Disney Cruise Line...Seasick?

[DisneyChick1984]

I'm toying with the idea of going on a Disney cruise, but after my last cruise experience I'm extremely hesitant. I spent the ENTIRE trip sleeping and puking. I'm not even exaggerating. Thank God it was only a 2 night cruise. Granted it was a smaller ship, I wonder if I'd be the same way on a ship like the Disney Wonder.

Have any of you that have been on the Disney cruise and are prone to sea sickness/motion sickness had problems? I just dont want to take any chances. That's a lot of money for a miserable time at sea. lol

 

[Coree]

We did a 7-night cruise and didn't have any problems with sea sickness. I am fairly prone to motion sickness (can't ride things like the tea cups or Star Tours) so I took Bonine (OTC med) before getting on the ship and throughout the cruise and never had any problems. The last day we got fairly close to a hurricane and the seas were pretty rough. Lots of people missed dinner that night, but I didn't have any problem on the meds. It was a wonderful trip.

 

[DisneyChick1984]

Have you tried the ear patch? I wonder if that would work better for me because stuff like Dramamine just makes me sleepy.

 

[Gig 'Em Mickey]

I too am prone to motion sickness. However the larger ships do not move as much. The disney ships, as do most modern ships, have horizontal stabilizer. Wings, if you will, that sit about 10 feet below the water line that minimize horizontal movement even in rough seas. Also keep in mind that the higher in the ship you are, and the further to the edges the more you will feel any motion. THe ships have a wonderful promenade deck which I found relaxing to just sit and read. Or a room with a balcony.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

Have you tried the ear patch? I wonder if that would work better for me because stuff like Dramamine just makes me sleepy.

We sound similar. Dramamine, Bomine or any other OTC stuff didn't work for me. I tried the prescription behind the ear thing, and it worked like a charm. Been on 4 cruises since that. And with that ear patch, I can snorkel and everything else that I couldn't comfortably do before because the bobbing up and down made me sick. Now, my wife can't get me out of the water.

The only side effects I've gotten from the prescription patch (I THINK it's called Scopolomine or something close to that) is a slightly dry mouth, and at times I can get a little tired from it. But trading that for being able to snorkel with the kids and everything else is well worth it.

In fact, I take a patch or two on every trip to tropical places we go now. We went to Maui in June, and I took a couple along. I put one on the night before we were going deep sea fishing, then took it off after. Later in the trip I put one on a couple hours before doing the "Road to Hana", which is notorious for making people sick from tight twists and turns, plus quick altitude changes. It wasn't a problem for me.

That being said, even with the patch I had one day on a cruise where I was still down... Along with about 50% of the ship. So it hasn't been a COMPLETE cure all. But pretty close.

So go with the patch, and have a GREAT time!! :wave:

 

[bgraham34]

I took Dramamine 3 days before I left and everyday of the cruise. I still knew when the shipped was swaying but it did not bother me.

 

[mbroschak]

All those meds you guys are talking about use the same mechanism of action so generally have the same side effects (give or take). I take a prescription med. for the disney cruises called serc. It does a great job without the side effects. I'm from Canada so it may be called something else in the U.S. My wife and I have been on 4 disney cruises and although the ship is usually very stable, if I need it, I take it the first night because it seems the roughest as we head south and I think my body is just getting used to being on the ocean.
Not only do scopolomine patches make a lot of people drowsy, but if you touch it with your finger and then rub your eye, you can dilate your pupil for up to a day!

 

[WaltsApprentice]

I'm toying with the idea of going on a Disney cruise, but after my last cruise experience I'm extremely hesitant. I spent the ENTIRE trip sleeping and puking. I'm not even exaggerating. Thank God it was only a 2 night cruise. Granted it was a smaller ship, I wonder if I'd be the same way on a ship like the Disney Wonder.

Have any of you that have been on the Disney cruise and are prone to sea sickness/motion sickness had problems? I just dont want to take any chances. That's a lot of money for a miserable time at sea. lol

i went on a 3 night one and I only felt it on the way out from port because we were fighting the stream. I only got a little dizzy and this was because..I didn't get something to eat until dinner...all I had was achohal and chocolate...which wasn't the best idea! But other than that it was a great trip. Never got sick once!

 

[Gig 'Em Mickey]

My wife tried the behind the ear patches under a doctor prescription and it caused temporary vision loss. Her eyes were pretty much fixed dilated. She had to stay inside in a dark room for over a week to recover. Not much fun. Doc said it's not common but is a potential side effect.

 

[westie]

We've done the 4 and 7 day. The 4 was not a problem but the 7 day was during a hurricane. DCL did its best to avoid it, we missed all our ports but saw others just as good. But, the last night while coming back in to port the ship was really moving as in I kept rolling over on my wife and she wasn't sleeping and got sick as a dog. And smart mr. me had thrown out the drammamine because it was our last night! Oh well, she forgave me!

 

[Disneyfalcon]

I get motion sick and I took Dramamine (non drowsy) every day. The first night when you're crossing the gulf stream is the roughest night. I was a little queasy but never sick. After that it was super smooth. I had no problems at all.

I have been very sick on a smaller ship but the cruise ship is much different.

 

[shanny]

try doing a search for "motion sickness" on here. i remember a thread awhile back where someone had suggested a natural pill, i dont think they were ginger pills, but i might be wrong. being a natural supplement, theres no side effects, and its all natural! i wanted to get these for our trip back in august, bt never got the chance. i used dramamine on the plane and was fine, but never had to take any for our trip. definatly look for that though, ive been toying with the idea of a cruise too, but wouldnt set foot on a boat without something!! :hurl:

 

[DivineMadness7]

I'm very motion sick prone. On my first cruise, I got very ill. So for the second cruise (with Disney), I took ginger root every day and it really helped. It's a safe, natural alternative to Dramamine. You can find it in any pharmacy in the vitamin aisle.

Of course, Dramamine does work for others very well but for me it just made me feel worse. My mom has tried the patches and was pretty unimpressed with them. I would pop a ginger root capsule with some water every morning at breakfast and then take a tylenol PM at night, since I had trouble sleeping on the boat.

Getting motion sick is horrible, believe me, I know! But don't let worries keep you from experiencing a Disney cruise, it is a ton of fun.

 

[Pioneer Hall]

If you got that sick on your first cruise, I would take precautions before getting on a ship again. My mom always uses the ear patch (she gets very sea sick), and has no problems with it. Her only complaint is that she gets very dry and thirsty from it.

 

[shanny]

I'm very motion sick prone. On my first cruise, I got very ill. So for the second cruise (with Disney), I took ginger root every day and it really helped. It's a safe, natural alternative to Dramamine. You can find it in any pharmacy in the vitamin aisle.

Of course, Dramamine does work for others very well but for me it just made me feel worse. My mom has tried the patches and was pretty unimpressed with them. I would pop a ginger root capsule with some water every morning at breakfast and then take a tylenol PM at night, since I had trouble sleeping on the boat.

Getting motion sick is horrible, believe me, I know! But don't let worries keep you from experiencing a Disney cruise, it is a ton of fun.

i was part right! hehe. now i know for future reference though, thanx!! :wave:

 

[Gig 'Em Mickey]

Why are people under the impression that just because something's natural means there's no side effects. Marijuana is natural too.... Just saying. Just because someone in China can throw together some herbs and press it into a tablet doesn't make it safe or effective.

 

[DisneyChick1984]

Thanks for all the tips!

 

[ChuckElias]

I agree with the majority here. If you've had problems in the past, then take some precautions. But my dad gets seasick very easily (like on a tender from the ship to port), and he's never had a problem on the Magic or Wonder.

 

[Abbyjoe]

I have been on 2 cruises (both a long time ago...), both times I used the patch. The 4 day cruise was fine, not a minutes problems. The last 3 or 4 days of the 7 day cruise, my vision was so goofy I couldn't read the menus. I had to have a friend read it to me. Distance vision was fine though. AND my eyes looked freaky...very dilated. That said....I wasn't sick at all, and that was the whole idea! :ROFLOL:

 

[njblackberry]

Took our first DCL four night cruise last summer. I was very concerned about getting seasick. I used these wristbands that put pressure on a point on the wrist that supresses nausea. Worked perfectly for me. We had one night of bad weather (not as bad as a hurricane, but a lot of rain and wind) and it didn't bother me in the least.

Planning another cruise for this summer. BioBands is one brand. They certainly worked for me. No medications required.