Platinum Member with Bed Bugs on Epic 3/15/15

[NLH Arizona]

I tried to look up UV light to check skin for bedbug bites and couldn't find anything. :rolleyes: I wondered why bites would be examined by a UV light in the first place and why that would not have been done when they were examined in medical?

This is what I found with regard to UV light:

 

One difficulty with this is bedbugs' hatred of light, which makes it difficult to find them during waking hours. Although a black light will not help you spot a bedbug directly, you can use the black light to find the trail the bedbug used.

 

I don't think they looked at the bites with the UV (also know as a black light), but looked for any trails on the bedding. Even the slighted amount of blood is easier to see with a UV light.

[JimS4210]

tl;dr: they had bed bugs and weren't compensated properly. OP is widely traveled.

 

LOL. The OP should post this on Reddit

 

"I'm widely travelled and got bitten by bed bugs. AMA!"

 

Jim

[SissasMomE]

Are you sure those are bed bug bites? I thought bed bugs bite around the ankles and legs ...

[LrgPizza]

Are you sure those are bed bug bites? I thought bed bugs bite around the ankles and legs ...

Those look more like vampire. Probably got those when he turned platinum in Transylvania.

[NLH Arizona]

LOL. The OP should post this on Reddit

 

"I'm widely travelled and got bitten by bed bugs. AMA!"

 

Jim

OMG! No widely travelled person should ever post that they got bitten by bed bugs, because most widely travelled people know to check the bed prior to sleeping in it. That is the first thing I do when I get to the cabin or hotel room or bedroom in a rented house.

 

To prevent bringing bedbugs home, follow these quick and easy tips:

 

1.Place your luggage on the luggage rack, not the floor or the bed. If bedbugs are in the room, the bugs can crawl into luggage placed on the bed or floor.

 

2.Pull back the sheets and check the mattress for signs of bedbugs. Look for:

• Specks of blood.• Exoskeletons (shed outer skeletons).• Tiny blackish spots.

 

3.Check the box spring, headboard, couch, and any other upholstered furniture for signs of bedbugs.

 

4.If you see any sign of bedbugs, immediately grab your belongings and ask for another room. The new room should not be next door or immediately above or below the infested room. Bedbugs might be in these rooms, too.

[NLH Arizona]

Are you sure those are bed bug bites? I thought bed bugs bite around the ankles and legs ...

They can be anywhere on the body and they usually bite in a line (why, I have no idea, maybe it is a follow the leader thing with them).

[triptolemus]

I'm wondering why OP needed to point out their platinum status... and I'm still unsure why their platinum status with Marriott matters.

 

Are platinum member beg bugs more important or deserving of a response than bronze beg bugs?

 

Hugh Jassole.

Edited March 23, 2015 by triptolemus

[Ilovesailing]

What does Platinum member have to do with this, were you expecting extra box of chocolates or a free dinner.

[Cuizer2]

I agree with most responses on here. I do not like how the OP set this letter up. He makes his wife sound like some sort of diva. And he brags about his worldly travels. I would never mention any of this. I believe you should be compensated for the time missed having fun and thats it. Its hard to believe with all of the so called travel you have done you have not had a bad room experience before. Passengers like your self brought in those bed bugs I dont think that NCL planted them in there. I do say the housekeeping that everyone raves about does not clean the room completly most of the time. But that may be NCL and the housekeepers fault with not enuff employees or the housekeepers being lazy I dont know which.

 

I agree with the first ten responses. I've quoted the best of the first ten.

 

Pari10719 - you have a legitimate. The problem is, when you constantly state your status you come across as bragging. Your letter would have been improved if you had held it overnight and reread it after a good night's sleep. Your status has nothing to do with the issues you are complaining about.

 

You also lose a few points by saying that you are going to tell the whole world about what happened to you. In NCL's eyes, you've already hurt them as much as you can. NCL has nothing to gain by giving you additional compensation.

 

In short, as complaint letters go, yours was very poorly written.

[sundercruiser]

The cruise fare includes a whole lot more than just the cabin to sleep in.

 

Yes, apparently you get free bed bugs if you're Platinum. :D

[CasinoCruzGirl]

Sounds to me like the wife is a drama queen.

[zqvol]

To start with the letter is way to long and doesn't make any sense. It is the rambling of someone who feels entitled. Second the OP never provided any proof that there were bed bugs in the cabin, in fact he seems to say that NCL found no evidence of the bugs other than the bites whihc take two to three days to show up after they happen. Third this is someone trying to be a squeeky wheel because they didn't get what they wanted, and they think that by putting something on CC that somehow NCL is going to change their minds.

 

Doubt very seriously that the bed bugs were on the ship, probably got them in the hotel the stayed at the night before the cruise.

 

IMO OP got more compensation than they deserved.

 

Wonder of OP is going to be a one time wonder?

Edited March 23, 2015 by zqvol

[JimS4210]

Gotta say, Cruise Critic has been entertaining today... :)

 

Jim

[perditax]

Other than the occasional (viral) yelp or Facebook lynching of a small business or restaurant, I think people are overestimating the power of complaining on the Internet as a means of motivating big business.

[Cloudyrain]

This is just disgusting and they actually bit them also! I would have died. TERRIBLE!!!

 

:rolleyes: Seriously, you wouldn't have died, you might have had a bit of an itch for a day or so, but you wouldn't have died! And i speak as someone who has had bed bug bites (from work, not on a cruise ship sadly) :D

 

In all honesty i think the compensation is fair. I do agree that the initial $50pp was a bit rubbish, but overall I think the revised offer was fair and covered the cost of the inconvenience experienced.

 

I'm sorry the OP had a rubbish time to begin with, but in all honesty it's just "one of those things" and there is nothing a company can do to stop it happening. I understand your disappointment regarding the room, but they couldn't move you to a room that didn't exist.

[cwistyred]

My biggest concern with the OP is how he speaks to his issues. As others have said he went waaayyy off subject by adding boasts about his life and what a princess his wife is. His first concern seemed to be what compensation he would receive rather than rectifying the room problem. These things will never endear you to people in management.

I worked in Guest Relations for over twenty years and I can tell you from experience that people who spoke to me in harsh tones and gave me that "Don't you know who I am?" attitude not only didn't they impress or scare me, but I really didn't want to go out of my way to help them. It is only human nature. Now on the other hand if someone spoke to me on a personal level as another human being and not a subservient and voiced a real concern, I not only took care of their problem, but I tried to go above and beyond. Those people were always happy at the end of our encounter and I felt good as well. The yellers and demanders however usually were never satisfied with whatever you could do for them and left disgruntled. No matter how calm and professional I was, I was "rude". That's life.

Of course there are exceptions to this rule and you will have to go over someone's head, but at least you tried the calm approach first.

Talk to people with civility and you will usually get what you want.

[jusstice]

They can be anywhere on the body and they usually bite in a line (why, I have no idea, maybe it is a follow the leader thing with them).

 

Bed bugs usually bite in a line, and usually the upper body. Fleas usually bit the ankles and feet. The person in that photo had a reaction to the bites. Most reactions are are not like that- usually they are small itchy bumps.

[hpecorari]

No one wants to read something so long winded. Lots of info here has nothing to do with the facts. In addition, once you said you were going to post this on Cruise Critic you already damaged them to some people. Why would they give you anything else at this point? They know you're bad mouthing them on social media. They know you will not sail with them again. They know you accepted what they offered while on board. Case closed.

 

 

To Whom It May Concern,

 

I was on the Epic for the March 15, 2015 sailing and encountered bed bugs. They changed the linens and exterminated the room but even afterwards we still were getting bit. They offered to move us and have our clothes laundered. We were moved to a balcony room as we were not happy with the mini suite they offered. We accepted $500.00 OBC at the time but now, want more compensation.

 

Sincerely,

Mr. Joe Smo

 

 

Harriet

[asdjl]

I would have been annoyed by the bedbugs, but I don't think the OP handled this well.

 

What do want them to do, if there truly are no other rooms available?

 

Also, I can't imagine getting that upset over a chipped sink

[glittergal1]

Well all I can say is ......... If there are bloody bed bugs on Epic when I cruise damn right I will be complaining :mad: What with increased service charges and decreased drinks menus I dont want added bugs thank you very much !!!!!!

[eroller]

I find it humorous how many people have a problem with the OP mentioning he is Platinum. It's completely relevant in the context of the letter, and it's letting NCL know that he is a valued repeat passenger and most likely a future passenger. It absolutely could make a difference in the outcome of this claim. I see nothing wrong with it.

 

It's also humorous how many NCL cheerleaders do their best to rip apart anyone that dares say a negative word about their precious cruise line. Back off people. He is not talking about your mother but a large company. Don't take it all so personal.

 

The OP has every right to be pissed off. I certainly would be. Unlike a hotel you can't exactly check out and move to another properly if you're dissatisfied. If a couple of those bed bugs end up in your luggage and you take them home, you're screwed. I don't wish that on anyone. I think I would have insisted on new luggage, or some kind of deep cleaning of the bags before I took them home. As for service recovery, NCL should refund the OP the actual difference between his cabin and the lower priced cabin based on the rate code he booked, and also provide an additional credit for the inconvenience. What the additional credit should be is subjective, but should be substantial enough to cover the stress and inconvenience of the situation. Lastly some small tokens go a long way when it comes to service recovery. These may or may not have happened as the OP may have chosen not to include them in his letter. I'm talking about a personal follow-up from the Hotel Director, perhaps some VIP treatment like some champagne and complimentary restaurant reservations, a visit to the Bridge, and perhaps VIP seating at SpiegelTent. All these things cost very little to the cruise line but go a long way with service recovery.

[candygirl27540]

This is what I found with regard to UV light:

 

One difficulty with this is bedbugs' hatred of light, which makes it difficult to find them during waking hours. Although a black light will not help you spot a bedbug directly, you can use the black light to find the trail the bedbug used.

 

I don't think they looked at the bites with the UV (also know as a black light), but looked for any trails on the bedding. Even the slighted amount of blood is easier to see with a UV light.

 

"The pest control guy used a UV light on our legs and said yes they were bed bug bites." This is what he wrote. I still think that if there is a way to specifically see anything with a UV light the medical center would be using it.

 

Sorry,the whole story sounds off to me. The OP does not say if he stayed in a hotel the night prior to embarkation, claims to be Platinum latitudes yet this is his first post!!

[meggie711]

I find it humorous how many people have a problem with the OP mentioning he is Platinum. It's completely relevant in the context of the letter, and it's letting NCL know that he is a valued repeat passenger and most likely a future passenger. It absolutely could make a difference in the outcome of this claim. I see nothing wrong with it.

 

It's also humorous how many NCL cheerleaders do their best to rip apart anyone that dares say a negative word about their precious cruise line. Back off people. He is not talking about your mother but a large company. Don't take it all so personal.

 

The OP has every right to be pissed off. I certainly would be. Unlike a hotel you can't exactly check out and move to another properly if you're dissatisfied. If a couple of those bed bugs end up in your luggage and you take them home, you're screwed. I don't wish that on anyone. I think I would have insisted on new luggage, or some kind of deep cleaning of the bags before I took them home. As for service recovery, NCL should refund the OP the actual difference between his cabin and the lower priced cabin based on the rate code he booked, and also provide an additional credit for the inconvenience. What the additional credit should be is subjective, but should be substantial enough to cover the stress and inconvenience of the situation. Lastly some small tokens go a long way when it comes to service recovery. These may or may not have happened as the OP may have chosen not to include them in his letter. I'm talking about a personal follow-up from the Hotel Director, perhaps some VIP treatment like some champagne and complimentary restaurant reservations, a visit to the Bridge, and perhaps VIP seating at SpiegelTent. All these things cost very little to the cruise line but go a long way with service recovery.

 

A little excessive. VIP treatment??

[Cuizer2]

To Whom It May Concern,

 

I was on the Epic for the March 15, 2015 sailing and encountered bed bugs. They changed the linens and exterminated the room but even afterwards we still were getting bit. They offered to move us and have our clothes laundered. We were moved to a balcony room as we were not happy with the mini suite they offered. We accepted $500.00 OBC at the time but now, want more compensation.

 

Sincerely,

Mr. Joe Smo

 

 

Harriet

 

You've gone too far in the other direction.

 

You want to mention your status with the cruise line (once) just to show that you are loyal to the cruise line. You want to say that despite the hardships, you did enjoy X, Y & Z. You want to express appreciation for the efforts that were made on board the ship.

 

You then say, now that you are home, and have had time to rest and think about the cruise experience, that you have a sour taste in your mouth. You can ask a hard question like, given what happened and how stressed we are, why should we consider your cruise line again in the future?

 

The bottom line here is, that some times bad things happen to good people. No one and no company is perfect. Work with NCL and perhaps NCL will work with you.

 

If not, then you can post in Cruise Critic, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, rent space on one (or more) of Time Square's signs, write your congress person, write your senator, e-mail all your friends, contact the news organizations in the fifty biggest cities (don't forget to buy ad space in each paper's travel section), buy time for a TV ad at the Super Bowl and contact all 50 state AG's. At this point, not only will it make you feel better, but this should also get NCL's attention (in case they ignored your nice letter).

Edited March 23, 2015 by Cuizer2

[g35girl]

I find it humorous how many people have a problem with the OP mentioning he is Platinum. It's completely relevant in the context of the letter, and it's letting NCL know that he is a valued repeat passenger and most likely a future passenger. It absolutely could make a difference in the outcome of this claim. I see nothing wrong with it.

 

It's also humorous how many NCL cheerleaders do their best to rip apart anyone that dares say a negative word about their precious cruise line. Back off people. He is not talking about your mother but a large company. Don't take it all so personal.

 

The OP has every right to be pissed off. I certainly would be. Unlike a hotel you can't exactly check out and move to another properly if you're dissatisfied. If a couple of those bed bugs end up in your luggage and you take them home, you're screwed. I don't wish that on anyone. I think I would have insisted on new luggage, or some kind of deep cleaning of the bags before I took them home. As for service recovery, NCL should refund the OP the actual difference between his cabin and the lower priced cabin based on the rate code he booked, and also provide an additional credit for the inconvenience. What the additional credit should be is subjective, but should be substantial enough to cover the stress and inconvenience of the situation. Lastly some small tokens go a long way when it comes to service recovery. These may or may not have happened as the OP may have chosen not to include them in his letter. I'm talking about a personal follow-up from the Hotel Director, perhaps some VIP treatment like some champagne and complimentary restaurant reservations, a visit to the Bridge, and perhaps VIP seating at SpiegelTent. All these things cost very little to the cruise line but go a long way with service recovery.

 

Very well stated eroller! I was about to say something to the same extent!