I get sea sick and my daughter wants to go on a cruise. Which one would be best?

[NumnuT]

Gday Guys,

 

Do you remember Andrew Ettingshausen who played league for the Sharks & now has a fishing show called Escape with ET?

 

ET in conjunction with a compounding chemist make up his own formula to stop seasickness.

 

google ET seasick tablets.

 

I have been using them for years never been sick since taking them.

 

$20 for 10 tablets, they deliver too.

 

I wish I had shares in them...:)

 

Cheers

Craig

[OzKiwiJJ]

Every time that I know a doctor has prescribed or recommended something for seasickness, it is Stemetil. As I mentioned in an earlier post, Stemetil will stop you from throwing up but it will not stop you from feeling terribly ill. You will be just wishing you could throw up to get some relief. :D Don't take it. :D

 

We've never had any problems with Stemetil. Even with quite "interesting" seas crossing the Tasman we had no nausea at all, and DH is very prone to seasickness. We find it very effective.

 

Are you sure you didn't have an atypical reaction to it? Or perhaps you weren't actually suffering from seasicknesd but a gastro bug - and Stemetil would not be advisable in that case.

[Aus Traveller]

We've never had any problems with Stemetil. Even with quite "interesting" seas crossing the Tasman we had no nausea at all, and DH is very prone to seasickness. We find it very effective.

 

Are you sure you didn't have an atypical reaction to it? Or perhaps you weren't actually suffering from seasicknesd but a gastro bug - and Stemetil would not be advisable in that case.

Definitely seasickness because it only lasted for several hours.:) I don't know if I had an atypical reaction. All I know is that the Stemetil did not make me feel any better at all.:(

 

I will continue with my Avomine or I might try the Bonine I have as a back-up. :)

[OnTheJourney]

I am surprised that very little mention was made about wearing sea bands. I am very prone to motion sickness and yet enjoy cruising. To be quite honest, I hate all those types of medicines that make you drowsy. For me, even in pretty rough water, the sea bands are all I really need. I have used bonine on trips already, and didn't care for it since then I feel like I have to push myself to keep going on activities, etc.

 

All that being said, I am booked on a cruise to Antarctica and so am thinking that depending on how things are in the Drake Passage, I may well use dramamine along with the sea bands. There is also an excellent product called Divertigo. It is a mixture of essential oils that gets placed behind the ear. I am prone to otoconia attacks and it really helps to prevent nausea and vomiting, etc.

 

Don't rely solely on advice about there being relatively little motion just because you are on a big ship. The level of motion for the most part - especially in calmer waters - is certainly nothing like on a small boat, but don't be deceived by this. For many people - including me - the more gentle motion of the ship - the subtle yet perceptible pitching and rolling - is what can make me sick if I don't prepare myself for it. I don't take any chances. My wrist bands are on all the time whenever the ship is moving. I grew up in a family that went power boating nearly every vacation, and that sort of motion on a smaller boat never bothered me, even when lake water had white caps and the boat was really rocking. But the more subtle motion encountered on a cruise ship is, for me, far worse. Before my first cruise, other family members who had cruised told me.."you don't even know you're on a ship...."...IMHO this is simply not true. Except for being in port, I am constantly aware of the motion of the ship, even in the Caribbean although that is probably some of the calmest water around. I might advise caution about attending shows in the ship theater. Since most of the theaters I have been in are all the way forward (but I suppose they could be aft as well), there is much more motion encountered. Definitely be prepared for that. I have had to leave shows only once or twice and go back to my room, but not often. Again...in the theater, for me, I can't see the waterline and so it presents more of a problem.

 

Also, I agree totally about the mid-ship location being better, and probably a lower deck is a good idea too. But since I never cruise without at least a verandah room, I wind up on a higher deck anyway. I need to see the horizon and water since I think that helps my brain to reconcile what I'm feeling with what is actually going on. I don't think I'd fare very well in, for instance, an inside room where I can't see what's happening outside. I love having a balcony for that reason.

 

Anyway, don't let it stop you from going. If you follow all the advice you're getting here, you'll be fine.

 

Regards and bon voyage...

Keith

Edited January 12, 2016 by three4rd

[NumnuT]

the problem i found with the sea bands is that every time you look at them on your wrists, it makes you think about getting seasick!!

 

I took one tablet on the first day of our last cruise on Radiance, was nice & smooth sailing so didnt take any more.

 

Craig

Edited January 12, 2016 by NumnuT

[MicCanberra]

And yet for me the sea band works as it reminds me that I will not get sick.:D

[OzKiwiJJ]

Definitely seasickness because it only lasted for several hours.:) I don't know if I had an atypical reaction. All I know is that the Stemetil did not make me feel any better at all.:(

 

I will continue with my Avomine or I might try the Bonine I have as a back-up. :)

 

It sounds like you did have an atypical reaction as the Stemetil should have stopped the nausea. Did you start taking it before you felt sick or after?

[OnTheJourney]

And yet for me the sea band works as it reminds me that I will not get sick.:D

 

 

LOL! I think I have to agree with this moreso than the idea that looking at the sea bands reminds one of the potential for seasickness, etc. I hadn't thought of that! I just don't like using those meds. I've found that what is often labeled as a "non-drowsy" formula winds up being just the opposite.

[OnTheJourney]

It sounds like you did have an atypical reaction as the Stemetil should have stopped the nausea. Did you start taking it before you felt sick or after?

 

Buy the little bottle of Divertigo...I'll bet that you will NOT get nausea. If it works for otoconia attacks, I'll bet it would work on a cruise ship also. I never travel anywhere without it.

[GUT2407]

An issue here is what triggers your sea sickness, whilst for some it is the actual motion for others it is as much about the visual stimuli.

 

For the later group a low deck can be a problem, as the waves look bigger and the horizon appears to move more.

 

There is also an issue about your troubles being caused by pitching or rolling..

 

However I think everyone agrees mid ship's a better position fore the worst

[Aus Traveller]

It sounds like you did have an atypical reaction as the Stemetil should have stopped the nausea. Did you start taking it before you felt sick or after?

I started the Stemetil after I started feeling sick. This happened on our first cruise in 1983. :)

 

I was impressed with Avomine in that it is supposed to be taken as a preventative, but the first time I took it (6-7 years ago), I was very sick at the time and it still worked.

[Thorpe]

Stemetil also worked well for my daughter , she also found being on the pool deck and open air much better than low and aft in some of the public areas. She gets sick on dolphin watching, and winding car trips if that helps on what makes her feel seasick.

The only time from Sydney to London that she didn't take the Stemetil was in the Mediterranean.

Have a great cruise which ever you pick

[Aus Traveller]

Although I have been mentioning remedies for seasickness, when my daughter was going on a cruise and wanted to "borrow" my packet of Avomine for her fiance, she asked me how many I would usually take during a cruise. My answer was "none". :)

 

We cruise several times a year and I only occasionally have to take one and that is as a preventative. The last time I was sick was returning to the ship from Port Douglas where the waves were surging over the roof of the big catamaran we were in. :(

[OzKiwiJJ]

I started the Stemetil after I started feeling sick. This happened on our first cruise in 1983. :)

 

 

Odd that it still didn't work. We had a bad tender trip back to the ship at Geraldton which was the first port on the Top End cruise we did last August. We'd taken a Stemetil the night before, just in case, but forgot to take one that morning. We both arrived back on the ship feeling nauseous, DH particularly so. We took another Stemetil and I felt fine after about a hour and went off to do our laundry (we'd been in Perth a few days before the cruise without doing laundry). DH had a snooze and felt fine by early evening.

[celle]

Mrs Gut won't take anything that makes her drowsy.

 

I think she worries about what the Gutster will get up to while she's out to it:eek:.

 

While I'm usually first to suggest asking a Dr about medical issues, many o them have little if any experience with sea sickness.

 

I'd rather be drowsy than sick!

 

While doctors may not have experienced sea sickness them selves, they have plenty of experience of prescribing drugs that prevent nausea, vomiting, adn vertigo.

[Aus Traveller]

I'd rather be drowsy than sick!

 

While doctors may not have experienced sea sickness them selves, they have plenty of experience of prescribing drugs that prevent nausea, vomiting, adn vertigo.

Having been seasick several times and had nausea from a bad reaction to an anaesthetic, from Noro and also from vertigo, I feel seasickness is different from the other causes of nausea. That is why I feel the different treatment is more effective (for me anyway:D).

[whimsy7]

was not keen on cruising as I knew that I would be feeling queasy/sea sick etc.

the first day of sailing is usually not too comfortable for me.

I take Kwells (over the counter meds) for preventative measure for the first two days.

by second sea day, all is well and I then start to really enjoy the cruise.

as you can see, we're up to 6 cruises now and counting....

yes, mid ship location for your cabin and not too high is also good advice.

did the Alaskan cruise from Vancouver (Inside Passage) - calm waters, no seasickness at all.

I think that one secret is to walk like a drunk...like the men do.....follow the sway of the ship and you'll not feel so sea sick.

by the end of a cruise, I'm wobbling all over as I walk (and not from any alcohol).......

go on that cruise...and enjoy

[Nelie]

Wow its interesting to hear different opinions.

 

I had heard that the Caribbean was some of the roughest seas. Apparently not. God to know.

 

My mum was a bit iffy on cruising. We had plans to do Alaska but as she was so apprehensive we did our first cruise close to home “in case” anything happened and we needed to fly home. We did the South Pacific and my mum was feeling nauseous the whole time. She still had a good time but was taking a few extra naps and laying down a bit. Never threw up thankfully. Ginger ale on the ship and being careful what she ate. I think it may have been nerves. Although on our previous trip the year before to the USA she was nervous and then was sick on the plane. So as she was sick I was living it up at night partying and drinking, thinking we weren’t going to Alaska now. That and we didn’t do as much during the day as she wasn’t 100% . Well two months after we got back mum was like sooooooo when are we going to Alaska.

So the year later we went back and did Alaska. No troubles at all!!!! I had read on this thread that the waters were quite rough. Never experienced that. so smooth.

 

So mmm its hard.

 

My first cruise was with NCL and around Hawaiian islands. I think this was a great first cruise. There are no sea days I think the most amount of cruising was leaving a port at like 3 or 4pm to do some scenic cruising. So limited day time cruising.

 

If sticking close to Australia maybe look at one of those 3 day cruises Syd to Mel or Mel to Adl if you are concerned about how you will go.

[Hawka]

We have teenage kids, have been on 3 carnival cruise's and can recommend Carnival, we had a great time on all 3 and going again in a couple of months.

 

The ship has very little movement unless the seas are very rough and the movement would be very different and far less than a whale watching boat.

 

i agree it is a different feel to a small boat

[mrs and mrs]

An issue here is what triggers your sea sickness, whilst for some it is the actual motion for others it is as much about the visual stimuli.

 

For the later group a low deck can be a problem, as the waves look bigger and the horizon appears to move more.

 

There is also an issue about your troubles being caused by pitching or rolling..

 

However I think everyone agrees mid ship's a better position fore the worst

 

Mr Gut again comes up with the best solution,VISUAL STIMULI,is very important.Please do not do a trip to nz,you are virtually guaranteed a rough passage,a trip to the south pacific would be much better.Even during cyclone season,the reason is its the length between the swells,not the intensity or height.The tasman always throws up rough choppy swells.Do all the usual treatments,take a small bag of crystallised ginger,but the most important thing if you are seasick is,keep eating,carry around some seasick bags,and use them if needed and most important don't feel embarrassed,just enjoy.

[Sugarlift]

I tend to get seasick on smaller boats so was very apprehensive when I went on my first cruise 3 years ago- I had taken Avomine before for travel sickness and took some with me on the ship.

Had one tablet of a night and was completely fine! Even on one particularly rough sea day when the ship was rocking and rolling! So you bet that's what I'm going to be doing for this next cruise in June :)

[Tigerlily75]

I'm not a big fan of being medicated as I'm very sensitive to side effects, drowsiness, etc. I used sea bands on my wrist and took ginger tablets.

 

I swear by the sea bands. I felt a little woozy that first day on Carnival Spirit, put them on, and never felt sick again.

[Smithster]

If you are worried you will be sea sick the bigger the ship the better. RCCL Oasis or Allure. You have to look over the side of ship to believe your on water.

 

I am not fond of the "patch" which I used on first cruise as I was worried I would be sick. After a couple of day of my eyes dilating to the max and taste buds not working. I took it off and was fine.

 

When you say you get sea sick, is that been on a large ship? If your talking about a sailing boat or small boat I can understand being seasick. So do not compare those boats with a ship. Good luck.