Mosquitos on board

[SetAnOpenCourse]

I'm considering my first Springtime (last week of April) cruise in the Caribbean. I'm mainly interest in being on the ship and I'd still enjoy the cruise even if we didn't go ashore due to the Zika scare. It would be right at the beginning of the rainiest time of the year (at least for San Juan). Can anyone speak to the likelihood of mosquitos being on the ship? And if it is very unlikely, why?

[Shmoo here]

I'm considering my first Springtime (last week of April) cruise in the Caribbean. I'm mainly interest in being on the ship and I'd still enjoy the cruise even if we didn't go ashore due to the Zika scare. It would be right at the beginning of the rainiest time of the year (at least for San Juan). Can anyone speak to the likelihood of mosquitos being on the ship? And if it is very unlikely, why?

 

Typically, mosquitoes are found in areas where the water is stagnant. Not so much on a ocean cruise, or in port. That said, there could be some mosquitoes, but I wouldn't think a lot while you are onboard.

 

If you're taking excursion that go inland from the port, you'll probably find more mosquitoes.

[leaveitallbehind]

Have never seen any mosquitoes on board any ship we've been on in 24 years of cruising.

 

As previously mentioned, they tend to be around stagnant water in more inland areas. Bug spray with DEET works well. Speaking only for myself I would not stay on board because of the current Zika concerns, which are mainly a warning for pregnant women. If that includes you then use whatever caution you think appropriate.

[cb at sea]

Mosquitoes like stagnant, fresh water....not salt water..their eggs will DIE in salt water. On the ship, you're fairly safe. If you are pregnant..take precautions..otherwise, enjoy !

[NLH Arizona]

I've never seen a mosquito in over 40 cruises.

[SetAnOpenCourse]

Actually based on reports I have read, more populated areas might have more stagnant water, such as discarded automobile tires. That could be coastal or inland, perhaps even more coastal.

 

WHY are there few mosquito's on board? Breezes?

[MCC retired]

75+ cruises , never ever saw a mosquito onboard [emoji3]

[leaveitallbehind]

Mosquitoes like stagnant, fresh water....not salt water..their eggs will DIE in salt water. On the ship, you're fairly safe. If you are pregnant..take precautions..otherwise, enjoy !

 

Incorrect. (surprise! :rolleyes:) There are breeds of mosquitoes that can inhabit either fresh or salt water, or both.

 

Please check your answers before you post them.

Edited April 5, 2016 by leaveitallbehind

[taglovestocruise]

Just spent a week on Oasis in the Caribbean , I don't think I saw a single bug or mosquito on the ship or in port, spent the whole day on Labadie and never noticed a bug or fly even at the outdoor BBQ.. Mosquitos need stagnant water and don't do well in moving salt water..happy cruising...update.. my wife just reminded me that I killed a spider at the Trellis bar in central park..

[OCruisers]

Happily, we've never seen any mosquitoes on cruise ships! :)

[SetAnOpenCourse]

Just spent a week on Oasis in the Caribbean , I don't think I saw a single bug or mosquito on the ship or in port, spent the whole day on Labadie and never noticed a bug or fly even at the outdoor BBQ.. Mosquitos need stagnant water and don't do well in moving salt water..happy cruising...update.. my wife just reminded me that I killed a spider at the Trellis bar in central park..

 

A private resort probably has few discarded tires, etc.

 

Docking vs anchoring also a factor? Not sure which Labadie has. My immediate concern would be San Juan, St Thomas and Nassau, in late April and early May.

[JimAOk1945]

We have never seen mosquitos or any other insects on any of ships we have cruised on.

 

Go and enjoy your cruise. It's a great way to travel!

[Keith1010]

I've not found mosquitoes as a problem on the ship but I would still come prepared just in case.

 

Keith

[leaveitallbehind]

A private resort probably has few discarded tires, etc.

 

Docking vs anchoring also a factor? Not sure which Labadie has. My immediate concern would be San Juan, St Thomas and Nassau, in late April and early May.

 

Labadee is a docking port of call. Why concerns for those three islands in particular?

[Krazy Kruizers]

We just completed a 21 day repositioning cruise which included several of the infected areas.

 

Never had any problems with mosquitoes anywhere.

[SetAnOpenCourse]

Labadee is a docking port of call. Why concerns for those three islands in particular?

 

Those are the three ports of call for the cruise I'm considering (in addition to Half Moon Cay - this is the final Caribbean cruise of the season on HAL).

 

Comments from people who have been on Caribbean cruises during the wet months (e.g. May for Puerto Rico) would be most appreciated.

[SC_GAY_Cruiser]

I don't believe this ? has been asked.....so I will.

 

Why are you concerned about Zika or Mosquitos? Are you pregnant or planning on getting pregnant soon?

 

Whether its this summer or summer of 2017, the U.S. south will be in their target area.

[SetAnOpenCourse]

I don't believe this ? has been asked.....so I will.

 

Why are you concerned about Zika or Mosquitos? Are you pregnant or planning on getting pregnant soon?

 

Whether its this summer or summer of 2017, the U.S. south will be in their target area.

 

That's a consideration, also the factor of carrying the virus back home where there will soon be plenty of mosquitoes to bite one of us. So I guess your comment about the geographical spread needs to be considered even if one isn't likely to personally suffer from the virus.

[snaebyllej]

Why are you concerned about Zika or Mosquitos? Are you pregnant or planning on getting pregnant soon?.

 

Or give blood? Or care about getting the symptoms, even if they are usually mild? I do.

 

CDC Zika info

[drlynn]

We did not see any mosquitos on our recent cruise while on the ship, BUT we did have many at the hotel pre and post cruise in San Juan. They seemed to be coming through the window screens. If a hotel stay is in your plan, keep that in mind.

[leaveitallbehind]

Those are the three ports of call for the cruise I'm considering (in addition to Half Moon Cay - this is the final Caribbean cruise of the season on HAL).

 

Comments from people who have been on Caribbean cruises during the wet months (e.g. May for Puerto Rico) would be most appreciated.

 

Got it - re-read your first post! :o We just got back from Puerto Rico, St. Croix, St. Kitts, St. Martin, Martinique, and Barbados and had no issues with mosquitoes in any of those ports except St. Martin where the Great Bay Beach (Philipsburg) was closed due to runoff from interior pond treatment for mosquitoes. But it had no effect on our day there as we were not at that beach.

 

I realize that your requested islands are not included on my list, but the point is if so many other islands had no issues I would not suspect that yours would either. I'm also not sure one time of year has any greater impact than another due to the overall year round climate in the Caribbean.

 

I would not be concerned - I would go ashore and enjoy! ...and use a DEET product to be sure.

Edited April 5, 2016 by leaveitallbehind

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

This is what happened to me two weeks ago on Celebrity Eclipse in St Maarten. We arrived about 7:00AM and docked. I was still in my jammies. I opened up our balcony door and was promptly bitten on my neck by a mosquito! I hadn't even had any time to apply bug spray. Fortunately it didn't give me Zika because it has been two weeks and I haven't fallen ill.

 

I did catch Dengue fever in the Philippines years ago. Remember this. It only takes one mosquito bite to give you a mosquito-borne disease. Only one bite. If you are worried about Zika, stay sprayed as much as possible. You will never be able to just guess at when and where that single infected mosquito is going to bite you.

[SC_GAY_Cruiser]

This is what happened to me two weeks ago on Celebrity Eclipse in St Maarten. We arrived about 7:00AM and docked. I was still in my jammies. I opened up our balcony door and was promptly bitten on my neck by a mosquito! I hadn't even had any time to apply bug spray. Fortunately it didn't give me Zika because it has been two weeks and I haven't fallen ill.

 

I did catch Dengue fever in the Philippines years ago. Remember this. It only takes one mosquito bite to give you a mosquito-borne disease. Only one bite. If you are worried about Zika, stay sprayed as much as possible. You will never be able to just guess at when and where that single infected mosquito is going to bite you.

 

Gangway - unless you went to a doctor (or probably public health clinic) to get tested you don't know if you were infected with the Zika Virus. It is estimated that only 20% of humans show any symptoms caused by Zika. And after 14 days of being infected, it will not show a positive test.

[dsrdsrdsr]

Mosquitos, and insects generally, very seldom go more than half a mile from shore, so while you're out at sea you're safe. In port, there's a chance they may come on board, though it's still not their natural habitat.

[srlafleur]

I've never seen bugs of any kind on board a ship. We always get a balcony and spend considerable time on it while docked, before and after excursions.

I've never even encountered mosquitoes ashore, even when in the jungle. Luck? Good timing? Quite possibly.