Bed Bugs

[carguy]

We just returned from a cruise where our room was infested with bed bugs. I was bitten over 50 times and let me tell you it wasn't pretty. After being moved twice, getting our clothes laundered, we could enjoy ourselves again. The itching was horrible, mosquito bites X 10. Make sure you are checking your room for these little bugs. We've been on over 35 cruises and have never experienced anything like this.

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, carguy said:

We just returned from a cruise where our room was infested with bed bugs. I was bitten over 50 times and let me tell you it wasn't pretty. After being moved twice, getting our clothes laundered, we could enjoy ourselves again. The itching was horrible, mosquito bites X 10. Make sure you are checking your room for these little bugs. We've been on over 35 cruises and have never experienced anything like this.

Let me guess? Carnival?

[Cruzaholic41]

16 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Let me guess? Carnival?

Or maybe Oceania since they have a history of it too. 🙄🙄

 

 

[Charles4515]

22 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Let me guess? Carnival?

That is really silly. It is possible on any cruise line. 
 

I always inspect around the bed on any ship cabin or hotel room when I first enter. Don’t forget the headboard. 

[Charles4515]

10 minutes ago, Cruzaholic41 said:

Or maybe Oceania since they have a history of it too. 🙄🙄

 

 

I like the comments that possibly they came from elsewhere. Do think bed bugs are native to the ocean or ships? Since many cruisers stay at hotels before a cruise that is where they can be picked up. The OP May have stayed at a hotel pre cruise, picked up the bed bugs and brought them onboard. 

[Elaine5715]

• Bed bugs can also be picked up at the relative's house you stopped at, the Four Seasons or Motel 6

[Aquahound]

3 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Let me guess? Carnival?

 

I don't understand this comment.  Please explain.  

[navybankerteacher]

53 minutes ago, Aquahound said:

 

I don't understand this comment.  Please explain.  

If you had noted (and retained) ANY of the vibes from his many posts, you would understand why Carnival occurred to him (and why a follow-up poster responded with Oceania).  I happen to prefer Oceania for the quality experience (and true value) they offer, but bedbugs can be brought on board by the cruiser who complains about them -- as well as on to ANY ship of ANY line.

[shipgeeks]

A recent post on another site, about bed bugs, concluded that the problem was sand flies, picked up at a beach in a port.  

And another post noted that a cruiser left his balcony door open all night, and in the morning he found his cabin walls covered with hundreds of little bugs from outside.

[Charles4515]

24 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

A recent post on another site, about bed bugs, concluded that the problem was sand flies, picked up at a beach in a port.  

And another post noted that a cruiser left his balcony door open all night, and in the morning he found his cabin walls covered with hundreds of little bugs from outside.

I am a  beach person and have been to so many beaches in the Caribbean, Mexico and Bermuda and never picked up sand flies but I suppose it is possible. I think bed bugs are likely brought on from a pre cruise hotel and it could even be be that OP brought them on. 

[shipgeeks]

I've had sand fly attacks twice, in the Carib.  Very itchy and spotty.  Sometimes it just doesn't pay to lie on the beach.

[evandbob]

I've always advised against storing luggage under the beds in a ships cabin, on the off chance that bedbugs may get in them.

 

If the bedbugs feasted on a previous occupant, they may be gorged and not biting (feeding) on the next guests, but those unbitten guests may inadvertently bring some pests home with them. 

[LHT28]

23 hours ago, carguy said:

We just returned from a cruise where our room was infested with bed bugs. I was bitten over 50 times and let me tell you it wasn't pretty. After being moved twice, getting our clothes laundered, we could enjoy ourselves again. The itching was horrible, mosquito bites X 10. Make sure you are checking your room for these little bugs. We've been on over 35 cruises and have never experienced anything like this.

what ship were you on?

 

[Aquahound]

4 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

A recent post on another site, about bed bugs, concluded that the problem was sand flies, picked up at a beach in a port.  

 

Sand fleas are unlikely.  While they can be carried, sand fleas are usually much larger than bed bugs and more easily detectible.  They look like small crabs.  

[ldubs]

1 hour ago, Aquahound said:

 

Sand fleas are unlikely.  While they can be carried, sand fleas are usually much larger than bed bugs and more easily detectible.  They look like small crabs.  

 

Agree.  We use them for surf fishing bait.  They are in fact little crustaceans.  Not the kind of critter you would unknowingly carry around.  But I suppose someone could use the term generically to describe flea like things on & around beaches that would do the job.  

 

 

Edited February 19, 2023 by ldubs

[shipgeeks]

The reference was to sand flies, not sand fleas. Perhaps some of us have used the wrong terminology in referring to the tiny, itchy red spots all over one's skin after some time ashore (not mosquitoes).

Edited February 19, 2023 by shipgeeks
wording

[SRQbeachgirl]

1 hour ago, shipgeeks said:

The reference was to sand flies, not sand fleas. Perhaps some of us have used the wrong terminology in referring to the tiny, itchy red spots all over one's skin after some time ashore (not mosquitoes).

 

Here in Florida we refer to them as no-see-ums because they are so small that you can't see them unless you are looking really closely for whatever is biting the living heck out of you. The little monsters are worse than mosquitoes and their bites hang around a lot longer. They're very common on beaches (especially around dusk) and mangroves. 

Edited February 20, 2023 by SRQbeachgirl

[Aquahound]

13 minutes ago, SRQbeachgirl said:

 

Here in Florida we refer to them as no-see-ums because they are so small that you can't see them unless you are looking really closely for whatever is biting the living heck out of you. The little monsters are worse than mosquitoes and their bites hang around a lot longer. They're very common on beaches (especially around dusk) and mangroves. 

 

Oof!  Yes.  I'm from the Keys and those little buggers lived in our pea-rock yards.  We had to have special no-see-um screen on our patios.  Sunset time was the worst.  

[SRQbeachgirl]

Just now, Aquahound said:

 

Oof!  Yes.  I'm from the Keys and those little buggers lived in our pea-rock yards.  We had to have special no-see-um screen on our patios.  Sunset time was the worst.  

 

We just got our lanai cage replaced (because the previous one got tossed into the Gulf by Ian) and we upgraded to no-see-um screen. We can finally eat dinner outside without becoming the meal.

[carguy]

I didn't list the ship or cruise line because they made it right in the end. I really wanted people to realize that this can happen and to check the cabin before sleeping there.

[Wayfairers]

I check hotels but I’ve never thought to check the cruise ship for bed bugs.  Thanks for sharing…I’ll check in the future.  

[JeannyJ]

This whole subject makes me itchy and a little anxious LOL  I've never run into bed bugs before. How do you know if you have them and where do you check?  And if you do how do you go about getting rid of them on a cruise ship?

[Donald]

 

 

After 40+ years managing cruise ships of every size and price range, this is my observation:

 

The Premium Cruise Lines almost never experience Bed Bugs.

The Mass Market Lines have them on every voyage.

 

It could be the cheaper hotels that cruisers stay in pre-cruise.

It could be that the cruisers themselves are the problem.

It could be that the mass market ships are not as clean as the Premium ones.

It could be something else entirely.

 

In any case, on average, the odds of encountering bed bugs on a mass market cruise are far higher than on a premium cruise.

You pay your money and you take your chances............

[Wayfairers]

18 hours ago, JeannyJ said:

This whole subject makes me itchy and a little anxious LOL  I've never run into bed bugs before. How do you know if you have them and where do you check?  And if you do how do you go about getting rid of them on a cruise ship?

I’ve never  seen or found bed bugs (thank goodness) but I’ve heard you should check the edges of the mattress and you will see dark, black or rusty red specs if there are bed bugs.   These days many places use a full mattress cover..in that case I look at the edges of the cover. 

[Charles4515]

On 2/24/2023 at 10:33 AM, Wayfairers said:

I’ve never  seen or found bed bugs (thank goodness) but I’ve heard you should check the edges of the mattress and you will see dark, black or rusty red specs if there are bed bugs.   These days many places use a full mattress cover..in that case I look at the edges of the cover. 

I have not seen them either but I have looked at pictures showing what to look for. I do check every cruise cabin and hotel room. I hope I never actually see them!