Experiences for those w/motion sickness

EvilQueen-T

EvilQueen-T

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Hi everybody. I've not taken a cruise out of fear of dealing with motion sickness.

History: I'm one of those people who cannot ride in the backseat of a car, can't read in the car. At wdw I have trouble with EE and tower of terror but am fine on rnrc, space mountain, thunder, and splash. I have a little bit of trouble when flying.

So my question is for those who have problems with motion sickness what's your experience with going on your average cruise?
 
Disneyfalcon

Disneyfalcon

Well-Known Member
I get motion sickness!

I can ride EE once and that is all. I can not ride Star Tours at all. Definitely no tea cups or Mission Space.

And I can't ride in the backseat!

Occasionally I can read on long trips if I look at the book and the book only.

I take non drowsy Dramamine every day of a cruise. In the Caribbean I probably only need it the first night but I take it every day as a precaution.

I have been on two cruises with 15-20 foot waves. One in the Med, and one Bahamas cruise during hurrricane season and we were surrounded by hurricanes.

I didn't feel bad at all during the Bahamas cruise, and I think I would have been okay on the Med if we'd gotten out of it sooner. It went on for a long time and I had to go lay down. I feel okay when I lay down. Maybe a tiny bit queasy, but not like I'm about to throw up. Sorry if that's TMI. :)

When we get out of the waves I feel instantly better. I mean instantly.
 
EvilQueen-T

EvilQueen-T

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
lol not tmi...i need directness plus i'm a nurse so it would take a WHOLE LOT more than that to gross me out. i'd forgotten about star tours, made me sick too. haven't tried it again since they re-did it. mission space (when it first opened/before they split it up into two choices) made me sick but i'd had 3 margaritas beforehand so i don't count it but haven't ridden it again lol. i REALLY want to take a cruise but don't want to lay in a bed feeling bad all day while everybody else has fun...you know? so as much info as everyone has i'm up for
 
Victoria

Victoria

Not old, just vintage.
I get motion sick on very weird things. Escalators, elevators, and gently rocking boats do me in every time. I don't get barfy but I do feel like the room/floor is moving for hours afterward no matter how brief the exposure was. If I ride in the backseat too long I get very nauseous. However, I can ride every single rollercoaster known to man with no issues. I've felt fine on every highly turbulent flight I've ever been on where other people are hurling all over the place. I've concluded that slight movement is what makes me sick and I've always been afraid to cruise as a result.

However, this August I'm going to confront my fear and do a short Bermuda cruise on Royal Caribbean. My plan is to get on the ship with an arsenal of every anti-seasickness remedy imaginable. Bonine, Sea Bands, ginger root tablets, and an acupuncture appointment. I figure one or all of those will keep me functional and able to enjoy the cruise. :lol: I've read hundreds of posts on several forums about how to avoid seasickness. I am bound and determined to love cruising!!!!

I will be sure to report my findings upon my return to land. :wave: :lol:
 
MaryJaneP

MaryJaneP

Well-Known Member
Just did 11 night Med Cruise. Spouse and 3 kids get seasick easily and we were worried with long flight to Barcelona and also with motion on the ocean. We packed patches (1 patch lasts 4 days) and also a chewable meclisine tablets. We never needed to use any at all, and ship was rolling a little several times. The ship is so huge (the Magic) that it really was not sudden or rapid, just a gentle motion. If I may, as one who does not generally get seasick, tell you it was our biggest fear and also our biggest obstacle to get everyone to overcome to actually book the cruise. They were all so happy and relieved that they were certain they could handle even more motion than we felt that they have DEMANDED that we book another cruise ASAP. My spouse actually went to onboard cruise agent and booked spaceholder for future trip. Wow, I was surprised.

Pick the biggest ship you can, and try to get room mid-ship to minimise any motions. Pack backup meds and it is hard for me to believe that you will not have an absolutely awesome time. It would be understandable but also unfortunate if you couldn't enjoy a cruise because of this. Disney does cruising so well.
 
nybound

nybound

Member
I've taken two Disney cruises. The first one went by without much of a hitch. The first night had that drunken "why is the room feel like it's spinning" feeling, but it passed after a day.

The second cruise had much rougher waters (to the point that we couldn't dock at Castaway Cay). The impromptu sea day in rough waters eventually got the best of me. It was not a good night though the rest of my family was fine.

Even with the bad experience, I have a cruise planned on the Disney Dream for next year. The cruises are a great time.
 
Disneyfalcon

Disneyfalcon

Well-Known Member
EvilQueen-T said:
lol not tmi...i need directness plus i'm a nurse so it would take a WHOLE LOT more than that to gross me out. i'd forgotten about star tours, made me sick too. haven't tried it again since they re-did it. mission space (when it first opened/before they split it up into two choices) made me sick but i'd had 3 margaritas beforehand so i don't count it but haven't ridden it again lol. i REALLY want to take a cruise but don't want to lay in a bed feeling bad all day while everybody else has fun...you know? so as much info as everyone has i'm up for
Click to expand...

Okay, good!:) I wouldn't want to spend the whole day in bed either, but odds are you won't. Out ouf 7 cruises, that's the only times it's happened and both were extreme circumstances. Huge waves like that are not the norm at all.

And normal rocking waves? I had no problems at all.:)
 
becanya

becanya

New Member
Ok, can I ask a question about non-drowsy dramamine? I am worried that if I take it I won't be hungry for all my beloved ADR's! Do you find that it impacts your hunger level?
 
Camelot

Camelot

Active Member
I, too, get naseated on certain rides, can't sit backward in a car, or read in a car. But I don't let that stop me, and medicate myself with Dramamine, or Bonine. That said, occasionally, I still get some motion sickness even with taking these medications, unless I need to take more than the recommended doseage.

My only experience with cruising has been with a cruise ship (Commodore Cruise Lines) that sailed from New Orleans years ago. Their 'big' cruise boat was way smaller than these Disney ships or Carnival ships, etc. And I didn't get seasick. On one of the Commodores smaller ships, I did get a bit green around the gills, due to the ship getting bounced around.
 
Jseven

Jseven

Member
EvilQueen-T said:
lol not tmi...i need directness plus i'm a nurse so it would take a WHOLE LOT more than that to gross me out. i'd forgotten about star tours, made me sick too. haven't tried it again since they re-did it. mission space (when it first opened/before they split it up into two choices) made me sick but i'd had 3 margaritas beforehand so i don't count it but haven't ridden it again lol. i REALLY want to take a cruise but don't want to lay in a bed feeling bad all day while everybody else has fun...you know? so as much info as everyone has i'm up for
Click to expand...
You sure know how to let motion sickness who is boss! LOL! :ROFLOL:

To your original post I might recommend the Disney Dream. Bigger boat and shorter itineraries (once back from Europe). All my buddies and friends who I have introduced to cruising (having avoided it due to motion sickness) have really enjoyed 3 or 4 day itineraries and love them as much as me. They're worth medicating for as others have suggested.....DCL is an entirely different experience from any WDW or DL vacation and I am almost ashamed to admit that right now I probably prefer the DCL experience over WDW (except for Epcot)

Best of luck and let us know what you decide! :wave:
 
Crush Dude!

Crush Dude!

Back from WDW!Counting down to DLP in November!
Jseven said:
You sure know how to let motion sickness who is boss! LOL! :ROFLOL:

To your original post I might recommend the Disney Dream. Bigger boat and shorter itineraries (once back from Europe). All my buddies and friends who I have introduced to cruising (having avoided it due to motion sickness) have really enjoyed 3 or 4 day itineraries and love them as much as me. They're worth medicating for as others have suggested.....DCL is an entirely different experience from any WDW or DL vacation and I am almost ashamed to admit that right now I probably prefer the DCL experience over WDW (except for Epcot)

Best of luck and let us know what you decide! :wave:
Click to expand...

The Magic goes to Europe not the Dream :wave:
 
mickeysshoes

mickeysshoes

Well-Known Member
We were told the other day with Irene out there that you need to take the meds BEFORE you leave the dock....at least a hour before. The customer service desk has free ones. They say take one now and then more as needed. They gave my DD about 4 packs with 2 tablets in each. I forget what it was called. She took one and did not need any more. They also say to drink ginger ale...and they sold Canidad Dry all over the ship and had it at dinner. Best thing to do when looking out at the sea is to always look for the horizon and not to close in. Hope these tips help. I was not sure I would like cruising but after last week we are not planning for Alaska in 2013!! Oh and start with something short so if it does not agree you its not a week of your life only a couple of days. :wave:
 
mickeysshoes

mickeysshoes

Well-Known Member
becanya said:
Ok, can I ask a question about non-drowsy dramamine? I am worried that if I take it I won't be hungry for all my beloved ADR's! Do you find that it impacts your hunger level?
Click to expand...

The meds the CM gave my DD did not effect her eating. We have never eaten 3 meals a day until we stepped foot on the Dream. Still full and we have been off for 4 days!!! :lol:
 
Victoria

Victoria

Not old, just vintage.
I just got back today from my 5 day cruise to Bermuda. (first cruise ever!) We left NJ in Hurricane Irene, sailed around the outer edges of it, and then met up with Tropical Storm Jose right before we hit Bermuda. There were 20-40 foot waves and the first night the water was hitting (and going above) our Deck 2 window. The ship was rocking so much many activities were cancelled and even the crew members looked like they wanted to die.

Me? I was fine! :lol: I was so worried about getting sick that I started myself on ginger root pills about 2 weeks ago and then began taking Bonine 2 days before I got on the boat. I had ginger gum with me, set aside money for emergency anti-seasickness acupuncture treatments at the spa, and was prepared to drink ginger ale a lot. Many people on the boat were :hurl: and there were stacks of barf bags everywhere. I think my regimen of anti-seasickness meds combined with a determination to not get sick is what saved me. My sister has been on 3 cruises before and has never gotten sick. She didn't take her first Bonine until after we were already on the boat and by 8pm she had already :hurl: for the 5th time in her 42 years of life. Lesson learned.
 
Raychul

Raychul

Member
Sorry to resurrect a dead thread, but I had a question regarding the conversation here.

I have a very high sensitivity to medication. Even the non-drowsy stuff puts me to "dead to the world" sleep within 30mins.

Has anyone tried the anti-sea sickness shot? I have had many friends who are even more prone to motion sickness than me tell me it was their life saver on past cruises. I have never been on a boat at all, for fear of being sick the whole time but am dying to go on a Disney cruise.

So, long question short, has anyone tried this shot and what were you're experiences with it?

Thanks!! :wave:
 
sweetpee_1993

sweetpee_1993

Well-Known Member
I don't know about the shot, never even heard of it. When in doubt, try whatever it is you're considering taking for the cruise at home ahead of time. That way if you get a drowsy result you can just go to bed and not worry about wasting precious cruise time. If you want to see if it works...hhmmm...maybe go on a fast ride in the back seat of a car on a winding road... ??? Sounds crazy! :hammer:
 

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