Best Vertigo and Motion Sickness Medication for Traveling — Especially on Cruises

Traveling after recently recovering from vertigo can feel risky—especially if you’re planning a cruise, road trip, or long flight. The good news? With a little preparation, you can reduce the chances of vertigo symptoms derailing your trip with vertigo medication for travel.

Here are some tips to consider if you are recovering from vertigo and planning to travel:

1. Ask Your Pharmacist for the Best OTC Vertigo Medication for Travel

Start by visiting your local pharmacy. Pharmacists can guide you to the best over-the-counter (OTC) motion sickness pills for cruises or travel. Some of the most common active ingredients to look for include:

• Meclizine (commonly sold as Bonine or in generic brands, also available by prescription)
• Dimenhydrinate (known as Dramamine)
• Scopolamine patches (usually by prescription)

Tip: I personally use a generic CVS or Walgreens brand motion sickness pill for traveling—they’re effective and usually cost less than name brands.

2. Speak With Your Primary Care Doctor

If you’ve had vertigo recently and looking for vertigo medication for travel, it’s a good idea to check in with your primary care doctor before your trip. Talk to your doctor about your upcoming travel plans, especially if it includes a cruise. Your primary care provider may:

• Recommend a specific medication or dosage (taking into consideration your other current medications and health conditions)
• Offer prescription motion sickness pills (or discuss any over-the-counter motion sickness pills your pharmacist recommended), so you are prepared if symptoms flare up
• Prescribe scopolamine patches if you’re prone to severe motion sickness. You can wear these for 3 days at a time to suppress any vertigo, but they do have potential side effects like blurry vision.
• Suggest another preventative medicine to take regularly while traveling to head off a vertigo attack
• Offer professional and individualized advice tailored to your individual health history

3. Bring More Than You Think You’ll Need

I always tell my patients: pack enough motion sickness medication to last 24/7 for your entire trip—just in case. You may not need to take it constantly, but it’s better to have it ready if symptoms flare up.

Pro tip: Keep some in your carry-on or day bag so it’s easy to access at all times.

4. Take PRN Medication at the First Sign of Vertigo

If you experience any vertigo symptoms while traveling—don’t wait. Take your “as needed” (or PRN) vertigo medication for travel right away as recommended by your primary care doctor or pharmacist.

Acting early can prevent a full episode from escalating and help you enjoy the rest of your trip.

And when you return from traveling, be sure to schedule a follow-up appointment with your local vertigo health care provider (like me!) to evaluate any new symptoms or triggers that came up during travel.

5. Take Any Preventative Vertigo Medication as Prescribed

If your doctor prescribed preventative medication for you based on your individual health history, be sure to take the medication regularly as prescribed.

You can follow up with your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions about how to correctly take your vertigo medication.

Now that you are well-prepared with appropriate vertigo medication for travel, relax and have fun!