Cruisers Swear That One Hard-To-Find Medicine Is The Best Cure For Seasickness

Taking a cruise can be one of the best travel experiences of your life. Your "hotel" floats and takes you from place to place. It's full of activities, restaurants, new friends, and shore excursions to delight the senses. The only fly in the ointment appears if you're prone to getting seasick. It's the worst feeling, and it can ruin your trip. People have used all sorts of different tricks, like choosing the best cabin to prevent seasickness (usually a stateroom or on a room on a lower deck). They may take a medication like Dramamine (dimenhydrinate) or Bonine (meclizine) to stop the nausea and vomiting, though it may not be effective for everyone. If you've tried them and they don't work for you, there is another medication that some cruisers swear by, but it comes with a catch. 

The medication is cinnarizine, which, like Dramamine and Bonine, is an antihistamine carrying the brand name Stugeron. It's even sold over the counter. However, the catch is that it's not sold in the United States or Canada because it also contains a calcium channel blocker. That's in there to improve blood flow to the inner ear, which can reduce symptoms. One person on Cruise Critic said, "Cinnarizine is often prescribed for vertigo but is available over the counter in the UK for seasickness as Stugeron and yes I use it twice a day whilst onboard." In fact, it's one of the two most commonly used medications to prevent seasickness by the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. Some cruisers get it while on vacation in Mexico or Europe, though (and this should go without saying) you should always consult a doctor before taking any medication. 

Before you try cinnarizine, there are some things you should know. First, you should only take it when you need it as long term use can cause weight gain. You shouldn't drink alcohol with it, and it can make you sleepy. It can also take about four hours to work completely. You will sometimes see it combined with dimenhydrinate, the active ingredient in Dramamine. It's an option if you find that Dramamine and Bonine don't work for you. 

However, if trying to find this medication is too much, there are a couple of other options to try, like ginger, which has been used as a nausea remedy for millennia. You can suck on ginger candies (make sure they actually contain ginger) or a put a slice of fresh ginger root in hot water or tea. (Skip the ginger ale unless you like it, as many popular brands don't have much — or any — actual ginger.) You can also fight seasickness with the combination of ginger and pretzels. 

Another remedy to try to prevent nausea on your next cruise is green apple. It's pectin may help calm down stomach acid. Peppermint may help as well, and yet another option is a scopolamine patch, which can help prevent nausea by calming the muscles in the digestive system. However, it does have side effects like dizziness, confusion, dilated pupils, and drowsiness, so it might be a bit much. Still, there are options out there to try so you can enjoy your cruise to the fullest.