Seasickness: What Works and What Does Not

A practical guide for new crew worried about motion, including remedies used by working seafarers.

The Crew Atelier · 4 min read

First, the good news

Most people adapt within two to four days at sea. Very few crew leave the industry because of seasickness.

What helps

Stay on deck, look at the horizon
Eat small and often; an empty stomach makes it worse
Hydrate, avoid alcohol the night before a passage
Fresh air and a job to do — idle crew feel it more
Sleep as low and as central in the vessel as your cabin allows

Medication

Cinnarizine and hyoscine patches are widely used. Test any medication ashore before a passage — drowsiness on watch is its own hazard. Check with a doctor, especially alongside other prescriptions.

What does not help

Lying in a dark cabin scrolling a phone, greasy food, and telling yourself it is psychological.

At interview

If asked, be honest but brief: "I've been on passages and adapted after a couple of days." Nobody expects immunity.

When it is more than seasickness

Persistent vomiting beyond 48 hours needs medical attention, not stoicism.