I strongly believe everyone should go a cruise at least once in their life, just for the unique experience and it’s such an easy way to visit multiple destinations on one trip! Not to mention, an excellent option for those who don’t really like flying!
But, when I talk to people about cruising, one of the biggest hurdles is the thought of getting seas sick – so I’ve compiled a list of some of the best tips to combat seasickness and get back to enjoying your holiday.
1. Book the right cabin for you!
Book a cabin as close to the middle of the ship as possible, this should minimise the amount you can feel the boat moving. In addition to this, for some people, being able to see the horizon reduces their seasickness so a room with a window or balcony many be best. However, if you would prefer not to see the sea then an interior cabin many be a better option. From experience, I found the ships movements almost undetectable from an interior cabin!
2. Get fresh air!
This could mean upgrading to a cabin with a balcony to ensure you have easy access to fresh air. Or just limit your time inside, which is much easier to do on cruises where you’re going to have better weather (i.e Caribbean, Mediterranean).
Perhaps choose more outdoor deck activities such as rock climbing or mini golf.
3. Eat the right food!
I would just generally stay away from food that might make you feel more sick/ queasy such as overly greasy or spicy foods. You don’t need anything else adding to your seasickness!
There are also some food remedies that have been known to work too:
Ginger
Eating ginger or ginger biscuits, or drinking ginger tea or ginger beer (easily found on cruise ship bars) can sometimes help.
Green apples
Green apple are also a secret seasickness remedy on cruise ships, these are usually readily available on the buffet too. They have high levels of pectin which settle your stomach and slow down digestion, combined with high sugars to keep your energy up.
4. Medication
Seasickness medication is easy to buy before you travel and come in SO many varieties, are usually taken once a day. I’d consider these a must pack for anyone going on cruise, just as a back-up, and in case of an emergency.
I can’t confirm this for all cruise lines, but Royal Caribbean does usually offer seasickness tablets for free if the journey is particular rough at any point too!
5. Acupressure
An alternative to oral medication is the use of acupressure bands which are in contact with pressure points on your wrist. This helps to alleviate the nausea symptoms.
6. Choose the best itinerary
I probably wouldn’t recommend booking a transatlantic cruise with over 7 days straight at sea if you’re prone to seasickness. However, a cruise around Europe with stops almost everyday offers plenty of opportunities to take a break from the boat and explore the land, so would obviously be much better suited!