Caribbean mosquitoes

[EightFurryPaws]

Has anyone had problems with mosquitoes on their cruise?

[chrysalis]

Are you concerned about this disease?.....

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2113315&highlight=mosquitoes

[Homosassa]

No. Just plan ahead and bring insect repellent for any shore excursions where it might be needed.

[tdeyette]

It's a good idea to bring some "just incase".... if not for the mosquitos than for the sand flees if present....

When we were in Grenada we went to the beach at La Sagesse.. I don't know if we timed it just right or not but the sand flees are fierce! We had been there before and did not have a problem. Anyway, we were glad to have the spray!

[cibaygirls]

I was just in Aruba, St Thomas and Antigua and didnt see any. I did have some bug spray with me just in case.

[TW6cruiser]

Just came back from Aruba; Grand Cayman; Cartegana; Costa Rica; Panama Canal. We used deet spray every day when we were at shore. We had no problems.

[941life]

Like anywhere warm , dawn and dust are the times to be most careful , if you are concerned of course spray some deet

[weedpindle]

The Skeeters can be big, Canary size sometimes.

[Salacia]

I found the updated information on this CDC website helpful: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/watch/chikungunya-saint-martin

[Greyhound3]

The Skeeters can be big, Canary size sometimes.

 

I thought I saw a couple with registration numbers...

 

 

Grey

[beg3yrs]

Has anyone had problems with mosquitoes on their cruise?

 

Just got off the Royal's 10-day Eastern Caribbean voyage. We had the mosquito warning in our personalizer so we were prepared.

 

Not only did we not use our repellant, we never even saw a single mosquito.

 

Here in the dry desert of Tucson I'm having more trouble with mosquitoes than I did in the Caribbean.

[sunsetme]

Just got off the Royal's 10-day Eastern Caribbean voyage. We had the mosquito warning in our personalizer so we were prepared.

 

Not only did we not use our repellant, we never even saw a single mosquito.

 

Here in the dry desert of Tucson I'm having more trouble with mosquitoes than I did in the Caribbean.

 

yes I had humongous bites in Phoenix recently

[OCruisers]

We have far more problems with mosquitoes at home than we have ever had on Caribbean cruises.

Deet keeps them away. Always apply when outdoors. ;)

LuLu

[Oren]

Always apply the sunscreen layer first, allow at least 15 minutes to soak into skin (dry), then the DEET on top of that- otherwise it may not work! Aerosol spray can is the best and quickest application but you will go through it quickly. (CVS' own brand has the best value for deet spray cans if you can find it) Hold your breath when applying deet spray to minimize inhalation. Lightly rub in the deet spray so it cover the skin.

Edited November 22, 2014 by Oren

[OCruisers]

If you use OFF Backwoods for SPORTSMEN (conveniently sold in 1 oz. spray containers in the hunting/fishing section), a little dab well do you. :)

LuLu

[Kerry&LuAnn]

But several mojitos! Seriously, we just returned from Aruba, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, and Jamaica but did not see a single mosquito on any of our excursions. We had some insect repellent with us but didn't need to use a drop.

[pompeii]

We just got back from b2b eastern and western caribbean, and the only problem we had was in Grand Turk. But it was because our port time was 1-7pm, so at 6:00 or so the mosquitoes came out in droves! They were everywhere and everyone the next day was talking about them. One of the asst cruise directors said a group of them were on shore up til all aboard, and one of the dancers got bitten up so badly that she needed cortisone. He pointed out at least a half dozen bites on himself as well. My husband got a few, but so far he hasn't come down with anything exotic. It's been 10 days since we were there so hopefully there's nothing incubating.

 

There was no problem whatsoever during the day, but as soon as the sun started going down, they were vicious. Plus there had been a passing rain shower in the afternoon, and the guy we rented our scooter from said they always come out after that.

 

So if your port time goes late, be sure to take and use deet!! If you're back on board by 4 or 5, you should be fine. This is probably not specific to GT; the bugs might be bad on any island at sundown.

 

Please don't let this make you shy away from Grand Turk, it is a lovely place and was our favorite port stop! Just use repellent if you are going to be there late, or get back to the ship by dusk.

[golfb4cruzing]

We were on the Ruby on the Nov 8th sailing and the wife was attacked by a swarm as we were walking from the excursion tram, through the parking lot, to the port area in Grand Turk. Not sure what they were but she had bites on her head, arms and legs. Several other cruisers had the same problems. What was strange was of the 3 or 4 people with issues, all had red hair. Probably pure coincidence but strange. The wife still has several welts but no ill effects.

[beg3yrs]

What was strange was of the 3 or 4 people with issues, all had red hair. Probably pure coincidence but strange. The wife still has several welts but no ill effects.

 

Folk with red hair tend to have more freckles. Mosquitos think they are targets.:D

[pompeii]

We were on the Ruby on the Nov 8th sailing and the wife was attacked by a swarm as we were walking from the excursion tram, through the parking lot, to the port area in Grand Turk. Not sure what they were but she had bites on her head, arms and legs. Several other cruisers had the same problems. What was strange was of the 3 or 4 people with issues, all had red hair. Probably pure coincidence but strange. The wife still has several welts but no ill effects.

 

That's the same sailing we were on. DH doesn't have red hair, but if I remember correctly the dancer we heard about that got bitten up did! Those bugs were nasty buggers!

[shepp]

Just a word on repellents. Repel Lemon Eucalyptus has tested out to be about as effective as DEET and is a lot less icky and won't melt plastics. I love the way it smells, too, but YMMV.

[Kenosha Cruiser]

We were just to Trunk Bay beach in St John's. No problems with mosquitoes on the beach. Warnings have been posted for St John's via the US National Park Service there. We didn't see any there or in St Maarten.

[doctoranna]

We encountered them on our tour of St. Johns at the old sugar mill. If you are taking any tours that go through the National Park on St. Johns, bring repellant. It was only about 3:30 PM when we encountered them. Got bit several times.

[laughing husky]

Besides Dengue...which is nothing very nice to have...The Caribbean has a new import....This one is not nice either....This is straight from the CDC web page. This dx is found throughout the Caribbean, Central America and parts of South America....I think it came from Asia...originally....

 

What is chikungunya?

Chikungunya is an illness caused by a virus that spreads through mosquito bites. The most common symptoms of chikungunya are fever and joint pain. Other symptoms may include headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, or rash. Chikungunya disease rarely results in death, but the symptoms can be severe and disabling. Most people who get sick feel better within a week. In some people, the joint pain may last for months or years.

Who is at risk?

Travelers who go to these islands in the Caribbean are at risk of getting chikungunya. In addition, travelers to Africa, Asia, and islands in the Indian Ocean and Western Pacific are also at risk, as the virus is present in many of these areas. The mosquito that carries chikungunya virus can bite during the day and night, both indoors and outdoors, and often lives around buildings in urban areas.

What can travelers do to prevent chikungunya?

There is currently no vaccine or medicine to prevent chikungunya. The only way to prevent chikungunya is to prevent mosquito bites. Preventing bites can be difficult, but it is important as you can get sick after just one bite. Follow these steps to reduce the chances that you will be bitten by mosquitoes during your trip.

Prevent mosquito bites:

Cover exposed skin by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and hats.

Use an appropriate insect repellent as directed.

Higher percentages of active ingredient provide longer protection. Use products with the following active ingredients:

DEETExternal Web Site Icon (Products containing DEET include Off!, Cutter, Sawyer, and Ultrathon)

Picaridin (also known as KBR 3023, Bayrepel, and icaridin products containing picaridin include Cutter Advanced, Skin So Soft Bug Guard Plus, and Autan [outside the US])

Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or PMD (Products containing OLE include Repel and Off! Botanicals)

IR3535 (Products containing IR3535 include Skin So Soft Bug Guard Plus Expedition and SkinSmart)

Always follow product directions and reapply as directed:

If you are also using sunscreen, apply sunscreen first and insect repellent second.

Follow package directions when applying repellent on childrenExternal Web Site Icon. Avoid applying repellent to their hands, eyes, and mouth.

Use permethrin-treatedExternal Web Site Icon clothing and gear (such as boots, pants, socks, and tents). You can buy pre-treated clothing and gear or treat them yourself:

Treated clothing remains protective after multiple washings. See the product information to find out how long the protection will last.

If treating items yourself, follow the product instructions carefully.

Do not use permethrin directly on skin.

Stay and sleep in screened or air conditioned rooms.

Use a bed net if the area where you are sleeping is exposed to the outdoors.