Lake Express Ferry First-Class Experience Ruined by Seasickness

Instead of driving around the lake, which can take about 4 ½ to five hours, the Lake Express ferry brings passengers and their cars across the water in about 2 ½ hours.

An adult round-trip ticket starts at $199 for the classic cabin and $245 for the higher-tier premier cabin. To bring a vehicle along as well, round-trip tickets start at $236 on top of the passenger fees.

I paid a total of $279 for my round-trip premier ticket without a vehicle, including taxes and additional fees.

Michigan’s eastern time zone is an hour ahead of Wisconsin. Even though the trip only took 2 ½ hours, the time difference meant we’d lose an hour on the way.

I’d checked the National Weather Service’s Great Lakes Portal and found that waves were expected to be around 1 foot high throughout the journey, which didn’t sound that bad.

Receiving free motion-sickness medicine immediately upon checking in made me feel a bit concerned about how choppy the waters would actually be. I took the pill to be safe.

Unlike the Amtrak lounges available to first-class train passengers, there was no separate waiting area for those with premier cabin ferry tickets.

There were also drinks, snacks, and souvenirs available for purchase.

An announcement told those traveling with cars to board first by driving their vehicles onto the ferry.

The classic cabin was laid out in clusters of eight seats around two tables, with a few tables on the edges ending up with more space.

The screens appeared in both cabins, showing our approximately 82-mile journey across Lake Michigan.

Next to the checkout counter, condiment packets and plastic utensils were available for passengers to grab for themselves.

The faux flowers added a whimsical touch to the ferry ride.

The ferry wasn’t very crowded on my trip, so I got an entire table with four seats to myself.

There was also a screen with a credit card reader to order additional concessions.

Breakfast burritos cost $10 while sandwiches and pizzas ranged from $11 to $12. There was also alcohol available for purchase, including local beers such as New Glarus Spotted Cow and Miller Lite.

Unlike newer plane and train models that have outlets at every seat, the Lake Express ferry only had outlets every few rows.

Even while docked, the up-and-down movement of the ship on the water felt stronger than I’d anticipated. I hoped that once we started moving, the motion would feel smoother.

A factor that likely contributed to my impending seasickness was that it was too cold for me to sit outside on the deck in the fresh air.

In true Midwest spring fashion, it was 44 degrees on that early May morning. Strong winds over the open water made it feel even colder once we started moving. I got a little bit queasy from the sensation of the boat pitching up and down, but focusing on the horizon and feeling the wind against my face kept it from getting worse.

I lasted about half an hour outside before I got too cold and returned to the warmth of the premier cabin.

The Lake Express crew was clearly well-trained and used to passengers becoming seasick. As soon as they saw me looking a little green, they provided me with ginger ale, ginger chews, saltines, anti-nausea wristbands, and sickness bags.

Even though I was having a rough time, I felt well taken care of.

The bathroom looked similar to bathrooms I’d encountered on Amtrak, with a few additional touches like decorative tile and a trash can with a weighted lid to keep it closed as the boat rocked back and forth.

The premier cabin where I’d booked my seat was located in the back of the ferry, where the motion of the boat was stronger. I couldn’t last more than a few minutes there without feeling like I was going to throw up.

A crew member told me that lying on the floor in the middle of the boat would help me feel more like I was swinging in a hammock or rocking in a chair. It worked. Kind of.

I spent the next two hours regretting the money I’d spent on a seat I wasn’t even using, for perks that I didn’t feel well enough to enjoy.

I managed to keep a few plain applesauce packets down around lunchtime, but had no appetite to eat anything else for the rest of the day.

The Lyft driver who drove me from the ferry terminal to the submarine museum was a US Navy veteran himself. He told me that enlisted sailors often got seasick, too, which made me feel less pathetic.

“Some people I served with were just lucky — didn’t get seasick at all, ate all of their meals,” he said. “And some walked around with buckets.”

After a few hours of fresh air and fascinating World War II history, some of the color returned to my cheeks. However, I knew if I got back on the ferry, I would immediately feel awful again. The mere thought of being tossed around by the waves on the journey home made my stomach churn.

Unfortunately, since it was less than 24 hours before my return trip, my ferry ticket home wasn’t refundable.

I shelled out $123.27 for a rental car from Muskegon’s tiny airport and hit the road.

The route took me down the Michigan coast, across Indiana and Illinois, and back up into Wisconsin, totaling around 300 miles.

About one in three people experience motion sickness, and genetics are a determining factor, according to a 2015 study published in the Oxford University Press’ Human Molecular Genetics.

The simple truth is that some people get seasick and some don’t, and I do. Even though I took motion sickness medicine ahead of the trip, it wasn’t effective enough to quell my symptoms.

If you’re one of those lucky people who doesn’t get seasick, the Lake Express ferry is a great option to cut across Lake Michigan for a shorter, more scenic trip than driving.

If you’re a landlubber like me, learn from my mistakes. Don’t spring for the more expensive cabin. Check the weather and wave heights ahead of time. And keep your options open for your return trip in case you end up on the floor.