Do you have sealegs?
Rocking and Rolling!
Cruise ship work is unique in the sense that your theatre can often sway from side to side. Because you are on a ship on the ocean, the entire environment can be affected by the weather. If there is a large storm or heavy winds, you WILL know it.
The truth is; you might get seasick and it is really not fun. If you suffer from seasickness, it feels like you want to crawl onto dry land in the worst way… but it may be hours or days before you can. It can be very uncomfortable.
Let us share our personal perspective; motion sickness is real and can be very debilitating for many people. Fred can get car sick pretty easy. He always has. Fred knew as a young man (18 years old) that he wanted to work on cruise ships. Did the thought of seasickness slow him down? Not at all. Fortunately for him, he doesn’t get seasick, just carsick. Apparently, they are very different motions and affect people differently.
Bobbie has been a sailor for 15 years and still feels ill when the ship is in rough seas. She weathers it better than she used to, she has her sea legs, but it will get to her if there is a lot of motion. Obviously, it hasn’t stopped her from entertaining at sea, but it isn’t always easy. If you are easily seasick, making your career on board a cruise ship seems like a difficult life.
It isn’t our desire to scare you away from cruise ships; remember we are here to share the truth. Here is the truth; it is rather rare for a ship to go through really bad seas. There are incredibly sophisticated radar and weather mapping on each cruise ship. The captain has the ability to alter itineraries to avoid uncomfortable weather. Also, modern cruise ships are built to weather storms better and better, with the passengers’ positive experience foremost in the design. However, the truth also demands that I tell you that occasionally bad weather can blow up unexpectedly. You may find yourself on a rough trip, indeed given enough time you will. Simple as that.
Most of the time the cruise experience is like this.
There are many remedies for seasickness. Some work better than others. The trick is to stay ahead of it. Don’t wait until you feel bad to try a remedy. (We do cover most of the remedies in our complete course.) Next we will wrap up the truth series. Stay tuned.