Insect Infestation from Freedom - Complaint (11/18/2017 Sailing)

[bingomamma19]

Leaving from Fort Lauderdale, I notified RCCL on the ship. The desk said they were communicating with the head office.

 

 

 

OH HECK NO!!! I am usually suspicious of big complaints people come on here with....this is absolutely insane.

 

I could never have stayed in that room. I HATE bugs....its why I go cruising instead of camping.

 

You deserved a different room for the night and a complete cleaning of that room from top to bottom before coming back in.

[dln929]

Hello,

 

We just finished our first cruise on Royal Caribbean. We had a severe problem with insects on our first night that came into the room and were all over our room. (300+ flies)

 

We contacted the Front desk, and after multiple calls, visits to the front desk, etc. The issue went unresolved. My wife and I had to kill and remove all the insects ourselves. After finishing up. around 2 AM, the RCCL crew came by to vacuum the room and changed the sheets. AFTER this, a second crew came to treat the room with chemicals. We asked how they would ensure that our possessions would not be affected with the chemicals, as well as changing the sheets. They did not know the answers. We argued with them, and it led to at front desk assistant supervisor telling the crew to leave the guests alone and to address it in the morning.

 

With all this happening, we were told by the Front Desk that RCCL will not be compensating for this, and they are sorry.

 

I'm a bit annoyed, outside of this, we had a good cruise. But given the circumstance, I'm surprised at the extremely poor customer service around this experience.

 

Am I being unreasonable?

 

Thanks!

I am so sorry the front desk wasn't more responsive in sending someone to help you in a more timely manner but I am not surprised that they are not offering compensation. It's not the ship's fault--it's Mother Nature being unreasonable. We were on the Jewel in the Med in August and just before going to bed I went out onto the balcony and in rushed tens upon tens of huge (and I mean HUGE) dragonflies all over our cabin! It was an onslaught like your flies. Gross gross gross. It took us over an hour to shoo them out and/or kill them (which made me sad because I hate killing anything). We turned our pillowcases over and the next morning we asked our cabin attendant to wash the linens.

 

When we went for a walk the next morning on deck 4 we saw lots of dead dragonflies so we knew that we weren't the only ones attacked by swarms of them. Still, it was kind of weird. We've never had insects like that before on our balcony and cabin.

[Sixtynifty]

I have never complained on any cruise. However this is a worth complaining. I am taking one of my granddaughters on her first cruise on Freedom. I will be horrified if this happens. You have my condolences.

[CarpeCerevisi]

Wow, this almost makes me glad I have an interior cabin on my Freedom cruise this Sunday. I’m truly impressed that you were able to kill them all yourselves.

 

 

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[broberts]

I agree it is very unusual-but this is a act of God-not one of the plagues-but still a nature thing

Freedom of the Fleas-Love it!

 

And this is known as a result of a direct connection with the Almighty?

 

Is there any evidence to suggest the cause of this infestation? If so, I'd like to see some links or post #s.

[ONECRUISER]

And this is known as a result of a direct connection with the Almighty?

 

Is there any evidence to suggest the cause of this infestation? If so, I'd like to see some links or post #s.

Think poster has using term "Act of God" which is way some accident's are listed in some Insurance policies. Example is lightning struck tree which fell on car. As others have now posted happened on other areas of ship and other ships. Not much to prevent. But know when I was on ships have the Balcony lites I always leave them off, also most room lites at nite when going on balcony. Helps when star gazing...

[Chitoryubt]

Reminds me of a sailing in 2007 on the Sovereign of the Seas. I opened the balcony door and a tiny bird flew in. I shut the balcony door, spent about 10 minutes trying to catch the little guy in a towel. Opened the balcony door and let him out. In that little bit of time, two more tiny birds flew in. Only open the door a few inches to free the captured bird - CHECK. The whole episode lasted about 45 minutes and I had tiny down-like feathers everywhere. I squinted out the door and noticed hundreds of tiny birds under the structure of the deck above. Learned a lot from that one . . .

[Blast123]

My biggest problem with the whole incident is it took the staff over 6 hours to resolve the issue. Additionally, I was told multiple times the issue was resolved, and to head back to my room. Towards the end, the Front Desk manager was arguing with housekeeping as he saw that housekeeping was blatantly lying about resolving the situation.

 

Things happen, but they literally could not give me clean sheets! Front desk manager was pleading with housekeeping to even resolve that.

[Johnamac123]

My biggest problem with the whole incident is it took the staff over 6 hours to resolve the issue. Additionally, I was told multiple times the issue was resolved, and to head back to my room. Towards the end, the Front Desk manager was arguing with housekeeping as he saw that housekeeping was blatantly lying about resolving the situation.

 

Things happen, but they literally could not give me clean sheets! Front desk manager was pleading with housekeeping to even resolve that.

 

I think you've exhibited incredible restraint. Clearly, the flies were not caused by RCI, but anything less than an enormous effort to resolve it is not acceptable.....

[JamesEM]

Thanks for your thread, just out of curiosity, how long did you have your balcony door open?

[Blast123]

About 30 seconds. :(

[mollyeilis]

You deserved a different room for the night and a complete cleaning of that room from top to bottom before coming back in.

 

 

Deserved or not, how possible would that have been with 30 cabins in the same circumstance?

 

Gosh that is creepy!

 

However, I'm sure RC did the best they could to handle a weird emergency in the middle of the night for thirty cabins.

 

It isn't like all of their staff is awake either.

 

I would just chalk it up to a funny memory and move on.

 

 

I agree.

 

You have no idea of the actual circumstances. We only have one side of the story.

 

 

 

Obviously if the ship was at sea, the infestation was on the ship. So ultimately it is the ship's responsibility. What is not known is if this infestation existed prior to boarding. Nor do we know if the fact was known by ship personnel.

 

 

 

To suggest that the infestation was completely out of ship control is at best an assumption with no supporting evidence.

 

 

Just like sometimes you see very confused birds on ships at sea, any flying creature could have the same issue. And these came in from the outside.

 

My biggest problem with the whole incident is it took the staff over 6 hours to resolve the issue. Additionally, I was told multiple times the issue was resolved, and to head back to my room. Towards the end, the Front Desk manager was arguing with housekeeping as he saw that housekeeping was blatantly lying about resolving the situation.

 

 

 

Things happen, but they literally could not give me clean sheets! Front desk manager was pleading with housekeeping to even resolve that.

 

 

Did you know that you have no initial timeframe? This post is the only spot where I saw a start to finish time.

 

And with 30 rooms to deal with, I can see why it took that long. And why they might not have had the sheets available.

 

The insects came in from outside the balcony, there were 6 rooms that were in the lobby at 2 in the morning. The next day they said that 30 rooms were affected.

 

 

 

Ours was pretty bad, I have some pictures of our sheets, they have about 100 bugs on them!

 

 

 

30 rooms is icky. And makes the timing of it all make absolute sense.

 

Note to self; do not open balcony door at night.

[Keith1010]

Sorry you had this experience.

Keith

[JamesEM]

About 30 seconds. :(

 

Thanks for your quick response, I was on the FOS this Spring and had a problem with a missing remote for the TV, I had to hunt down the head of Housekeeping to get a replacement.

[njm5378]

That is terrible. Even though RCL isn't at fault for the bugs getting in, I think that they are responsible once the bugs entered your cabin. They should have resolved the issue as soon as possible and I do think they should have offered something for your discomfort.

 

I wish they had responded better to your situation. You and your family deserved a better response than what you received.

 

Exactly my thoughts.

[welshy74]

Anyone else itching after reading this?

 

I always presume Americans are the kings of customer service, so I would at least expect a good will gesture like a free specialty dinner or bottle of wine. I mean come on.. the wine they serve on RCI ships is so cheap they probably buy it for around $3 !!

 

I'm still itching...

[Big_G]

After this, I'll be expecting to see a couple of these on the seized table at the pier along with some Raid.

 

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[Nessa1dc]

OMG....I honestly don't know what I would have done and to have to wait....ugh. I understand that RCCL may not be responsible for the insects...but they are responsible for the response. If there were similar accommodations available, you should have been moved immediately (if possible)...even to a Suite along with $100 OBC. If they couldn't do that, you needed to be responded to within 10 minutes....with a $200 OBC. That's customer service and it wouldn't have killed them.

[Biker19]

Note to self; do not open balcony door at night.....

....with the lights on.;)

[mcrcruiser]

Hello,

 

We just finished our first cruise on Royal Caribbean. We had a severe problem with insects on our first night that came into the room and were all over our room. (300+ flies)

 

We contacted the Front desk, and after multiple calls, visits to the front desk, etc. The issue went unresolved. My wife and I had to kill and remove all the insects ourselves. After finishing up. around 2 AM, the RCCL crew came by to vacuum the room and changed the sheets. AFTER this, a second crew came to treat the room with chemicals. We asked how they would ensure that our possessions would not be affected with the chemicals, as well as changing the sheets. They did not know the answers. We argued with them, and it led to at front desk assistant supervisor telling the crew to leave the guests alone and to address it in the morning.

 

With all this happening, we were told by the Front Desk that RCCL will not be compensating for this, and they are sorry.

 

I'm a bit annoyed, outside of this, we had a good cruise. But given the circumstance, I'm surprised at the extremely poor customer service around this experience.

 

Am I being unreasonable?

 

Thanks!

 

In a case like this customer service should have moved you into a open cabin (usually a inside cabin ) & handle the insect problem & then move you back into your state room . :)

 

BTW ,all sailings have emergency open cabins just in case some thing does happen :)

[Yorkvillain]

Anyone else itching after reading this?

 

 

I had to go take multiple showers - one for each bug on that bed.

[Big_G]

In a case like this customer service should have moved you into a open cabin (usually a inside cabin ) & handle the insect problem & then move you back into your state room . :)

 

BTW ,all sailings have emergency open cabins just in case some thing does happen :)

 

I believe the OP followed up with 30 cabins effected or did I read that wrong.

[Royal2464]

Sorry this happened to you. As you now know insects are attracted to light. Initially the lights of the ship and then to those inside of your cabin. I know you won’t let it happen again, but if it does happen try this. First block any source of outside light, around doors etc. Second after there are not even the tiniest sources of light in your room, TV’s, phones, etc. turn off your cabin lights. Third, after you are sure your cabin is pitch black turn on the balcony light and open your balcony door. Hopefully they will all fly to the light on the balcony and you can close the door behind them,

[Heyref]

you sure you didnt board freedom of the fleas by mistake? That's brutal

 

lol

[Fla Mike]

Wow, my wife would never cruise again if she read this.