Is my kid gonna hate me?

[Floridiana]

If she didn't get sick on anything except that fishing boat, she will not get sick on a cruise ship ... unless you hit really rough seas. Follow your doctor's advice, but don't overmedicate just in case. The captain will announce rough seas and there will be time to take the meds.

 

I am highly sensitive and have survived on candied ginger on slightly rocking ships. If worst comes to worst, I take medication, preferably bought in Australia or France. The US bonine and dramamine knock me out.

[bar_20]

Being on a cruise ship is NOTHING like deep sea fishing....NOTHING AT ALL!

 

If it is really rough, yeah, you'll feel it, but it's a much slower motion than on even a 50 foot boat. No worries!

 

Also, the medical center on the ship has meds.....very effective. Do NOT put your worries onto your 12 year old....she'll be fine!

 

I agree cruise ships have stabilizers which help greatly in the motion of the ship. Unless you are cruising across the Atlantic Ocean or get caught in a hurricane you should be ok.

Now if I tell you whatever you do don't think about pink elephants. The first thing you think about are pink elephants. Same with motion sickness, I don't ever think about it. Don't mention it to your DD. You can take the pills with you but I would keep them out of her sight.

[flwrgirl4022]

I've been in an extreme forward cabin before, and definitely felt it. But I must say I am very prone to sea sickness. I didn't get sick because I always take bonine and use my sea bands. But that cabin was definitely rocking when the waves were larger. Other times we didn't feel it at all. This was on the Caribbean Princess. We had fun with it though and laughed, it was kind of like a fair ride sometimes.

 

Which brings me to a point. Someone mentioned pink elephants and the power of suggestion. When I was young and couldn't sleep my mother made me a "magic drink" handed down by my Grandmothers that was guaranteed to put me to sleep. And it did, every time. It was hot water, honey and a squirt of lemon. Yes, my mother basically made me hot sugar water, but because she assured me that this would magically do the trick ... it did.

 

If she's feeling ill, present whatever your "magic fix" you brought for her in the most positive light possible. "The doctor said this will fix you right up" , etc. The power of suggestion and a positive attitude go far in healing what ails you.

 

Finally, does your daughter like jewelry? If she's a dramatic 12 yr. old I wonder how she'd feel about the sea bands. Do you think she'll be self conscious, that everyone sees them. That they're "ugly?" I use wide stretchy bracelets to cover mine up. So you might want to take a preventive step if you think she'd find a way to make it an issue.

[Cuizer2]

I agree cruise ships have stabilizers which help greatly in the motion of the ship. Unless you are cruising across the Atlantic Ocean or get caught in a hurricane you should be ok.

Now if I tell you whatever you do don't think about pink elephants. The first thing you think about are pink elephants. Same with motion sickness, I don't ever think about it. Don't mention it to your DD. You can take the pills with you but I would keep them out of her sight.

 

I've been in an extreme forward cabin before, and definitely felt it. But I must say I am very prone to sea sickness. I didn't get sick because I always take bonine and use my sea bands. But that cabin was definitely rocking when the waves were larger. Other times we didn't feel it at all. This was on the Caribbean Princess. We had fun with it though and laughed, it was kind of like a fair ride sometimes.

 

Which brings me to a point. Someone mentioned pink elephants and the power of suggestion. When I was young and couldn't sleep my mother made me a "magic drink" handed down by my Grandmothers that was guaranteed to put me to sleep. And it did, every time. It was hot water, honey and a squirt of lemon. Yes, my mother basically made me hot sugar water, but because she assured me that this would magically do the trick ... it did.

 

If she's feeling ill, present whatever your "magic fix" you brought for her in the most positive light possible. "The doctor said this will fix you right up" , etc. The power of suggestion and a positive attitude go far in healing what ails you.

 

Finally, does your daughter like jewelry? If she's a dramatic 12 yr. old I wonder how she'd feel about the sea bands. Do you think she'll be self conscious, that everyone sees them. That they're "ugly?" I use wide stretchy bracelets to cover mine up. So you might want to take a preventive step if you think she'd find a way to make it an issue.

 

[Cruisin' Chick]

I think I would worry more about how she's going to pay you back for this when she grows up than anything else. Laughing at a child always comes back to bite you.

 

I also agree about this. What you think is funny can be serious to a preteen or teen girl. And I'm speaking from experience with a 17-year-old girl.

 

As far as motion sickness, she's never had that problem on any of her eight cruises, even on our Hawaiian cruises, which always seems to have rough seas at some point. She's like her dad as I'm the one who can't even read a map in a moving car. She was feeling nauseous last spring (around the time of the Advanced Placement exams) and her pediatrician recommended Benadryl.

 

Many people will tell you what works for them, but remember some of these remedies are more meant for adults, and even then, what works for one person, might not for another. So try out a few things the doctor suggested ahead of your cruise to see how they affect her.

 

As for cabin locale, those far forward ones will usually get the most motion. We did have a far forward one on our Alaskan cruise, but it was a very smooth cruise so I didn't have problems.

[Shore>Mom]

OMG guys! Thank you all for the replies. That being said, I urge you to understand the whimsy in which I posted. Yes DD was feeling ill. Yes it was the last day of flounder season. Was she vomiting. No. Is she a drama queen. Yes. As I asked in my post - don't judge me...you raise your kids. I'll raise mine. We giggle all the time about that day. Meanwhile she begged all summer to go out on Uncle Scott's boat...just not fishing LOL

[Danni3ll3]

If you decide to get sea bands, look on Etsy for decorative ones. I bought a few for my daughter and I and they look much better than the ones you get at Walmart. They also adjust easily with Velcro.

[Laughalot36]

I would definitely buy bonine because even if she doesn't get sea sick, there could be a chance of stomach discomfort typical on cruises. This can be used for both. Plus there is a stomach virus going around the East Coast and you never know when it will hit you or yours.

[Cuizer2]

I would definitely buy bonine because even if she doesn't get sea sick, there could be a chance of stomach discomfort typical on cruises. This can be used for both. Plus there is a stomach virus going around the East Coast and you never know when it will hit you or yours.

 

Bonine is not an antiviral. It will do nothing for a stomach virus. Bonine does not work after you feel sick. It is a preventative measure, not a cure.

[Aquahound]

So DD has only had motion sickness once in her lifetime. We were flounder fishing offshore and we were rocking and rolling on a small center console. She didn't vomit just foamed at the mouth a little and that made us laugh. It was the last day of flounder season so we couldn't take her in - don't judge me LOL. She is fine on car trips' date=' ferries, roller coasters etc. We are booked Lido forward cabin. Anyone have thoughts on exactly how bad we gonna rock on the Lido if we hit weather? I got a sea band and some bonine. Called her Dr. and he said just do benadryl or dramamine. I'm not even going to let her see the sea band etc. because this is one dramatic 12 yo. But thoughts on what to do if she is very uncomfortable. Thanks in advance any replies.[/quote']

 

I've spent quite a bit of time at sea in the USCG and otherwise. From experience, the best advice I can give you is, do not plant the idea in her head that she can get seasick! That's the worst thing you can do. There is a very big mental aspect to seasickness and if she thinks she is going to get sick, it's likely she will.

[SuiteTraveler]

So DD has only had motion sickness once in her lifetime. We were flounder fishing offshore and we were rocking and rolling on a small center console. She didn't vomit just foamed at the mouth a little and that made us laugh. It was the last day of flounder season so we couldn't take her in - don't judge me LOL. She is fine on car trips' date=' ferries, roller coasters etc. We are booked Lido forward cabin. Anyone have thoughts on exactly how bad we gonna rock on the Lido if we hit weather? I got a sea band and some bonine. Called her Dr. and he said just do benadryl or dramamine. I'm not even going to let her see the sea band etc. because this is one dramatic 12 yo. But thoughts on what to do if she is very uncomfortable. Thanks in advance any replies.[/quote']

 

1. If possible change to a more midship or aft cabin as forward cabins get the MOST motion of any on the ship.

 

2. If you must stay with the forward cabin, your daughter will be alright, even in rough seas when lying down. The problem will come when she is up walking around. If she gets sick, the trick will be to help her to stay lying down as much as possible and give her the seasickness medicine half an hour before she gets up - even help her to get dressed lying down. Then get midship as soon as possible - on an open deck, IF you are allowed to go on the open deck.

 

You don't say where you are sailing. If this is a Caribbean cruise, out of Florida or Puerto Rico, then you have little to worry about. If this is a cruise of the Med out of Barcelona - likely there will not be a problem. BUT if this is Alaska out of Seattle/Vancouver or the Med out of Southampton, then she may well have a problem.

 

If you encounter rough seas, likely the outside decks will be closed. In that case, get midship as quickly as possible and stay there all day. I normally don't get seasick, but in the Bay of Biscaye, we encountered such extremely rough seas, that I began to get really ill. Luckily I had my backup trans derm scops with me and I stopped bonnie and changed to the scop. Then we went midship for the day. It was, the most miserable day I have ever spent at sea, cooped up inside for the entire day having to hold on to my class and my plate at meals, struggling to walk on the ship with nothing to do but stay inside. Even the shows had to be flipped around and the comedian did a good job of entertaining us that night. I am grateful to him for taking my mind off the miserable situation we were in. The next day, we were in the Med and the seas were calm and it was as if the previous day hadn't happened. However, this situation was bad enough that I don't really ever want to cruise through the Bay of Biscaye again.

 

3. A trick that always works: If someone is seasick, have them lie down and put either a cold unopened can of soda pop or a bag of ice on the front of their neck. This will calm the feeling of needing to vomit long enough for the anti-seasickness medication to begin to take effect.

 

4. To prevent seasickness, begin the anti-nausea medicine on the morning of the cruise before you have even boarded.

 

5. If all else fails, go visit the ship's doctor - he can give your daughter a shot to help her, if necessary.

[Crew News]

I use sea bands for the first evening until my body and brain get acclimated to the ships movement. When I awaken on the next day, my seabands move to my pocket with my ginger gum for potential rough seas.