To ensure good sleep on a cruise, experts suggest moving mindfully, choosing a central cabin, blocking out light with an eye mask, using sound machines or apps, packing anti-nausea medications, maintaining a nighttime routine, and staying hydrated.
Heading out on a cruise sometime soon? You’re not the only one. Travelers are cruising in record numbers these days—nearly 36 million passengers are setting sail in 2024, according to Reuters.
Whether you’re a river cruise aficionado or prefer floating across the world’s oceans and seas, cruising can be a lot of fun. But sleeping on a ship can also be a challenge for some people.
To help you enjoy your vacation to the fullest, we’ve talked to sleep and cruise experts about what to do and pack for great sleep on a cruise.
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How to sleep on a cruise ship
Everyone’s body reacts to cruising differently. Here are some best practices to help prevent seasickness and other sleep disturbances on a cruise ship.
Image Credit: Carnival Cruise Ship Off the Coast of Belize by Mikefairbanks (CC BY-SA).
Move your body mindfully
“Seasickness, motion sickness, and vertigo can cause a cruise experience to be ruined in an instant,” says Jerry Hu, DDS, a doctor of dental surgery and sleep medicine specialist at Nevada Dental Sleep. His best tip for avoiding these issues? Move your body a little more slowly and mindfully than usual.
Hu specifically suggests getting out of bed slowly while looking straight ahead. Avoid twisting or bending your neck, especially during rough seas, as sudden movement can affect the cranial nerve responsible for balance.
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Choose your cabin wisely
The location of your cabin determines how much motion and noise you’ll experience at night. Pro tip: A central cabin is a stable cabin.
“Think of a ship as a see-saw…the most motion happens on either end,” says Jill Schildhouse, a travel writer who has been on more than 20 cruises. “Unless you actually like the sensation of being rocked to sleep, avoid a forward or aft cabin booking.”
Schildhouse also suggests avoiding cabins directly below a restaurant or pool deck—the sound of people dragging chairs around the deck creates a “startlingly loud” scraping sound on the ceilings of cabins beneath them.
“Think of a ship as a see-saw…the most motion happens on either end. Unless you actually like the sensation of being rocked to sleep, avoid a forward or aft cabin booking.”
Jill Schildhouse, a travel writer who has been on more than 20 cruises.
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Block out light
On or off the water, dark room signals to your brain and body that it’s time to sleep. Since your cabin may not have blackout curtains, it’s best to plan ahead.
Get a cooling eye mask or a weighted one, suggests travel advisor Lauren Doyle, president of The Travel Mechanic, a member of Ensemble Travel. “This really helps, especially if you’re sharing a cabin with your kiddos, who may want a night light,” she says.
Forgot your mask? Some travelers also block light by placing a rolled-up towel at the bottom of the cabin door or clipping curtains together at the center with a hanger that has clamps.
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Try a sound machine or app
Doyle and Schildhouse both say portable sound machines work wonders for blocking unwanted noise while trying to sleep.
White noise can be especially helpful to drown out noisy neighbors (those cruise ship walls can be thin!) and muffle hallway commotion. This is a must if your cabin is near an elevator because they ding 24/7.
Don’t have a white noise machine? Don’t worry! Apps like BetterSleep include white noise options such as static, rain, or gentle wind to play in your room as you drift off to dreamland.
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Pack anti-nausea medications
There’s nothing like a nighttime storm to make you feel green and unable to sleep. It’s a good idea to pack an emergency seasickness kit even if you’re not prone to motion sickness.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends over-the-counter diphenhydramine or dimenhydrinate. However, it’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor before trying any medicine for the first time.
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Continue your regular nighttime routine
Vacations can feel like a free pass to leave your cares and responsibilities behind. And by all means, have fun! But your nighttime routine is vital to cueing your brain that it’s time to power down and rest.
Practically, this might mean completing your usual nighttime skincare routine, doing a few yoga stretches, or reading for 15 minutes before bed—anything you do to wind down at home.
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Set yourself up for sleep success during the day
Vacation is often a time of indulgence, but dehydration headaches and indigestion can disrupt sleep. So, if you have trouble sleeping on the first night of a cruise, think about ways to set yourself up for success the next night.
“Don’t eat too late at night, stop drinking booze at least an hour before sleep, and hydrate,” says Doyle. “I send my clients off with salt supplements to add to water to curb [dehydration].” LMNT is her favorite because it tastes great and has no sugar and few calories.
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Sleep better on a cruise with these eye masks
Drift into dreamland with our sleep-enhancing eye mask made of the finest quality mulberry silk. It keeps light out for more uninterrupted sleep—no matter where you are.
Drift into dreamland with our sleep-enhancing weighted eye mask made of the finest quality mulberry silk. It blocks out light for more restful sleep as it gives your eyes the calming, therapeutic effect of deep pressure stimulation.
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FAQs
What’s the best part of a cruise ship to be on to sleep on?
Cabins on the lower decks and in the center of the ship are more stable, minimizing nausea-inducing motion. Rooms away from the gym, restaurants, and entertainment areas tend to be quieter—essential for a good night’s sleep.
Is it better to sleep higher or lower on a cruise ship?
Sleeping lower on a cruise ship is best if you’re prone to seasickness. However, passengers who want to wake up with panoramic water views might prefer sleeping higher on the boat.
Have a flight delay? Here’s how to sleep at the airport so you can arrive at your destination well-rested.
This article originally appeared on Saatva and was syndicated by MediaFeed.
Image Credit: Kirk Fisher/istockphoto.
