The biggest fear that most first time cruise guests have is that they will get seasick the moment the ship casts off from shore.  They have an image of spending an entire voyage shuffling between their sick bed and the medical clinic.  The truth is that unless you are very susceptible to motion sickness or you are unlucky enough to experience very rough seas, you will be just fine.  Modern cruise ships are large enough to cut through most choppy conditions with little swaying.  Stabilizers built into ships also help center them in rough water.

The roughest conditions we have been in have both been while cruising in Alaska.  On a recent crossing of the Gulf of Alaska out of Whittier we encountered Gail Force 7 conditions - certainly not as rough as it can get but bad enough for the Captain to close the outer decks to passengers.  We were aboard Coral Princess headed to Glacier Bay and while the ship certainly moved around, we did not think we needed to go to our room to lie down. 

The first time we ever cruised we were aboard Regal Princess just north of Vancouver Island.  Given slow rolling seas, a reduced speed and a depth too shallow to put out the stabilizers, Regal developed a slow, deliberate roll that sent many of us to our cabins.  As soon as we reached deeper water where the stabilizers could go out, the ship (not to mention Jan and I) returned to a stable condition.

Some cruise passengers book a cabin that is as close to midship and on as low a deck as possible as this is where the "sweet spot" with the least amount of movement is.  Wherever you are on a ship, if you are afraid you are going to be ill, go to an open deck for fresh air - preferably midship - and watch the distant horizon to give your eyes (and brain) something relatively fixed to stare at.  Stretching out on your bed, eating light and restricting your alcohol intake will also help suppress seasickness.

A number of seasick remedies are available including Dramamine and Bonine pills (get the non-drousy formulas) and transdermal patches worn behind ear like a bandage.  Eating ginger and green apples helps some passenger fight seasickness while other swear by acupressure wristbands.

Just remember, whenever you are on a cruise you are bound to find one or two times when you can feel the motion of the ship - which helps you remember you are on an adventure at sea.

For photographers there is no argument - get out on your shore excursions as early as you can to catch the soft morning light.  There is also a better chance that wildlife will be up and moving around instead of snoozing in a place where you will never see them.  This means arriving back in the shopping district of port when it can  be quite busy - just before sail away.  On the other hand if you are more of a bargin than wildlife hunter, you may want to bag that souvenir early in the day when everyone else is out and about.  

Many first time cruise guests are afraid they are going to look like circus clowns popping out of tiny car as they exit a "stateroom" that is no larger than the change room at their local Walmart. Have no fear - if you are on a modern, large ship, the staterooms will contain space for a double bed, night stands, a desk, sometimes a small sofa, a bathroom with shower and plenty of closet space to store the all the souvenirs you bought on shore. 

Stateroom selection can be a tricky thing though - do you save the cash and go for an inside room without a window or do you plump down for an outside cabin with a balcony?  Some cruise itineraries do not present much to look at between ports - many Caribbean sailings come to mind.  On these cruises there is little to see between ports except the open ocean.  Alaska is different; the scenery between ports is spectacular - to the point that many hate to take the time to go to the dining room and miss what's going on outside.  Cruise guests in Alaska have been known to order in room service and spend their time watching Alaska from their balcony!

Inside and Ocean View cabins on newer ships can be in the 170 square foot range.  A Veranda cabin may be 190 square feet with an additional 40 square feet for the balcony.  The premium for moving up to veranda from an inside stateroom can be a cost increase of 75% or more though. Looking for a good cruise sale (or cabin upgrade) can sometimes cut this difference to a smaller amount.  If you are thinking about a cruise and want to know what cabins are available, consider contacting our travel agent, Nancy Bogert to give you an idea of cabin size and pricing.

Pick the cabin, and the price point, that you are most comfortable with knowing that, even with an inside cabin, there are plenty of open decks to watch the scenery from.  On the other hand, if you feel like you can splurge a bit, there is nothing better than having breakfast on your balcony as you watch the mountains glide by just beyond your balcony railing.