The Seasickness Myth: My First Cruise Experience

When asked if I would consider going on a cruise, my answer has always been no. There was one major reason that I was against it. It stemed from my childhood, my experience being on my dad's fishing boat on Lake Michigan. He was an avid fisherman and often took me out on his fishing boat. Most often I would get seasick. Causing me to be violently ill just laying there waiting to get back to shore. I was convinced that spending days on the open ocean would result in constant nausea and ruin the vacation.

However, after finally realizing that my family really, really wanted to go on a cruise, I relented and we booked one. I learned something surprising: I didn't get sick at all. Actually, I felt just fine.

That being said, there is a common myth shared by veteran cruisers that I need to debunk. People often say, "The ships are so big, you can't even tell you're moving!" In my experience, I just don't think that's true. I could definitely tell that the boat was moving. Even though we weren't in heavy seas by any means, there was always that slow rock or a sudden jolt that served as a gentle reminder that we were floating on the water.

But to my surprise that slow rocking didn't cause me to feel any kind of illness. The motion was noticeable, but it wasn't nauseating.

Where I really noticed the movement the most was during long walks. If I was heading back to my room and had a long trek down those seemingly endless hallways, I could feel my body having to actively work its balance just a little differently. You learn to walk with a slight sway, adjusting to the rhythm of the ship.

Ultimately, my biggest fear about cruising turned out to be completely unfounded. If the fear of seasickness is the only thing keeping you from going on a cruise, you might find like I did that it's much more manageable than you expect.