Do I need Insect Repellent??

[letsgo39]

OK,So now I am packing for our Budapest to Amsterdam cruise this Friday.

 

Do I need to pack insect repellent? Are the bugs terrible?

 

They are eating us alive here in Kentucky!:eek:

Thanks everyone.

[tobes]

I was wondering the same thing so I ordered some repellant from Avon. I am leaving Sat (Paris to Normandy) and figured anywhere on a river would probably be buggy. Judy:)

[steamboats]

letsgo,

 

I don´t have any clue! We definitely didn´t need one on the Elbe river by the end of May. And to be true I never used one on my US river cruises (even in Kentucky :D ). O.k., there was one night when I decided to go back inside because of the bugs. "Worst" thing I encountered last year in June were zillions of mayflies in Louisville.

 

steamboats

[paterry]

No, we didn't need any at the end of May, but on the other hand, I didn't see any on sale and if you do find the bugs bad, it would be nice to have it. (We took some and brought it home.) There are signs on the cabin's sliding doors asking that you keep the doors closed at night so bugs are not welcomed, and occasionally a moth would visit.

[mymk4u]

I'd say pack something if you plan to be outdoors in the evening. We did Chalon to Arles 6/17-24/07 and we incountered mosquitos while stopping one night. During the day I had opened the sliding door and screen on our "balcony" to get some pix. I forgot to close the screen door when I closed the sliding door. After dinner a group of us went into town. Hubby and I were sitting at a little snack cafe and both of us started to become snacks for some mosquitos. We headed back to the boat and found that several of the buggers had made their way into the room where the seal on the glass doors didn't quite meet. I pulled the drapes back and the edge of the screen door was black with mosquitos. :eek: I spent 10 minutes swatting bugs in the room then we turned off the lights and went to bed. While the boat is moving it's not an issue but if you dock over night you may have visitors.

[letsgo39]

I'd say pack something if you plan to be outdoors in the evening. We did Chalon to Arles 6/17-24/07 and we incountered mosquitos while stopping one night. During the day I had opened the sliding door and screen on our "balcony" to get some pix. I forgot to close the screen door when I closed the sliding door. After dinner a group of us went into town. Hubby and I were sitting at a little snack cafe and both of us started to become snacks for some mosquitos. We headed back to the boat and found that several of the buggers had made their way into the room where the seal on the glass doors didn't quite meet. I pulled the drapes back and the edge of the screen door was black with mosquitos. :eek: I spent 10 minutes swatting bugs in the room then we turned off the lights and went to bed. While the boat is moving it's not an issue but if you dock over night you may have visitors.

 

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

I picked up some Skintastic Towlettes yesterday.If I don't use them on the trip I will use them for sure when I get back home.

 

Thanks everyone!

[magmorr75219]

I don't recall being mosquito fodder. The only bad thing were the mayflies a couple of nights. The crew would warn us of those nights, and made sure to close the doors by 10 or 11. But they didn't bite. They were just annoying. Since we went in May, I don't know if those flies would still be around.

[ChefPeg]

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

I picked up some Skintastic Towlettes yesterday.If I don't use them on the trip I will use them for sure when I get back home.

 

Thanks everyone!

 

Good idea! We'll be in Bucharest and Budapest next August. I like the idea of taking along towelettes, light weight and no bottles to break.

[zxcvbnm]

In general, you are NOT bothered by biting insects in Europe the way you are in America. Why this is so, I don't know. Currently in northern NY, we are eaten alive by deer flies during the day and the mosqitoes are bad at dusk and later. We were just on the Rhine in early July, and not one biting insect of any description was seen. We encountered a few mosquitoes at night during our few days in Amsterdam, but nothing bad.