First Timer - Seasickness/Anxiety Advice

[Arlene89]

I’ll be going on my first cruise ever on the Norwegian Pearl at the end of February from Miami to Bahamas and as someone who has been on small boats and ferries and experienced severe sea sickness and panic attacks … I’m terrified. My goal is to face my fear and get on this cruise, but if anyone can tell me what to expect as far as motion and any tips and tricks to help me survive this cruise I would greatly appreciate it!  
P.S. I do plan to take sea bands and Dramamine, but I’ll take any other suggestions 🙂 

[mom says]

My suggestion is to speak with your family doctor or practitioner. They may be able to suggest the appropriate preventatives for you, and suggest ways to manage your panic attacks. There's no point in getting on a ship if you are going to be terrified the whole time. The point of cruising is to enjoy yourself, not just to survive it. And having an entire forum tell you that  cruising is safe won't prevent panic attacks, by their very nature. Only medical help will do that.

 

Large cruise ships are not subject to motion in the same ways that small boats and ferries are. Nevertheless,  if the conditions are right, even the largest cruise ships with the most advanced stabilization can have some motion which may be sufficient to trigger your motion  sickness.

 

[Mum2Mercury]

First, don't assume you'll be sea sick.  I occasionally have trouble with car sickness and sea sickness on small boats, but I've never had a single moment of sea sickness on a cruise ship.  They're much more stable than you might expect.  

 

Second, do bring OTC medication, but most people on this board will suggest Bonine rather than Dramamine, as it makes you less drowsy.  Pay attention to whether you've bought 8 hour or 24 hour medication. 

 

Consider taking along Crystalized Ginger.  You can buy it in the produce department at Harris Teeter, but it's also easy to make yourself; it's basically just boiling ginger in sugar water -- you can find recipes on the internet.  It will give you INSTANT but short-lived relief.  I cut mine up into small bits and keep it in a Tupperware so I can control how much I take at a time.  Ginger ale falls into this same category, as do green apples.  

 

If you do find yourself sea sick, know that you need to do a "re-set".  That is, go take some medication and a nap.  Ideally you'd take a nap out on your balcony in the fresh air.  

 

I can't give any advice on panic attacks.  

 

 

Edited February 19 by Mum2Mercury

[SoloAlaska]

I get nausea when in a car but not on small boats but have been very sea sick on a cruise ship. I also suffer from anxiety. I always bring prescription meds for my anxiety which in itself helps soothe my anxiety. For seasickness EmeTerm has been an amazing solution for me. I haven’t needed to take an OTC unless the seas are very rough. EmeTerm is a very small electric shock bracelet device. It doesn’t work for everyone but it’s done wonders for me. 
 

Not all cruises have rough seas. I just travel to places and at times of the year where it can be expected and happens. I don’t let it stop me though.

[Oceans 818]

Hi, I get seasick and use the 72hr patches. You can put them behind your ears or about an inch or so below the belly button. I recommend below the belly button as I've seen them on people behind the ears and they look kind of foolish, in my opinion. You can get them on amazon or at some drug stores. I tried the bands and they didn't work for me. The patches are herbal. I try to avoid chemicals as I have liver issues and the herbal is easier on it. But others are correct in that big ships are not like what others are. We have been in gale force winds and barely felt it in the ships motion. Remember when looking out to sea to gaze at the horizon as experts say that will help to stabilize you.

[moviegal]

I'm prone to seasickness and motion sickness, and I'm an avid cruiser who has been cruising since I was 4 years old. My advice is to pack both Dramamine AND Bonine (both available over the counter, I buy mine at Target or Walmart) so you can see which one works better for you (I've found Bonine works better for me).

 

Also, take a pill the second you step on board, and make sure you take them as directed on the bottle (don't miss a dose, and set a reminder to alarm). I like the non-drowsy once per 24 hours dose. Even take your meds when you're in port. It'll ward off future seasickness once the ship starts to sail again.

 

Don't stress, the medicine works! If it makes you feel better, maybe see a doctor before your trip. They can write a prescription for more powerful nausea meds for you to have just in case.

[JJK2008]

Speak to your Doctor before you go and get meds.

Take over the counter meds with you.

Keep your stomach full...do NOT go hungry.

Eat green apples from the buffet every day.

TRY not to convince yourself you are going to be sick. VERY few people prone to motion sickness actually get seasick on cruise ships.

As a last resort, get in the pool on the ship. The water in the pool moves with the ship and has a calming effect.

 

Good Luck. Enjoy your cruise.

[9tee2Sea]

15 hours ago, Arlene89 said:

I’ll be going on my first cruise ever on the Norwegian Pearl at the end of February from Miami to Bahamas and as someone who has been on small boats and ferries and experienced severe sea sickness and panic attacks … I’m terrified. My goal is to face my fear and get on this cruise, but if anyone can tell me what to expect as far as motion and any tips and tricks to help me survive this cruise I would greatly appreciate it!  
P.S. I do plan to take sea bands and Dramamine, but I’ll take any other suggestions 🙂 

I get dizzy just looking at roller coasters. If  the seas are white capped, I ALWAYS make sure to have my back to the window when dining.  Try to sit under an air vent while inside.  If out on deck , look far out into the horizon, and dont look down.  If all else fails, get back to your room, and just lay flat on your back, with eyes closed.   Cruising has changed over the decades.  Ships are built ( and refurbished I suppose) with better anti-sway devices ( I dont know the correct name).  Be sure to book a mid-ship cabin, on a lower floor ( the sound of the waves pounding the ship might startle you at times, but you won't feel the sway as much).

[Itchy&Scratchy]

16 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

I occasionally have trouble with car sickness and sea sickness on small boats, but I've never had a single moment of sea sickness on a cruise ship. 

depends on the cruise ship.

We were on NCL Jade (a sister ship to Pearl), and the movement was very significant compared to much bigger ships, and forward was much worse than the aft (back of the ship for OP).  I don't get sea sick, but on that voyage I felt pretty bad.

 

@Arlene89 I hope your cabin is in the back or the middle of the ship, where you may feel less movement.

 

The weather may also have an affect.

 

Also, car sickness/sea sickness changes overtime. Our son who was never car sick or sea sick before and rear faced till 4 without a single problem, developed pretty bad car sickness over the course of the pandemic. He is a teen now and gets car sick on any trips longer than 30 minutes. We make sure he takes dramamine before our ride to the airport, and he sometimes needs it on cruise ships as well. Taking OTC meds helps him 100%.

 

Your doctor may be able to prescribe a scopolamine patch. I recently had one put on me before the surgery and didn't have a single episode of queasiness caused by anesthesia. 

 

[cruiseaholic777]

I have never been sea sick but I get motion sickness in other ways. I have been on about 35 cruises and you will be surprised at the small amount of movement. Just face away from the windows at dinner and you will be fine.

[olemissreb]

On my first cruise, I got a little queasy and so took some dramamine, but it knocked me out. Since I didn't want to sleep thru my cruise, I got the wrist bands and they helped.  I've since tried bonine and even though it's "non-drowsy", I still got sleepy so...I read somewhere (probably here on CC) to start taking dramamine or bonine at night a few nights before you sail. It helps me sleep well and it's already in my system by the time I board the ship. I keep taking it the whole time I'm on board, but again only at night.

 

As for the anxiety, talk to your doctor. He/she should be able to help you with either medications or other mental exercises that you can use. I pray you find the answers that will work best for you to work thru your anxieties.

[Kiaga]

Motion/sea sickness tends to come and go for me when I travel, but ginger pills, tea, or candy always help me.

 

Ginger ale would work as well, but the most common brands use very little real ginger anymore.  Smaller/organic brands might be better.

[SbbquilterUT]

From our experience it is unlikely you will feel much motion unless you hit a storm (and ships try to avoid those).   Try any medication at home so you are sure you tolerate it -  Bonine (meclazine) works for many people.  Start taking it the night before sailing if you are really nervous.  Try to ,go easy on any alcohol the first day until you are acclimated and spend some quiet time on an outer deck, watching the sea to get your eyes/brain in sync with any motion.   I travel with ginger candy but have only needed it for a quick sweet treat.  

[Noledad77]

First cruise, my younger son (who was 11 at the time and is now 19) made the mistake of looking out the window at the water right outside during dinner and it made him uneasy. We got him to look away and to look waaayyyy out at the horizon and he felt better.

When we left port on the first cruise, we didn't even know the boat was moving. Second, we did, because we were outside. Later in the cruise (through the western Caribbean and the Gulf), the seas were on the choppy side and we were in the theater, with the boat rocking from side to side, and we could see it through the windows, the water would rise on one side and go down on the other, back and forth. Later that night, I was in the comedy club and could feel the boat rocking, so I went and got in the pool (of all things) and I was fine.

Everyone handles it differently, so I'm with the majority - check with your doctor (although I think your sail dates have passed) and do what they recommend.

 

Hopefully you had a great time and forgot all about it after a couple of hours on board!

 

Cheers!

[tigers04champs]

Looks like your cruise already passed, and I hope you did enjoy it! Hopefully this will help someone else as well!

 

Not sure in your specific situation, but your Dr. can give you a prescription motion sickness if needed. I would still get the non drowsy Dramamine. My wife takes it when she needs to and it works like a champ. 

 

Now, if you want to get knocked out and sleep like a baby take regular Dramamine. Wife did that on our first cruise and had a drink with it. She barley made it to the room before passing out.

 

She's tried the seabands and feel like they didn't work. The ezmotion liquid that goes behind the ears seems to work, but has a very strong odor.

[Arlene89]

I am so thankful for everyone here who gave me advice!  I used ALL of it.  Including going to my doctor.  I was absolutely stocked on meds when I got on this cruise.  I had anxiety medication, sea bands, prescription motion sickness patches, ginger pills, and Dramamine however; I only ended up using the ginger pills and sea bands!  Everyone was right in the sense that for the most part I didn’t feel the ship moving except there was a restaurant on the front of the ship where I could feel the swaying.  I did step away once to go to my room because it was as making me feel sick, but once I got to my room I stepped out on the balcony and looked out into the horizon.  To be quite honest I didn’t think it would work, but it did!! I was very lucky to have had a very smooth ride to Bahamas and back to Miami port, however; I know the ocean is unpredictable and a smooth ride isn’t always a guarantee.  I found myself very stressed on most of the trip waiting for the rocking to happen and although I’m thankful it didn’t happen I couldn’t quite let that feeling go.  So, I think for me this was a one and done but I’m so appreciative of everyone who made me feel at eas before boarding the ship!