Travel experts say now is the time to go on a cruise. Cruise ships are slashing prices and offering free upgrades like crazy.
So, if you’ve decided to take the plunge and are embarking on a cruise some time soon, you probably have a lot on your mind from what to pack, to how much spending money you’ll need to bring. But don’t forget minor details like first aid kits and medications. You don’t want to let something small ruin your trip.
If you are prone to seasickness, this is one area that a lot of people don’t think about or forget to address before packing up and saying bon voyage to everyone on land. However, if you are prone to motion sickness, you’ll want to think about some precautions before you pack up and leave. The last thing you want to be is sick in your room for the entire cruise.
Here are some tips and possible medications that may help you address the problem.
Over-the-Counter Meds: Most people can get away with taking an over-the-counter medication to get rid of seasickness. What normally happens is that it will take you a day or two to adjust to the rockiness of a cruise ship (especially if you are traveling on choppy waters). Most people can get away with popping a Bonine or some other type of medication on the first day and usually by the second day, your body has acclimated to the new situation.
If you’ve already tried this medication though (say, if you’re prone to car sickness), and it doesn’t work, chances are it won’t work on a cruise ship and you will want to try something else.
Other non-prescription drugs beside Bonine, are Antrizine and Meni-D. All of them contain a drug called mecclizine.
Dramamine: Most people are also familiar with Dramamine, also known as vertirosan. This is another type of medication you can take to get rid of that seasick feeling. The only problem is that it could make you sleepy, and that’s no fun if you are on a cruise and want to explore the ship and your destination spots.
Plan Ahead: If you have decided to take any sort of oral medication to address your sea sickness, plan ahead! Make sure you take it several hours before boarding, because it takes time to kick in. Also, make sure that you are not taking it on an empty stomach as it could make you feel sick. At the same time, you may not want to eat a huge meal before your embarkation – if you are concerned (about it coming back up). Something light like toast and fruit should be sufficient enough for you to take the medication with.
The Patch: I personally have never used this, but this is something like a nicotine patch for people prone to motion sickness. The patch has a drug called scopolamine. You put it behind your ear and the effect is supposed to last several days. The only problem with this is that if you plan to be active, having a patch behind your ear could be a nuisance. On a lot of the cruises, you may be swimming or doing other water activities, so this may not be a very practical solution. However, if you plan to take a relatively low-key, relaxing approach to your cruise, this may be the solution for you.
It is not suggested that this patch be used by the elderly and you should always talk to you doctor about the side effects of something like that. If possible, put the patch on a few days before your cruise to make sure there are no side effects.
Ginger: Some people swear by this. If you motion sickness issues are not that severe, eating something with ginger may be helpful to you. If you’re going this route, make sure to eat before boarding – don’t think that popping in some ginger candies into your mouth the moment you feel sick is going to cut it. And anything with ginger, could work: ginger snaps, ginger tea, ginger candies, etc.
Research: Do your research. If your concern about motion sickness has now taken over, do your research before buying into a cruise. Look into where you’re going and what season is the best time to go when the waters are less choppy. While there are no guarantees with nature, you can at least attempt to go when the seas are less rough.
Boat Size: The smaller the ships, the greater chance there is that you will feel every little crash and wave of water against it. With larger ships, the feeling of being at sea is minimized. So, look into the capacity of your ship. Ships with passenger capacities of around 1,000 are on the smaller side. Ships that can carry around 2,000 to 3,000 people are on the larger side and could ensure a smoother ride.
Acupuncture Bands: Go to any drug store in the medication aisle, and you will find wrist bands that have pressure points on them. A lot of people also swear by these in curing sea sickness, but there have been no real medical tests to actually prove the efficacy. In any event, these are similar to the patch, in that they are something that you would have to wear and could get in the way of your activities. A good way to see if the bands work is to wear them in the car – if you get carsick easily. Then, check to see if they have any impact.
Other: The one thing that sometimes works for me is just breathing in fresh air. If you go out and stand on the deck, that sometimes helps rather than being cooped up in your room. Additionally, if you decide to go outside, don’t focus on the crashing waves below you. That will only make you more sick. Instead, focus on something in the far-off distance – that your brain will register as being fixed and motionless.
One important note is that if you are on one of the longer cruises (minimum 5 days), after getting off the ship, once your cruise is over, you may get sick from having to adjust to land. In such case, resort to ginger, acupuncture bands or whatever cure works for you in helping to adjust and get your land legs back.
