ATTENTION: BED BUGS. BRILLIANCE OF THE SEAS IS NOT BRILLIANT

[antlan2q]

Brilliance of the Seas is not so Brilliant or Bugs, Bugs and more Bugs ….

Me and my wife booked a Panama Canal cruise on Brilliance of the Seas. We departed January 2, 2007 from Miami for 10 nights. During the first night my wife woke up at about 4 a.m. and discovered a small bug on her leg. She immediately woke me up and we found more bugs. We called the front desk and were told that there was nothing they could do until 8 a.m., due to the fact that the management did not start their day until that time. What was most ridiculous about this situation was that the employees of the ship were sleeping while paying customers were kept awake while on vacation. After prolonged arguing and fighting at the front desk, the Manager of Guest Relations and other employees paid a visit to our room and started to examine the bed. We had discovered several bugs on our own, but they took off the headboard of the bed and found a whole colony of bedbugs under there. At that point, they apologized and transferred us to a different room. We asked for our luggage to be replaced because it was under the bed and we were afraid to reuse the luggage and bring the bugs home. At first, they refused, but after several days they agreed upon our request for them to do so. The luggage they provided for us fell apart as soon as we started packing.
The management was neither friendly nor apologetic, and did not compensate us in any way for this inconvenience.
As a result of this incident, our vacation was completely ruined as we could not sleep for a single night after this occurred. The staff acted as if nothing bad had happened. Their unprofessional attitude and poor customer service made me want to make all of the passengers on the ship aware of what had happened.
Bed bugs are a major health hazard, and I would not expect Royal Caribbean, a big company, to address this issue with such disregard and such negligence for the health and comfort of their passengers. The Health Department needs to become aware of this serious issue.

[Manda2831]

Wow. That's so gross. We're sailing on BOS in February. What cabin were you in? I want to make sure we're not in that one. Sorry you had to go through that!

[zotzer]

Actually, while bed bugs are disgusting, unexpected, and you were treated in an unsatisfactory way...they are not a health hazard. That is about the only "good" thing about them, is that they are not disease-carriers.

Doesn't make the situation any more palletable, I know, but they really pose zero health hazard, with the possible exception of a small allergic reaction.

Tracy

[elf]

That you were looking forward to your cruise and then had bed bugs must have been very disappointing to say the least.

Oh yuk. We are also scheduled to do this cruise in March 2007.

As a AMANDA2831 asked, what cabin were you in?



elf

[gavbazzy]

Sorry to hear you had this problem. We were on the Brillance of the Sea last year and it was one of the cleanest ships we have ever been on. It was certainly much better than the Celebrity Galaxy. We didn't have bed bugs, but the rooms were not cleaned well and the whole ship need a complete overhaul from the cruise director on down. Thanks for letting us know about the Brillance. I hope it was just a one time problem that they take care of.

[hcat]

sorry to disagree but bed bugs are a health hazard--they bite & for those who are allergic it can be a severe reaction--had this happen in a four star hotel once & it was awful! Does anyone know what can be sprayed or used when you get into your room to elimate them--not sure this is possible but would try anything that is suggested--we are crusiing on Jewel Sunday! Hope Jewel is a Jewl-- we did not have any problem on Brilliance a while ago but guess this is an increasing hazard!

[Dave the Wave]

You could sleep on the pool deck. Just a suggestion.... I would never let anything "completely ruin" my vacation.

When given lemons, make lemonade, when given bedbugs, make Beetlejuice.

[Irish Shark]

Originally Posted by Dave the Wave

When given lemons, make lemonade, when given bedbugs, make Beetlejuice.

As the crew in the USN would call it: Bug Juice

[msblackjack]

Originally Posted by hcat

sorry to disagree but bed bugs are a health hazard--they bite & for those who are allergic it can be a severe reaction--had this happen in a four star hotel once & it was awful! Does anyone know what can be sprayed or used when you get into your room to elimate them--not sure this is possible but would try anything that is suggested--we are crusiing on Jewel Sunday! Hope Jewel is a Jewl-- we did not have any problem on Brilliance a while ago but guess this is an increasing hazard!

you sure are not going to like this response, but there is absolutely nothing that can be purchased over the counter that will SAFELY eliminate the bed bugs while you are on the cruise; get another room, be adament and enforce getting another room if it occurs - using any "tricks" or over the counter stuff is more hazardous to your health than the beg bugs; I can PM you more info if you like. they do bite and do leave red marks, but in the general population they pose no health hazard; a small % of the population may be allergic/senstive, but is it a very small %; the bites will leave red marks on anyone, allergic or not.

[zotzer]

Bedbugs also have NOTHING to do with cleanliness.

One can be the biggest clean-freak in the world, and if they carry a bedbug home on their clothing or luggage, they will most likely get bedbugs...and they will go unnoticed until there is something to notice...at which time an infestation has usually occured.

Gross I know, but like MsBlackJack said, unless they legalize DDT again, the best solution is to toss the whole bed, bedding and all, and get a new one.

Tracy

[Robbie H]

Slap yourself Trace! This hit and run poster doesn't want LOGIC, just to
b---ch and moan.

[BigEdJ]

Usually people who post something like this (Bed Bugs!) as their first post are Trolls.
They just want to stip up trouble.

This may be my first post here, but I'm not here to cause problems, but to learn.

[SAHMmy]

Is there an unwritten rule on these cruise forums that only positive experiences are to be reported, and any negatives are to be politely ignored?

I don't understand why two people pounced on the OP when, unless it is IMPOSSIBLE to have a bed bug experience on the Brilliance of the Sea, the poster was doing a service to the forum by letting readers know of their negative experience.

We are here because either we love cruising or we're interested in it but truth and accuracy are never unwelcome, are they? We take the good with the bad in most things, but knowledge is power I thought.

[mommabean]

The problem with the poster's first post being about bedbugs, isn't that it's just a first post. It's that the poster never came back to even answer the simple question about what the cabin number was. That was asked before mention of a troll.

Last week when my exterminator was at my home, I asked him what insecticide he was using. He said it is called Suspend made by Bayer - yes the aspirin people. I checked out the spec sheet on line. It mentions bed bugs as being controled by the product. Of course it may not be available to the public but it's legal.

Here is the link if you want to read the pests controlled.
http://www.bayerprocentral.com/vecto...ontrolled.html

I personally would not like it if I knew I was sleeping on a bed that someone else sprayed with bug spray as a precautionary measure. Talk about a health hazard.

I hope this has been an acceptable first post.

[msblackjack]

Originally Posted by mommabean

The problem with the poster's first post being about bedbugs, isn't that it's just a first post. It's that the poster never came back to even answer the simple question about what the cabin number was. That was asked before mention of a troll.
Last week when my exterminator was at my home, I asked him what insecticide he was using. He said it is called Suspend made by Bayer - yes the aspirin people. I checked out the spec sheet on line. It mentions bed bugs as being controled by the product. Of course it may not be available to the public but it's legal.
Here is the link if you want to read the pests controlled.
http://www.bayerprocentral.com/vecto...ontrolled.html

I personally would not like it if I knew I was sleeping on a bed that someone else sprayed with bug spray as a precautionary measure. Talk about a health hazard.

I hope this has been an acceptable first post.

Thanks for your contribution. I too would be very nervous about somoone applying a pesticide to a bed or even in the cabin. While some products are "legal" if you are a homeowner to apply to your own residence, in most instances it is not legal to apply insecticide/pesticide to another's property unless you are licensed to do so. It is wise just to leave the pest control to the pros.

[SAHMmy]

Well okay mommabean, but maybe that was because they got jumped on. You post on the other forum too, don't you? Do you know what I'm talking about? It's like there is ZERO tolerance for anyone who posts anything even remotely negative about their cruise experience, they are completely blown off. I even saw one of the moderators here in a post make the statement that negative reviews are written by negative people, or something like that.

Anyway, I did read some info about bed bugs on cabin beds AND hotel room beds and my first order of business when I get in my cabin next month (first cruise) is to check out our mattress and make sure there are no signs or evidence of any bugs. That way when I know there are no bugs, I can relax and sleep peacefully. Or, if I do find them, I can get a cabin or bedding change immediately and then can relax and sleep peacefully.

Had I not found these forums or other websites I never would have even imagined that an initial check for bed bugs is a good idea. Like I said, knowledge is power. Cruiselines want happy, repeat customers. They aren't out to get anybody I don't imagine. If I know up front that it is POSSIBLE to have bedbugs in one's cabin, I can calmly and rationally talk to the crew about the situation and get it remedied instead of flying into hysterics because I had no idea such a thing existed!

That's my theory anyway

[msblackjack]

I am a little confused, I don't think any of the posts following the OP was "pouncing" on them; the follow up posts were just to clarify that bed bugs are not a major health hazard - I still sympathize with the OP that they got terrible treatment, they should have gotten a nice clean room. So if any of my responses seemed like "pounces", please accept my apologies. I was just trying to eliminate some of the scare factor concerning bedbugs - they are gross and it gives me the heebie jeebies to think about having them in my cabin, but they are not a major health hazard. Peace Out.

[Dave the Wave]

Aren't they kind of like crabs? I didn't think they were big enough to see.

[msblackjack]

Originally Posted by Dave the Wave

Aren't they kind of like crabs? I didn't think they were big enough to see.

You always seem to come along at the right moment (no pun intended). You can see them; they are about the size of a very very tiny german cockroach; reddish brown in color - about the size of a brown dog tick

You generally will not see them unless you have a major infestation and you generally will not see them in the daylight; they feast at night; they are found in the tiniest crevices, like between the sticthing on mattresses, and in the crack behind the headboards, base boards, etc;

you can recognize a bed bug bite by looking for 3 red dots in a row: bed bugs have 3 stomachs and eat 3 blood meals one right after another (breakfast, lunch and dinner. dot .dot .dot); most people don't feel their bites because there is something in their saliva that numbs your skin when they are biting you. ) Okay, that was too much info; that just gave me the heebie jeebies and I do this for a living .

[Dave the Wave]

You are a wealth of information. I had no idea what they looked like. I guess that is a good thing.

[msblackjack]

you crack me up

[Dave the Wave]

Creepy!

[msblackjack]

going for the shock factor again, I see. Yikes.
I could show you some pictures of some houses that would literally make your skin crawl. I was in one house and the bugs (dead bed bugs) were crunching under my feet; I couldn't get out of there fast enough....

[Dave the Wave]

Here is a bed bug for you guys. So you know what to look for. I think this one is magnified a few times.

[msblackjack]

okay DTW: the actual size is about 1/4 of inch, so yeah that has been magnified did ya know they can't fly but can run quickly.... Yikes.

[SAHMmy]

All I know is that I don't care to share a bed with them.

[msblackjack]

Originally Posted by SAHMmy

All I know is that I don't care to share a bed with them.

[Carona Girl]

Where do these things come from anyway?

[Dave the Wave]

People bring them onboard in their luggage unknowingly....

[Kuki]

People bring them onboard in their luggage unknowingly....

Or on their clothing, or on their person.

Itchy yet??