Jayestravellingadventures

Everyone has seen at least one video of a ship in rough conditions and presume its like this all the time, that is completely false. Its not impossible to be seasick as I sometimes do.

Never read articles which say not to worry about getting seasick as, these are mostly written by people who never get sea sick. Experiencing sea sickness wont ruin your cruise.

Will I get Seasick?

This is such a hard question to answer as; some people get seasick, and others are not affected at all. It is more common to feel seasick in you encounter bad weather as guests you are prone to feeling motion sickness with likely feel sick.

There are many ways to prevent feeling seasick, some of which I take to ensure I don’t feel sick even if it is rocky.

I have been on so many cruises since 2004 and have only been seasick 2-3 times. So it doesn’t matter how experienced you are, even crew members can get seasick. I never worry about where I am travelling too as it wont ruin my cruise. It is something worth risking. When I am a passenger in a car I feel more seasick then on a ship. Have you heard of the newspaper method?

Tips to avoid getting seasick:

Pick the itinerary carefully =

Try to avoid cruises which have multiple sea days as the more sea days you have, the more likely you will be seasick. This isn’t because you are at sea for longer.

Avoid Transatlantic cruises =

Avoid both Transatlantic and Transpacific cruises. These cruises will likely have multiple sea days as they travel far into open waters which is common for bad weather. These wouldn’t be recommended for first time cruisers. Try to book cruises with no sea days however these are extremely rare and commonly on smaller ships.

Avoid Winter cruises =

If travelling from Southampton then you may of heard of the dreaded Bay of Biscay which is notorious for bad weather. So, travelling through this in winter can be a bad decision.

In 2008 I travelled with 14 of my family member on the Ventura’s maiden voyage. We were heading to the Mediterranean to which we had to sail past The Bay of Biscay. We were on the edge of the storm which resulted massive waves, everyone felt the motion to the point the ships rudders were coming out of the water, open decks were closed and even staff members were throwing up. Out of the 14 of us, my cousin and uncle were the only 2 that weren’t affected. It lasted a day and then we were in port and exploring.

Choosing your cabin =

When booking your cruise and you are able to pay the small fee to select your cabin, a good option is in the middle of the ship and as far down as possible. Cabins in the middle and lower down feel less movement of the ship. This is why the medical room is known to be on deck 4 and mid ship.

On P&O their restaurants and theatre is either end of the ship making them the rockiest places to be, you can sometimes feel the vibrations of the engines and rudders. I always choose the back end of the ship which isn’t good for seasickness but something I am not too fussed about, it is just a preference of where I like to go.

Book a balcony cabin =

Balconies can be expensive depending on your cruise itinerary, so if your budget allows it then book one. Having the sea breeze in your cabin can be a game changer if feeling sick.

Since cruising on my own I have always booked a balcony, it is pricey but extremely worth it. Being able to see the horizon as well as feeling the fresh air at your disposal is definitely a benefit.

Seasickness stems from your body being confused. Your eyes are not seeing any movement but your body can feel it. Your body then decides being sick will help you rectify the situation.

If you cant afford a balcony or there are none available when you book, you can always borrow someone’s balcony. In September 2024 I had an inside cabin due to last minute booking however, my sister and brother in law had a balcony so when I didn’t feel too well I went to their cabin.

Go for a Mid-Size ship =

Some articles I have seen will advise to go for the biggest ship you can find, I don’t believe this at all as they are not designed for ocean travel as they focus on having the best facilities onboard. Modern ships have new stabilizers built into the ship which the engine room can deploy however, this doesn’t rule out the motion completely. Aim for a ship which has 2000 – 4000 passengers onboard.

New-ish Ships =

Try to avoid booking on the older ships such as Aurora or Arcadia. Ships from the 90’s to 00’s are lovely to cruise on but they are likely to be a lot smaller and more susceptible to movement. Stabilizers have come a long way since cruise ships have been implemented to public. Although the older ships have been retrofitted with stabilizers the size may be an issue for feeling sick.

I cruised to Amsterdam twice on the Aurora which was built in 2000 and I didn’t feel sea sick at all. It can just come down to luck, and season.

Food & Drink =

When onboard you might be overwhelmed and excited to make the most of all the free food and bars onboard. Be sure to eat small and regular portions to keep your stomach full without overindulging and feeling unwell. Eating greasy and unhealthy foods can increase the chance of feeling sick.

Alcohol is a tricky one, you are on holiday and want to make the most of the drinks onboard however, drinking too much might affect you negatively. Having the odd drink might help take your mind off how you are feeling.

Tips to treat seasickness =

Fresh Air =

Heading outside to feel the fresh air can help when feeling sick, I always go to the side decks to sit and look out to see. If it is extremely rocking the staff usually close all open desks for passenger safety, this is where it is beneficial to have a balcony cabin. If travelling somewhere warm it may not be as effective due to the heat. Walking the promenade if they ship has one can be a great way to get fresh air and exercise.

Medication =

When I embark an hour before we sail I will always take my anti sickness pills to be safe. If I start to feel sick at any point in the cruise I will take my anti sickness. The ones I always use which you can get Kids too are Kwells, they are the only brand that doesn’t make me feel too drowsy. There are a lot of other brands available.

If you don’t bring any anti sickness or you forget to take them then, you can buy some or get some for free at reception. The medical centers onboard often have anti sickness injections, you will need to pay for these which makes you sleepy. There are fully trained medical teams onboard with medical supplies for all kinds of illnesses.

In August 2024 I suffered with Meningitis whilst on board and spent 3 days in the medical center, the beds were comfy, i felt no movement and the medical team were amazing.

Sleep it off =

This is the hardest and easiest thing to do when feeling, having a cheeky day time nap can help you get use to the motion and pass the day by quickly. I love the motion of the ship and often have the best nights sleep onboard, its like I’m being rocked to sleep. Having an inside cabin means you can sleep anytime of the day due to not having any daylight.

Bland foods =

Having bland foods such as toast or biscuits might just help your stomach when feeling sick. On most cruise lines, they love cooking food with different flavours or types of meat such as venison etc. So avoiding heavy foods may help. Avoid your stomach feeling empty as this can make you feel worse, you can get room service or send a loved one to the buffet to grab food.

Green apples & Ginger =

When my nan and grandad told me to east green apples and ginger to stop sickness, I thought they had lost their mind. They proved me wrong! I’m not sure on the science behind it but it definitely works. I always carry ginger biscuits around with me on a cruise just incase I need them, they get ride of the horrible taste in your mouth and help you stomach to not feel so sensitive.

Seasickness bands =

Wearing sickness bands are quite popular when it comes to any kind of travel with all ages. I have always used them for car journeys as well as whilst onboard to which I still do to this day. Whether they work or not, people still use them. You simply press them into your wrist, it just feels like your watch is too tight.

There are bands you can purchase now which emit a small electric shock however, these are more expensive. They definitely take your mind off how you are feeling.

Sleep on the floor =

When I don’t feel well due to the motion, I tend to move my bed onto the cabin floor. In august I slept on the floor for a few hours in the night before going down to medical. It does help and isn’t surprisingly uncomfortable. Sleeping on the mattress can move you feel the motion more due to the springs where n the floor you only move side to side.

Is is worth the Seasickness?

This is a big question, one which I cant answer for you. I didn’t make this post to scare or worry you, this is purely a guide in hat to do as I had to learn this myself. With regards to how many cruises I have been on out of all of them there have only been 2-3 times, I like those statistics.

I absolutely love cruising and I never worry about feeling sick, no matter what I will always book a cruise over a land holiday. Feeling sick can last from 1 hour to 1 day so you aren’t sacrificing a lot, you also aren’t alone onboard when feeling unwell. Hopefully these tips and tricks can help you prepare for the worst .

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