Asked to go on a short cruise

Ive gone on many, many cruises with Fibro...the longest was a two week southern Caribbean cruise...and had a great time. Only once did I have a really bad bed...like sleeping on cement blocks. But I found out they usually carry foam egg crates and you can ask for one for your bed. You can check that out. I never needed it except for that cruise. Even though that one trip had a horrible bed, I still had a great time. It was a cruise of Hawaii. I just took a little more ibuprofen and focused on the wonderful sights and the fun I was having.

You could stay safely home but is that how you want to live your life? You are going to have pain no matter what so you might as well get out there and have some fun! Don't let Fibro run your life.

Sherrine

I actually think cruises are a very good choice for vacation for those of us with FM. I've been on two...a week in Alaska (inland passage/SE) and 18 days on "Voyage of the Vikings" (we flew to Amsterdam, then cruised to Ireland, N. Ireland, 3 stops in Iceland, Greenland, New Foundland, Boston). Both on Holland America which tend to be less crowded than some. The beds were very comfortable for me. They even supplied distilled water for my CPAP machine upon request ahead of time!

The great thing about cruises is you can pace yourself and still feel like you are on vacation. You can choose physically less demanding excursions in the ports or opt to stay on the ship. There are many activities available on board that are not too tiring.

The hardest part for me was the travel to and from the cruise ports....air travel is exhausting for me! (If you are fortunate enough to live in or within driving distance of a popular cruise port, like Fort Lauderdale, Seattle, San Diego etc this wouldn't be an issue) One of the best things is that you travel from place to place and don't have to pack and unpack repeatedly! They deliver your luggage to your cabin and everything.

I was unsure of how I would do when I went on my first cruise... and actually for the second due to the length of 18 days. But I was pleasantly surprised that I did ok...I had to be very aware of pacing, listen to my body, rest in the cabin when I needed, (which was often) and I am blessed that my hubby is very understanding.

I hope you go, and have a wonderful time, be surprised at how fun it is, and come back here and tell us all about it!
God bless you,
Trisha

I've only been on 1 cruise and it was pre-Fibro, but I had a blast and am really looking forward to a Mediteranian cruise we have planned in September.

I completely agree with some of the earlier comments - we can't let Fibro run our lives. We have to get up and continue living rather than wrapping ourselves in cocoons and letting life pass us by. Sometimes that means accepting that whatever it is we want to do will result in pain flare ups afterwards. But living and enjoying life is worth it.

I don't recall if the cabins have individual thermostats, but I have to assume they do on the newer, bigger ships. As for food, yes, there are all sorts and insane quantities of food available whenever you like, so that should not be a problem.

As for seasickness, I am extremely suceptible to motion sickness, so for my last cruise I got prescription anti-motion sickness patches from my doctor before the cruise. They worked very well. The only problem I had was when we were on a shore excursion and had to take a small ferry through some very rough seas to get to our destination. But while on the cruise ship I felt great. I fully intent to get the patches again for my next cruise.

I hope you decide to go and I'm sure you will have a wonderful time when you do.

Have a blessed day!
Mari