Steady as she goes.....

[wifeofbedo]

I need some input from fellow cruisers who suffer from seasickness. Never had it before until my last cruise, which was the Mexican Riviera (L.A. to PV,Mazatlan & Cabo) aboard the Star Princess. After the first day, I wanted to get off, then took some dramamine which did the trick, but made me very sleepy. The last day of our cruise, I spent in the bathroom and missed the last meal As I understand it the Pacific can be rough at times. One night they actually closed the outside portion of the promenade deck - if that gives you an idea of what I experienced. Normally I do not experience sea-sickness at all. So, my question is two-fold:

1. How have others found the trip to Alaska in terms of roughness? (we are going inside passage to Hubbard Glacier)

2. Can you recommend something other than dramamine as I do not want to sleep through the cruise. I saw a bunch of people with patches behind their ears - my Dr. hadn't heard of this. Anyone used bracelets, patches, or ???

Side-effects?

 

Thanks so much!

 

"Blessed are the FLEXIBLE for they shall never be bent out of shape"

 

Vision / Seas 03/2002

Star Princess 03/2003

Radiance / Seas 07/2004

[jstducky]

wifeofbedo:

 

the waters on alaska inside passage trip are A LOT calmer than they are for the Mexican Riviera cruise. when I did the Mexican Riviera cruise i found the last day heading back to LA to be the roughest. i ended up laying down in bed and taking pills on the last night because i was so sick! horrible!

 

but in my 2 trips to Alaska, the waters have always been so calm. The only rough days you may experience are the first night out of Vancouver and the last night before you get back to Vancouver. but more than likely those nights will be calm as well. the great thing about the Inside Passage cruises is that you are protected by islands on both sides of the ship as you sail through the inside passage and most of Alaska. this keeps the waters calm. the water is so calm and pristine and watching the sunsets and the reflection off the perfectly still water is amazing!

 

also, instead of draminine, you might want to try bonine. it has the same basic ingredients as dramamine and should do the trick, but without the drowsiness. also dramamine comes in a non-drowsy version these days as well.

 

good luck! and have fun in alaska...

 

jstducky!

-----------------

...til 9/04 - Jewel of the Seas - Canada / New England

 

====================================

...til 7/04 - Zuiderdam - Western Caribbean

 

=====================================

7/03 - Zaandam - Alaska

4/03 - Norweigan Star - Hawaii

7/96 - Noordam - Alaska

7/96 - Golden Princess - Alaska

8/95 - Jubilee - Mexican Riviera

 

<center>

<a href="http://www.escati.com/counter98/free_time_codes.htm">

</center>

 

[KStevens79]

The patches are called Scopolamine. They're for motion sickness.

Hope this helps!!

 

Karen

 

Brilliance of the Seas

Monarch Of The Seas

Whodunit Murder Mystery Cruise

Carnival Ecstasy 8/2001

Voyager of the Seas 8/2000

Carnival Holiday 3/1998

Viking Seranade 1/1996

Viking Seranade 4/1995

[elliecall]

My husband and I use Bonine. Chew one once a day. I do the morning and find I get less sleepy from it. I take it the first few days then I am usually ok after that. Until I get home that is. I rock for atleast a week AFTER my cruise. I didnt think Alaska was bad!

[Family of 14]

I can't believe that a Dr. has never heard of the patch. However, the patch can cause side effects.

 

I recommend Meclizine (generic for Bonine and much cheaper) and Ginger capsules.

We start taking the Ginger the day before our cruise and continue (if we feel we need it), one every morning and one at night, throughout the week. We take one Meclizine the first morning of our cruise (embarkation day). This helps with that "weird" feeling you will have after the first sailaway. We usually don't need it again unless the seas are really rough. My husband has to take it more than me. The key is to take it before you feel sick!

I suggest that you test both the Ginger and Meclizine prior to cruising. Choose a day when you don't plan on doing much (especially driving). Meclizine (Bonine) is not suppose to make you sleepy, but I believe it can.

Some people take just a half tablet of Mec/Bonine to be sure that it doesn't make them sleepy. I may try that next cruise.

 

<MARQUEE>Are you sailing on the Mariner 7/18/04?...Click here!

or HERE!

 

</MARQUEE>

 

Disney Wonder 3/2000 ~ Disney Magic 9/2000 ~ RCI Vision 2/2001 ~ Carnival Victory 12/2001 ~ Celebrity Millennium 3/2003 ~ RCI Adventure OTS 9/2003 ~ RCI Mariner OTS 7/18/2004 ~ RCI Serenade OTS 9/26/2004

[wifeofbedo]

Thanks for all the replies! I too found the last day of the Mex. Riv. cruise to be the roughest. Anyway, regarding the patches~ are they prescription only or over the counter? Also, for those that have done the Hubbard Glacier, the route map shows the ship going aways out into open sea a bit going from the glacier to Ketchikan. I am wondering if that is where it got rough for others?

Sorry for so many questions....but if I need to ask, this is the place!

 

"Blessed are the FLEXIBLE for they shall never be bent out of shape"

 

Vision / Seas 03/2002

Star Princess 03/2003

Radiance / Seas 07/2004

[pcur]

We also use bonine, but it's usually a 24-hour dose, so we cut them in half and take them every 12 hours. I get a little "fuzzy head" from them, and the steady but lower doses do the trick.

 

MUCH better than dramamine.

 

We actually take the first dose on the airplane flying to the cruise.

 

Peggy - RCI since 1973

[gambler]

If you have already started to feel sick, take a pill, go up on the pool deck, lay in a lounge chair and eat green apples.

 

Monarch of the Seas 09/92

Majesty of the Seas 11/93

Sovereign of the Seas 09/94

Majesty of the Seas 11/95

Grandeur of the Seas 11/99

Grandeur of the Seas 11/00

Grandeur of the Seas 06/01

Grandeur of the Seas 02/02

Navigator of the Seas 12/02

Rhapsody of the Seas 06/03

Radiance of the Seas 11/03

Grandeur of the Seas 05/04

Navigator of the Seas 11/04

[Desertbelle]

I have used Sea Bands on many occasions and they work very well for me and without any drug side-effects. Worth the $7 they cost to give them a try.

 

Margie

 

Celebrating Our Parents 60th Anniversary - Legend of the Seas to Mexico 9/5/04!!

Join Our Legend Roll Call Here

 

Our Dawn Princess Caribbean Medley Family Cruise 11/23/04

Join Our Dawn Roll Call Here

 

Windjammer-Flying Cloud 1991

Carnival Elation 1999

NCL Sun 2002

Star Princess 2003

Legend of the Seas 2003

[BEVGOO]

The Sea Bands really do work. They look like ponytail twisties with a button that goes on the inside of each wrist. The buttons hit pressure points that help keep you from being sick. I also use the non -drowsy formula dramamine. Can even drink while taking it. My husband brought me the green apples and ginger ale once. Not easy to eat apples when you already feel sick. The ginger pills and ginger ale are good ideas.

[lauren0309]

The only cruise I ever got sick on was to Cozumel. Even with the bonine. I've taken another cruise after that and I was fine. When the water gets rough AND I feel the ship rolling, I usually take 2 otherwise just 1. Also I take it a day before we travel. I also have those elastic wristbands plus ginger. So I'm all set!

 

Majesty of the Seas 3/02

Monarch of the SEas 2/03

Serenade of the Seas 11/03

 

Till the Enchantment!

[Nancyquilts]

We were at the Hubbard glacier last year in September, and it was smooth the whole trip. Generally, Alaska waters are pretty calm in the summer. We've even been there in May and had no problem. Nancy

[bready2cruise]

We recently returned from Voyager. Our 18 year old really suffers from motion sickness, & she usually takes Bonine but still really felt the motion. This trip she tried the patch, & it worked very well for her. The side effect she experienced most was blurred vision - she would have trouble reading the menu at dinner. On our roughest night, she could still really feel the motion, but the rest of the week she was fine. The patch lasts for 3 days & then you need to replace it. She would recomend it over Bonine.

[jnnifer01]

You're not the only one! My DH and I both felt sick a couple of weeks ago on our Mexican Riviera cruise. I was the worst on the 1st night, but I guess I got used to it (still felt yucky all week). We had Bonine, Dramamine, and I also had seabands. Luckily, we had also brought some prescription meds for nausea, so we were able to get some sleep. The seas were more rough on the way back and they even closed the outside decks at the forward end of the ship (it was also very windy, and the ocean was covered with white caps). The whole ship creaked like an old haunted house. I think if we weren't taking all of the motion sickness meds, it would have been a mess. I also had some ginger chews, but I couldn't tell if they helped or not, I ate them any way. We did notice that many of the passengers were wearing the patch, but I've heard the side-effects can be just as bad as getting sea sick.

All I can tell you is to bring everything you can find to be prepared. Better safe than sorry.

 

That's good news to hear about Alaska not being rough. DH and I want to do that someday.

 

 

Explorer of the Seas

(Royal Suite) 4/17/05, 7 Day Eastern Caribbean (2nd Anniversary)

 

Carnival Pride

(Category 11) 4/25/04, 7 day Mexican Riviera (1 year Anniversary!)

 

Carnival Conquest

(Category 12)4/27/03,7 Day Western Caribbean(Honeymoon & 1st cruise)

 

Notail

 

Jennifer & Shaun on the Conquest

 

Jennifer & Shaun on the Pride

[TheWog]

Try out the patch before you use it. Side effects can be just as bad or worse. Bonine and the Sea-Bands did the trick for my wife.

 

Disney Magic 01/10/04

Enchantment of the Seas 01/22/05

[wifeofbedo]

Thanks for all the advice everyone. It is comforting to know that I was not alone being so sick. I look forward to Alaska, and feel better knowing that typically it is not as rough as the Mex. Riv.

Decided to try the bonine and wrist bands.

Cheers!

 

"Blessed are the FLEXIBLE for they shall never be bent out of shape"

 

Vision / Seas 03/2002

Star Princess 03/2003

Radiance / Seas 07/2004

[Italy52]

We use 24-hour Bonnine and have found that the following method has worked very well on the last 16 cruises that we have taken. We take one Bonnine tablet at bedtime the night before our cruise. We get a good night sleep and the drowziness is not with us the next day when we embark. For each night of the cruise we take one Bonnine at bedtime and sleep like a rock. We have never experienced drowziness during the day since we started this routine. Have a great cruise!