Harmony of the seas: worried about seasickness

[FamilyWithKids2]

Hi,

 

Our 1st cruise is planned for June on Harmony of the Seas, to Western Caribbean. To be on the safe side, I booked a cabin with a balcony on deck 9, in the middle of the ship.

 

I had some concerns before booking about seasickness, but I've been told not to worry at all, since it such a big ship.

 

Now I've heard that this is not true - people do feel the waves, espacially in the first and last day.

 

I know there are some medicines that help, but this is not my idea of a great vacation! I'm considering canceling the cruise, and booking an hawaii vacation instead....

 

Please help me! What are the chances of not feeling well on the ship?

[jennerpoo14]

I have been on the Harmony's sister ship the Oasis and the movement was so minimal and we hit a nasty thunderstorm one night. The ship is HUGE! What movement you do feel is maybe vibration or SLIGHT rocking back but nothing I needed medicine for.

[mad-dog74]

Harmony won't be a problem at all.... It is so large you won't feel any movement hardly at all.

[Sascol]

people do feel the waves, espacially in the first and last day.

 

I'm curious....What would being the 1st and/or last day have to do with anything?

[Bellyflopchamp]

I've been on the Allure twice. The first time was the western route and we barely felt anything. It only really felt like we had a couple of drinks every now and then. Just enough to remind you that you are on a ship in the middle of the ocean. About 90% of the time we could not even tell that we were on a ship. The second time we did the eastern route and we felt it a bit more but still nothing that bad.

 

I will say that I have gotten sea sick on a smaller boat in the ocean before so I am prone to it. I also tend to get car sick if I am reading in the car. Not sure if you are prone to either of those or not.

 

If you are at all concerned with it you can bring some Dramamine with you. Start taking it a couple days before you depart and then take it the first few days until you see how you are doing. I am sure that you will be fine. We did not see anyone getting sick either time we went. The ships medical area also has motion sickness pills and I don't think there is any cost for them.

[tserface]

There is always some movement. That's part of the joy of sailing. The movement is less on the big ships and having a cabin mid ship will also help (although you will likely not spend much time in your cabin).

 

If you are sensitive to sea movement you may want to try using ginger pills, Bonine, Dramamine, or some of the patches that are available. You could talk to your doctor before leaving to see what is best for you.

 

It may be best to come armed with something in case you find it affects you, but many people we sailed with find that they get used to it very quickly and often learn to enjoy it. We love it when the ship gently rocks at night.

 

Cruising is definitely worth trying. It might not be for everyone, but I think most people that try it end up getting addicted.

 

Hawaii is also nice, but what I particularly like about cruising is that you can wake up somewhere different each day and you don't have to pack - your hotel goes with you. I like that ships move around a lot. If you like staying in one place for a week then a land vacation may be better for you.

 

You may want to give cruising a chance. You may find that it doesn't bother you as much as you anticipate. My daughter and son in law get really bad car sickness, but cruising doesn't bother them at all and, in fact, they love it.

 

No one can guarantee anything or know you well enough to predict your circumstance, but ... if you don't try you'll never know.

 

Tom

Edited January 30, 2017 by tserface

[dedosr]

I'm curious....What would being the 1st and/or last day have to do with anything?

 

On our cruises, we experienced the same thing. On our cruises, after we left port and got to open seas, the ship was at near top speed, thus causing us to feel more motion. Also whenever we left the last port of call (not necessarily the last night) on the way to the ships home port at the end of the cruise.

[dedosr]

Hi,

 

Our 1st cruise is planned for June on Harmony of the Seas, to Western Caribbean. To be on the safe side, I booked a cabin with a balcony on deck 9, in the middle of the ship.

 

I had some concerns before booking about seasickness, but I've been told not to worry at all, since it such a big ship.

 

Now I've heard that this is not true - people do feel the waves, espacially in the first and last day.

 

I know there are some medicines that help, but this is not my idea of a great vacation! I'm considering canceling the cruise, and booking an hawaii vacation instead....

 

Please help me! What are the chances of not feeling well on the ship?

 

 

To eliminate the possibility of motion sickness we always take Bonine or Dramamine Non Drowsy Formula. Also if you find you are starting to feel sick because you do not want to take the pills, get a green apple and eat it. They always have green apples in the buffet area. My wife and daughters swear by the green apples. Apparently there is something in the green skin of the apples that eliminates the sea sickness. People also swear by ginger.

I was always hesitant to cruise do to my motion sickness, but once I cruised, I now have to do it once or twice a year. It is a great vacation!

[cruiseturbo]

We have been on the Allure and the Oasis several times and have never felt more than a little rocking side to side. Like another poster said, you forget you are on a ship about 90% of the time!

 

I get extremely motion sick from roller coasters, small boats, and even just riding in the car. I too was worried when I went on my first cruise so I took Dramamine with me and also bought some sea bands to wear. However I never needed to use either of them. At this point I have been on over 28 cruises and have stopped packing these items because I have never needed them.

 

You are going to be on the biggest ship there is and should feel very minimal if any movement so I think you should try it out!

[FamilyWithKids2]

I do get car sick on windy roads, and I can't read a book during a car drive. I can get a really bad migrane and nausia, on windy roads.

 

On the road to Hana in Maui, I felt so bad...

 

However, I had few ferries ride in Germany and in Vancouver, BC, and loved it. Only once, I felt slightly bad on a ferry when it was windy.

 

So, I get the picture:

First day and after leaving the last port, the ship goes faster, which causes more movement...

 

I am really struggling... is cruising on the Harmony such a great experience that worth the risk?

 

We've been to the Grand Wailea in Maui several times, when the kids were younger, and loved it. But there is not much to do in the evenings, besides nice restaurants.

 

Need to decide soon, and book the travel flights.

[BillOh]

I'm curious....What would being the 1st and/or last day have to do with anything?

 

Speed and direction primarily. For the most part on the Oasis class, the first night is frequently fairly calm on the Eastern itinerary because they aren't going to fast for a the short trip to Nassau. Frequently the last day is a Sea day that they travel fast to get back to the home port and then sit outside the port till the scheduled arrival time.

[bennybear]

It really depends on the type of holiday you want. We love Hawaii, and the big island with its Active volcano. I too am prone to seasickness but love to cruise. Usually there is part of a day when I don't feel well and question why I am there. It can be an awful feeling, and it depends on waves and weather, and time of year. I take everything just in case, and love the green apples and ginger. Why not try once and see if you like it. The Baltic in summer has been the calmest for me. Alaska inside passage except for a few hours of open ocean is good. From Florida, only once out of several times have I experienced a rough day or so on a big ship. The med can be great or not.

So choose based on what you want to do. Good luck.

[Biker19]

I am really struggling... is cruising on the Harmony such a great experience that worth the risk?

 

No one here can you tell that - you have to decide.

[Dixie1337]

I get terrible motion sickness, in cars and on boats. I went on a ferry and got so sick I had to sit outside in the freezing weather with all the people with pets! Something I learned on the ferry was the worst part is sitting in the car waiting to dock/depart. I could feel the motion but not see anything and it was brutal. After that I walked off the ferry and my husband drove off and picked me up. But I booked a cruise. We're leaving March 26 on Oasis of the Seas. Maybe I'm nuts but I have heard on the big ships that things aren't bad, and because of my ferry experience I paid for an outside balcony because wind on your face and being able to see the horizon are life savers. I also picked a low deck (6) and mid ship. I bought a sea band although I'm not convinced about their effectiveness it seems like it's worth a try. Will also take some gravol (both ginger and regular) and maybe ginger tea. Hopefully I won't need any of it but better safe than sorry.

 

If I can do it you can do it! :)

[Hoopster95]

Hi,

 

I had some concerns before booking about seasickness, but I've been told not to worry at all, since it such a big ship.

 

 

Pick up a spec of sand and drop it in your bathtub full of water. Splash the water around. What does the spec of sand do? That's a smaller ship.

Now pick up us slightly larger spec of sand (ie. Oasis or Harmony). Drop this in your bath tub right beside that smaller spec of sand. Splash the water around. How does that slightly larger spec of sand do compared to the smaller one?

Both specs of sand will react with the waves and get pushed around, just like a large and "smaller" cruise ship side by side in the same rough seas.

 

 

I have been on the Harmony's sister ship the Oasis and the movement was so minimal and we hit a nasty thunderstorm one night. The ship is HUGE! What movement you do feel is maybe vibration or SLIGHT rocking back but nothing I needed medicine for.

 

Harmony won't be a problem at all.... It is so large you won't feel any movement hardly at all.

 

You are going to be on the biggest ship there is and should feel very minimal if any movement so I think you should try it out!

 

 

The above comments are very much incorrect. The 8.5m swells we had on our Harmony sailing just 2 weeks ago produced the barf bags at the stairwells for two nights as a few people were getting sick.

 

[nikkiml]

I get terrible motion sickness, in cars and on boats. I went on a ferry and got so sick I had to sit outside in the freezing weather with all the people with pets! Something I learned on the ferry was the worst part is sitting in the car waiting to dock/depart. I could feel the motion but not see anything and it was brutal. After that I walked off the ferry and my husband drove off and picked me up. But I booked a cruise. We're leaving March 26 on Oasis of the Seas. Maybe I'm nuts but I have heard on the big ships that things aren't bad, and because of my ferry experience I paid for an outside balcony because wind on your face and being able to see the horizon are life savers. I also picked a low deck (6) and mid ship. I bought a sea band although I'm not convinced about their effectiveness it seems like it's worth a try. Will also take some gravol (both ginger and regular) and maybe ginger tea. Hopefully I won't need any of it but better safe than sorry.

 

If I can do it you can do it! :)

 

I'm exactly like Dixie1337, and now take with me Ginger Gravol that I take every evening before dinner. It does the trick. Usualy I feel seasick or dizzy because I'm tired.

 

When I get back home, I can feel dizzy or motion sickness for a few days afterward, so I always keep regular Gravol and ginger Gravol on me. The regular Gravol will make you drowsy, but not the ginger one and it's quite effetive.

 

Don't worry to much and don't miss out on your beautiful cruise.

[Bellyflopchamp]

Pick up a spec of sand and drop it in your bathtub full of water. Splash the water around. What does the spec of sand do? That's a smaller ship.

Now pick up us slightly larger spec of sand (ie. Oasis or Harmony). Drop this in your bath tub right beside that smaller spec of sand. Splash the water around. How does that slightly larger spec of sand do compared to the smaller one?

Both specs of sand will react with the waves and get pushed around, just like a large and "smaller" cruise ship side by side in the same rough seas.

 

The above comments are very much incorrect. The 8.5m swells we had on our Harmony sailing just 2 weeks ago produced the barf bags at the stairwells for two nights as a few people were getting sick.

 

The comments you referenced were people's first hand experience. They were not incorrect. 8.5m swells are rather large and I would assume that the captain would try to avoid that if they can. I do not know how often the seas can get that bad. Sure it can happen. But for the most part you will probably deal with 1-3m swells. And because I am anal I did look at buoy data from a buoy near Jamaica for the last 2 years in order to ground this.

 

I dont understand your grain of sand analogy. It would just sink to the bottom. Also the larger the vessel the less of an impact will be felt in the center of the ship. And one other thing that it doesn't take into account is the mass of the ship along with other features such as the fins that extend out under the water. If you hit rough seas you will feel it, but in the normal 1-3m seas you will barely feel anything.

 

It is your vacation so nobody can tell you what you should or shouldn't do. The only way you will know for sure if you will get sick or not is by actually going on a cruise. These large ships are probably the best ones as you do not feel the motion as much. You may go and find that you will be fine and it will open up a whole new vacation experience for you.

[daze6399]

I'm fairly prone to motion sickness as well. I've had some seasickness on most cruises I've been on. I always take seabands and when I get a little motion sick I'll wear them. They work for me, it may be entirely psychosomatic, but it works. Candied ginger, green apples, and ginger ale will all help as well with out any of the medicated feeling.

 

For me the nausea just isn't that bad, and I'm able to enjoy myself.

 

Seabands are easy to come by, hit up your local pharmacy and look near the indigestion supplies, usually they're right near there, and they're about $10-15 a pair.

 

Edit: FWIW I don't suffer from motion sickness for the entire trip usually, it comes and goes, there are some things that trigger it for me. Waves (unless pretty major) don't bother me typically. I tend to notice it more near land where I have a visual representation of the ship moving, where I can't feel any motion, or the motion doesn't match the visual signal to my brain. Major waves have knocked me down pretty bad, but that's usually only for a few hours, and I'm typically fine once the ship has moved past the bumpy bits. Remember the Captains don't want to cause anyone to be sick, so they avoid bad weather as much as possible.

Edited January 30, 2017 by daze6399

[jakethecruiser]

You probably might get a little sea sick but nothing to major, if you do not feel well, you should go to the doctors office on the ship, they will know best. You shouldn't rely on other peoples opinions when it comes to health unless it is a doctor.

 

 

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[DNorthrup]

Hi,

 

 

 

Our 1st cruise is planned for June on Harmony of the Seas, to Western Caribbean. To be on the safe side, I booked a cabin with a balcony on deck 9, in the middle of the ship.

 

 

 

I had some concerns before booking about seasickness, but I've been told not to worry at all, since it such a big ship.

 

 

 

Now I've heard that this is not true - people do feel the waves, espacially in the first and last day.

 

 

 

I know there are some medicines that help, but this is not my idea of a great vacation! I'm considering canceling the cruise, and booking an hawaii vacation instead....

 

 

 

Please help me! What are the chances of not feeling well on the ship?

 

 

I had no problems on the Harmony if u do Hawaii do the NCL pride of America best way to see it

 

 

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[Hoopster95]

The comments you referenced were people's first hand experience.

 

Yes, I suspect they have never ever been on Oasis Class in rough seas.

 

In calm seas, small ships and big ships are stable. In choppy seas both the smaller and large ship will feel motion.

In the following threads by many other Cruise Critic posters you'll see many report they have never had bad seas on oasis, while others report a couple of nights of bad movement.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2282176

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1318333

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1225313

Edited January 30, 2017 by Hoopster95

[Biker19]

The You may go and find that you will be fine and it will open up a whole new vacation experience for you.

Except for the OP, it may spoil things and all other ships afterward be a let down.:p

[sanger727]

I am really struggling... is cruising on the Harmony such a great experience that worth the risk?

 

.

 

 

Bring non-drowsy Dramamine i.e. Bonine i.e. Meclazine. You take one pill twice a day BEFORE you feel sick. You cannot treat motion sickness once you get it, you can only prevent it. But you CAN prevent it. Take this 24 hours before you board and then the first day or two. By then you can get a feel of the movement and if you don't think it will both you and want to stop the meds, give it a try. I am incredibly motion sickness prone. Can't be a passenger in a car, on a train, bus, or any kind of boat without getting sick. This medicine prevents about 90-95% of my motion sickness. When waves are rough enough to bother me I don't feel 'sick' but get slightly dizzy by the end of the night and just go to bed early. I take it for the full length of my cruise both because I'm nervous about the boat motion, but also because in port we almost always take taxis, buses, small boats, etc so I would need it anyway for those.

 

 

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[Artful]

I get all kinds of motion sickness. I have discovered that if I start taking a Dramamine at night before bed (when drowsiness would not be a problem) a few nights before my cruise begins and continue each night of the cruise I am fine.

 

 

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[easyboy]

Unless you experience cruising, you won't know if it's the right kind of vacation for you or not. I know some friends who felt the same way as you did on their first time. The many fun time they had on the ship overshadowed the infrequent short motion feel they had. They had motion sickness meds with them but was not necessary. I am not saying you will experience the same, but you might.

 

 

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