Don't Let the Bed Bugs Bite...2011!

[kellieann5]

I just had a scary run-in at a schmancy hotel in Maine- bed bugs in my room! Luckily, I check mattresses before I lay down (I travel quite a bit for work and my firm has a policy on this...I figure if they're asking me to do it, it probably makes good sense). Since I caught them- I saw them, clear as day, right in the mattress nook- I was able to notify the hotel. They took care of my stuff, paid for extermination of my luggage and my car, and I got a new room. The hotel handled it wonderfully, but I am a little wigged out.

 

So, my next trip, of course, is a cruise! I'm very excited and not going to let this little run-in damper my fun....but....all of my searches on bed bugs/cruises seem to taper off around 2009. Does that mean it's not an issue at all anymore on cruises? Or that the cruise lines have figured out how to keep people quiet?

 

Cruises sail full. So a new room would be out of the question. I guess I'd sleep a little easier if I knew that Carnival had a policy on this.

[okgirl]

I just had a scary run-in at a schmancy hotel in Maine- bed bugs in my room! Luckily, I check mattresses before I lay down (I travel quite a bit for work and my firm has a policy on this...I figure if they're asking me to do it, it probably makes good sense). Since I caught them- I saw them, clear as day, right in the mattress nook- I was able to notify the hotel. They took care of my stuff, paid for extermination of my luggage and my car, and I got a new room. The hotel handled it wonderfully, but I am a little wigged out.

 

So, my next trip, of course, is a cruise! I'm very excited and not going to let this little run-in damper my fun....but....all of my searches on bed bugs/cruises seem to taper off around 2009. Does that mean it's not an issue at all anymore on cruises? Or that the cruise lines have figured out how to keep people quiet?

 

Cruises sail full. So a new room would be out of the question. I guess I'd sleep a little easier if I knew that Carnival had a policy on this.

 

I've never known of a "confirmed" outbreak of Bed Bugs on any ship that I've sailed on and that's 12 of the current fleet.

 

I don't think it is an issue.

[GaNavy]

Bedbugs have never been a major problem on cruise ships.

 

I have heard isolated anecdotes from sources that couldn't be verified (like postings on these boards) but never heard of an outbreak on a cruise ship from a reliable source.

[CCLNCLRCICRUISER]

This is the policy

http://www.carnival.com/Funville/blogs/faqs/archive/2010/09/01/do-you-have-a-detection-and-treatment-plan-for-bedbugs.aspx

 

DETECTION AND TREATMENT OF BEDBUGS

 

Bedbugs are small parasitic insects that are typically brought aboard cruise ships in guests’ luggage. Carnival Cruise Lines has extensive procedures and protocols for the detection and treatment of bedbugs. All stateroom stewards are trained to recognize the possible presence of bedbugs and are required to conduct weekly inspections of every cabin. Inspections cover not only stateroom beds but also curtains, carpeting and other areas.

 

If signs of infestation are present, the room is chemically treated along with all other cabins within that section. Frequent re-inspection continues for the next several months. When ships are taken out of service for their routine maintenance period, all staterooms receive an extensive pest control treatment at that time, as well.

[TracersQQ]

I wasn't going to bring this up, but since someone else did, I will talk about it. I just got off the Liberty on Saturday the 17th. The first morning I woke up with a couple of itchy bumps and didn't think much of it. The next morning, I woke up with a line of itchy bumps down my arm. I showed my husband and we we went to breakfast and was going to discuss it more, then. When we left the cabin we noticed that there were new mattresses lining the halls around our cabin. When we came back to the room, I noticed our mattress was indeed changed. The old mattress had a big dip in it but was very comfortable. The new mattress, of course, didn't have a dip and it was very UNcomfortable - I had a very sore back - but no more bug bites, the rest of the week. With this all being said, when I woke up withe second day with the line of bites, I did check the creases in the mattress and I didn't see any evidence. But, I think the cruise lone generally do a good job at keeping after any outbreaks and this was, probably, just a case of the people, in the cabin, before us, bringing them on board. I never did say anything about this to the Carnival, but I think it will be mentioned, when ( hopefully I get one) I fill out the comment email. I won't say anything in a bad way because I really do like Carnival and this won't keep me from cruising with them again. But I do have some comments, besides this, to let them know about (positive and negative).

[*Mach*]

I just had a scary run-in at a schmancy hotel in Maine- bed bugs in my room! Luckily, I check mattresses before I lay down (I travel quite a bit for work and my firm has a policy on this...I figure if they're asking me to do it, it probably makes good sense). Since I caught them- I saw them, clear as day, right in the mattress nook- I was able to notify the hotel. They took care of my stuff, paid for extermination of my luggage and my car, and I got a new room. The hotel handled it wonderfully, but I am a little wigged out.

 

So, my next trip, of course, is a cruise! I'm very excited and not going to let this little run-in damper my fun....but....all of my searches on bed bugs/cruises seem to taper off around 2009. Does that mean it's not an issue at all anymore on cruises? Or that the cruise lines have figured out how to keep people quiet?

 

Cruises sail full. So a new room would be out of the question. I guess I'd sleep a little easier if I knew that Carnival had a policy on this.

 

 

There have been random reports of a bed bug here or there but no reports of infestations. As you're well aware, bed bugs are easy to transport and it appears that the majority of the 'recent' reports of bugs are limited to the cabin in question, indicating, to me at least, that they were brought on board by the guest.

I really wouldn't let it bother me. The hotel took care of your clothing and luggage and I'm sure you've examined them as well.

:)

[sonicbuffalo]

I just had a scary run-in at a schmancy hotel in Maine- bed bugs in my room! Luckily, I check mattresses before I lay down (I travel quite a bit for work and my firm has a policy on this...I figure if they're asking me to do it, it probably makes good sense). Since I caught them- I saw them, clear as day, right in the mattress nook- I was able to notify the hotel. They took care of my stuff, paid for extermination of my luggage and my car, and I got a new room. The hotel handled it wonderfully, but I am a little wigged out.

 

So, my next trip, of course, is a cruise! I'm very excited and not going to let this little run-in damper my fun....but....all of my searches on bed bugs/cruises seem to taper off around 2009. Does that mean it's not an issue at all anymore on cruises? Or that the cruise lines have figured out how to keep people quiet?

 

Cruises sail full. So a new room would be out of the question. I guess I'd sleep a little easier if I knew that Carnival had a policy on this.

 

Carnival's policy is 'don't ask, don't tell'....military style...lol

[kellieann5]

This is the policy

http://www.carnival.com/Funville/blogs/faqs/archive/2010/09/01/do-you-have-a-detection-and-treatment-plan-for-bedbugs.aspx

 

DETECTION AND TREATMENT OF BEDBUGS

 

Bedbugs are small parasitic insects that are typically brought aboard cruise ships in guests’ luggage. Carnival Cruise Lines has extensive procedures and protocols for the detection and treatment of bedbugs. All stateroom stewards are trained to recognize the possible presence of bedbugs and are required to conduct weekly inspections of every cabin. Inspections cover not only stateroom beds but also curtains, carpeting and other areas.

 

If signs of infestation are present, the room is chemically treated along with all other cabins within that section. Frequent re-inspection continues for the next several months. When ships are taken out of service for their routine maintenance period, all staterooms receive an extensive pest control treatment at that time, as well.

 

This is what i was searching for! Something about procedures just makes Type A me very happy.

 

I wonder how many people got the heebie-jeebies today from my post?!

[kellieann5]

There have been random reports of a bed bug here or there but no reports of infestations. As you're well aware, bed bugs are easy to transport and it appears that the majority of the 'recent' reports of bugs are limited to the cabin in question, indicating, to me at least, that they were brought on board by the guest.

I really wouldn't let it bother me. The hotel took care of your clothing and luggage and I'm sure you've examined them as well.

:)

 

Haha... my hubby was like....burn it all!!

[nickiford]

We had bed bugs in our Cabin on the Freedom in Feb 2010. Our room steward is the one that found them, we were moved to a new room and very well compensated. Carnival couldn't have handled it better and I firmly believe it was an isolated incident.

[Kris7562]

This is very strange that this topic just came up, as it also just came up at dinner with some friends tonight (odd dinner topic, I'm aware!).

 

I have to admit - I'm TERRIFIED of bed bugs. I work in human services and am exposed to homes with bed bugs (as well as other lovely parasitic organisms...) on a regular basis... I can deal with the occasional head lice exposure, cockroaches, fleas, and the like. But, through work, I have learned that the only GUARANTEED way to get rid of bed bugs is to basically microwave the house. The put the whole house in a giant tent type thing, and then heat it to a very high temperature to kill the bugs. It's also a small fortune to do this...

 

I regularly check hotel beds when I go on vacation - but I'm now will be scouring my cruise cabin as well!

 

Ick!

[CourtneyLovesCruising]

ugh.. now I'm skeeved out :/

[Colorado Kat]

My daughter's college room-mate brought them into their dorm room last year, from friends of hers. Then she took off for Christmas break, without doing anything to eradicate them. College brought in this weird heater, and cooked everything fabric she was bringing home. (Guitar and electronics could not go in there.) When she was gone over break, they were supposed to heat the dorm room to a very high temp, to kill the rest.

 

The college was good, but I insisted my daughter put anything she was bringing home into heavy-duty garbage bags, sealed with duct tape (college suggested) Then everything was left in our unheated garage till needed, and closely inspected. Never got into our house!

 

Ugh!

[Swann5]

I just got off the Liberty on Saturday the 17th. When we left the cabin we noticed that there were new mattresses lining the halls around our cabin. When we came back to the room, I noticed our mattress was indeed changed.

 

Heading out on the Liberty on the 31st and will now be checking the mattress just to be on the safe side. What cabin were you staying in? Just wondering if we are in the area that received new mattresses. Glad to hear the crew is being diligent. Thanks for the heads up.

[TracersQQ]

Heading out on the Liberty on the 31st and will now be checking the mattress just to be on the safe side. What cabin were you staying in? Just wondering if we are in the area that received new mattresses. Glad to hear the crew is being diligent. Thanks for the heads up.

 

We were in 9201, but it looked like a lot of Lido rooms were getting the mattresses. I don't know about the other decks.