There's a significantly lower risk of motion sickness on a river cruise than on an ocean cruise. You rarely, if ever, feel motion on a river cruise, and virtually all travel is done at night. But it gives me some pause to think that your wife was so severely affected. How does she do on trains? If she can ride a train, I think she'd be ok, but this is one time when I think it would benefit you to see a doctor for some real medical advice. Such several motion sickness is actually pretty rare and might indicate an underlying problem.

I agree, the symptoms on land are unlikely to be related to the cruise. Also "land" sickness - in the absence of motion sounds to me unlikely. I suspect acute labyrinthyitis, but other things are possible. Since it was acute and hasn't recurred it is probably OK. On the other hand, if it is persistent, a workup is essential. A visit to an ENT would not be wrong. (I am an MD)

Thanks for your responses. Though my wife is prone to motion sickness - for example, she can't read in a moving car - she never experienced symptoms such as those that occurred after that last cruise, either before or since. At that time, the ER doctors and personnel told us that such a "delayed reaction" after coming off a ship was not unheard of. She has been to the Dr. regularly since (though not an ENT), and is in very good overall health.

We're continuing to discuss and consider taking the cruise, maybe consulting an ENT would be a good idea. Any other views would be welcome.

This happened to me two cruises ago. I thought I was doing great while on the cruise. No seasickness at all. My husband was sick as a dog however. So we get home, and I feel like I was still on the boat.

So what I should have done on the cruise I did on dry land - ginger - lots and lots of ginger, either in tea form or in crystals that you can chew and green apples. There is something in the apple that helps with the nausea. Also she needs to dry up her sinses - that nasal drip is what's making her to be sick to her stomach. And lastly peppermints help, and lots and lots of water. She should be okay in two / three days if it happens again. Of course if she takes the ginger and the green apples during the motion event that would help too.

Enjoy the River Cruise. It's the most relaxing cruise I've ever taken.

Thanks Florence, she will try it.

That's strange; I've never heard of such a severe reaction weeks AFTER the cruise. Maybe something else was wrong.

With that said, as others have confirmed, river cruises typically produce far less sea sickness than ocean cruises, for obvious reasons.

And it's not just sea sickness which is a problem in confined spaces -

http://www.fodors.com/community/cruises/norovirus-out-break.cfm