5 Tips to Avoid Motion Sickness on Your First Cruise (2024)

FAQs

How to avoid getting seasick on a cruise? ›

At the very least, regularly sipping ginger ale and eating crackers may do the trick for the first 24 hours. If you're prone to seasickness, be cautious of your alcohol intake as alcohol can increase dehydration and exacerbate the effects of motion sickness.

Be Prepared Before you Board

If you have never experienced motion sickness on land you might avoid seasickness altogether, as is the case for many cruise ship passengers. If you want to be prepared regardless, there are over the counter products that you can carry on board just in case.

According to many of our guests, some of the best seasickness tablets for a cruise include Dramamine or Bonine. These medications can be taken before nausea arises to help lessen the severity. They may also be taken to ease the feeling of sickness as it occurs.

Specific to cruising, the CDC recommends frequent hand washing and hand sanitizing (more often than on shore) and wearing a mask in crowded or poorly ventilated areas.

If possible, try lying down, shutting your eyes, sleeping, or looking at the horizon. Stay hydrated by drinking water. Limit alcoholic and caffeinated beverages. Eat small amounts of food frequently.

A ginger supplement combined with ginger snaps, ginger ale or candied ginger might help curb nausea. Eat lightly. Some people find that nibbling on plain crackers and sipping cold water or a carbonated drink without caffeine help.

That said, many studies show that as a whole, Dramamine is more effective at preventing motion sickness, though it is less convenient given the dosing. Another option is scopolamine, which is commonly known as the round patch placed behind one's ear.

Consider taking some medication the night before

Over the counter options such as Dramamine and Bonine can help, but need to be in your system well before you ever get on the boat. Because of this, it is recommended that you begin taking the medicine 12 hours or more before you plan to hit the water.

Although not impossible to succumb to sea sickness on a cruise, it is highly unlikely that you will feel unwell - in fact most people do not get seasick under normal circ*mstances, and I speak from experience, as a long sufferer of motion sickness.

When should I take motion sickness pills before a cruise? ›

Try taking Dramamine® Original Formula 30 minutes to an hour before boarding the ship and then as needed and as directed on the packaging. To be extra prepared, consider taking Dramamine® All Day Less Drowsy a day in advance - relieves motion sickness symptoms with less drowsiness for up to 24 hours.

A cruise medical clinic may administer injectable promethazine if absolutely necessary.

While salads do not tend to run the risk of bacteria developing from the temperature of the food, one can never be sure how long the food has sat out and if the fruits and vegetables have been thoroughly and properly washed. Eat fruits that you can wash personally and have a protective layer.

Get Some Air

If you start to feel the telltale signs of nausea, head out onto the deck for some fresh air. This change of environment will alleviate the rise in your body temperature (save that for a day on the beach in the Caribbean), and the wind in your face will help reduce uncomfortable sweating.

Wash Your Hands Frequently

You should also pack your own small bottles of hand sanitizer to use throughout the cruise. While washing your hands with soap and water is preferable to using hand sanitizer, either method will help defend yourself against gastrointestinal disease.

The best deck for those who get seasick

Midship staterooms on the lowest passenger deck are the best spot to be on a cruise ship in this instance because you don't feel the vessel sway as much. The front and back of the ship are a no-no.

Although not impossible to succumb to sea sickness on a cruise, it is highly unlikely that you will feel unwell - in fact most people do not get seasick under normal circ*mstances, and I speak from experience, as a long sufferer of motion sickness.

The middle of the ship and not too high is your safest bet. A mid-ship stateroom with a balcony for quick access to fresh air may be ideal. If not available, consider a room that is either lower or closer to the back, as the front of the ship tends to experience the most movement.

Options include prescription scopolamine patches (Transderm Scop) and over-the-counter antihistamine pills, like dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) and meclizine (Bonine). Studies suggest that scopolamine patches work just as well as dimenhydrinate, but better than meclizine.