Do we need mosquito repellant on Alaska Cruise?

[novice2014]

Hopefully this would be my last question for this, our very first, cruise! Thank you, the Cruise Critic community, for all your help with my other questions. My question: do we need to carry mosquito repellant on an Alaska Cruise (Hubbard Glacier - Icy Strait Point - Ketchikan - Juneau, 7 day, Celebrity Century). Also, do we need to use them only on ports or on board (when close to shore) as well? This is probably the silliest question of the year, but thought 'better silly than sorry'!

[Northern Aurora]

I've never seen (or heard as they have quite the "hum") one of our Alaskan mosquitos on a cruise ship in Alaskan waters. I've never bothered with mosquito repellant on an Alaska cruise. If you feel that you do need repellant then just purchase when on shore.

[Redtravel]

The mosquitos in Alaska a terrible. There are jokes that the mosquito is the state bird. Bring repellant and use it. Cover up and do not wear brightly colored clothing. Mosquitos love bright colors especially yellow.

[patty1955]

The mosquitos in Alaska a terrible. There are jokes that the mosquito is the state bird. Bring repellant and use it. Cover up and do not wear brightly colored clothing. Mosquitos love bright colors especially yellow.

I've heard the rumors as well, but never seen a single mosquito. We been to Alaska three times.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

I've been to Alaska 6 times and have never had any problems with mosquitos in the ports. Having said that, if you intend to do a land tour, there are areas where mosquitos were huge. The place I remember them as being huge and abundant was inland but not on the coast at all.

 

I took a tour in Skagway up to a dog camp- about 30 minutes inland and in a wooded area and still no mosquitoes.

Edited June 20, 2014 by rebeccalouiseagain

[AmberCascades]

Does it depend on when and where you go? We saw a couple at Mendenhall but nothing bird size. We brought repellant wipes but didn't need them. We went at the end of August.

[Cruise a holic]

Hopefully this would be my last question for this, our very first, cruise! Thank you, the Cruise Critic community, for all your help with my other questions. My question: do we need to carry mosquito repellant on an Alaska Cruise (Hubbard Glacier - Icy Strait Point - Ketchikan - Juneau, 7 day, Celebrity Century). Also, do we need to use them only on ports or on board (when close to shore) as well? This is probably the silliest question of the year, but thought 'better silly than sorry'!

 

 

Yes! We sailed in August and the ports had many mosquitos. Especially when you tour and go to areas where salmon is present. Apparently many salmon die trying to go upstream in August, so the dead and decaying fish bring the mosquitos. In addition, when we were panning for gold, the mosquitos were horrible. We purchased deet from a store that specializes in camping and sports gear. No problems on the ship or near the glaciers. But Ketchikan and Juneau you will need repellant.

 

The trip was great! We had a wonderful time! Enjoy your cruise.

[BarrowBabe]

I would recommend it if you plan a trip inland. I never have a problem but my husband always seems to be attractive to mossies. He did get bitten a lot on an excursion out of Ketchikan, despite covering himself up and spraying on deet.

 

Julie

[ghstudio]

I suggest you take deet wipes or the Repel Sportsmen Stick rather than sprays or lotions. They are both easy to pack (TSA doesn't care about either) and they are both light to carry when on an excursion. The stick is hard to find....order from amazon. I take one of them on every cruise.....

[terigo]

We just got back from an early June Alaska land/cruise. The mosquitoes were terrible in Denali and other inland spots, but not so much at the cruise ports. We sprayed with deep woods off and had no bites, but others who did not spray were miserable.

[sunshine nana]

Yes! Take it with you (the wipes). We spilled ours and had to buy a new one at 5X the price at home! This was on the golf at midnight excursion which was fun.

[cruiseatc]

Yes

We did not need it on the ship or in the larger towns but we were very glad of it when we did a float plane into the Misty Fjords. When we got out of the plane at a lake they were everywhere.

 

Have a fab time. This was my favourite cruise. :)

[iHeartGlaciers]

I went in July and needed it for the excursions that took us hiking or boating inland, but they provided insect repellant for us.

[texasgirl29]

We took a land cruise tour with Princess a few years ago. Didn't see any mosquitoes when in port, but we had an encounter in Fairbanks. We stopped the car and several of us got out to look at a moose and her calf. The people in the car rolled down the windows while they waited. A swarm of mosquitoes filled the car through the open windows. We managed to get them out as we drove off with the windows down.

[aquaclass]

sign from last weeks Alaskan Cruise

[Cruise Raider]

The mosquitos in Alaska a terrible. There are jokes that the mosquito is the state bird. Bring repellant and use it. Cover up and do not wear brightly colored clothing. Mosquitos love bright colors especially yellow.

 

We had also heard the same ... thought they were kidding until our cruise up there last year where it was in the 70's. They were everywhere ... so thick in some spots. I always just take the repellent wipes and while they did help, I still had some bites where I think I missed with the wipes.

I hate those chemicals but itching for days afterwards was no fun, either. We encountered the most in Skagway, where is was so nice and warm and took a walk down by the stream and in Ketchikan up on the Married Man's Trail. We really didn't notice them in Icy Strait Point, but it was a bit rainy that day and also not noticed in Juneau. Definitely not noticeable at the glacier, either.

It seems like the warm, still weather wherever you are around standing water really brings them out...and they are big and you may be covered in bites if you aren't careful. I usually am prone to less bites (maybe I am sour smelling? :eek:) than my friends but I still got bites even with the repellant.

[Cruise Raider]

sign from last weeks Alaskan Cruise

 

that is so funny!!

[MsB1254]

We had no problem with them on the ship but we were early in the season. However, when we did the float plane and salmon feast at Taku lodge they were bad. They supplied spray bottles of repellent there for guests to use and they said that that was nothing compared to how it would be later. I was told Alaska was one of the worst states for them and I now don't doubt it.

[Patrick IL.]

We were there in mid June...did 4 days on land, then a 7 night down from Seward. We landed very late in Fairbanks and went outside to wait for the bus to the lodge. Many on the plane had those mosquito automatic things hanging around their necks....as I said it was late. But also the time of year the sun never really goes down, it's like twilight at 1 A.M. We were attacked outside...even those folks with automatic repellent...to no avail. I swear some of these things were as big as my fist! On the ship and in ports was not an issue. So yes, be ready for them.

Edited June 20, 2014 by Patrick IL.

[sdjsnewmexico]

In Ketchican on our first Alaska cruise saw a skeeter on the side of a building that was as big as my thirteen year old son's hand. Always a good idea to take repellent even if you don't need it. At Taku "no see ums" (biting gnats) were more of a problem.

[ghstudio]

Those huge mosquitos don't bite...it's the little ones that you have to worry about.

[olemissreb]

sign from last weeks Alaskan Cruise

 

I know where this sign is! (or at least the one we saw).

 

We needed the 100% deet when we took our Midnight ATV excursion in Denali as well as the bus to Wonder Lake. The mosquitoes swarm you. On our ATV excursion, the wipes and Deep Woods off didn't work for the people that were using them. They were still getting bitten through their clothes. Get some 100% Deet spray and pack it in your checked luggage. If you need it, you'll have it. We didn't need the deet on the cruise itself though.

[MissMapp]

We were on the Solstice in early June for the same ports the OP is going. We never saw one mosquito. It sounds like later in the summer is when the mosquitos are bad. In that case, I'd take a small bottle of repellant just in case.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[Photo_Traveler]

Is there any West Nile proliferation in Alaska and BC? It's well entrenched in Colorado. We have to wear insect repellent in the early Am and at dusk.

 

Odd they don't have a human inoculation since there is a equine vaccine for West Nile.

 

We ran into a girl from the Yukon with a Yukon Air Force shirt on. Of course, a mosquito was displayed.

[floralscent]

We did some hiking in Alaska late May and we were glad we had some spray with us because the mosquitos were terrible. Even with the spray I did end up with a few bites but maybe that happened before spraying. We did sharie with our group as nobody else had brought spray.

 

Just buy the smallest size can spray can find and wrap it in a ziplock bag before tossing in your checked luggage. No problems with leakage at all and we just left it behind so we didn't have to lug it home.

 

I believe you asked about the need for spray on the ship...No mosquitos on the ship.

 

Enjoy your trip!