A cruise can be the perfect getaway for fun and relaxation. After all - what could be more exciting than visiting distant shores, exploring exotic destinations, and enjoying premier entertainment and dining aboard a massive luxury liner? No doubt, a cruise can be the perfect family vacation. Unless of course you’re prone to seasickness.
Not even the most expensive, most lavish cruise ships will keep you safe from the ebbing, nauseating ups and downs of the open water. But the upside is that you should still be able to enjoy your cruise as long as you know the perfect place onboard. Want to know exactly where to stay on a cruise ship to avoid seasickness? Here’s what you need to know.
The Best Place to Avoid Seasickness on a Cruise Ship
If you’re prone to seasickness but want to enjoy a cruise anyway, then it’s imperative that you make the right choice when booking your stateroom. People staying in cabins that are located closer to the bow or the stern are more likely to experience significant ups and downs that could induce a motion sickness episode. The same can be said for guests in rooms that are closer to the upper deck.
For that reason, you’re going to want to book a room that’s towards the middle and the bottom of the cruise ship. And while it might seem counterintuitive, it could help to reserve a cabin with a veranda or windows. Allowing in some fresh air can help reduce the symptoms of seasickness. Plus, it’s always easier to hurl overboard in case you can’t keep it down.
What Causes Seasickness?
In simple terms, seasickness is caused by an imbalance between what you see and what you feel. Inside your inner ear are organs that control your sense of balance. They send signals to your brain to tell you your position in space. All of these signals work closely with impulses sent from your eyes that confirm what your balance centers are saying.
But when you’re on a cruise ship, it’s likely that your eyes don’t perceive movement at all - or vice versa. So while your inner ear might be telling your brain one thing, your eyes might say something completely different. These mixed signals can confuse the brain, causing nausea and dizziness.
Staying somewhere closer to the bottom and the center of the ship can reduce your perception of these strange movements, helping your senses cope with the sensation so you can adjust and enjoy the rest of the trip.
How to Avoid Seasickness on a Cruise Ship
If you’re the kind of person who often finds their vacations totally soiled by motion sickness, there’s hope for you yet. Here are a few tips, tricks, and hacks you can try to avoid seasickness on a cruise ship.
Choose the Right Cruise
People who already know that they’re always getting sick on board might want to properly plan their trip. Avoid cruise itineraries that traverse stormy waters over long periods of time. For instance, European cruises that sail the Mediterranean or Caribbean cruises that start off at Puerto Rico often experience much calmer waters.
Then again, you could try a shorter trip all together. Some cruise companies offer trips as short as 2 nights, like the Florida to Bahamas cruise. These can be ideal for individuals who want the fun of a cruise but don’t have the guts to sit on a moving mega-boat for more than a short period of time.
Watch Your Diet
Although eating might be the last thing on your mind as you fight back the urge to purge, studies suggest that eating small frequent meals throughout your trip can help temper your tummy and keep seasickness at bay. Consider bringing along some fresh ginger, ginger ale, tea or candy with you.
Other than that, you’re going to want to avoid booze for the time being. Strong drink can exacerbate the symptoms of motion sickness and cause dehydration, further worsening your condition. Of course, that also means avoiding any food or drink such as dairy, that typically causes an upset stomach.
Pack Seasickness Medication
There are loads of over the counter products you can buy to keep your seasickness under control. Medications come in both synthetic and natural options so you can find something that better suits your needs. But sometimes, you might not even have to buy meds.
Check out the Non Drowsy Bonine for Motion Sickness or the All Natural Motion Sickness, Nausea Relief Tablets.
Some people have had major seasickness control success by sucking on mint or peppermint candy. Ginger tea has also been found to be particularly effective at calming the senses and controlling motion-induced nausea.
We like the Red Bird Soft Peppermint Candy and the Organic Ginger Tea.
Stay Hydrated
Dehydration can cause headaches, further worsening how you feel if you’re going through an episode of seasickness. That said, it’s important to make sure you’re getting enough water to prevent dehydration.
But there’s more to it than just that. Not all fluids help hydrate your body. For instance, milk, coffee, and acidic juices can exacerbate dehydration. Stick to good old water for your drinking needs, or mix things up with apple or carrot juice, or clear soup.
Rest
Feel like taking a nap? Go ahead and do it. Closing your eyes can help recalibrate your senses and minimize the signals firing throughout your brain. This can then calm the mind and keep the senses from delivering mixed signals that cause seasickness in the first place.
If you’re having trouble falling asleep because of the motion sickness, you can try taking a sleeping aid to make it a little easier to doze off. You can also try a sleep mask to block out any light and distractions that might make it tougher to fall asleep.
We recommend taking the HealthA2Z Sleed Aid for a restful sleep.
Bon Voyage!
Not a lot of people know where to stay on a cruise ship to avoid seasickness. But the bottom center really is the prime location for keeping nausea and dizziness at bay. Aside from that, it helps to pack the right stuff to keep your motion sickness under control. With the right meds, proper diet, and enough water and sleep, you should be able to maximize your trip and fully enjoy that cruise without having to worry about throwing up every few minutes.
