Is it hard to get seasick on a cruise?

Benjamin Shore, Chief Medical Consultant at Royal Caribbean, to break down the basics and whether it's actually common for guests to experience seasickness while vacationing at sea. “Considering the large size of today's cruise ships, seasickness is rarely a problem,” says Dr. Benjamin Shore.



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How Common is it to Get Sick on a Cruise? 15% of people have reported feeling seasick while onboard. In our experience we can add an other 10% of passengers that will suffer from other illness, such as colds, flu and hangovers.

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Two words: previous susceptibility. If you've gone a little green in a moving car, train, plane or bus, there's a chance the experience may repeat on the high seas. Again, however, the sheer size of cruise vessels mean they are more stable than most of these other vehicles.

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The 5 Most Dangerous Parts of a Ship for Passengers
  • Watertight Doors. Never try to outrun a closing watertight door. ...
  • Wet/Slippery Surfaces. ...
  • Ferries & Lifeboats. ...
  • Dining Facilities & Fast-Spreading Illnesses. ...
  • Balconies. ...
  • Talking to a Florida Cruise Ship Injury Attorney.


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Choosing The Right Cruise Ship Newer, larger vessels are less prone to motion sickness, thanks to their large size and modern stabilizers that counteract the motion of the waves.

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Over-the-counter medications like Dramamine, Meclizine (also known as Bonine) or diphenhydramine (commonly called Benadryl) can also help prevent or alleviate seasickness. On some ships, these are dispensed freely or are sold in the sundries shop.

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He adds that with innovative design and engineering, ships can also safely navigate around inclement weather, and use stabilizers—fins built off a ship's port and starboard sides along the water line—to reduce side-to-side motion so most guests never experience any motion sickness.

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You didn't book the trip to stay in bed the whole time, so take advantage of drug-free relief from your worst symptoms with Sea-Bands. Relief happens quickly, too. Most report that feelings of nausea subside within five minutes of placing the band on the wrist.

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Most have a sedative effect which works to 'still' the body and reduce inner ear disturbance. These same pills usually also include a stimulant like caffeine to counteract the sedative effect. Some medications have all the above combined to bombard sea sickness with all cannons firing.

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Cabins at the Front of the Ship This is because the front of the ship is more exposed to the movement of the water as they plough through the rough seas. If you're prone to seasickness, it's best to avoid cabins at the front of the ship.

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The cause of most cruise line norovirus outbreaks is contaminated food or water. The way it spreads is through physical contact. With over 3,000 people in close quarters aboard these ships, obviously, the disease spreads quickly. There is no real treatment for norovirus infections.

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It all really depends, but with todays stabilizers on the newer ships, the ships starts to really rock at about 12 ft. swells. 20 ft. is really moving and 30 foot it gets hard to walk around. Usually around 4-6 ft (which is the normal, calm seas) someone with no seasickness will feel no motion at all.

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It often goes away on its own within a year.

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In 2023, a decade-high number of cruise ships have reported an unwelcome passenger on board: norovirus. Outbreaks of the stomach bug have surged on cruise ships this year, reaching the highest levels seen in 10 years.

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If you are wondering how to get rid of land sickness after your voyage, many of the same strategies may help:
  1. Keep moving and taking walks or car rides to provide the missing sensation of movement while you readjust.
  2. Stay hydrated and get enough sleep.


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Some days it is very smooth, but you still feel some motion. Mid-ship and lower decks have the least motion. If you are at all bothered by motion sickness, try to avoid a cabin in the very front or back and high up. Just the forward motion of the ship causes a breeze so you do know you are moving.

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Typically, a member of the cruise line's Care Team will accompany the ill passenger and a companion or family member to the hospital. You will not be reimbursed for any unused portion of your cruise. You will be charged for medical services onboard and in the port of call where you are disembarked.

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