Bedbugs

[BND]

Reading all the posts which rooms where you in..and I will bring the fabric sheets just in case, and will strip the bed to see what's what..thanks for all the advise now I'm nervous thought this was suppose to be a floating hotel well no hotel I've ever stayed in has had bed bugs and they handle people from all over the world too, so must be specific to cruise ships..but thanks for the warning..

 

It is a floating hotel and hotels do have them. No hotel I've been in either has had them, but all it takes is one person who has them in their home to bring them into a hotel by just staying one night. Anyplace that others have slept can be at risk. BTW, bedbugs dont' cause any permanent damage or carry disease.

[kimcruiser]

There is a thread on here about "bringing home Unwanted guests" and somebody else mentioned Bounce Dryer Sheets too and she has used them for years in her camper etc.. and has never had a bug. I have also heard in the last year or so in Cinci there is a huge problem with the Hotels there and apartment buildings being infested with these Bedbugs so much so that the Fire dept has to take precautions when they come out of a building from fighting a fire, or whatever they may have needed to go into a building for, to make sure they dont bring these things back to the station with them. We go to cinci at least twice a year and have been hearing this on their news casts.

[Name game]

I can't stop scratching as I read this.

 

I want to thank everyone on this thread for great advice, especially the OP. I ALWAYS store my suitcase under the bed while on vacation. I will not do that anymore. Living in New York City I don't exactly have a garage or a mud room, or even an extra room for that matter to do my unpacking when I get home. The dryer sheets that someone recommended on here sound like a great idea.

[mjbearit]

Really don't want to alarm anyone, just wanted to share my experience. After our last cruise, we were shocked to find we brought home some of the nasty critters. Its a long, boring story, but my exterminator said he was 99% sure thats where they came from, since none of my family had traveled either before or after our cruise. These vile bugs are on the increase, there's an epidemic in NY city, and they are difficult to exterminate.

 

The good news is that there are a few precautions that would just about guarantee you won't be bringing home anything but souvenirs from your next trip:

Never stow your luggage under your bed.(We did) Either use the luggage rack found in hotels, etc., or put it on top of the closet or somewhere off the ground.

 

If you see any red or brownish dots on your bedding, call for another room.

 

When you get home, unpack your luggage in the garage or mud room, or porch, vacuum your luggage and store it somewhere the temps get extreme, either the garage, attic, shed.

 

I emailed Carnival, explaining that I was not looking for a free cruise, drink coupons, etc. I just asked that they investigate our cabins, and treat them if necessary. I received an email back from them, saying that I would be getting something in the mail regarding my problem. Today I received a letter from them stating that they appreciated my bringing this to their attention, and that their ships are treated with insecticides weekly while in port. They also forwarded my comments to the dept. heads for their research and review.

 

Some asked why I didn't call Carnival and demand a free cruise. Oh, please!

How can you blame a ship that carries thousands of passengers weekly. How do I know that the people in our balcony before us didn't come into NY a day before their cruise, stay at a hotel, catch the bugs from the hotel and bring them onto the ship? While doing my research, I was astounded to find that they are everywhere, from small inns and hotels, to penthouse apts. to theaters, etc. Trouble is, the insecticides they use today are not strong enough to completely eradicate them.

 

This all happened the weekend before Christmas, and I have had the exterminator come and treat our upstairs every two weeks. He thinks we are completely bug free, we haven't seen any since the first treatment. We also bought hypoallergenic bed encasements for all our mattresses and boxsprings, to deter any that may be left.

 

Again, don't want to sound like an alarmist, just want you all to travel safe and bug free.

 

If you have questions, just ask. This has been an experience!

 

Eileen

Eileen, great post and response! I like the fact that you tried to get them to fix the problem rather than to soothe you with a free drink or cruise or something. I think that companies tend to take things more seriously when you are not trying to extort freebies! Sorry about the bugs, that really sounds horrible! We don't use dryer sheets as we use liquid fabric softner in the washing machine, but before we go I will make a special purchase of Bounce sheets just for the suitcase! If it works, great! I'd rather spend a few bucks up front for prevention, than a bunch of money later trying to get rid of these pests!

[alphakitty]

I found this little bit interesting....apparently freezing them in the garage overnight won't kill them.

 

According to the National Pest Management organization, bed bugs can live more than a year without eating; taking a vacation in hopes the bugs will then move out won't work. They can take the temps, too; the bugs are okay with freezing to Fahrenheit 113. :eek:

 

http://studenttravel.about.com/od/healthystudentholidays/a/bedbugs_2.htm

[Theresa522]

Hi, what did you purchase to bring with you, that didn't arrive in time? I would love to take that with us in July. Also, what are you suppose to do with the dryer sheets? :rolleyes:

[Tbay-eh]

Hi, what did you purchase to bring with you, that didn't arrive in time? I would love to take that with us in July. Also, what are you suppose to do with the dryer sheets? :rolleyes:

:cool: :cool: Just put a dryer sheet in each drawer and in each suitcase. Critters for some reason can't tolerate the scent.. I have also used them in a pinch to wipe over my skin when I don't have bug spray.:cool: :cool:

[simplycruizen]

I'm glad you got a good response from Carnival when you called. When I called and told them how I fell on the Ecstasy and while onboard the doctor took care of me free of charge because they confirmed that it was there fault. (I slipped on a greasy floor in their cafeteria) But when I went to see the ortho. surgeon like the doctor gave me the letter to do and to contact Carnival human resources to get it all paid for, it has been very nasty. I have had to get the better business bureau involved. They told me to check to see Carnivals other cases there. Wow!! Now we are having to get an attorney because they won't pay. I was asked to sign a waver and they would send me $1500. check. I told them that won't pay for the MRI let alone the surgery for my torn up shoulder. Now were going into Feb. and I am still in so much pain I can't function. The Miami DA said that I have a very good case but Carnival won't pay unless forced in a long drawn out legal battle. But they only deal in Criminal cases, so here we go.....but again. I'm so glad to hear they are working with you to get these nasty things taken care of.

[Rouge Wave]

I thought there was a very long winded thread a while back on this topic.. it even had pics... as well as the usual cast of characters.....is this a rehash of that thread, cruise?

[letsgocruz1]

I'm glad you got a good response from Carnival when you called. When I called and told them how I fell on the Ecstasy and while onboard the doctor took care of me free of charge because they confirmed that it was there fault. (I slipped on a greasy floor in their cafeteria) But when I went to see the ortho. surgeon like the doctor gave me the letter to do and to contact Carnival human resources to get it all paid for, it has been very nasty. I have had to get the better business bureau involved. They told me to check to see Carnivals other cases there. Wow!! Now we are having to get an attorney because they won't pay. I was asked to sign a waver and they would send me $1500. check. I told them that won't pay for the MRI let alone the surgery for my torn up shoulder. Now were going into Feb. and I am still in so much pain I can't function. The Miami DA said that I have a very good case but Carnival won't pay unless forced in a long drawn out legal battle. But they only deal in Criminal cases, so here we go.....but again. I'm so glad to hear they are working with you to get these nasty things taken care of.

 

I'm sorry to hear you are having such a rough time. I wanted to wish you well and tell you I hope all the legal stuff gets cleared up fast, too.

[Rouge Wave]

I found the big bed bug thread......

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=675559&highlight=bedbugs

[Snorkel2Much]

:cool: :cool: Just put a dryer sheet in each drawer and in each suitcase. Critters for some reason can't tolerate the scent.. I have also used them in a pinch to wipe over my skin when I don't have bug spray.:cool: :cool:

When the "dryer sheet" method was discussed in the other bug thread, I did some "googling" on the topic. I was hoping to find that one or more of my favorite "Urban Legend/Mythbuster/Snopes" type sites had looked into this. I couldn't find much documented online for or against the "Bounty" method. If someone has a reliable source for this advice, I'd appreciate reading it.

 

I certainly can't see where using a dryer sheet could make things worse, as the more reliable entomology info I've found says that bedbugs are attracted to exhaled CO2 and body heat, neither of which are found in "Bounce". ;)

[karen sharpe]

Wow ...Thanks Eileen for sharing! I'm always so concerned about bringing cockroaches back and hadn't even considered the possibility of transporting bed bugs.Yeck!! Will now always include dryer sheets on my list. I wonder if the sheets have any effect on other insects?

[dotsebeil]

I'm not at all sure about the dryer sheet method. We had a bed bug infestation in my building while I was in college (the NY infestation thing is probably true, I went to school on long island).

 

I am one of those goofy girls who puts dryer sheets in all of my drawers and in my luggage just because I love having clothes that always smell like clean laundry. However, I am not convinced that this saved me from infestation.

 

Our building was completely infested. They closed our building completely for that winter break, replaced every padded piece of furniture in the building, and exterminated while we were all away. (Those students who were not able to go home were put up in other buildings)

 

I do not know that my particular room was every infested. My roommate and I both experienced the itchy red bumps, but by this time, the infestation was well known, and it could have been all hypochodria.

 

They did teach us how to inspect a room for bed bugs... they hide between matresses, under box springs, and in the seams of the matress, padded chairs, bed linens, and where the bed frame meets the carpet. A quick scan of these places can put all of your fears at ease. The bugs are incredibly small, pin pricks... so you're looking more for moving dots. Please remember they're jumpers like fleas, so if you DO find bugs in your room, get your luggage and leave the room. Don't call from that phone and sit on the couch waiting for your steward.

 

And if you were wondering how I made sure that I didn't bring any bed bugs home to my parents for that break... I didn't take home any luggage. I left everything in the room to be fumigated. It was a good excuse to try out some new shampoo and go on a shopping spree!

[Tbay-eh]

Wow ...Thanks Eileen for sharing! I'm always so concerned about bringing cockroaches back and hadn't even considered the possibility of transporting bed bugs.Yeck!! Will now always include dryer sheets on my list. I wonder if the sheets have any effect on other insects?

:cool: :cool: We have a camp in Northern Ontario (Ignace) and works on lots of bugs. Remember our Grandmas use to put sachets in their drawers, probably for the same reason. When run out of bug spray I will wipe a dryer sheet over my skin (in a pinch) I am sure everyone has heard of Skin So Soft and bugs, must be s similar reaction. Cindy:cool: :cool:

[karen sharpe]

I am fascinated with the dryer theory...My grandmother put dried lavender in all her drawers. My mother used to tell us of the highly involved ritual of inspecting all the mattresses when as a child she went to the family farm for a visit.

I didn't realize they were so small ...for some reason I thought they were about the size of a small beetles. Yuck!

[BND]

Yeah, I was fascinated too with the dryer sheet theory when I heard about it warding off mosquitoes and other biting bugs. I put one in my pocket when I went golfing and it didnt' work.:mad: I ended up spraying myself with Off anyway. I was getting bit just as often as I usually do. I don't know that's its been tested scientifically with controls, etc.

[Jeanny]

eeeuuu, I'm all itchy now!!!:eek:

[eas2225]

Hi everyone, wanted to let you know that the product I first purchased was Sleeptite. When it never came, I called and was told they were having a problem with the sprayers, but they were waiting for new ones. I cancelled the order and found another product - Sterifab. It sounds like its effective for many different types of bugs, so we're giving it a try. This is the spray we'll take with us on our travels.

 

As to the size of the bugs, they are visible to the naked eye. My husband saw what he thought was a "fuzzy" on my bed, but it started to move, so they are easily seen. If you looked at the bottom of my boxspring, you would see that they are all different sizes, since they are in different stages of growth. I know, Yuck! As soon as we found them, we bought a vinyl zippered cover and got it out of the house ASAP!

 

In all the sites I visited, nothing was ever mentioned about the dryer sheets. Not saying they wouldn't work, hey, I'd try anything, just that I've never seen anything about them. Remember, these things are resistant to many types of insecticides. We have our exterminator come every two months since we live in the woods, and he told us that his usual treatment of our house would not work on the bedbugs.

 

Have to mention that although we thought we were done with these things, yesterday morning my husband found one in his sink, and I found one on our bathroom floor. Its our master bath, which is in our bedroom, so I am hoping that they are still only in our bedroom. My biggest fear is that they will somehow be carried down to our main floor, and the entire house will be infested.

When we first found the bugs, we had to completely empty every drawer in our bureau, armoire and nightstands, since they like to hide underneath furniture, even in the screwholes. The bug man comes in and dusts all the furniture, baseboards and bedframe. We even had to take off all the electrical outlet covers, as this is another hiding place. Every piece of clothing had to removed from the closet, bagged or put in containers, then washed in hot water, and dried on the highest setting. I shrunk more than a few things, but thats what you have to do. The exterminator said we had a pretty good chance of getting rid of them right away, since we were compliant. I spent many hours at the laundromat, as I would never have been able to do it all in my washer. I not only washed everything in our bedroom, but did all my kids clothes too, as were not sure they were confined to our bedroom. I just wanted to be on the safe side.

 

I saw where some of you are now nervous about your upcoming cruises. Please don't be. I think if everyone just takes some precautions, you can be sure you won't be bringing any home. Keep in mind that they are not only on cruise lines, or Carnival for that matter. They are on many cruise lines, hotels, etc. I saw on one site that one of the stars from SNL had them in her apartment, and a judge had them in his chambers. I just hope they come up with a more effective treatment.

Eileen

[kimcruiser]

Eileen the scope of this problem for you is astounding and definetly beyond a dryer sheet. I am so sorry about all of this you are dealing with and I didnt know it was this huge! good luck and I hope the "new" ones you just found in the sink are just strays left over. Kim

[karen sharpe]

What a royal pain in the you know what!!I really appreciate your info because it puts a whole new perspective on traveling precautions. DH travels a great deal internationally so I think I will order some Sterifab also.

I read the other thread and never realized the epidemic proportion this problem is becoming. So sorry about your ongoing plight. I'm sure you have a few concerns regarding continued exposure to the pesticides. Hope for your sake they have finally bitten the dust.

[2 rednecks]

After reading this was almost worried that i could have a lurking bed bug infestation because i got off the miracle as the OP got on, but then I realised that i shouldn'tbe worried we had no problems at all and i think that passports are the only things that we have from cruise that weren't exposed to high temps. but i do plan on packing some dryer sheeys for this year. worst case scenaro is that my clothes smell good

[cruising together]

Eileen

[cruising together]

Eileen do you remember what rooms your family had

[eas2225]

Thanks for everyone's good luck wishes.

My family was on the Upper Deck, #5215, 5217 and 5219.

We had 28 people on this cruise, most were on our deck, but a few were on different decks. We were the only ones to bring come these things, but I read on some website that there can be an infestation in one room, and no trace on them in the next room.

Eileen