I Wasn’t Ready For Motion Sickness On Our Cruise. Tips I Would Follow to Do Differently!

Disney Cruises are great experiences for families with the great on board dining, Broadway-style shows, Disney character meet and greets plus amazing pools. One thing that can get in the way of that great experience is if you experience motion sickness or vertigo on a Disney Cruise which is pretty common with many adults.

There are a variety of different medications that can be used to help motion sickness on a Disney Cruise although it varies between person to person. Something that may work for you for motion sickness in other situations may not work the same on a cruise.

On my recent Disney Cruise, I wasn't ready for the motion sickness nor did I think it would affect me! I'm not someone that is super sensitive to motion sickness although some theme park rides can cause me dizziness. I learned the hard way that I should have arrived prepared and here are all the tips of things I would do differently on a future Disney Cruise.

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Medications for Motion Sickness on a Cruise

There are a few medications available to prevent motion sickness on a Disney Cruise. Everyone is different and what works for one person won't work for another so that's really key to keep in mind. It's just trial and error when it comes to motion sickness.

While I did come prepared with Bonine, I wish I would have brought MORE options with me in case that method didn't work. It's a pretty helpless feeling to be out at sea and realizing you should have sought out a prescription motion sickness medication before your trip.

The cruise ship will have medication available, including sea bands, in the gift shops along with the Health Center. As for the prescription option listed below, no such luck on that one.

Here are some of the most common medications with their pros and cons:

Dramamine and Bonine

Dramamine is a traditional medication for motion sickness. There are two version of Dramamine: non drowsy and regular. The regular version contains dimenhydrinate but it can make people pretty drowsy so it's not often the most popular option.

The non-drowsy option has meclizine which is meant to offer similar protection from motion sickness without the drowsiness. Bonine, another popular motion sickness medicine, also has this same ingredient.

In my case, I usually take Bonine at theme parks that might have attractions that cause me dizziness so I brought it with me on our Disney Cruise. While I use this medication often at theme parks, it did nothing for me on the cruise which was disappointing since this was the only medicine I brought.

Transderm-Scop Patch

This medication is available by prescription only. This is a patch that you wear behind the ear and is used to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by motion sickness. It works by correcting the imbalance of natural substances (acetylcholine and norepinephrine) that can occur in motion sickness. It also blocks certain signals to the brain that can cause nausea and vomiting.

I saw lots of people on our Disney Cruise wearing this patch and have heard it works well for many people. This is something I will pursue for my next Disney Cruise to see if this method works for me. Since this requires a prescription, you will need to make time to see your doctor to get one before a cruise.

These are all essential packing items for your Disney Cruise!

Natural Motion Sickness Remedies

There are a lot of tried and true methods for natural motion sickness remedies that are popular among cruisers. Here are some of the best common methods.

During my cruise, the Health Center had print outs with this information to give guests so I utilized many of these (that were available to me) during the trip and this did help me regain my balance a bit.

• Sea bands are acupressure wristbands that stimulate a point on the wrist that can help sea sickness.
• Use essential oils like peppermint.
• Face the direction the ship is moving.
• Look to the horizon.
• Change positions from a standing to a lying down or vice versa.
• Get some fresh air.
• Drink ginger ale.
• Stay off screens.
• Avoid alcohol.

The list here could be endless as motion sickness is something really personal to the individual experiencing it. But it's good to have methods on hand to try just in case you experience it.

Disney Cruise Line Health Center

I did utilize the Health Center during my first full day at sea once the vertigo got so bad. Turns out, this is pretty common. The Health Center door is even equipped with tip sheets you can take and plenty of stock of meclizine. They recommended I take it before bed, it was a stronger dose than my Bonine, and by the next day I was feeling so much better.

While I still felt unsteady on the ship, I did not have the same dizziness that was plaguing me the first two days. For me this medicine did the trick, whether it was the stronger dose or taking it before bed, but it helped me quite a bit. And of course, you do begin to gain your “sea legs” by the third day of your cruise so I am sure that also helped.

It's comforting to know that the Disney Cruises are equipped with a Health Center that is prepared to help you with motion sickness. They were kind and it did ease my anxiety a bit to know I had these resources close by. For guests that suffer from severe vomiting for motion sickness, they do have shots on hand to help combat this. Keep in mind that many of those extra services will be at an extra charge but if you need them, they are available.

Best Rooms on Disney Cruise For Motion Sickness

There are also some preventative measures you can take to prepare for your Disney Cruise if motion sickness is a worry.

Depending on where you are on the ship, you will feel the rocking and movement more. I noticed it the most at the very front or end of our ship, in these areas I found I couldn't stay there too long or I would begin to feel dizzy the first few days. Once I got my motion sickness under control, then I was able to navigate it just fine.

This is also true for the location of your stateroom! If you are worried about motion sickness, you want to opt for a stateroom that is located midship where the ship is the most stable. This is the best advice all around, head to the middle of the ship if you are feeling any motion sickness.

You may also consider if you want a verandah stateroom or not. Does fresh air help your motion sickness? It may help to have an outside space to get fresh air as needed or to look into the horizon. If seeing the ocean makes it worse, then perhaps an inside stateroom is for the best. We had a verandah room but for me personally, I did better when I wasn't looking at the ocean so I had those curtains closed those first two days! It is really personal preference, motion sickness impacts everyone differently.

What is the Best Cruise Length for Motion Sickness?

It may seem counter intuitive but a longer cruise might actually work better for motion sickness on a Disney Cruise! You have more port stops, chances to get off the ship and get your land legs, plus more time to get used to the ship itself.

Depending on the cruise, shorter cruises might move quicker which means you will feel the ship moving much more than cruises of longer lengths. This all varies depending on the cruise type.

The benefit of a smaller cruise is that if you are impacted by the feeling and don't enjoy it, you know that an end date is near in your future.

Dealing with Motion Sickness on Disney Cruise

Motion sickness is horrible to experience on a Disney Cruise but feel comforted that this is a common experience so there are plenty of remedies to combat it. You can still have a successful and enjoyable Disney Cruise if you prepare in advance, just in case.

I am thankful that I went to the Health Center right away so that I could enjoy the rest of my cruise without any issues. Do not hesitate to reach out to them if you need advice.

To prepare for my next Disney Cruise, I plan on asking my doctor for prescription for the motion sickness patch to have on hand just in case. But first, I plan on utilizing meclizine before bed leading up to the cruise since I know that worked for me.

Despite experiencing motion sickness my first two days at sea, I had such a great time on our Disney Cruise and I can't wait to do our next one. There are methods to deal with motion sickness on a Disney Cruise and it's worth trying to figure out so you can experience the fun.

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