Bugs

[JF - retired RRT]

We are on the Pacific Princess right now and our cabin had “bugs”. No idea what kind...bed bugs?, fleas?. We were getting bit nightly. When we notified our steward, there were apologies all around and we were moved to a new cabin. Should we expect anything else?

We don't expect more, but should there be more?

[cruzsnooze]

At least a tube of Benadryl cream for the bites. :)

[hawkeyetlse]

I would not expect more. The ship is a victim, too. There is no practical way for them to detect and eliminate infestations in every case. Unfortunately this means that passengers end up becoming the detection mechanism… So they may offer you something as a gesture of sympathy, or as cruzsnooze suggested, some free medical attention, but in my opinion, nothing in the way of compensation is to be expected/asked for.

 

The only ones who really owe you anything are the people who will be occupying that cabin on the next cruise. They owe you a big thank you!

 

Also, do not bring your suitcases inside the house when you get home after the cruise!

Edited January 14, 2016 by hawkeyetlse

[Colo Cruiser]

What cabin?

[cruzsnooze]

 

Also, do not bring your suitcases inside the house when you get home after the cruise!

 

Great advice.

Edited January 14, 2016 by cruzsnooze
typo

[Greyhound3]

What cabin?

 

Maybe the one Gopher had? :p

 

Seriously, sorry you're having this issue.

 

 

Grey

[JF - retired RRT]

what cabin?

8017

[floridalover5623]

 

Also, do not bring your suitcases inside the house when you get home after the cruise!

 

Why? You enter your house with your clothes on don't you?

If you were going to bring home bed bugs you would have known about it long before you reached home.

[JF - retired RRT]

I would not expect more. The ship is a victim, too. There is no practical way for them to detect and eliminate infestations in every case. Unfortunately this means that passengers end up becoming the detection mechanism… So they may offer you something as a gesture of sympathy, or as cruzsnooze suggested, some free medical attention, but in my opinion, nothing in the way of compensation is to be expected/asked for. Agreed. Not asking for "more", just wondered if I should expect more. On one cruise our luggage fell in the harbor...we got free laundry and found out after the cruise that if we had asked we would have been given vouchers for clothes while we waited for our clothes to come back. No clean clothes for 3 days was not fun.

 

The only ones who really owe you anything are the people who will be occupying that cabin on the next cruise. They owe you a big thank you!

 

Also, do not bring your suitcases inside the house when you get home after the cruise!

 

At least a tube of Benadryl cream for the bites. :)

Yes, Cruz - we were provided with a tube of Cortisone and were charged for it!! After we complained, the charge was dropped.:eek:

[Colo Cruiser]

Yes, Cruz - we were provided with a tube of Cortisone and were charged for it!! After we complained, the charge was dropped.:eek:

 

Think they need to fumigate the cabin or at least have their environmental officer come check it out. If they are BB's then a common place to nest is behind the head board if there is one attached to the wall. :(

Edited January 14, 2016 by Colo Cruiser

[USNUZULOOSE]

I would just ask for something to stop the itching and hopefully clean the cabin or move me to a different one. Nothing more needed.

[Loonbeam]

The cortisone should have been free, other than that a cabin move was fairly appropriate, but they did something wrong for them.

 

If you had a bunch of bites, particularly around ankles and calves, its probably bed bugs.

 

If you were in the cabin for more than 1 night before noticing, its probable that at least a few bugs or eggs moved with you to the new cabin, now they have 2 possible infected cabins with your new one showing issues next week. They should have offered, if they have the equipment, to wash and disinfect all your clothes and heat treat luggage to minimize risk.

 

When you get home, do NOT place suitcases on bed, couch or carpet. Bring them in to a garage or something and empty all clothing and wash IMMEDIATELY in the hottest safe cycle. Alternately you can freeze them for 4-6 days (in a ziploc bag will generally work, the idea is to get the garment either over 120 degrees for a short period or under 20 for several days which will kill most live bugs and eggs. Put the suitcases in garbage bags for at least a week. Even better, if you live in an area that's sub-freezing, keep em out back.

 

I know it sounds like overkill, but you really really really do not want them taking hold in your house. Proper remediation can cost thousands..

[cr8tiv1]

So sorry this happened to you. And after the luggage debacle. Princess should award you a year of free cruising!

[shredie]

8017

 

Not mine! :D

[InTheWASide]

We are on the Pacific Princess right now and our cabin had “bugs”. No idea what kind...bed bugs?, fleas?. We were getting bit nightly. When we notified our steward, there were apologies all around and we were moved to a new cabin. Should we expect anything else?

We don't expect more, but should there be more?

 

What's the current cruise? Something short? Long? World cruise?

 

And the longer reply about go in through the garage, freeze or boil them, etc... I absolutely echo every single bit of this approach. Please be sure to follow it TO THE LETTER

[Papa Yoda]

Double Ditto the bed bug warnings. Our neighbor got 'em, fumigated, reinfected from a backpack style briefcase that he kept with him. The briefcase had traveled to various hotels.

 

 

J&J (JF - retired RRT) are doing a pair of Canal Full Transits, b2b, LA to Lauderdale and back, I think the "and back" part is the start of the World Cruise.

 

Could be fun if BB's are floating around on a 111 day cruise.

Edited January 14, 2016 by Ferd Berfle

[cruisequeen4ever]

Oh nooooo! I would definitely follow up in a day and ask what type of bug they had found it to be. If they say bedbugs, try to get some evidence in case you accidentally bring them home with you. It costs thousands of dollars to have your home rid of them!! If your stateroom had them, all surrounding staterooms, above, below, and next to must be checked because bedbugs can go through the walls. You should ask your former neighbors if any of them have been bitten. I really, really hope it's not bedbugs! Please let us know what they say. I'm so sorry you're going through this! Good luck!

[cruisequeen4ever]

I just read that no-see-ums are common in the Panama Canal cruise region, and they bite. Hopefully, it's just those!

[JF - retired RRT]

Think they need to fumigate the cabin or at least have their environmental officer come check it out. If they are BB's then a common place to nest is behind the head board if there is one attached to the wall. :(

Yes, they hopped right on it. They did a strip search of the cabin and moved us out that night.

[JF - retired RRT]

What's the current cruise? Something short? Long? World cruise?

 

And the longer reply about go in through the garage, freeze or boil them, etc... I absolutely echo every single bit of this approach. Please be sure to follow it TO THE LETTER

17 day Panama.

[Cruisin' Chick]

On one of our Hawaiian cruises, we woke up to bites on our legs. This was on the way to Hawaii. We guessed that maybe those were sand fleas. We talked to our cabin steward and asked for fresh bedding. Whatever actions he took helped -- we didn't notice any new bites after that. Didn't have that problem on the next cruise.

 

Hubby bought a can of bed bug spray which he used on our suitcases that time. And we unpacked our suitcases in the garage, taking all clothes to the washer.

[riclop]

That's a downer.

[Colo Cruiser]

Yes, they hopped right on it. They did a strip search of the cabin and moved us out that night.

 

 

Thats good.

[laughing husky]

Bedbugs bites ve a very specific look to them. I think that these days most medical personal know exactly what they look like....if they were bedbugs, they itch horribly for days...I am sure that if you google bed bug bites on the web, they will have pictures of the bites.

[chengkp75]

Could be bed bugs, especially if the bites started on the first night, indicating that either the previous occupant had them, or your luggage picked up some if you stayed in a hotel prior.

 

Could be sand fleas, especially if the bites started after a port call. Bites are smaller, itch just as much.

 

Pest control is very important to the ships, as this is part of the USPH sanitation program they have to report, prior to re-entry to the US.

Edited January 15, 2016 by chengkp75