresh air, seeing the horizon and keeping busy with all the lovely things on board, helped enormously!

 

Who knows what it will be like, but remember the cruise ships do also sail along at much less speed than the ocean liners!

 

Have you joined our merry band on the roll call? :)

[cruisecountess]

While crossing the Tasman Sea in Feb., 2012, conditions were quite rough. Our friend had trouble dealing with it and arrived at dinner at Terraces (Tapas) looking quite off. She asked for some ginger but was told by the maitre'd to eat a green apple instead. He said in all his years being at sea, this is the only remedy that works for him. He brought her one and it worked for ner as well, and rather quickly too.

Harriet

[Paulchili]

Sea sickness is an extremely uncomcorfortable condition - I have been there.

Personally, I do not take any chances as I do not wish any repeats. I use Bonine that works very well for me without any side effects. Even if there was a little drowsiness - that is a whole lot better than sea sickness (and you don't have to "drive" the ship :D). The patches worked as well but I had trouble reading due to dilation of pupils (known side effect).

Personally, I would not like to test to see if bands, ginger or green apples worked for me - too much at risk if they don't. I go with something that was specifically designed for this (and we are not talking heavy duty drugs here:))

YMMV

[DOJO466]

Sea sickness is an extremely uncomcorfortable condition - I have been there.

Personally, I do not take any chances as I do not wish any repeats. I use Bonine that works very well for me without any side effects. Even if there was a little drowsiness - that is a whole lot better than sea sickness (and you don't have to "drive" the ship :D). The patches worked as well but I had trouble reading due to dilation of pupils (known side effect).

Personally, I would not like to test to see if bands, ginger or green apples worked for me - too much at risk if they don't. I go with something that was specifically designed for this (and we are not talking heavy duty drugs here:))

YMMV

I too have had success with Bonine and take it the minute I start to feel a little bit queasy. It has very little side effect for me.

[LuAnn]

I too have had success with Bonine and take it the minute I start to feel a little bit queasy. It has very little side effect for me.

 

So happy that your area of the world can rest a little bit easier today!!! LuAnn

[DOJO466]

So happy that your area of the world can rest a little bit easier today!!! LuAnn

Just so all of you know......don't mess with Boston..thank you for your thoughts:)

[Blaaamo]

We've done several TAs and have encountered both! Smooth sailing was more common than rough sailing, however, except for a December crossing on the QE2 some years ago. That was very rough for the first few days. Amazing how it got much smoother once I went to the doctor and got a shot for the mal de mer!

 

Mura

 

Please tell me what the shot was for sea sickness, I beg you!

[Paulchili]

Please tell me what the shot was for sea sickness, I beg you!

 

Morphine? Makes everything better and fast :D