bug bites

[mercury51]

Just got off the celebrity summit and I am covered with bites. When I complained I was sent to the doctor free of charge, and given hydrocortisone crème and anti itch medicine all the dr. asked was had I seen the bugs that bit me? Anyone out there with same problem, please respond?

[HAM]

I was covered with bites after my last cruise, but there were no bugs around!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[thepeacha]

but here in the Caribbean, we have no-see-ums year- round and they are nasty little buggers. You can guess their visibility by their name!

 

Hope you are feeling better, and sorry you got bitten, regardless of where or by what!

[auntdot]

Were you on any beaches? Are you sure it isn't 'sand fleas'? I had the same problem when we returned from Costa Rica - they never bothered me until a few days later. Just a thought?

[HAM]

I could see what bit me, but like I said, THERE WERE NO BUGS AROUND!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ILVMM]

Sailed on Volendam from 12/21 - 1/2 and visited Curacao and Costa Rica (no beaches). DH got bit up pretty good right around his ankles. Got the same steriod creme from the doctor but it wasn't free - - about $9.00 for the tube. Worked quickly and the itch stayed away. And the dr. on board said: WOW! i've never seen anyone that got bit THAT bad!" Probly no-see-um's. We have them here in Florida, too.

[MrsRbk]

I could see what bit me, but like I said, THERE WERE NO BUGS AROUND!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

I was on the 2/9 sailing on the Summit and also had bites, but I'm 100% sure that they are from when we spent the afternoon on the beach in Bonaire. I noticed them in the shower when we got back to the ship.

[operafan]

Just got off the celebrity summit and I am covered with bites. When I complained I was sent to the doctor free of charge, and given hydrocortisone crème and anti itch medicine all the dr. asked was had I seen the bugs that bit me? Anyone out there with same problem, please respond?

 

Could it be bedbugs????

[karenj4546]

Questions....

Did this occur prior to a trip ashore or after you took a shore trip?

Spend any time on the beaches/in the sea?

Bug bites WHERE (on your body)? I know that this seems personal, but did they avoid certain areas?

What cabin number?

Anyone else in your cabin get bit? Did you do the same excursions?

Which doctor on the ship (head whose tag says USA, but barely speaks English or the nice Peruvian lady?)

Do the bites form any kind of pattern?

Did the cream/meds (assume Benedryl, but did you have Prednisone as well?) help?

Answers to these might help round down what/where you got 'em...

 

Karen

[LouisV]

Could it be bedbugs????

 

omg!!!! I dearly hope not!

[operafan]

omg!!!! I dearly hope not!

 

I hope not too! I recall reading (a few weeks ago) about someone else on the Summit that was covered in bedbug bites...........:(

[2Canucks]

Our last cruise was the Jan 19/08 Southern Caribbean cruise on Summit...round trip from San Juan to San Juan. No bug bites on the ship but when we went to our post cruise hotel...Courtyard by Marriott Verde Isle...they advised to spray (DEET product) your legs and feet BEFORE walking on the beach. This was written in their hotel directory book in the room also. I guess the San Juan beaches are bad for Sand bugs/fleas/No Seeum's?? We didn't have a bug bite problem there either...just followed their advise.

 

There had been some mention... on cruisecritic... of a begbug problem on Deck 2 of the Summit...2 cruises before our cruise but we had no problem at all on Deck 7 during our cruise. That thread would be back in Dec somewhere I think. The problem must have been fixed as there has been no further bedbug comments on cruisecritc since then.

 

We'll probably continue to do the bug spray thing at all beachs from now on....better safe than itchy!!

 

Pat :)

[Toothfairy754]

What percent of DEET spray did you use? My son has an allergic reaction to DEET and so we have to be careful what the percentage is in the spray.

[2Canucks]

Hi Toothfairy754...

 

It was a 25% DEET spray.

 

Pat :)

[Hootsie]

I could see what bit me, but like I said, THERE WERE NO BUGS AROUND!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Ewwwwwwwwww, Bed Bugs?

[HAM]

Yes!!!!!!!!!!

[bcirish]

We always take along the Avon bug spray - the bugs love my dh and usually have no interest in me. If the bites were on your extremities then it was the no-see-ums. For those getting ready to go - add a tube of cortisone for possible irritations and some bug spray - ours also has sun protection - we go to the islands all of the time and never leve home without the mentioned items. protect yourself and go and enjoy your time in the sun.

[bcirish]

We always take along the Avon bug spray - the bugs love my dh and usually have no interest in me. If the bites were on your extremities then it was the no-see-ums. For those getting ready to go - add a tube of cortisone for possible irritations and some bug spray - ours also has sun protection - we go to the islands all of the time and never leve home without the mentioned items. Protect yourself and go and enjoy your time in the sun.

[karenj4546]

The OP hasn't come back....wonder why?

I'm the person who reported and dealt with the bedbugs in December on the Summit; Hence, my earlier questions. I do need to point out a couple of things...there were at LEAST 2 pax and 2 crew involved. When you think of how many folks were on that (sold out) cruise and the 50 or so of us who were CC members, the percent of folks (roughly 5%) who "weighed in" on the subject was rather small. Also, the following cruise, there were continued reports of bedbugs (found on the Hawaii roll-call, post-cruise).

I've learned a LOT about the worldwide bedbug epidemic, since that trip.

Bedbugs happen at a lot of hotels, nowadays. They're also found on cruiseships. No, I didn't bring them with from a pre-cruise stay or from home.

Most people aren't allergic (at first) to them. Everyone exposed will EVENTUALLY experience the problems that I encountered. Apparently, I'd been exposed before (not surprising, as I was an "airline brat" who grew up traveling the world and staying in "flea-bag" hotels, occasionally). By the end of our 14 day cruise, DH, DD, MIL and FIL were beginning to react to the durn things.

X has "made good" on my experience, though I'd rather not give specifics.

No bug spray is known to be effective. "Bounce" dryer sheets have no effect. The best defense against the pesky things is to be aware of them. That means, each time you plan to stay in a room, look around. If there's a couch, pull off a couple of the cushions. STRIP the bed down to the mattress and LOOK. Look along baseboards/headboards. If you see "rust-like" stains on the sheets (bedbug fecal material), mattress, anywhere, do NOT bring in your luggage. Go and get a different room!!! If you're told that there are none available, go somewhere else. Do not stay there (or expose your luggage to them). This is a rough one for me, as I LOVE well made beds, but I'd rather deal with rumpled sheets than the misery of over 200 itchy/swollen bug bites. If it's a cruise and you're told that there are no more rooms, get vocal. When I told them that I was going to leave at the first port, a room materialized.

Bring Benedryl and a hydrocortosine cream in your first-aid supplies. Prednisone was also prescribed, but in the wee hours of the morning before I went and reported, Benedryl was my dearest friend. I continued on it for the entire cruise.

I am not at all sure that the OP experienced bedbugs. Only by analyzing specifics could we take a guess. In my case, the mattress was stained, bugs were seen (they're visable to the naked eye, but not larger than a flea), and X reacted....some folks well and some not-so-well. Did I let it ruin my trip? Yes and no..... Will I cruise again? Yes. Will I cruise X again? I'm booked, but will be MUCH more aware!

Karen

[usha]

Bed bugs are quite a bit larger than fleas. The following is from Wikipedia:

Adult bedbugs are a reddish brown, flattened, oval, and wingless, with microscopic hairs that give them a banded appearance. A common misconception is that they are not visible to the naked eye. Adults grow to 4 to 5 mm (one-eighth to three-sixteenths of an inch) in length and do not move quickly enough to escape the notice of an attentive observer. Newly hatched nymphs are translucent, lighter in color and continue to become browner and moult as they reach maturity. When it comes to size, they are often compared to lentils or appleseeds.

[karenj4546]

You're correct. I'd intended to say, "not much larger than a flea". The adults (having molted 5 times to accomodate their growth) do indeed grow larger than fleas (the size of apple seeds or lentils??? none that I saw or brought home!)...but it would be rare to see just adults (and bedbugs are opportunists...they don't "hang out together" unless the pickings are great in one location). Wikipedia has some okay information on them, but if you really want to research bedbugs, I'd suggest googling "bedbug habits" (or size or whatever) and get pictures and information from one of the universities or an extension service (both Colorado and Texas have great information on them). Both Cornell and Harvard are two which have some excellent information, along with folks who will actually respond to e-mails!

[LouisV]

ok...now this is way too much information for my comfort level!

[powelweb]

Karen,

 

I'm so sorry for your experience in Dec.

 

Could you share your cabin #?

 

I'm on deck 2 but now considering upgrading....

 

thanks,

Wendy

[Kaboochi]

Summit 2/9-16 no bug bites at all, just comfy beds and a good night rest Enquiste

[usha]

We were on a b/2/b on Summit the weeks of Feb. 2nd and Feb.9th; had cabin #6030 both weeks. Happy to report NO BUGS, NO BUG BITES! Just two weeks of blissful cruising on a wonderful ship!:D