Some people feel motion sickness after they leave the cruise ship – not during the cruise itself.

Passengers sometimes report:

• Feeling like the ground is moving
• Rocking feelings in bed
• Dizzy moments
• Feeling “off balance”

This can happen after short cruises, long cruises – and even to people who felt completely fine onboard

Lots of cruisers joke about “feeling still at sea” even days later!

What Is “Land Sickness”?

Cruisers often call this feeling:

• Land sickness
• Sea legs
• Post-cruise rocking

The medical term for this is “Mal de débarquement syndrome” (MdDS), which is something I had never heard of!

This happens because your brain adapts to constant movement at sea and then suddenly has to re-adjust to solid ground again.

Your Brain Gets Used To The Motion

While you are onboard your body constantly balances against the movement of the ocean.

This happens even when you don’t consciously notice it.

It’s your inner ear that adapts to the ship’s movement.

Cruise ships are rarely perfectly still:

• Engines vibrate and hum.
• Waves move the ship around.
• Wind affects the movement of the ship, too.

After days or weeks onboard, your brain starts treating these movements as “normal.”

Then suddenly the movement stops, but our brain still expects the motion.

Things feel strange temporarily whilst our brains re-adjust.

Why Some People Don’t Notice It At All

Many cruisers never experience land sickness; it varies hugely between people.

Possible factors as to whether you might suffer from it include:

• Sensitivity to motion in general
• Length of cruise
• Sea conditions
• Individual balance systems
• Previous motion sickness history

Some people only notice it:

• At night.
• In bed, when they are lying down.
• In the shower.
• When they are standing still

Others don’t notice anything at all, and have never experienced this weird feeling!

Longer Cruises Can Make It Worse

The longer someone spends at sea, the more adapted their body can become to the ships movement.

You might suffer more after:

• Repositioning cruises
• World cruises
• Transatlantic crossings
• Rough weather sailings

People report feeling the sensation more often after travelling on Transpacific/Transatlantic cruises, Expedition cruises, smaller ships, or Yachts.

Modern Cruise Ships Actually Reduce This A Lot

Modern cruise ships have stabilisers and are much larger than ships were in the past. This means that they move less dramatically.

Many passengers barely notice motion onboard.

There have been many times when I have been at dinner, for example, and I suddenly realise the ship has sailed away from port. Not because of any movement, but because I have looked out of the window!

Even subtle movement can still affect the body over time.

Older or smaller ships may make “sea legs” more noticeable.

Find out all about stabilisers on modern cruise ships here:

How Cruise Ship Stabilisers Actually Work (And Why They Are Important To Me!)

Can You Still Get It If You Weren’t Seasick?

Yes, absolutely. My Mum and brother don’t get seasick, but often report feeling like they are still rocking once back on land.

This might surprise you.

Seasickness and land sickness are totally different things. Somebody can feel perfectly fine onboard but weird afterwards.

This is because the issue is your body adapting to being back on land, not nausea.

How Long Does It Last?

For most people, it only lasts a matter of hours or a couple of days at most.

It improves naturally as your body adjusts to being back on dry land.

Very, very rarely, symptoms can last longer and become a medical condition.

I still felt at sea after a rocky transatlantic crossing on the Queen Mary 2.

Have a look at that memorable cruise here:

Things That May Help

The advice is to:

• Take a walk outside and get some fresh air.
• Stay hydrated
• Rest up
• Avoid panicking about it – it will resolve itself in time.

Many cruisers actually find that driving or being somewhere where they are in motion again (like in a train, for example) alleviates symptoms, as your brain is expecting that movement.

Some Cruisers Secretly Love It

Many cruise fans weirdly enjoy having the “sea legs” feeling because:

• It reminds them of the cruise
• It feels oddly comforting
• It makes them feel like they’re still onboard

I’m not one of those people. I accept it as part and parcel of cruising. It doesn’t worry me at all – but I know what is happening if I experience it.

Before You Go

Find out why you are unlikely to get a free cabin upgrade when you cruise here:

Why You’re (Probably) Not Getting A Free Cabin Upgrade

Find out how to get away from the crowds when you cruise here:

How To Find Quiet Spaces Even On The Busiest Cruise Ships