DreamingOfSunnyDays Posted July 7 #1 Share Posted July 7 Hi. How are the mosquitoes on Mediterranean cruises? Greece, Italy, Spain, Croatia, Montenegro? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david63 Posted July 7 #2 Share Posted July 7 It will depend on the time of year and what you intend doing. Never really had any problems personally but everyone is different and some are more susceptible than others - I have heard that some medications can attract the little blighters. Like anywhere else only really a problem where there is water - but if in doubt then apply some spray, ot better still some roll-on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JettysMom Posted July 7 #3 Share Posted July 7 Went last fall (Sept-Oct.) and had no issues with mosquitoes. Have a wonderful time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Jim_Iain Posted July 9 #4 Share Posted July 9 I have been bitten before but not while one the ship. All the times were on land and in the evening times sitting out side having dinner. For some reason Mosquitos love my angles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare elmsliebev Posted July 9 #5 Share Posted July 9 we got bitten in Norway last month, I was not expecting that! We did a lovely walk in Olden by the river and both came back with bites. I'd definitely take bug stuff if going to the Med but as has been said, never been bitten on board ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TowandaUK Posted July 9 #6 Share Posted July 9 I had a bad bite (not sure if mosquito or another insect) while onshore in Cadiz a couple of years ago. We spent quite a bit of time at the next port searching for anti histamine cream. We always pack anti histamine now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Pushpit Posted July 9 #7 Share Posted July 9 2 hours ago, TowandaUK said: I had a bad bite (not sure if mosquito or another insect) while onshore in Cadiz a couple of years ago. We spent quite a bit of time at the next port searching for anti histamine cream. We always pack anti histamine now. Soap and water is the first thing to apply, because of the risk of infection. Then an ice cube can relieve itchiness, or hydrocortisone cream, and are good alternatives if you can't get antihistamine. Antihistamine provides relief from insect bites but doesn't heal the skin particularly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clewgarnet Posted July 9 #8 Share Posted July 9 I find these little zappers (other brands are available) to be an absolute godsend in dealing with insect bites. One lives in my jodhpurs pocket during horsefly season! They work best if you zap as soon as possible after being bitten, but they're pretty effective at itch-relief at any time. https://www.boots.com/boots-bite-relief-click-it-10234814 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Victoria2 Posted July 9 #9 Share Posted July 9 29 minutes ago, Clewgarnet said: I find these little zappers (other brands are available) to be an absolute godsend in dealing with insect bites. One lives in my jodhpurs pocket during horsefly season! They work best if you zap as soon as possible after being bitten, but they're pretty effective at itch-relief at any time. https://www.boots.com/boots-bite-relief-click-it-10234814 Doesn't help if allergic to the little bxxgers. Benadryl [mine is the US version my 'drug runner' friends bring back for me]is my first port of call along with otc antihistamine cream, after cleaning the bite. I ended up on prednisolone after my last encounter with horseflies so beware, the bites can produce nasty reactions. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare D&N Posted July 9 #10 Share Posted July 9 My wife has encountered some extreme skin reactions to bites. Apart from antiseptics, steroid creams, and antibiotic cream, we had a different variety of zapper recommended to us. She uses Bite Away; https://www.bite-away.com/uk/ It's battery powered and heats the immediate area, reducing itching and swelling. It's quite painful for the few seconds that it delivers maximum heat. But it does seem to stop the reaction caused by the poison. Of course she tries to avoid bites in first place by covering herself in Jungle Formula Maximum, containing 50% Deet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clewgarnet Posted July 9 #11 Share Posted July 9 32 minutes ago, Victoria2 said: Doesn't help if allergic to the little bxxgers. Benadryl [mine is the US version my 'drug runner' friends bring back for me]is my first port of call along with otc antihistamine cream, after cleaning the bite. I ended up on prednisolone after my last encounter with horseflies so beware, the bites can produce nasty reactions. Pre-zapper, a bite would result in my entire arm swelling up to twice its usual size, so I'd hate to see what would happen if I was allergic! The little fixers even manage to bite through denim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Victoria2 Posted July 9 #12 Share Posted July 9 35 minutes ago, D&N said: My wife has encountered some extreme skin reactions to bites. Apart from antiseptics, steroid creams, and antibiotic cream, we had a different variety of zapper recommended to us. She uses Bite Away; https://www.bite-away.com/uk/ It's battery powered and heats the immediate area, reducing itching and swelling. It's quite painful for the few seconds that it delivers maximum heat. But it does seem to stop the reaction caused by the poison. Of course she tries to avoid bites in first place by covering herself in Jungle Formula Maximum, containing 50% Deet. I use the Boots Repel 50% Deet which is quite effective and cover up too but horseflies have sharp 'teeth and can bite through light cotton. Stand by me if you want an effective mozzie deterrent. They'll come for me rather than 'you'. To answer the original question tho', we didn't have much bother with any mozzies in the Western Med. on a Sept cruise but I always take Repel, anti histamine tablets and cream, just in case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Victoria2 Posted July 9 #13 Share Posted July 9 40 minutes ago, Clewgarnet said: Pre-zapper, a bite would result in my entire arm swelling up to twice its usual size, so I'd hate to see what would happen if I was allergic! The little fixers even manage to bite through denim. Yep, if they want to get you, they'll get you! I have had a ring cut off before now due to a Horse Fly bite. I'm Christmas Day and Thanksgiving lunches to them and to mozzies too. 😕 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Jim_Iain Posted July 11 #14 Share Posted July 11 When I was bitten by mosquitos in Barcelona area (Sitges) i bought something for the itch that came in a pen applicator. Worked great but no ingredients listed on it. It had a smell I recognized but couldn't place. Last year I found it on Amazon and bought it again and always carry. Surprise... Surprise the ingredient is Ammonia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Pushpit Posted July 11 #15 Share Posted July 11 Ammonia is a fairly powerful disinfectant and provides itch relief via a form of anaesthetic effect. Hopefully the ammonia content is quite low (3 or 4%) but it's not an unusual remedy, and it's cheap. That's why ice cubes are also good, since it also numbs the itch. Ammonia has passed at least one double-blind / placebo clinical trial (H. Zhai, University of California). I think because it's cheap and out of patent, it's kind of overlooked by the pharmacy industry. What I've found is that around the world different communities advocate different remedies. In South America the use of toothpaste is sometimes mentioned. I am not sure that's a good idea, as someone who works in healthcare, but in Scotland - where midges are so bad that they were used as a form of torture or punishment in days gone by, an inexpensive Avon product for ladies - Skin So Soft - is used by many men, who swear by it. So yes, "go local" is one approach here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clewgarnet Posted July 12 #16 Share Posted July 12 8 hours ago, Pushpit said: What I've found is that around the world different communities advocate different remedies. In South America the use of toothpaste is sometimes mentioned. I am not sure that's a good idea, as someone who works in healthcare, but in Scotland - where midges are so bad that they were used as a form of torture or punishment in days gone by, an inexpensive Avon product for ladies - Skin So Soft - is used by many men, who swear by it. So yes, "go local" is one approach here. Also used by horseriders, for our horses! Sadly, Avon changed the formula a few years back, and it's no longer quite so effective. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TowandaUK Posted July 12 #17 Share Posted July 12 13 hours ago, Jim_Iain said: When I was bitten by mosquitos in Barcelona area (Sitges) i bought something for the itch that came in a pen applicator. Worked great but no ingredients listed on it. It had a smell I recognized but couldn't place. Last year I found it on Amazon and bought it again and always carry. Surprise... Surprise the ingredient is Ammonia. That’s the same as I got in Sardinia for my bite. It seemed to help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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