Reply from RCI regarding bed bugs on Jewel

[AAAMom]

Dear Ms. A:

 

Thank you for your e-mail. (which is below)

 

Ms. A, this was a highly unusual and isolated situation involving one stateroom. According to the U.S. Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, the cruise industry is held to the highest sanitation standards in the world.

 

As part of this, our laundry process cleans all bedding at 155 degrees, a recognized temperature that prevents such occurrences as “bed bugs.”

 

Unfortunately, in this case, it appears that the bugs were brought onboard by a previous guest. We’ve taken all appropriate steps to eliminate the bugs in that specific stateroom.

 

Thank you for choosing Royal Caribbean International.

 

Maria Perez

Customer Service Representative

 

[THREAD ID:1-E81GG]

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----

 

From:

Sent: 4/13/2005 03:04:04 PM

To: web_reservations@rccl.com

Subject: Other, Jewel Of The Seas, Not Specified, Not Specified

 

 

Country of Residence: USA

 

My cruise information:

Booking ID: Not Specified

Ship: Jewel Of The Seas

Sail Date: Not Specified

 

Issue: Hello,

Although we are booked on the Jewel for April 2006, I am becoming increasingly concerned regarding the bed bug problem on the Jewel. What is RCI doing about this problem? I really became concerned after reading that the Cruisenetwork has stopped booking cruises on the Jewel http://www.cruisenetwork.com/releas...ews20050413.htm

 

In advance, thank you.

[LJR213]

This is obviously RCCL's standard answer. I emailed them about a week ago with the same question and I got back the exact same answer as you did. I'm sure (I hope) the ship will be fine. It still give be he heebie jeebies though.

[cruisinfanatic]

This is obviously RCCL's standard answer. I emailed them about a week ago with the same question and I got back the exact same answer as you did. I'm sure (I hope) the ship will be fine. It still give be he heebie jeebies though.

You expected a "custom" answer to every question?

[cruisinfanatic]

The following is the last post about the bedbug issue from the person that started the Jewel bedbug post.

 

I need to add a little something.

 

First, let me say we still don't know exactly what I have...bed bugs, sea lice, allergy to sun/meds, who knows. Do I feel different about RCCL? NO!! They are still my favorite and the only cruise line I want to travel on. I tell friends all the time to take RCCL over Carnival because I feel that it is so much better.

 

Am I concerned about this funny looking rash? Well of course I am, and think you might be to if you had a rash that just kept spreading. I am so relieved that my doctor didn't freak out and tell me I had malaria or something. Maybe my nurse friend was a little hasty with the whole bed bug issue, but once something gets planted in my mind, my mind tends to race and jump to conclusions. That was part of the reason I came to the board, to get everyone's feedback and ideas.

 

In reference to the lady on the Jewel (??), we've got to remember that in a given year, 52-104 (52 weeks multiplied by two people a week) sleep in these beds. Whether it's RCCL, Holiday Inn, or Delta Airlines, illness are going to get spread around. I think RCCL does an excellent job of cleaning and I couldn't ask or expect anything else.

 

I'm just relieved that my doctor thinks he can treat this and there should be no permanent scaring or residual effects.

[LJR213]

No Cruisinfanatic I did not expect a custom answer. I was just stating that I received the exact same one. I know that they (RCCL or other industry) have their standard answer that they will give to the same question that everyone is going to be asking. As it has been said before, if we worry about everything that may or may not happen most people wouldn't leave their houses.