Cruise

[billandtedsexcellentadventure]

Considering a cruise for the first time. Think it would be up our street however I am worried about sea sickness. Any one got any experience of cruises? Got a five year old.

Did first cruise last year…felt zero motion for the duration of the trip…if sat looking at the water you’d have had no idea we were actually moving.

Took my 5yo on a Tui cruise last year he absolutely loved it .

Thanks both. I know someone irl who said their child was quite sick to start with. Mine sometimes gets travel sick in the car. So worried it would happen on the ship.

I put off going on a cruise for years because I was worried about sea sickness. We went on a Med cruise in June last year and I can honestly say I didn't know we were moving! In face I had to look out of a window to see which way we were travelling.
I did go armed with tablets and wristbands just in case but obviously didn't need them.

We’ve done a couple of cruises, my kids love them. We could definitely feel the motion, I was surprised as it was on the mega ships. Luckily no one felt seasick, I took the patches I bought from Amazon that you stick behind your ears which probably helped and tablets too but didn’t need them.

I got sick on the bay of biscay, its notorious.

I’ve been on 47 cruises! The first one was in 1992 on P&Os Canberra from Southampton, when I was nine years old! We went over the Bay of Biscay in November and it was the first and only time I have ever been seasick and I have cruised all over the world on different seas! Canberra, although seeming massive at the time, would be like a little wine cork next to today’s ships with their stabilising tech etc! I think you’ll be fine!

@billandtedsexcellentadventureIt can entirely depend on where and when. I was sick 25 years ago coming out of Puerto Rico. Massive swell. Roll on 25 years and we’ve mostly done small boat cruising with around 100 guests and as small as 12 guests on yachts, and never been sick until last summer in the north of Iceland. Trips for us have included the Drake crossing out of Antarctica and sailing in the Arctic. We took patches for the Drake crossing but could not believe the swell in Iceland! So, it’s hugely variable and some areas are far worse than others. It was July in Iceland! So take some pills but you will probably be fine!

I’ve been on 6 cruises , not yet been seasick , but had a tremendous storm on the bay of Biscay once , and I have never been so terrified in my life

The DC were 12 and 15 on our first cruise and loved it , so much for them to do (on Celebrity ) we barely saw them !

Bay of Biscay sounds scary. I’ve seen a cruise going from Southampton to Portugal. So guessing we would be going through there. Planning on going in the summer.

Yes think it would pass there. I wouldnt do it again tbh.

Re my post above , we went in the Bay in October ( coming back from the Canaries ) and followed a named storm , the captain told us about it , ( from 3 days in advance ) and the route was changed to sail round the worst of it and make it easier for us

The bay of biscay isn’t the Drake passage which is 2 days of big seas and swell. Getting from our bed to our bathroom was a significant effort! You get thrown across the cabin!

I’ve done several, it really does depending on on where in the world your planning and the size of the ship. I suffer from travel sickness but managed a cruise well. Some crossings are rough so you need to research.

I’ve been in the Bay of Biscay on a cruise ship in a force 9 and it was fine.

We have been lucky enough to be able to go on several cruises, and have sailed in the Mediterranean, the Caribbean and once from Southampton to Iceland then Norway. We have rarely felt any motion, save for one time in the Bay of Biscay when DH felt ill and stayed in the cabin. DD and I went to one of the lounges to listen to a band, and we happened to see them afterwards in the buffet. The singer said that he had never had to use his thighs/glutes so much to balance whilst performing (we couldn’t tell, the band was great). However, that was one night out of many spent at sea, and it didn’t spoil the holiday as a whole at all.

Also to add, when sailing from Southampton to the Mediterranean, we have had windy/rainy weather in the Bay of Biscay, which has changed rapidly to sunshine once approaching the coast of northern Spain. There was one memorable day when the pool lifeguards were in wet weather gear in the morning and I wore a fleece, but by the afternoon it was glorious with everyone in swimwear and sunglasses! This hopefully helps to show that if it is slightly rocky in the Bay, it doesn’t usually last long.

Thank you all. I think I’d personally be fine. It’s the little one and the husband who don’t normally travel well.

Perhaps look for one that sets sail from a med port rather than travelling through the Bay of Biscay on your first trip, considering what you’ve said. I’ve done the Bay of Biscay and was fine, but know a few others felt it. However, they were also high up deck wise and my cabin was down on 5

Not a bad idea. I’ll see if there’s a fly and cruise option.

@SemmaLina Yes. Our ship did that for the Drake Channel too. We got weather and sea briefings. Purple on their mapping was high seas! We tried to skirt around the red areas - the next category down, but it was still stay in the cabin and lock everything down!

we went through the Bay of Biscay last year. Going was fine but coming back was a bit choppy. My parents have been through the B o B at least 30 times and only once was it choppy. I wouldn’t let just that put you off.

Helpful people in my phone. I’m delving deeper into a cruise holiday now. There are four of us. Two adults and two children. I’ve looked at the rooms and they seem tiny. Where do the children sleep?? On a sofa bed? One child is a teenager!! Help!

@billandtedsexcellentadventure There might be connected family cabins. You need to delve into possibilities. Yes, cabins are small!

@MeetMeOnTheCornerthank you. The photos they give me for four people is a cabin with a double bed. Which then just states sleeps four?