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Independent - how to avoid getting seasick on a cruise

Journalist: Marc Shoffman, Freelance

ended 12. November 2024

I am writing a feature for The Independent on how to avoid getting seasick on a cruise.

Keen on tips from travel agents, cruise brands on best ways to manage/avoid sea sickness e.g special scents, travel sickness patches/tablets - do they work?

Where are the worst routes to get sea sick? What is the best deck/position on ship to book a room if you get sea sick? Is it best to be at the top or the bottom of the ship if feeling sea sick?

Kind regards
Marc

1 responses from the Newspage community

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Kate Rouse
Luxury Travel Planner at Kate Rouse Travel Counsellor
I love a cruise, but can get sick driving to the bottom of my road, so my rule of thumb is, in order:
Book a cabin in midship. Higher up means more sway, lower down means more engine noise, so midship, mid-deck.
Start the tablets a day before embarking and keep taking them; don't stop because you feel better, you won't.
Many people experience seasickness as if they’ve eaten something questionable. You may not always feel nauseous; instead, you might just feel a bit under the weather. It's important to seek out plain food. This is a common symptom of seasickness. All ships have a doctor on board who can provide free tablets if you don’t have your own. Take them and don’t hesitate; trying to be brave only detracts from everyone else.
Go up on deck and look at the horizon. It really does help. Sometimes, it's just better to throw up and get rid of it. The worst route for UK residents at present, with the surge in ex-UK sailings, is the Bay of Biscay in shoulder season. It can be brutal.