What To Do When You’re Seasick on a Cruise

Getting seasick on a cruise is no fun. But it doesn't need to ruin your trip. Knowing the causes of your seasickness, what to expect, and how to avoid worsening symptoms are the keys to getting through it.

What Causes You To Get Seasick on a Cruise?

Seasickness on a cruise is caused by the constant motion of the waves when you’re out at sea. This rocking effect can become especially noticeable when cruising through rough waters. There also can be a psychological component to seasickness. When there’s little to no land in sight, your brain may feel like it’s constantly in a state of flux, but this just requires some getting used to.

You can do a few things to avoid getting seasick on a cruise ship altogether. The most effective is to take seasickness medication before boarding the ship and to stay hydrated during your voyage.

Another trick is to choose a cabin near the ship’s center to minimize the rocking effect. The bumpiest spots on a cruise ship are the places that waves crash into: around its edges.

Finally, if you start to feel seasick on a cruise, try to stay calm and focus on something stationary, like the horizon. Dizziness is one of the worst symptoms of seasickness, but sometimes, you can be remedy it simply by honing your attention.

Where to Book if You’re Prone to Seasickness

If you think you’re prone to getting seasick on a cruise, then be cautious about which type of cruise you take. You can choose a cruise line and itinerary that will reduce the risk of seasickness.

Start by choosing a cruising itinerary with fewer contiguous days at sea. Opt for cruise that don’t travel far distances from start to finish. For example, if you want to avoid getting seasick, don’t take cruises that cross oceans or have to sail for hundreds of miles before reaching their first destination.

Another tip is to look for cruising itineraries that only cruise for several hours per day, perhaps only from port to port.

And finally, if you really want to avoid seasickness, stay out of the sea! Consider taking a river cruise instead. This option allows you to have the cruise experience with a much lower chance of getting seasick.

What to bring with you

The best thing you can bring with you to help avoid being seasick on a cruise is your doctor-prescribed seasickness medication. Having this handy will give you the peace of mind that you’ll be OK if your cruise starts to get rough. If you forget your medication and find yourself in need, head to the infirmary on the ship. Typically they will have over-the-counter medicine available.

What to do if the water gets rough

If the water gets rough, make sure you take your seasickness medication. You can also try to do things that calm you down, such as meditation, deep breathing exercises, walks around the cabin and focusing on stable points like the horizon.

For best results, move toward one of the lower decks on the ship or stay near its center. This way, you won't feel the roughness of the water as much as you would if you were on a higher deck or toward the ship’s exterior.

What To Do if You End up Getting Sick

If you do end up getting seasick on a cruise, then try these tips:

Get some fresh air

Go up on deck and take deep breaths. Take a walk around the top deck and clear your mind.

Drink lots of fluids

Make sure you hydrate by drinking lots of water. Even ginger ale or lemonade may help to settle your stomach but stay away from alcohol, which can worsen seasickness.

Eat light meals and avoid spicy or greasy foods

Heavy, fried foods will only make your nausea worse. To mitigate the effects of seasickness, eat light meals that won’t further upset your stomach.

Sit or lie down in a comfortable spot and close your eyes

Sleeping may help fight your seasickness, but if you can’t get yourself calm enough to sleep, focus on a fixed point in the distance. This will stabilize your mind and help reduce your symptoms.

Take seasickness medication if necessary

Check with your doctor before your trip to see if you should take something for seasickness. There are many common over-the-counter medications that cruisers take both preemptively or while having a bout with seasickness.

With a little preparation and care, you can be sure that seasickness won’t ruin your cruise.

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