Surviving Motion Sickness

Seasickness is one of the Biggest Worries of First-time Cruisers

May 5, 2007

It's unlikely to happen on a modern cruise ship but there are plenty of motion sickness remedies, conventional and less conventional, on the market if it does.

Will I get seasick? This is one of the most frequently asked cruising questions. Most first-time cruisers dread motion sickness but you can rest assured that it is unlikely to happen.

All modern ships are fitted with stabilisers, giant fins which protrude from the sides of the hull under water to stop the side-to-side roll which causes seasickness symptoms. Most cruise ships do the bulk of their sailing at night, when you’re asleep. Captains will avoid big storms where possible, to the extent of skipping ports if necessary. Most cruises take place in the ‘right’ season, for example, no cruise line attempts to round Cape Horn in winter.

If you are afflicted, symptoms of motion sickness will include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, sweating, salivating and yawning. It’s not pleasant but it can be avoided or at least minimised.

Prevention is better than cure! Take medication before the ship sails, not when you start to feel sick. If there is a lot of movement, head for the ship’s centre of gravity – as low down as possible and as close to the centre. Alternatively, go on deck and fix your eyes on a static point, like the horizon. Fresh air often helps. Don't read and don't watch television, and definitely keep away from anybody else who is being sick, which is enough to set some of us off.

Stay away from cooking smells and engine smells – I remember feeling terribly queasy once during a cookery demonstration in the ship’s theatre in rough seas. If none of this works, try going to your cabin and closing your eyes – sleep is better than feeling sick! Take comfort in the fact that after the first 72 hours or so, your body should have become accustomed to the motion.

Prescription cures include a skin patch (Scopoderm TTS). Its active ingredient (hyoscine hydrobromide) is, however, also available in tablet or chew form that can be bought over the counter. Some doctors prescribe Phenergan (promethazine), available as liquid, tablets or by injection from the ship’s doctor. It does the trick – but can cause overwhelming drowsiness and a dry mouth.

Over the counter motion sickness remedies are mainly antihistamines with brand names like Dramamine, Kwells or Stugeron (names may vary from country to country). Any of these may cause drowsiness but usually less so than Phenergan. There are special brands for motion sickness in children like Traveleeze; don't just give a child a reduced dose of an adult medicine. Read the pack first. Babies under about two tend not to suffer at all.

Alternative medicines include acupressure bands, aromatherapy oils and homeopathic remedies. A ship’s doctor once told me that you’d be just as well throwing these overboard, for what they were worth, but a lot of people swear by them. The acupressure bands press on a point in the wrist that is related in Chinese medicine to nausea. Many pregnant women rely on them to relieve morning sickness. Whether they work or simply have a placebo effect, they’re harmless and worth trying as there are no side effects. They are normally marketed as Sea Bands. There’s a magnetic version which costs slightly more and an electronic watch called Relief Band, at over $100. All three perform the same function, stimulating the acupressure point related to nausea.

There are various aromatherapy mixes, too, for motion sickness, and it’s true to say that peppermint oil can be a great stomach settler. Just sniffing essential oil of peppermint on a tissue can help, or sipping mint tea. Another substance that’s kind to the stomach is ginger, so it's worth take some ginger biscuits along to nibble on, or buying ginger oil from a health food shop and inhaling that. Alternatively, ask for ginger tea or even sip ginger ale. It’s important, in any case, to keep rehydrated after vomiting a lot.

If things become absolutely desperate, another ‘cure’ is a swig of Fernet Branca, a fearsome potion of bitters containing 27 herbs and used for decades as a hangover cure and stomach settler. I’ve tried it for a terrible hangover and it worked instantly, although at 43 per cent proof, it probably only makes the sufferer drunk again!

The copyright of the article Surviving Motion Sickness in Cruise/Island Vacations is owned by Sue Bryant. Permission to republish Surviving Motion Sickness in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.