We’re doing a Transatlantic from Barcelona to Miami next year, and right now we’re on deck 14 near the front. I’ve heard that higher decks feel more of the ship’s movement. Is it really noticeable between lower and higher decks? My wife gets motion sick in a car on winding roads but had no issues with planes or our last cruise (which was only 3 nights in calm seas). I’m hoping we won’t have any problems, but should I consider changing to a lower deck?
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Hi forum,
We’re doing a Transatlantic from Barcelona to Miami next year, and right now we’re on deck 14 near the front. I’ve heard that higher decks feel more of the ship’s movement. Is it really noticeable between lower and higher decks? My wife gets motion sick in a car on winding roads but had no issues with planes or our last cruise (which was only 3 nights in calm seas). I’m hoping we won’t have any problems, but should I consider changing to a lower deck?
You’ll want to be near the middle of the ship, both horizontally and vertically. I suggest starting Bonine a day before departure and taking it every day, whether you need it or not. After that, just relax and have fun!
A transatlantic cruise might not be the best way to start off if you’re worried about sea sickness.
Yes, you’ll definitely feel more motion on higher decks and towards the front of the ship. Whether it bothers you or not is hard to say. Keep in mind that a transatlantic is different from a short 3-day cruise. Even when the sea is calm, the ship still sways. If there are swells, it gets more noticeable. You get used to it, but it’s definitely a different experience.
Just came back from a round-trip transatlantic. There was definitely a lot more movement on the top decks and towards the front. My partner gets seasick even on calm waters, so we were glad to be on decks 7 and 9 for the crossing. She used Bonine regularly and didn’t have any issues.
Make sure to start Bonine the day before you board. I’ve been on higher decks, like deck 13, but stayed towards the back and was fine. I still took Bonine just to be safe. If you can, try for a middle or aft cabin, and a little lower if possible.
From what I’ve read, the higher up and farther forward you are, the more you feel the movement. I’ve experienced this before on a lower deck (like 6 or 7) where the motion was much stronger near the front than in the middle. If you want to feel less movement, aim for the middle of the ship and the middle decks. I’d change the cabin to be safe, especially on a transatlantic cruise where the seas can be rough. People also say being able to look at the horizon from a balcony helps.
I’m not sure why, but the center of gravity (or center of flotation?) on a ship isn’t exactly in the middle front-to-back, it’s actually about 2/3 of the way to the back. So, the front moves more than the back. Also, higher decks move more than lower decks. The main restaurants are usually placed in the most stable part of the ship, so you could use that as a guide.
I just had my first cruise, 7 days in the Caribbean. Our cabin was forward on deck 12. We definitely felt the motion. On the first day at sea, both my wife and I got seasick. I was surprised since I never get carsick and haven’t had issues on smaller boats before. Luckily, it only lasted that day, and we felt fine after that.
I don’t notice much of a difference, but I prefer being around decks 8 or 9 for convenience. Rooms near the pools on those decks get a lot of foot traffic and can be a bit noisy underneath, so I avoid those. I find that if it’s rough enough to make me seasick, I’ll feel it no matter where I am on the ship.
Transatlantic cruises tend to be a bit rougher than Caribbean ones, but I wouldn’t worry too much about being midship and lower.
Yes, you will definitely feel more motion at the top. I was on the QM2 from NYC to Southampton and stayed on deck 13 at the very front in late October. The movement was very noticeable in rough seas. If it was that noticeable on an ocean liner, I can’t imagine how much more it would be on a regular cruise ship.
Try to get a lower deck. I was on deck 14 mid-ship for my transatlantic in 2022, and it was awful. I usually feel less motion at the back of the ship or in interior cabins, especially on Virgin cruises.
Talk to your doctor and get the scopolamine patches, and just wear them. We had outside decks closed for two days on my first crossing from Florida to London due to weather and waves. I ended up getting norovirus, but I wasn’t seasick.