Kit and I have both noticed that when we get off the ship onto solid soil, we often feel like we are still “rocking” as if we’re still aboard the ship. Other residents make similar comments: it’s obviously common for those of us who have been aboard for quite awhile (over 8 months now!)
So I thought I’d ask Chat-GPT (4o) what it’s called and what suggestions it had to minimize the effect. You’ll note one thing you might find surprising in its comments.
The Prompt
Discussions with A.I. involve “prompts” that set up the question. It’s best to be fairly complete and specific in this to quickly narrow in on what you want to know. In this case:
When someone lives for some time on a ship, they can develop a sensation that the solid ground is moving like a ship. Is there a popular and medical name for this?
The Discussion
All the formatting that follows, and the icons, are direct from the Model:
Yes — this is a well-documented phenomenon with both a popular and medical name:
Medical name:
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Mal de Débarquement Syndrome (MdDS)
French for “sickness of disembarkation”
Popular name:
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Commonly called land sickness or dock rock by laypeople.
Description:
MdDS typically occurs after a person spends time on a moving vessel — a cruise ship, sailboat, or sometimes an airplane or train — and then returns to solid ground. The brain has adapted to constant motion and, upon returning to stable ground, misinterprets sensory input, creating the sensation that the ground is still moving (rocking, swaying, or bobbing).
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For most people, this feeling is transient — lasting minutes to a few hours.
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In Mal de Débarquement Syndrome, it persists much longer (weeks, months, even years in rare cases).
Symptoms:
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Sensation of rocking, bobbing, or swaying while standing still
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Imbalance or unsteadiness
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Sometimes fatigue, nausea, or cognitive fog
Additional notes:
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It is not technically classified as vertigo (which involves spinning), but a related imbalance sensation.
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MdDS is under-researched and poorly understood, but it likely involves maladaptation of the brain’s vestibular processing.
If you’d like, I can also give you:
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more on how common this is among residential cruisers,
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tips on minimizing it, and
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what triggers when it might become problematic (i.e. shift into MdDS).
Tips on minimizing.
Here are tips to help minimize land-sickness and reduce the risk of Mal de Débarquement Syndrome (MdDS) — particularly relevant for residential cruisers like you:
🚢 While on the ship
1️⃣ Vary your movement
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Don’t stay always on one deck or in one location; move between lower and upper decks, inside and outside.
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This helps your vestibular system stay flexible to changes in motion.
2️⃣ Spend time looking at the horizon
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Looking at the stable horizon periodically (vs. only being indoors) helps keep your visual and vestibular systems in sync.
3️⃣ Maintain good physical condition
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General balance, core strength, and cardiovascular fitness help the body adapt to ship motion and readapt to land more quickly.
4️⃣ Take “land breaks” when possible
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If you are on a ship for many months, periodic shore excursions or land stays can help prevent long-term vestibular adaptation.
🚶 Preparing to go ashore
1️⃣ Gradual transition
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If possible, ease back into land: spend time on large, stable ships or docks first rather than immediately walking on uneven streets.
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First hours on land, avoid activities that strain balance (biking, driving, alcohol).
2️⃣ Maintain hydration and rest
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Fatigue and dehydration worsen symptoms.
Ensure good rest before disembarkation.
3️⃣ Use visual references
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On land, looking at fixed, stable objects (buildings, trees) helps re-anchor your visual/vestibular sense.
🧠 If symptoms occur
1️⃣ Stay active
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Sitting still often makes it worse.
Gentle walking helps the brain recalibrate.
2️⃣ Balance exercises
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Simple exercises (head turns, shifting balance on a soft mat) can help retrain the vestibular system.
3️⃣ Avoid triggers
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Alcohol, sleep deprivation, and stress can worsen the lingering sensation.
4️⃣ Be patient
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For most people the feeling resolves in hours to days.
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If it persists >1 month, consider seeing a neurologist or vestibular therapist.
🚨 If symptoms become persistent (possible MdDS)
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Seek a vestibular rehabilitation specialist — they use specific therapies to help.
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Some medications (benzodiazepines or SSRIs) are sometimes used, but therapy is more effective.
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Early intervention improves outcomes — don’t ignore symptoms lasting more than ~2 weeks.
A Few Comments
You probably noticed it: it “remembered” that I live on a Residential Cruising ship. I had forgotten that it knew this — mostly from knowing I run this web site, which it learned when I asked it to create a short bio of me; I didn’t think I was personally objective enough to do that. The funny thing is, it didn’t bother to mention in my bio that I live on a cruise ship!
We were off-ship when I did this research, so I looked at something that I knew was still in the distance that was well defined: the edge of a rooftop. While doing that, sometimes I kept my head still, other times I moved my head a bit while keeping my eyes fixed upon that distant point.
After just 30-60 seconds of doing that, I noticed significant improvement. I doubt that will be a “cure” forever (I’ll surely need to repeat it a few times a day when off-ship), but it makes sense and worked pretty quickly.
So there’s a question you may not have known you had, the answer to what it is, and the easy way to improve it if you experience it. But as the “A.I.” advises, if it’s really bad, consult a doctor, especially if, as it suggests, symptoms persist >1 month. And, as it says, especially if symptoms last more than ~2 weeks. 🙄 That’s “A.I.” for you!
Originally Published June 7, 2025 — Last Updated June 7, 2025- About the Author
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I had a sinus infection in October 1987 that went to my ears and burned out the balance nerve in my left ear. I was on the floor for three days with rooms spinning around until my wife got me into the ENT she worked for. He tried three or four drugs, valium worked best, and grew tired of me: I was the first person he knew or heard of whose balance nerve burned out without losing the companion hearing nerve. My balance was a constant source of anxiety.
I then moved to a more empathetic and more world inquisitive and observant ENT. He asked me about my favored exercise preferences: backpacking, racquetball, cycling. He suggested keeping up all of them and lifting weights might help.
Racquetball and commuting to work on a bike were easiest. Racquetball required rapid eye movement followed by active proprioceptor nerves which triggered all muscles to go where I wanted to go and hit the ball.
My doctor was impressed with my recovery and encouraged me to keep it up.
I still encounter dock rock; sometimes getting off a boat, but most recently in Eureka’s Sequoia Park Zoo where they have added a Skyway: a trail through large redwoods 40-60 feet off the ground. One particular long section is suspended from each end, an adult’s version of kids’ playground equipment. I’ve walked it three times and only time I didn’t have spooky dock rock after getting to the ground was when I walked in daylight and could see the ground and the world around me.
I think the AI advice is pretty helpful, about which I am surprised.
Smooth sailing.
My very first cruise left me doozy for 3 weeks after it, then the next 2 I was fine since my body knew what to do afterwards! Ha.
Thanks for the additional tips!!
U.S. Navy Vet here. During my time at sea on the good ship, USS Mount Whitney, three-five month deployments did the same. My wife finally convinced me to cruise a couple years back and the “condition” returned. Just a couple of days on stable land focused that. When deployed in the Navy, exactly what old salts told me: aye, look at the horizon! Best wishes and enjoy San Diego! Balboa Park is an amazing place.
Lisa and I will do three river/ocean cruises this year—keeping my eye on the retirement horizon (I love this chapter!)
When I first learned to cross-country ski back in the ’70’s, I noticed that after a long day of skiing (8 hours), when I got back home, I still felt the skiing motion in my legs even though I was just walking around normally. This happened frequently after long days of skiing. It must be something about the gliding motion that triggers the sensation to re-occur after you return to normal walking.
The transition from sea to land it often called “getting your land legs”. The reverse of going from land to sea is “getting your sea legs”. All just part of the nautical world.
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Yep, we’ve been using those terms all along. -rc
Huh! I thought the term was “Sea Legs”. I have never heard the land sickness or dock rock terms before. Perhaps I live in a bubble.
Thanks for the education Randy.
I also experience this if I have been up “too long”. Such as a 12 hour drive to the East Coast!
I’m sorry you’ve run into that. We took a week long cruise and in the first few days I was bothered by the ship’s motion, but it soon went away. We disembarked and flew home. I got up the next morning and took a shower… I shower with my eyes closed; and immediately I thought I was going to fall down and hurl. I had “land-sickness” for almost 2.5 weeks and one morning got up and it was gone.
Talk about a “memory” from our trip!!
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Oh, to be sure we aren’t surprised, and the exercise I mentioned at the end helps. Your experience sounds a bit frightening, and I’m glad it went away pretty quickly. -rc
Good information Randy. So far, no issues however Lynn and I almost always go into port. The advantage of a residential cruise ship is that we go into port often. Thanks for the research.
My wife and I have had a chance to enjoy several cruises. I have noticed this condition after most cruises, but only if I’m standing still i.e. urinating or taking a shower. It has always ended within a few days. In fact, I forgot about the phenomenon until reading this posting. Thank you for all the interesting stories about residential cruising!
Just don’t try to drive a car! Probably not a problem for you but if you are tempted to rent a vehicle or something, PLEASE wait till you have your land legs back. We learned this the hard way. This Navy vet did not know this and upon return from my first voyage at sea my wife (as per normal) had me drive… I could not keep the car in the lane! and it was a three-lanes-each way highway. Good thing it was mostly an empty road. God took care of us, we got back home okay, but have have been very careful about “Not Driving” until the sea legs are all gone away ever since that one.
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Neither of us have had any significant symptoms, and we don’t notice it aboard ship, or in taxis. I’m not worried about it at all. -rc