Mediterranean vs. Baltic - Which is calmer?

[IceTrojan]

I have zero cruising experience, but some family members want to go on a cruise in Europe. Unfortunately half of them are prone to motion sickness (which also precludes them from Oneworld awards or explorer tix... yes, I may still bail on them ).

We've narrowed the choices down to 7 nights around the Baltic (Scandinavia, Estonia, Russia) or Mediterranean (Italy, Croatia, Greece). Can anyone confirm which cruise would probably be less likely to cause sea sickness?

(For a baseline, my aunt got sick on a 3-day cruise from LA to Baja).

Thanks.

[gemac]

Originally Posted by IceTrojan

I have zero cruising experience, but some family members want to go on a cruise in Europe. Unfortunately half of them are prone to motion sickness (which also precludes them from Oneworld awards or explorer tix... yes, I may still bail on them ).

We've narrowed the choices down to 7 nights around the Baltic (Scandinavia, Estonia, Russia) or Mediterranean (Italy, Croatia, Greece). Can anyone confirm which cruise would probably be less likely to cause sea sickness?

(For a baseline, my aunt got sick on a 3-day cruise from LA to Baja).

Thanks.

Just a guess, but I would think the Baltic could be rougher than the Mediterranean. Cruise ships now offer seasickness shots. My wife got one on a transatlantic crossing on the QE II in October. We skirted a hurricane, and about half the crew was throwing up, and she was fine. They told us the shot lasted 7 days, our crossing was only 6 days but it lasted fine for her. The shot put her to sleep for about 12 hours. She got it after dinner and was out by 9, awake around 9 the next morning, no other effect other than no seasickness. Cost of the shot was $22.

[IceTrojan]

Originally Posted by gemac

Just a guess, but I would think the Baltic could be rougher than the Mediterranean. Cruise ships now offer seasickness shots. My wife got one on a transatlantic crossing on the QE II in October. We skirted a hurricane, and about half the crew was throwing up, and she was fine. They told us the shot lasted 7 days, our crossing was only 6 days but it lasted fine for her. The shot put her to sleep for about 12 hours. She got it after dinner and was out by 9, awake around 9 the next morning, no other effect other than no seasickness. Cost of the shot was $22.

That's good to know... thanks. Do you know what this shot is called? I'm wondering if this shot would work for airsickness... that way we can do flights instead of cruise (though never having been on one, I'm still open to the idea).

[gemac]

Originally Posted by IceTrojan

That's good to know... thanks. Do you know what this shot is called? I'm wondering if this shot would work for airsickness... that way we can do flights instead of cruise (though never having been on one, I'm still open to the idea).

Don't know what it's called. On the QE II they called it the "seasickness shot". The dining room waiter was really pushing it. Of course, that's where a lot of the vomiting takes place, and guess who gets to clean it up.

Don't know if it would work for airsickness - I suppose so. I can't remember ever seeing someone use an airsickness bag on a mainline jet, and I've been flying them for 50 years. Back in the days of DC-3 transport, it was pretty common.

IMO, cruise is a lot better way to see either of those areas than flying. You travel at night, while you're asleep, and you don't have to pack, unpack, and schlepp suitcases every day. You can drink the water and don't have to be careful with the food.

[Daringdoo]

I'm just off a cruise in the Mediterranean and I can tell you the water was very calm throughout the duration (12 days). I too am very prone to motion sickness and was violently ill on a cruise from NY to Bermuda several years ago. I was told it was not unusual for everyone, including the crew to be sick (which was little comfort at the time).

I was expecting to be miserable on this trip but was pleasantly surprised to find that I was not affected by the motion at all - without meds! There was one occasion where I was in the dining room at the stern on deck 2 (very close to water line) and found I needed to turn my back to the window. Aside from that, no problems at all!

Unfortunately I cannot compare this location to the Baltic but I would believe that the Baltic would lend itself to rougher water as it is not as protected as the waterways you will travel in the Mediterranean.

My opinion of cruising was greatly improved after this trip although I will say one draw back is the short duration in some ports as you need to be sure to return to the ship well in advance of the time they are scheduled to leave (minimum 30 minutes - for me to be comfortable it was more like an hour).

DD