Aug 20 2015
5 Ways to Prevent Seasickness
By CruiseRadio
<p>Get seasick one time and it could be a deal breaker to whether you cruise again – or maybe not.</p><p>Try these five tips on your next cruise to see if it eases the queasiness.</p><p><img alt="" style="width: 500px; height: 333px;" data-cke-saved-src="http://cruiseradio.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/IMG_4669.jpg" src="http://cruiseradio.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/IMG_4669.jpg"></p><p><strong>1. Book itineraries with few sea days</strong></p><p>This is kind of a no-brainer. If you have a tendency to become seasick, the fewer sea days your cruise’s itinerary has, the less time you have to spend at sea. Do keep in mind though that if you’ve never been on a cruise, but know you are prone to seasickness on smaller boats, it won’t necessarily be the same on a massive cruise ship. Because of their size, if you have calm seas, chances are you might hardly notice you’re on the ocean and moving at all. If you do know that it will be an issue though, read on.</p><p><strong>2. Book low and center</strong></p><p>Because of the nautical engineering of cruise ships and the way they behave in the water, as well as the way the ocean moves; the lower the cabin you book and the more central to the ship that it is, the less movement you will feel.</p><p>If you think about a seesaw, it makes sense. The ends move much more than the middle of the seesaw. Also consider a metronome; the end that swings on top moves much further than the bottom. Same goes for a ship in most cases. These are very basic analogies to apply to a cruise ship, but the simple principles are the same.</p><p><strong>3. Use Pressure Bracelets</strong></p><p>Acupressure, much like acupuncture without the puncturing, is an excellent way to relieve or lessen motion sickness – including seasickness. It’s a form of healing that uses pressure (usually with a finger or hand) to stimulate key points on the body. However, with pressure bracelets, all you need to do is put it on and you’re good to go. There are many different brands to choose from, but the thing they have in common is usually a little nub that puts pressure on a specific point above the wrist, called the P6 Point. They are non-medicated, drug-free, reusable, and usually inexpensive.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Popular Brands: </strong></p><ul><li><strong>Sea Bands</strong></li><li><strong>BioBands</strong></li></ul><p><strong>4. Use Ginger</strong></p><p>If you don’t want to go straight for drugs to help with your seasickness but do want to be able to take something, the best natural remedy would probably be ginger. It can work really fast; for some people the effect is almost instant, but it’s recommended you start taking it a day or two before longer journeys, such as a cruise. There are many forms you can take it in; tea, cookies, powder, ginger ale, and candy. You can even gnaw on raw ginger root for a little while, although it’s recommended you don’t swallow it. Ginger is also available in pill, capsule, and essential oil form or in ginger candy form.</p><p><strong>5. Use OTC Drugs</strong></p><p>If all else fails, you can certainly go with the old standby of over the counter medication. The most common drug for motion/seasickness is Dramamine, but Benadryl and Bonine are known to be effective as well.</p><p>For best results, start taking these medications an hour before your trip or, with the case of a cruise, as soon as you start to feel seasickness. The most commonly reported side effect of these drugs is drowsiness. As always, follow the instructions with medication and use common sense.</p><p><strong>Quick Tips:</strong></p><ul><li>Don’t drink a lot</li><li>Be prepared ahead of time</li><li>Stay in the fresh air as much as possible</li></ul>