What Is Seasickness?

Seasickness. Just thinking of it is enough to make you feel squeamish. Seasickness is probably the number one reason that many vacationers who love to travel do not cruise. Seasickness is simply motion sickness that occurs on ships, and is sometimes called mal de mer. Seasickness is the reaction of your body's inner ear balance system to the unfamiliar motion of the ship. The movement of the ship causes stress on the balancing portion of the brain. Your brain sees things on the ship such as walls and furniture and instinctively knows from past experience that they are supposed to be still. However, since these items are actually moving with the sea and the ship, the inner ear gets stressed and confused and nausea sets in. Seasickness often disappears within a few days, even without treatment. The brain finally adjusts to this new environment, and the sufferer gets his or her "sea legs."

How Can I Avoid Seasickness?
Staying busy and keeping your mind occupied are the best ways to avoid seasickness. Try to stay on deck in the fresh air and focus on anything other than the moving ship. Take deep breaths and drink plenty of water. When on deck, facing forward (rather than to the side) seems to help most people. Remember that you need to let your brain adjust to this new unstable environment by allowing the horizon to act as the true point of reference.

Although drinking plenty of water is important, you also need to keep something in your stomach (although spicy or fatty food is not recommended). Lying down in a deck chair in the fresh air often helps many people; it's almost like you can sleep it off! Most modern cruise ships are equipped with stabilizers that eliminate much of the motion that causes seasickness. This is one time when bigger might be better-the larger the ship, the less it will rock! If you know you are prone to seasickness, try to get a cabin on the outside (with a window) and mid-ship where there is less motion.

Cruising in relatively calm waters may also help those prone to seasickness. The Caribbean (except during hurricane season) is usually calm.

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