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If you’re nervous about Antarctica cruise movement illness, you aren’t overreacting, and you aren’t alone. Earlier than my first journey to Antarctica, my largest concern was not the chilly or the price, it was crossing the Drake Passage and coping with tough seas.
I’m naturally vulnerable to seasickness, so I went deep on analysis, examined a number of treatments, and discovered the arduous manner what really works and what doesn’t. After three separate Antarctica expeditions, together with each the Drake Passage (twice) and the Southern Ocean to the Ross Sea, I’ve firsthand expertise with expedition cruise movement illness, failed fixes, and dependable methods.
This information combines real-world expertise with sensible, examined suggestions so you may really feel ready, pack the correct choices, and enhance your odds of feeling practical as an alternative of depressing throughout your crossing.
Tips on how to Cope with Seasickness When Touring to Antarctica
Like I mentioned, I’m vulnerable to seasickness, so previous to my first journey to Antarctica, I pored by way of data and sought individuals’s recommendation from social media.
The Drake Passage actually intimidated me and my abdomen. I’d heard numerous totally different tales of the passage that it takes two days to go by way of, and never many have been very optimistic! All of them ended with a barf bag and feeling uncomfortable for just a few days.
There’s numerous nice recommendation on the market – from patches to electrical currents to homeopathic treatments to good old style medication.
Right here’s what my expertise was like and a few suggestions from each journeys.
TLDR: Tips on how to Keep away from Antarctica Cruise Movement Illness
- Keep in mind, the Drake Passage and Southern Ocean can convey very tough seas, however severity varies by crossing.
- Count on just a few adjustment days — most vacationers do get their sea legs.
- Preparation and adaptability matter greater than any single “miracle treatment.”
- Deliver a number of seasickness treatments — one methodology is usually not sufficient.
- Prescription patches and motion-sickness tablets are often the strongest choices.
- Pure treatments and wristbands might help, however work higher as backups.
- Begin medicine earlier than the tough crossing begins, not after you’re feeling sick.
- Expedition ships have onboard docs in case your signs get extreme.
Fast Picks: Antarctica Cruise Movement Illness Treatments
These fast picks for Antarctica cruise movement illness treatments are primarily based on actual Drake Passage crossings and what really helped in tough seas.
| If You Need… | Greatest Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Strongest prevention for tough crossings | Scopolamine Patch | Lengthy-lasting and extensively used for Drake Passage circumstances, however has unwanted side effects. |
| Much less drowsy tablet choice | Stugeron (Cinnarizine) or Bonine (Meclizine) | Decrease sedation, easy once-daily dosing |
| Over-the-counter sturdy backup | Dramamine | Simple to seek out and dependable, however might trigger sleepiness |
| Drug-free choice | Reliefband Wristbands Giner |
No unwanted side effects, good as a help methodology, however in all probability not sufficient on it’s personal. |
| Greatest outcomes for a lot of polar vacationers | Patch + pill combo or pill + reliefband combo | Layered strategy works higher in excessive seas |
| Emergency rescue if nothing works | Onboard physician meds | Quick aid when different treatments fail |
Drake Passage vs Southern Ocean: Tough Water Variations
The tough water expertise was totally different between the Drake Passage and the Southern Ocean crossing, primarily due to length and restoration time.
The Drake was intense however shorter, taking about two days, and although I felt fairly depressing, it handed earlier than lengthy. The Ross Sea, then again, meant navigating tough water for 7 to 10 days, the longer publicity made preparation and drugs technique extra vital.
In each instances I nonetheless acquired seasick, however the second journey taught me that adjusting meds and giving my physique time to get its sea legs made a noticeable distinction.
My Drake Passage Seasickness Expertise
I skilled some fairly dangerous seasickness on my first journey, the one throughout the Drake Passage. Right here is an account of my expertise on the time from my journal:
The Breakfast Desk Scene
Glasses and plates rattle just like the percussion part. The boat crashes again down onto the water with a increase of a bass drum. The fixed hum and rumble of the engines present the melody. Often, you’ll hear a wave crash towards the boat with a swishing noise in a very totally different key.
As I sat in my chained-down chair on the breakfast desk, I watched my espresso in my cup teeter-totter backwards and forwards in the direction of the rim of the cup. I attempted to guess when it could lastly go over the facet and spill over into my saucer. As I fixated on the service workers rolling and pitching with massive platters of their arms, I overheard a person say that at the moment we had a really confused sea. I assumed in regards to the time period confused sea and barely chuckled to myself, giving my uneasy abdomen a second of aid as my thoughts had one thing else to consider for a second. I mused to myself that it’s probably not the ocean’s fault – it’s just a bit blended up, as if somebody didn’t present the proper instructions.
Horizontal Survival Mode
I go away after consuming a few bites of my fruit and retreat to the horizontal place that the Drake Passage requires me to be in. I don’t just like the horizontal place – it provides me an excessive amount of time to suppose. I take into consideration my abdomen, take into consideration my life, I take into consideration each little noise, and I take into consideration simply how a lot the ship is pitching and rolling.
That is what I used to be nervous about once we have been getting ready for the journey. The Drake Passage is the physique of water between the southern tip of South America and the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica. It will get its repute because the roughest sea on this planet for good cause. The Antarctic Circumpolar Present will get squeezed by way of this slim hole between the South American and Antarctic continents, and it’s the squeezing of this present in an space of naturally excessive winds that may be a main reason behind Drake’s moodiness.
I shut my eyes, however the symphony continues – the popping and creaking noises by no means cease. Why gained’t they cease? It seems that you’re deep underwater, and the popping and crackling noises are the water and strain in your head – squeezing it like a vice.
Simply as I predicted, my dad is unaffected by the ocean, however I’m down for the rely even after taking meds. He even goes exterior to the highest deck to look at the chaos. He will get to see Cape Horn and will get an image of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans ‘intersection. He comes again to the room with sea spray protecting his glasses and brings a burst of contemporary air into the stale room. He talks excitedly about what he’s seen as if he’s a younger boy who simply acquired off his first curler coaster trip. I can’t assist however smile.
First Time Standing Up Once more
His power brings life again to me. I made a decision I ought to get vertical once more and attempt to stare on the horizon. As I wobble down the corridor, it hits me – it’s as if our ship is a Labyrinth Tilt recreation – my previous childhood recreation with a little bit silver ball that you just needed to work by way of a maze by tilting the board and avoiding the holes. You hug the hallway wall because the ship pitches to the left after which place your self close to the next-door jam to your proper, anticipating the pitch proper, which can roll you thru the opening and into the subsequent corridor. Ahhh – the haziness of the meds is fantastic at occasions.
Dad and I sit in chairs close to the reception space and look out the massive home windows. I watch because the horizon appears to slip up and down the window about 14 to twenty inches with each swell. Sure – I really measure this. The water is metal grey with little white caps. I stare on the seagulls surrounding the ship just like the paparazzi following our each transfer. They’re thrilled we’re stirring up the ocean for his or her looking and offering new air currents for his or her gliding. They’re such a distinction to the turbulent, offended sea. They supply easy fluidity, barely trying as if they’re doing an oz of labor. Simply watching them glide makes me really feel higher.
As I began feeling higher, my social facet got here again to me, together with the colour on my face. A good friend joked, “The one option to keep away from seasickness is to sit down beneath a tree.” I chuckled. Apparently, I had my humorousness again, too.
There isn’t a grand end to Drake’s symphony of sounds, sights, and emotions – it simply sputters out, and my physique and thoughts get up out of the depressing coma it has been in for the previous day.
To get to Antarctica, it’s a must to cross the Drake. Sure – it may be uncomfortable, however it’s a small value to pay to be transported to the underside of the world and again.
Observe – our journeys by way of the passage have been fairly tame in comparison with how it may be. If you wish to get an concept of the acute facet, simply take a look at this video of the G Expedition crossing the passage in March 2011.
Seasickness on Southern Ocean Crossing to the Ross Sea
The Southern Ocean is among the roughest water on this planet, and you’ll be navigating by way of it for 7 to 10 days earlier than you attain Antarctica (3 to 4 occasions longer than the Drake Passage to the peninsula). It was so tough that inside the first 4 hours of leaving our port in New Zealand, somebody needed to be helicoptered off the ship because of accidents after they fell because of tough seas.
The expedition to the Ross Sea (japanese facet of Antarctica) was a dream journey for me and for most individuals who take it. Regardless that I’m vulnerable to seasickness, it didn’t make me hesitate a second in saying sure to journey to Antarctica once more.
Nevertheless, I used to be nonetheless nervous about how tough these seas have been and my means to take care of them. Up to now, going by way of the Drake Passage, I’d ended up in mattress all day, not capable of even stand up.
However as a rule, I refuse to let issues like seasickness, not realizing the language, or concern in any manner cease me – so I handled it.
You may watch my Southern Ocean seasickness expertise beneath!
What Really Helped (And What Didn’t)
After three Antarctica expeditions and numerous trial and error, I discovered that managing my seasickness was much less about discovering one magic repair and extra about having choices and adjusting shortly.
Scopolamine Patch
What helped most was switching drugs as an alternative of stubbornly sticking with the very first thing I attempted. The Scopolamine patch helped a little bit, however it didn’t carry me by way of the roughest days. Plus – I completely hated the unwanted side effects of the Scopolamine patch – dry mouth and peculiar desires. For me, the dry mouth sensation was insufferable.
Stugeron – Cinnarizine
I switched off the patch to Cinnarizine (also called Stugeron and located within the UK). Stugeron is an antihistamine and calcium channel blocker primarily used to deal with movement illness, nausea, vomiting, and vertigo. It labored higher for me and made the largest distinction as soon as I modified over..notably, no extra dry mouth! Bringing a number of sorts of treatments gave me flexibility when one strategy was not sufficient.
This is similar kind of drug as Dramamine which is bought within the US for movement illness and nausea. However for some cause – Dramamine didn’t work as nicely for me in any respect. Possibly it lacked the vertigo blocking component – I do not know. However I a lot most popular Stugeron. So I recommend to convey each simply in case. You may solely get Stugeron within the UK although – so at any time when I journey there I decide some as much as have in my first assist journey package!
Reliefband Sport
On my most up-to-date Antarctica voyage, I skipped the patch, used Stugeron, and added using a Reliefband Sport. The Reliefband Sport is an FDA-cleared, waterproof wearable that treats nausea by way of transdermal neuromodulation. It emits light, rhythmic electrical pulses to stimulate the median nerve on the underside of the wrist, sending indicators to the mind that normalize nerve messaging, block nausea indicators, and cease vomiting.
The game band is waterproof (which is vital for a cruise) and you’ll set it at totally different ranges of depth. Activate the system and modify the depth till you’re feeling a slight tingling in your palm and center fingers. There have been loads of occasions once I had it turned up all the best way and it jogged my memory of a TENS unit – my fingers would transfer uncontrollably with the heartbeat!
However general – I did actually prefer it. It was excellent for each day stuff on the ship and zodiac cruising. The truth is – as soon as I acquired my sea legs, most days I didn’t take any medicine and simply used the Reliefband and was tremendous. After which on the rougher seas, I’d use each Stugeron and the Reliefband and could be okay.
Reliefband Sport Anti-Nausea Wristband
The up to date Reliefband Sport is a revolutionary therapeutic system indicated to be used within the remedy of nausea and vomiting because of movement illness. I used it on my Antarctica crossing and it helped quite a bit. It was nice for each day use on the expedition ship.
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03/09/2026 09:52 pm GMT
Extra Ways Whereas on the Ship
Layering strategies additionally helped. Utilizing medicine plus easy techniques — like getting horizontal when wanted, then later sitting upright and watching the horizon — made restoration intervals shorter and extra manageable. It additionally actually helped once I might get exterior and get contemporary air – even when it was brief stints. And at last – time issues. Getting my sea legs took about 4 days, and as soon as my physique adjusted, I felt noticeably higher for the remainder of the voyage.
What didn’t work was counting on a single treatment and anticipating it to resolve the whole lot. Even with medicine, I nonetheless had just a few depressing days in tough water. Ready too lengthy to change methods additionally made issues more durable than they wanted to be.
If I did it once more, I’d nonetheless convey a number of treatments, begin early, and alter course quicker if one thing was not working. On tough expedition seas, flexibility beats optimism each time.
Keep in mind These 4 Suggestions and You’ll Be Alright
Listed below are my suggestions primarily based on my seasickness experiences
1. Even if you happen to aren’t vulnerable to seasickness, convey one thing
Within the roughest waters, in all probability half of our ship was not feeling nicely. I discovered myself mendacity in mattress, fairly depressing for the primary 3 to 4 days once we have been in tough waters. And sure, I used to be taking numerous drugs, and nothing labored fully for me.
2. Don’t fear; you’ll get your sea legs ultimately
The excellent news is that the time period ‘get your sea legs’ isn’t a fantasy. I did get my sea legs ultimately, after which I used to be tremendous the remainder of the time.
3. Deliver multiple choice for sea illness
Totally different options and mixtures work for various individuals, so convey choices. Preserve scrolling for a full checklist of accessible choices.
I began off utilizing the Scopolamine Patch (prescription obligatory from the US), then switched to Stugeron/Cinnarizine (solely discovered within the UK over-the-counter), and that appeared to work higher for me. Then I layered a Reliefband on prime of that. All bases have been coated! Individuals additionally had movement illness wristbands, ginger tablets, and Dramamine.
4. There’s at all times the onboard physician
If you’re actually in a nasty scenario and nothing appears to work, then the onboard physician can usually assist with stronger medicine.
Greatest Seasickness Choices for Antarctica Cruises
To keep away from a repeat of what occurred once I crossed the Drake Passage, I packed each kind of seasickness drugs and pure treatment potential on my second and third journey! I recommend you do the identical. Here’s what’s obtainable for you:
| Treatment | Kind | Execs | Cons | Prescription Wanted | Drowsiness Danger |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scopolamine Patch | Transdermal patch | Lengthy-lasting, sturdy prevention, extensively used on expedition cruises | Doable dry mouth-UGH! , blurred imaginative and prescient, not excellent for some medical circumstances | Sure (US) | Low-Reasonable |
| Cinnarizine (Stugeron) | Pill | Labored higher for some vacationers (me!) in tough polar seas, simple dosing | Not obtainable over-the-counter in all international locations – particularly the US | No (UK OTC) | Reasonable |
| Reliefband Sport | Band you put on round your wrist | Is a superb addition to medicine. Can be utilized in lew of medicine in calmer waters. | You must cost it – so you’ll have to take it off often. | No, should buy on Amazon | None |
| Dramamine (dimenhydrinate) | Pill | Simple to seek out, inexpensive, works for many individuals | Could cause sleepiness and mind fog | No | Excessive |
| Bonine (meclizine) | Pill | Much less drowsy method, once-daily dosing | Not sturdy sufficient for excessive seas for some customers | No | Low-Reasonable |
| Movement Illness Wristbands | Acupressure band | Drug-free, reusable, no unwanted side effects | Blended effectiveness, usually not sufficient alone in tough seas | No | None |
| Ginger Tablets or Chews | Natural | Mild choice, helps gentle nausea, protected to mix with different strategies | Normally too gentle for the Drake Passage alone | No | None |
| Onboard Physician Medicine | Injection or sturdy tablets | Quick aid in extreme instances, supervised dosing | Solely obtainable as soon as you’re already sick | No (ship medical) | Reasonable-Excessive |
Remaining Suggestions for Tough Sea Crossings
Movement illness throughout an Antarctica cruise is frequent, however it’s manageable with preparation and the correct technique. Deliver a number of treatments, begin them early, and modify as wanted. Even in case you have a tough couple of days, most vacationers get well as soon as they get their sea legs and may absolutely get pleasure from landings and excursions.
Plan forward, use layered options, and deal with the crossing as a part of the journey, not a cause to skip the journey.
FAQ About Antarctica Seasickness
No — the Drake Passage shouldn’t be at all times tough. Situations vary from comparatively calm (“the Drake Lake”) to very turbulent (“the Drake Shake”), and you’ll not know which one you’re going to get till you’re crossing.
Seasickness on ships is finest managed with a mixture of prevention and adaptability — confirmed seasickness treatments like Scopolamine patches or motion-sickness tablets, plus easy techniques like resting flat and specializing in the horizon, are likely to work higher than counting on a single methodology. Bringing multiple choice provides you backup in case your first alternative shouldn’t be sufficient.
Seasickness wristbands might help some individuals, particularly for gentle signs, however they’re usually not sturdy sufficient on their very own in very tough seas. They work finest as a low-risk backup or when mixed with different seasickness treatments.
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