Seasickness
Seasickness is a form of motion sickness, characterized by sweating, a general feeling of unease, nausea, and vertigo.
Motion sickness occurs when your body experiences physical sensations that are not in sync with what you see. You can become motion sick in a car, airplane, trains, or even while walking on a roof. Unease in high places can be a mild form of motion sickness as your brain is not accustomed to seeing the ground from such an angle and distance.
Your eyes see the large cruise ship as a stable object, and clue your body in to expect a firm foundation. If your body senses movement, the visual/sensational conflict can cause upset. While motion sickness in a car can be helped by sitting in the front seat and looking out the window, seasickness is often made worse by watching the rocking sea, especially if fixed objects such as railings and masts are part of the picture.
Cruise ships are equipped with stabilizers to help passengers and crew overcome the effects of motion. Most suffer no ill effects on cruises or quickly acclimate. Still, some people are very sensitive and will become seasick from the slightest movement. If you feel queasy while on a cruise, over the counter medicine and wrist bands are usually available in the ship's retail stores and stronger medication is available from your stateroom steward or the ship's doctor. However if you like to be prepared, there are some things you can do before your cruise.
Cinnarizine is an over the counter medication that helps some people, or you can ask your doctor for a prescription medication such as dramamine, scopolamine or promethazine, which are available as transdermal patches and tablets. These medications can have side effects, so consult your doctor about your planned activities and itinerary to find the solution best for you. Use with caution if you are planning shore excursions, especially anything involving dangerous activities such as scuba diving. Promethazine is especially known to cause drowsiness, which can be counteracted by ephedrine in a concoction known as "the Coast Guard cocktail".
Ginger is safe for children and pregnant women and is highly recommended as an effective and natural way to prevent seasickness. It is available as ginger capsules, child friendly ginger gum and delicious ginger candy.
Wearing special wristbands, such as a SeaBand, and SeaBand for Children work by applying pressure to accupressure points, and have helped many people deal with travel induced nausea and vertigo.
Many of the following measures are designed to trick your body and diminish your sensitivity to the movement under your feet. Remember, light, wind and movement are good, while temperature extremes, stuffy air, and noise are bad for motion sickness.
- remove yourself from crowded areas and stand in the front of the boat where the wind is blowing hard.
- keep your mind occupied with sports and games, especially those that involve physical movement.
- hit the workout room, get on the machines, or go swimming.
- while on your balcony keep your eyes on the fixed shore or horizon rather than watching the sea.
- drink alcohol to temporarily diminish your senses.
- lay down on your back and close your eyes. sleep if possible.
- drink ginger tea or ginger ale.
- move to the boat's center of gravity.
- avoiding temperature extremes, and loud noise.
