Are you worried that you may suffer from sea sickness while onboard a cruise? We were, but thankfully, there are plenty of solutions that may just work for you!
Relax before your cruise
This might seem like a weird one, but when you're exhausted, you will be more susceptible to motion sickness. In fact, I suffered from exactly this when I went on a whale watching trip in Sydney. I flew a night flight from Singapore, with zero sleep, got changed, then hopped on a boat, it didn't end well! I had to try and have a nap in the bar area to clear my head as I was suffering from the motion.
Research your itinerary
Although it would be hard to know the weather up to two years in advance, if you know you're going to cruise the Atlantic from the UK to the USA, then beware of the weather. Most of those weather systems that hit the US during the hurricane season begin their journeys in the Atlantic. Although cruise ships will avoid hurricanes and severe weather where they can, there is always a risk you may be caught up in some gale force winds with high swells. If you are really concerned about the risk of bad weather, look for an itinerary where you may be more sheltered, or avoid the larger oceans.
We recently cruised over the Bay of Biscay, and although the weather itself was fairly pleasant, the seas were rough. I had heard that the Bay of Biscay can often be a gale force wind or a mill pond, however, our cruise varied between the two. The ship we were on reduced the impact with its stabilisation system, however, you could feel the sway no matter where you rested onboard.
Look at the horizon
Motion sickness is caused by repeated movements when travelling, while cruising, it is likely you will be moving up and down quite a bit due to the swell. The inner ear then sends different signals to your brain compared to what your eyes are seeing, thus making you feel nauseous. By looking at the horizon you are correcting the signals, making it an easy way to manage your sea sickness.
Fresh Air
Granted not always possible if in an inside cabin, getting fresh air can help you breath slower and take in more oxygen, depending on your location onboard, it may also help while looking at the horizon.
Another great thing about fresh air is the wind. Have you ever been on a 4D ride, especially 'Mission Mars' in Epcot? You may have noticed there is a steady stream of wind blowing on your face throughout. This helps to reduce the feeling of being confined which may increase your likelihood of feeling ill.
Choose your cabin location
When selecting your cabin for your cruise, pay extra for the better location. Yes cruise lines charge more for the cabins in the prime locations, but it may be worth it for your trip. Cabins in a more central location will feel the rough weather a lot less than those at the forward or aft of the ship.
Relax in a central location
Similar to the above, if you're already on a cruise and feeling rough in your cabin, it may help to get out and about (depending on the severity of the sea sickness), if you want to leave your room to clear your head, you may find that being in a central location near the middle off the ship where the weather isn't felt as much may help to calm down your sea sickness.
Don't Go Hungry
Although you may not be feeling ready for meal, eating can actually help reduce your sea sickness, but don't go for that massive cheeseburger with a side of fries, try and opt for a lighter meal. Try to eat some ginger if you can as this a great natural remedy to sea sickness, you may be able to find some onboard in the form of a cake or biscuit.
Medication
I mean, this may be something you should speak to a pharmacist about, so I don't want to give loads of advice on different medications, cause quite simply, I don't know the best option for you. However, I carry motion sickness medication with us on every cruise, although I haven't needed to take any yet (thankfully). Some medications may make you feel drowsy, so its worth seeing if you will be able to take them before hand. I know for myself, due to my work, I have to avoid any medication which can make me drowsy as I have to adhere to a very strict drugs and alcohol policy.
There will also be a selection of travel sickness medication onboard the ship, so its worth having a look onboard if you haven't got any with you. They will be charged at a higher price than in the pharmacy or store, but at least you may have access to them at sea. If you can't find any in the shops on board, speak to a staff member to see if they can advise you.
Acupuncture wristbands
We bought these for a recent cruise over the Bay of Biscay, during the crossing we did face some rough weather, and I did wear them for a day. I didn't feel any motion sickness at all even though you could feel the swell no matter where you were onboard the ship.
The band has a small plastic stud on the inside which puts pressure in the acupressure point on your wrist. This has been proven to relieve nausea and vomiting, reducing the symptoms of motion sickness.
You can also get them for under £7.
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