Ways to Prevent Seasickness When on a Cruise

Nothing can put a damper on a cruise faster than seasickness. Some people have found that the ill feeling they get from being on the water goes away after a day or two, but even then, you have missed a good portion of your vacation. For some, seasickness does not go away at all. This makes it difficult to enjoy your vacation.

It does not matter how strong you think you stomach is – anyone can get seasick. In fact, even if you have had no problems on a cruise in the past, you can still get seasick! Seasickness is caused by the irregular movements of the items around you in response to your instinctive center of gravity. In addition, when you are on the water, your international organs shift a bit, and pressure on the diaphragm can make you feel sick.

Luckily, there are a number of options to help you overcome seasickness. You should always be prepared to deal with seasickness, as it can strike anyone who steps foot on a ship. By being prepared, you can make sure that you vacation is not totally ruined.

First and foremost, there are a number of over-the-counter and prescription medications that can help you deal with seasickness. One of the most common is Dramamine, which can help you with other kinds of motion sickness as well. If you ca not take Dramamine, a good alternative is scopolamine. Dramamine typically comes in a tablet, which you take prior to feeling sick. Scopolamine, also known as hyoscine and sometimes called “devil’s breath,” is usually in the form of a patch. A medical transdermal patch can be stuck on your skin and will slowly release small doses of the medication throughout the day or week. This helps you regulate how much you are exposed to, which is safer and allows you to focus on your vacation, not the timing of your pills.

In addition to over-the-counter and prescription drugs, you can also fight off motion sickness in natural ways. Ginger is one of the most commonly used natural substances to help with motion sickness. You can chew this root, but an easy way to ingest ginger is to simple buy ready-made tablets. If you’re going take ginger, make sure you talk to your doctor first, as it can interact adversely with other medications. If you do not have any ginger pills, you can also purchase ginger crystals or drink ginger tea. Many cruise lines make these options available.

There are a number of methods other than medicine, which help prevent one from getting seasick. Seasickness can interfere with the fun you are supposed to have while on vacation. The following are a few of the best ways to reduce the effects of seasickness when you begin feeling ill.

• Block one ear with your finger. This prevents the fluids in your ear from splashing around, which is one of the major reasons why you get seasickness in the first place.


• Get some fresh air. Sometimes it is as easy as relaxing on the deck for a while.


• Keep your eyes fixed on a shoreline. If you’re too far out at sea, you can try keeping your eyes fixed on the horizon. This helps your body and mind to stabilize.


• Spend time near the center of the boat. The closer you are to the center of gravity, the less the boat will be rocking, so you’ll be closer to standing still.


• Lay down on your back. You’ll feel like you aren’t rocking from side to side as much. It also helps to close your eyes while doing this.


• Stand near the helm. This is usually only helpful on smaller ships, but when you stand near the helm, which is usually the place where the boat is pitching and rocking most, you can see the sea and anticipate the boat’s movements.

Many people have also found that it helps simply to get your mind off of things. Even if you feel ill, try not to stay in your cabin as this may keep your mind focused on your seasickness. Instead, get out on deck and interact with others as much as possible. When you get your mind off the sickness, it may go away. Most people find that they overcome seasickness within the first 24 hours, if they feel ill at all.

Everyone can experience seasickness even if you have never had it before. These tips can help you enjoy your vacation without worrying about getting seasick. A cruise is a great way to travel and the experience should not be ruined by getting ill. Remember to interact with others on your cruise, as this will focus your mind on something other your sickness.