Passengers eaten on cruise

[Bowie MeMe]

Bed bugs are a monumental problem in all hospitality industry. New York City hotels have recently had a huge infestation and though even the finest hotels have tried the best and most expensive of solutions the lowly bed bug wins!

 

Probably it was bed bugs -- either brought on by you or a passenger before. Bedbugs hitch hike and go with you. O is still wonderfully clean and all was done right -- it is just a problem of bed bugs being perfectly designed by evolution to be hard to kill and easy to infest in another time and place.

 

Why no bedbugs at home? Your suitcases probably went to another area of your house. I NEVER put my luggage in my bedroom -- drop it off downstairs in the laundry room for this reason. Bedbugs eventually die off if they do not have a source of food -- like YOU:p. In our family, some of us react strongly to bedbugs and fleas and other biting things. Almost instant swelling and itching while others seem to be bare-ly bothered at all. I also do not believe that cabin attendants would see the bed bugs unless they were really looking for them. The signs are tiny spots of blood and tiny black spots. Unless reported and promptly, the hospitality provider (hotels, hospitals, dorm rooms, apartment complexes, cruise ships, airplane seats and train seats have all been reportedly been sources of bed bug bites) can not do anything to stop the bugs in that space. Other folks are worried about the strong chemicals being used to keep this nasty little problem under the sheets.

[Floridiana]

Good idea to unpack in an area where bedbugs cannot survive. I unpack on tile floor and wash all clothes regardless of clean or not. A friend of mine unpacks in his bathtub, but he travels in places I would not touch. So far, we have been spared any hitchhikers.

[RJB]

I have just returned from a cruise on Oceania ship Riviera and wondered if anyone has had problems with 'bed bugs'.

From day 2 until disembarking the ship on day 7 I suffered bites to my arms, legs, feet, hands, back, chest and head. These only stopped once I left the ship and they are gradually getting better. Most of the bites seemed to run in lines of 5 or 6 bites.

My wife was bitten a few times but didn't seem to have any reaction other than a little itching.

My doctor gave me antihistamines and hydrocortisone on my return but was unable to tell my what had bitten me!!

Is this an isolated incident????

Sounds like the makings of a book. Fiction I am sure. :o:o

[kiawahdon]

Sorry to all the doubters, but I don't normally post anything as I don't usually have anything to discuss. The only reason I found this web site was whilst searching for information on bed bugs.I didn't discuss this issue with housekeeping as I didn't know anything about bed bugs so was unaware it was a stateroom issue.

 

Having carried out some research once I returned home it would appear that bed bugs are the most likely cause.

 

A mediterranean cruise in November should not result in insect bites.

 

I have travelled extensively over the past 30 years on 30+ cruises and I have had many visits to Asia and Africa so I am quite used to taking precautions against insects.

 

I never knew that the CC boards were the "go to" site to get information on bed bugs. Wonder if the boards also cover root canals?

[oregon50]

Naive for O populace to believe this cannot happen on their beloved line.

Very similar thread active on Azamara forum.

Edited November 20, 2014 by oregon50

[Floridiana]

I wonder whether the OP has informed the cruise line, even now after the cruise. That would be the right thing to do immediately. This forum cannot fumigate the cabin.

[ruby32]

What room were you in on the Riviera ?

[Travelcat2]

In order to believe that this has happened, a stateroom number would be required. Unfortunately, it is difficult to believe a poster when their only post on CC is to report bed bugs.

[RJB]

I never knew that the CC boards were the "go to" site to get information on bed bugs. Wonder if the boards also cover root canals?

CC boards are a go to site for a lot of things, especially complaints. Bed bugs would be a major topic if it were true. Don't believe it. Root canals not so much.

[fairbourne]

Why are some of you so doubting? It's an Internet forum I suppose and people are prone to spout and write all sorts of rubbish, but we shouldn't be so quick to judge and hopefully the OP hasn't been put off by such negative comments and will come back and tell us more.

 

Honestly if LHT or Pacheo had posted this, there would be no question of doubting them - sorry girls just using you as an example of good solid posters on here. :). Give the OP a chance. As Oregon50 said "naive" of some!

 

No wonder some people come on here once or twice and are never heard of again after some of the comments made.

[xrvlcruiser]

Honeyman,

 

Please let Oceania know about your issue. If what you suspect is true, the cabin needs to be handled.

 

I say this as a general comment but also because I board the Riviera next week!

 

Peggy

Edited November 21, 2014 by xrvlcruiser

[hypercafe]

This can happen the same as nor virus. Thank god it was not us as my wife would force us to get off at the next port. I would tell the powers to be on the ship what I felt was going on and am sure they would bent over backwards to fix things. They would not want the ship infected or the word to be spread such and such ship is infected.

[LHT28]

Why are some of you so doubting? It's an Internet forum I suppose and people are prone to spout and write all sorts of rubbish, but we shouldn't be so quick to judge and hopefully the OP hasn't been put off by such negative comments and will come back and tell us more.

 

Honestly if LHT or Pacheo had posted this, there would be no question of doubting them - sorry girls just using you as an example of good solid posters on here. :). Give the OP a chance. As Oregon50 said "naive" of some!

 

No wonder some people come on here once or twice and are never heard of again after some of the comments made.

 

LOL

I agree with you

 

Believe me... they doubt me as well :D

if it has not happened to them then it did not happen ;)

[azevedan]

No wonder some people come on here once or twice and are never heard of again after some of the comments made.

 

+1000

 

I wonder if people realize how much they turn off others to the cruise line because of their attitudes and treatment of other posters. Belittlement isn't too strong a word. It happens to an extent on all the forums here, but I have to say the Oceania forum has it in spades. And yes, I know it's not all of you. Thank you to those who do 'speak' up.

 

As for the specifics of bedbugs, by their nature, they are highly localized. One room/cabin can have them, and the one next door not. I travel a lot for business and pleasure, and I always do a room check upon checkin, only put my suitcase on the support (and that away from the wall), and leave it in the garage when I return home until I can vacuum it out. All my clothes go right into the wash. Knock wood; no problems so far.

Edited November 21, 2014 by azevedan

[Solas36]

+1000

 

I wonder if people realize how much they turn off others to the cruise line because of their attitudes and treatment of other posters. Belittlement isn't too strong a word. It happens to an extent on all the forums here, but I have to say the Oceania forum has it in spades. And yes, I know it's not all of you. Thank you to those who do 'speak' up."

 

Totally agree. Booked our first O cruise and looked at CC posts and wondered how we would get on. In reality, without exception, everyone we met was gracious, interesting and helped to make our cruise experience the best yet. I think if folk stuck to posting facts it would be more helpful to those who are genuinely asking for information.

[roothy123]

We've been on quite a few O cruises and never experienced them, although I suppose it's possible. You didn't stop in Venice, did you? I just went on my packing list to make sure I had bug spray on there as a result of hearing how prevalent mosquitoes are in Venice, day and night, up until at least December.

[JPR]

I'm also of the opinion that these bed bugs, if they existed, arrived from the pre-cruise hotel in passenger luggage. I have never heard anyone complain of bed bugs on Riviera or any other Oceania ship before.

 

And the title is hilarious. I know some have said that the food onboard has declined a bit and that NCL is all about maximizing profits but...

 

Made me think of the Alfred Hitchcock TV show episode called, iirc, "The Member of the Club," where Robert Morley keeps demanding to join an extremely exclusive club so that he can sample the famous dish there called "Lamb Oregano." He ends up being the main ingredient in the dish.

Or the similar Damon Knight short story and Twilight Zone episode called "To Serve Man."

Or the cult movie "Eating Raoul"...

[Travelcat2]

I have no desire to belittle other posters. However, I asked in an earlier post to let us know what stateroom had the bed bugs and there has been no response. This coupled with the fact that the OP has not posted previously leads me to believe that this was not a truthful post.

[LHT28]

Why would they come back when beaten up here :rolleyes:

 

If they were bitten by something ( we were not there)

I do hope they let Oceania know the cabin they were in so it can be checked out

[honeyman]

Why are some of you so doubting? It's an Internet forum I suppose and people are prone to spout and write all sorts of rubbish, but we shouldn't be so quick to judge and hopefully the OP hasn't been put off by such negative comments and will come back and tell us more.

 

Honestly if LHT or Pacheo had posted this, there would be no question of doubting them - sorry girls just using you as an example of good solid posters on here. :). Give the OP a chance. As Oregon50 said "naive" of some!

 

No wonder some people come on here once or twice and are never heard of again after some of the comments made.

Hi

 

I did consider not posting any further after I saw the responses.

I did notify O about the issue and asked if they had had any issues with Bed bugs currently or previously and what they do to prevent them. They responded within 10 days without any information, but with an apology and an offer of a large cruise credit.

Never had this problem in 30 years of cruising and I hope I never have again.

[computerworks]

Never had this problem in 30 years of cruising and I hope I never have again.

 

Was there a pre-cruise hotel in this equation?

[ChucktownSteve]

I thought O boarded Cannibals by the title..

Jancruz1

 

Or swingers?

[Diver2014]

No matter whether you stay in a hotel or on a cruise ship, never leave home without a box of dryer sheets - you know, the anti static cloths that you throw into the dryer to make your clothes nice and soft and non clingy? Bedbugs hate those things. I take a box with me whenever I travel and first thing I do when getting into a room/cabin is inspect the mattress then insert a sheet at the top and the bottom under the mattress.