About Scandinavian ferries, for those who have not yet sailed. Why passengers don't get motion sickness on modern cruise ships
Summer is the season for holidays and recreation at sea. Soft sand, salt spray, gentle setting sun, romantic boat trips on luxury yachts…
How... You don't like boat trips?
You just don't know how to deal with motion sickness!
I was very lucky - I never get sick ... Well, that is. Almost never. In any case, there is no greater pleasure for me than sitting on a yacht at the very bow as she makes her way through the waves on the high seas.
Unfortunately, people like me are in the minority. Many acquaintances are shivering not only from the prospect of a long sea passage, but even from a car ride along serpentines.
Why is this happening.
Our body navigates in space with the help of the vestibular apparatus, which is located in the inner ear. As soon as the position of the body changes, it sends signals to the brain, which, based on this information, controls the balance of the body. With repeated chaotic movements of the body in space, shaking, pitching, even small movements, irritation of nerve formations occurs. In response to these irritations, a response occurs - motion sickness. In fact, this is just a "failure" in the work of the natural "apparatus". Its inability to process an unnaturally large amount of information regarding the position of the body of its owner.
And nausea is just a consequence of general malaise.
How to avoid motion sickness?
For all my numerous sea trips, I have seen enough of different ways to deal with motion sickness and made a personal TOP 5 of the most effective remedies that really work in practice. What do they work for different people and under different conditions.
Among them there are classic, well-known, and those that may surprise and even discourage you.
- Look at the horizon, breathe through the open window
If you are sitting in the back seat of a car with your nose on your phone or hiding somewhere in the depths of a stuffy cabin on a ship, then most likely you will get motion sickness, no matter how healthy you are. Even if you usually don't.
If possible, go out into the open air, open all the windows and look at the horizon, mountains, clouds ... in a word, at any large, distant and relatively immovable object. This allows the body to stabilize in space and your sensations normalize.
- Pills
One of the most popular, but the least attractive way for me. I prefer to avoid taking extra pills whenever possible. And if you choose this method, then it is better to focus on conditionally natural preparations, as well as carefully read the list of side effects.
- HALF LIME IN A GLASS OF WATER
Yes, this is the most lethal tool I've ever seen. Don't ask me how it works. I don't know. But I do know what works. It is advisable to drink before the start of pitching. And it's lime, not lemon. Lemon also works, but much weaker.
According to rumors, ginger has similar properties. But I personally have not experienced it.
- some alcohol
Keyword - A LITTLE!
Alcohol slightly loosens the vestibular apparatus. Remember how drunk shakes out of the blue. The opposite effect - the real pitching is easier and calmer. The main thing is not to overdo it with the dose. Once again, the keyword is A LITTLE.
- empty stomach
It's in pure form physics, but it also works. If you plentifully refresh yourself before a long journey with something greasy and heavy, then at the slightest pretext and a slight indisposition, you will most likely be turned inside out.
If, on the contrary, you limit yourself to a light snack and healthy food, then you will last much longer without unpleasant reactions of the body.
And further...
Those who struggle with motion sickness also need to keep in mind that often malaise during pitching is just a consequence of a general malaise. Take care of your health, and if you feel unwell before a long journey, be sure to take preventive measures.
And yes, keep in mind that stress, excitement and general emotional tension are also factors that exacerbate the body's response to motion sickness. So peace is only peace!
But what if...
If you are already sick on the road, then I know at least 2 reliable folk ways to restrain the onset of nausea.
- drink some salted water. But do not overdo it with the amount of salt. The water should be only slightly brackish, and not bitter from salt like sea water.
- drink some milk. Only 2-3 sips, no more. This will not help for a long time, but it will slightly slow down the process.
If, on the contrary, you urgently need, so to speak, to get rid of the excess, in addition to the classic “two fingers in your mouth”, you can also drink a glass of warm water. It's warm! Works better than fingers.
Worth remembering
All these tips are good in theory, but in practice, all people are very individual. Perhaps not all of the tools described above will suit you. Experiment and choose exactly what your body will perceive most well. But do not overdo it in experiments. If you drink water with lime, alcohol and milk right away, nothing good will definitely happen.
Well, yes, if you want less motion sickness in transport, train your vestibular apparatus. Fortunately, it is quite possible to train him. This is facilitated by trampolining, swimming, skiing and many others active species sports that are not only useful, but also pleasant ...
However, I sincerely hope that all this knowledge will not be useful to you at all. And long journeys by car or boat trips will bring only pleasure!
Have a nice holiday!
From St. Petersburg to the shores of Finland, Sweden and Estonia, ferries will be allowed again only in April, but already now you can set sail, crossing the border, for example, by train or bus, which is even cheaper. From neighboring Finland, huge ships of different companies, different directions go almost every day.
Among the cheapest linear destinations is a ferry to the Åland Islands. Only about 33 euros. But seriously considering one-way trips, if you want to relax on a budget, is not at all worth it. You have to be smarter. So, if a ticket from Helsinki to Tallinn costs about 24 euros, then a Helsinki-Tallinn-Helsinki cruise costs only 15. This situation develops in almost all the directions presented. It must be understood that when buying a cruise ticket, the passenger is not obliged, upon arriving in the country of interest to him, to return to the ferry in order to depart for reverse direction. He will not be fined for this, and the ferrymen, of course, will not wait for him. At the appointed time, the ship will set sail in the opposite direction. This is what should be avoided.
What such an opportunity opens up: firstly, of course, freedom of choice along with saving a couple of tens of euros, which can be spent, for example, on a good lunch even in Stockholm, where everything is very expensive. So, the same "Tallinka" does not have a flight from Helsinki to Riga, which is closest to St. Petersburg, but there is a cruise to Stockholm. And from the Swedish capital, ferries to the old Latvian city walk.
Our editor was attracted by this water travel. Having bought a ticket for Lux Express on sale for only 500 rubles, he went to Helsinki, where he wandered around the city center for a couple of hours and boarded a ship bound for Stockholm. The ticket was bought the cheapest - 20 euro(by the way, if you don’t want to guess the arrival time of the bus according to the departure of the ship, Viking Line has a cruise with a bus transfer from St. Petersburg. The cost of this starts from 33 euro per person). But you need to understand that the cabin on such a ticket may be below the waterline. Neighborhood with fish and engine propellers in the winter season promises a night-long journey, accompanied by all sorts of noise effects such as the measured hum of the blades and periodic tapping - do not be afraid, these are not giant relic animals, but just small pieces of ice. But all this flies away as soon as you forget sleep, but the feeling of pitching will not leave for a couple more days - those who have scheduled a trip for the winter months should prepare for this: in spring and summer it almost does not shake.
According to experienced sailors, someone, someone, but women and children have nothing to worry about at all: they are on big ship practically does not wobble. That is, theoretically, it can rock you, but when you return to the shore, the effect will come to naught. But for some young people, for a couple of days it will seem that even at a cafe table they are still plying the ocean on a ship.
It is especially good to arrive in Stockholm right in the city center (Viking has such a route). Not all ferries go there - most go to the port of Vartahamn. This should be taken into account when choosing tickets. However, in 90% of cases you will have to continue the trip from this river station. From there, the ferry departs for Riga. Cheap ticket on the Tallink cruise ship (most likely they will serve a wonderful “Romance” or “Isabella”) costs only 45 euros, when a linear flight costs at least 70-100 euros, and for this difference in cost in Riga you can stay in very good apartments, supplementing your visit to the city with a coffee in the Skyline Bar on top of a high-rise, from where you can appreciate the city from a height. Indeed, from the outside, the streets with eclectic houses on the way from the port are very reminiscent of St. Petersburg, and from a height, the image of Riga begins to play quite differently.
Walking along Latvian capital, you can go to Tallinn, but you can no longer get there by water. By bus - always please. Tickets start from 5 euros. The main thing is to buy in advance, otherwise you will have to pay about 13–15 euros.
For those who have a lot of time and the desire to travel has not run out, there is another important life hack: Ryanair aircraft to Italy, namely to Bergamo. Out of season, a ticket on board can be found for a fabulous 25 euros and even cheaper. There is no other way to get to Milan so cheaply. There are also flights from Riga to Berlin. Even now, tickets cost just over 16 euros. From these cities it will be possible to return only to Latvia, from where you can return to St. Petersburg by bus for about 1,500 rubles. But that's a completely different story.
As a reminder, March 25 sea voyages Petersburg to Helsinki, Tallinn and Stockholm. This is a profitable and comfortable route of the Princess Anastasia liner, which you can use if you don’t want variability in budget travel, but there is a desire to see these seaside towns. Among the special offers on the site you will find an economy cabin from 1300 rubles per person with early booking.
Cruises by Baltic Sea- the opportunity to relax inexpensively and quickly. Cruises are positioned as a family and educational type of recreation, because they allow the whole family, in company with friends and colleagues, to go on a short tour to the countries located in the Baltic. On a comfortable ferry, tourists enjoy Scandinavian cuisine, have fun in nightclubs, watch entertainment shows, go shopping in stores duty free and then have a great time in one of the Scandinavian capitals.
One of the most budgetary ways to change the scenery and escape from everyday life attracts a lot of attention from tourists, including Belarusians. In connection with this, there a large number of questions. We went on a weekend cruise on the Baltic Sea with the Finnish company Viking Line and found out the answers to the most frequently asked questions of tourists about cruises.
WHAT IS A CABIN ON A CRUISE SHIP?
Each ship has cabins of different classes - from economical to luxurious. Toilets and showers are available in every cabin, except Budget cabins.
For allergy sufferers, cabins are provided, the interior of which is made using anti-allergic materials, and cleaning is carried out with special means. A standard cabin for traveling on the Baltic Sea is somewhat reminiscent of a train compartment. There are cabins with and without windows. The type of cabins and their location depends on the specific ferry - all information on the cabin can be obtained when ordering tickets or buying a tour at a travel agency.
DOES IT SIT DURING THE CRUISE?
Many people are afraid of cruises and even short sea journeys due to motion sickness. Indeed, on some ferries, to a greater or lesser extent, you can feel the rolling. But on modern liners there are pitching stabilizers, so most often, in good weather, pitching is not physically noticeable. As a rule, boat trips on ferries are experienced easily. If necessary, and to be sure, you can take a pill for motion sickness - on Viking Line ferries you can get them at the reception.
WHAT ENTERTAINMENT IS THERE ON THE FERRY?
A ferry cruise on the Baltic Sea is not a long trip, but, as a rule, an eventful one. There are plenty of things to do on the ferries, from quiet cozy places for quiet conversation to noisy nightclubs.
Saunas and entire SPA centers operate on some ferries.
WHAT DOES THEY FEED ON THE FERRY?
Cruise ferries are famous for their well-organized and high-quality meals. It is very difficult to get off the ferry hungry and thin - there are cafes, a bar and a restaurant.
Meals are ordered in advance as part of a package or paid directly on board. Everyone will find here something of their own, depending on their preferences. There is a buffet restaurant (the most popular option for tourists), snack bars and a restaurant haute cuisine. « Buffet” is an almost inexhaustible selection of Scandinavian dishes.
WHAT TO DO WITH THE CHILDREN ON A FERRY TRIP?
The ferry usually has several areas for the smallest passengers and older children. There is a children's room.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET LOST ON A SHIP?
Can't find your cabin on big liner, - horrible dream. And just a dream! Getting lost on a ferry liner is quite difficult. Information desks and signs are everywhere on the decks. At the entrance, all tourists receive information materials in Russian. Employees of the company on board are always ready to help passengers.
IS THERE INTERNET ON THE FERRY?
Yes, Wi-Fi is available on the ferry almost everywhere on board. The quality of the 3G connection may vary depending on the number of users and the location of the ferry. At some points along the route, the signal may not be available.
WHAT CAN YOU BUY ON THE FERRY AND FOR WHAT PRICES?
Shopping on a cruise ferry is extremely beneficial. This is because Duty Free shops operate on board, where you can buy goods at least 25% cheaper than on land. Often discounts reach up to 40%.
On cruises, they buy cosmetics, clothes, alcohol (you should remember about the norms for transporting alcohol to Belarus), jewelry.
IS IT COLD TO TRAVEL IN THE BALTIC SEA IN WINTER?
Cold, but not deadly. It is important to choose reliable windproof and waterproof clothing. This applies not only to the cruise, but to the entire Baltic-Scandinavian region.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO BRING FOOD AND DRINKS ON BOARD WITH YOU?
No problem.
We thank Viking Line for organizing the trip.Viking Line (Viking Line Abp) is a Finnish shipping concern that has been operating passenger and cargo transportation in the Baltic since 1959. Registered on Åland Islands headquartered in Mariehamn, which is also the home port for most of the company's ferries. Viking Line transports over 6.5 million people a year with a fleet of 7 cruise ferries operating on 5 routes. The company employs 2797 people.
Text and photo: Alexander Bychenko
Many people who suffer from motion sickness mistakenly believe that only trouble awaits them on a sea cruise. In fact, this is not so: modern cruise ships have a special stabilization system to avoid motion sickness.
First, let's look at what seasickness is and in what cases it is observed. Seasickness, or kinetosis, manifests itself mainly in the form of nausea and dizziness. This trouble can occur not only when sailing on a ship, but also when traveling by car, train or when traveling by plane. This disease affects not only children under the age of 10-12 years, but also about 10% of adults.
The main reason for the manifestation of symptoms of motion sickness is the weakness of the vestibular apparatus. The human body is arranged in such a way that the movement of transport is perceived by it as something that deviates from the norm. When walking or running, the human body makes a movement, and vision captures the change in the surrounding space, transmitting appropriate signals to the brain. The body does not notice any contradictions. But when traveling on a ship or in a car, visual receptors also betray a signal about movement, since the picture before the eyes changes, but the movement itself does not occur. The person is in a static position. Because of this, there is a malfunction in the functioning of the brain, which, during normal operation of the vestibular apparatus, is almost imperceptible or quickly compensated. And with various disorders or low training, as in children, for example, seasickness occurs.
While sea cruises most people bring a feeling of relaxation and comfort, those suffering from kinetosis cannot boast of the same sensations. There can be no question of any pleasure when a person is swayed and feels, to put it mildly, not very well. Therefore, engineers and designers have developed a special roll stabilization system for modern cruise liners.
In order to accommodate a large number of passengers, the liners have several tiers. Therefore, it turns out that the upper part of the ship is significantly more than that that is immersed in water. Speaking maritime terms, the liner has a small draft, that is, the depth to which the ship sinks into the sea is about 6-8 meters. While the upper part often exceeds 30-40 meters. With such parameters, special mechanisms are needed to ensure the stability of the vessel on the waves, in the direction of travel and during stormy weather.
It turns out that sea rolling is different. In total, sailors distinguish 6 types of pitching, the direction of which is shown in the figure.
A complex system based on a gyroscope, a special device that determines the position of the vessel relative to the inertial frame of reference, is responsible for making passengers feel comfortable. It primarily includes ballast tanks, which are located at the bottom of the cruise ship. Water is collected in them, and due to the additional weight in the lower part, the vessel is made more stable.
In addition, every modern cruise ship is equipped with stabilizer wings or mobile ballasts. Underwater mechanisms, receiving signals from the gyroscope, move in antiphase to the waves and thus contribute to the fact that the sea roll is extinguished. Of course, all of these smart systems are computer controlled, so the entire process of stabilizing a cruise ship is fully automated. On modern ships, the roll stabilization system is so perfect that passengers may well not notice a 4-5-point storm.
It remains only to add that people prone to seasickness should choose the right accommodation on the liner. The least pitching is felt on the lowest floor in the center of the ship, and the most unfavorable cabins in this regard are located on the upper tiers on the periphery of the ship. Therefore, choose a place to rest wisely, and then the trip will bring you only positive emotions.
