Buy Bug Spray on Board

[ninefishes]

Can anyone tell me whether mosquito repellent (OFF! or other brands) is to be found in the shops on board? We are doing Panama Canal this holiday season on Volendam and don't want to check in luggage (after a couple of times our bags didn't show up at the airport carousel). Due to all these liquid carry-on restriction, we decide to buy some while on board. We were on Volendam in August, but don't remember whether I saw any bug spray (mostly I didn't pay attention).

 

Thanks in advance!

 

 

[Cruising-along]

I don't remember ever seeing any on board any ship....you might consider bringing along a package of mosquito wipes.  That's what we did on our last cruise. Very light weight and doesn't take up any room.

[aliaschief]

The wipes are a good idea but if you want spray buy a small bottle and just put in a clear zip lock along with Purel. If you get Pre approved TSA priority you wouldn’t even have to take it out of carry on.

Edited December 6, 2018 by aliaschief

[wyobean]

You can buy bug spray in small containers that will fit in your quart size baggie.

[knittinggirl]

We always carry the wipes.  They don't need a ziploc, and I always toss a couple insect wipes and sunblock wipes in our port bag.

[mcrcruiser]

We never had a need to use mosquito repellents of any kind & we did the full transit twice 

[ellieanne]

I bought bug repellent on-board the Zuiderdam in January. Since then the shop contract has changed to a different company, so I do not know if it is still stocked on board, but I would think it would be a pretty standard item in the shop.

[Fouremco]

I hope that you are flying in the day before embarkation, in which case you'll find bug spray far cheaper at a local pharmacy than you will onboard. Alternatively, once beyond security you'll find duty free and others shops, some of which do sell bug spray. This varies by airport and terminal. Finally, if you still don't have some when you stop in Willemstad, you shouldn't have any difficulty finding bug spray there.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have done quite a few full transit Panama Canal cruises as well as several partial transits and never got bitten.  And Mosquitoes love me.

 

We have never bought an bug repellents for any where.

[POA1]

If you really want to have some insect repellent, why not reach out to someone on your roll call who is driving in? Ask them to pick up a small can of your preferred spray. You can reimburse them, possibly even buy them a drink and be ahead of what you'd pay in the onboad shops. I've taken bottle openers and corkscrews for my carry-on friends.

[ninefishes]

Thanks everyone for your quick response!

 

Final solution: Bring some wipes and small bottles in my/DH's/DD's Ziploc bags. I'm a mosquito magnet and this time we are going zip lining in one of the ports, so I think it's just safe to spray some repellent. Actually the only place I ever used bug spray was in Indonesia (also with Volendam) and still got bitten when using a local washroom. 😞  Amazingly got bite free in India which was quite out of our expectation.

 

 

 

 

[SeaBands]

we take bug strips that go on our wrist or ankle with us. They last several years and not stick like spray. I wouldn't buy any bug  spray on the ship. They price all their stuff like wine 2-3X what you pay on a drug store. No problem with any of it in your suitcase.

[bleacher04]

I'm not sure where in Canada you're located, but my sister bought this product from a travel doctor in Toronto.  It's 30% DEET, but it's a cream, so technically should be outside of the "liquid/gel" restriction (although as we all know, that can be pretty subjective).  And at 3.2 oz it will meet airline carry-on requirements regardless.

I am also a mosquito magnet -- I protect everyone else in the group -- and this stuff works great for me.

 

[Fouremco]

16 hours ago, bleacher04 said:

I'm not sure where in Canada you're located, but my sister bought this product from a travel doctor in Toronto.  It's 30% DEET, but it's a cream, so technically should be outside of the "liquid/gel" restriction (although as we all know, that can be pretty subjective).  And at 3.2 oz it will meet airline carry-on requirements regardless.

I am also a mosquito magnet -- I protect everyone else in the group -- and this stuff works great for me.

Creams are included under the liquids rule. From the TSA website:

 

You are allowed to bring a quart-sized bag of liquids, aerosols, gels, creams and pastes in your carry-on bag and through the checkpoint. These are limited to travel-sized containers that are 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or less per item. Placing these items in the small bag and separating from your carry-on baggage facilitates the screening process. Pack items that are in containers larger than 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters in checked baggage.

 

Any liquid, aerosol, gel, cream or paste that alarms during screening will require additional screening.

 

However, as you say, at 3.2 oz it is within the TSA threshold.

[bleacher04]

3 hours ago, Fouremco said:

Creams are included under the liquids rule. From the TSA website:

 

You are allowed to bring a quart-sized bag of liquids, aerosols, gels, creams and pastes in your carry-on bag and through the checkpoint. These are limited to travel-sized containers that are 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or less per item. Placing these items in the small bag and separating from your carry-on baggage facilitates the screening process. Pack items that are in containers larger than 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters in checked baggage.

 

Any liquid, aerosol, gel, cream or paste that alarms during screening will require additional screening.

 

However, as you say, at 3.2 oz it is within the TSA threshold.

 

You're right, thanks for the refresher!

[OlsSalt]

Some parts of the world have restricted aerosol insect sprays - far better to take some wipes - always handy to keep in a pocket for when you need them --not impact the rest of the critters beyond the drift of your spray zone.  Or look into the bug repellant clothing or neck scarf, or even better the easily packable net head gear.

 

Best protection is sufficient cover-up clothing.  Last thing we need are super-bugs which mutate beyond the scope of chemical bug repellants. 

Edited December 9, 2018 by OlsSalt

[bleacher04]

55 minutes ago, OlsSalt said:

Some parts of the world have restricted aerosol insect sprays - far better to take some wipes - always handy to keep in a pocket for when you need them --not impact the rest of the critters beyond the drift of your spray zone.  Or look into the bug repellant clothing or neck scarf, or even better the easily packable net head gear.

 

Best protection is sufficient cover-up clothing.  Last thing we need are super-bugs which mutate beyond the scope of chemical bug repellants. 

 

Good idea, and thanks for the reminder!  I tried to buy some insect-repellent clothing from LL Bean about a year ago; when I got to the check-out they said that they could not ship outside of the US, presumably because it hadn't been "approved" (?) in Canada yet.  I should check to see if this has changed.  Or else ship my order to a buddy in the US