How do I avoid sea sickness?

Don't worry too much about this: Big vessels like cruise ships don't move around nearly as much as small boats.

However, if you are sensitive to motion sickness on land, consider the following steps to minimize problems on your cruise....

1. Avoid open seas. Crossing the Atlantic or Pacific (e.g., on the way to Hawaii) is frequently choppy. Autumn sailings on the West Coast are also often choppy. The Caribbean and other areas occasionally get high waves, but in general they are much better than cruises in the open ocean.

2. Avoid end-of-season sailings. This does not apply to the Caribbean or Mexico, which are warm year-round. However, some places stop in the early autumn, because the weather is too cold in the winter: Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, and South America. Avoid autumn sailings for these destinations because the incoming cold weather makes for choppy seas.

3. Get a preventative. Before your cruise, pick up one or more of the following:

• Accupressure wrist-band. Many sailors and cruisers swear by a drug-free option. It works for most (but not all) people, and is a good option if you are already taking medication for another condition. The Sea Band brand gets good ratings on Amazon.
• Scopalamine patch. This is the most popular prescription medicine for preventing seasickness. You must get a prescription from your doctor, and it should only be worn for three days at a time. The patch is worn behind the ear and provides a small, continuous dosage of the anti-nausea drug scopolamine.
• Over-the-counter pills. Dramamine-type anti-nausea pills are available under a range of names: Marezine, Bonine, Phenergan, Sea-Calm. They make some people feel sleepy, but don't have the more serious potential side effects that Scopalamine does, so they are generally available without a doctor's prescription. These are usually available at the front desk. Take them before you feel sick. (Usually the ship will tell you if the weather will be rocky on any particular day.)
• Ginger. Pregnant women and sailors have been using ginger for years to ward off nausea. Ginger candy is a tasty option, or a calorie and flavor-free option is ginger capsules. Sadly, ginger ale soda rarely has any actual ginger, so if you are already aboard your best option for getting ginger is to go to the sushi bar and eat some pickled ginger.

4. Look for extra-large ships. The larger the ship, the less it will get tossed around. Waves that would make a 50-person sight-seeing boat bob like an apple will barely affect a 2000-person ship. In general, on all but the smallest ships you will only just be able to feel the sea. If you opt for one of the truly mammoth ships like Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas, you may feel like you're on bedrock rather than afloat.

5. Choose a low and central cabin, with a window or balcony. The closer you are to the ship's center of gravity, the less you will move around. A window or balcony helps because if you start to feel sick, looking out at the horizon helps reorient your sense of balance (and your stomach). Fresh air also helps a lot, so if you start to feel sick, sit on your balcony or go up on deck.

6. Be nice to your stomach. Don't eat too much, and minimize your consumption of rich foods and alcohol. If you already feel sick, dry crackers and green apples can help settle your stomach.