bed bugs

[viv26]

Has anyone heard of bed bugs on the ship, mainly the explorer of the sea. here in NY there has been a major out break of bed bugs, every where the movies, Broadway, and Lincoln center.
We are leaving very soon for our trip and I've been worried about this, any input or info. would be great.

[Lakers Fan]

Originally Posted by viv26

Has anyone heard of bed bugs on the ship, mainly the explorer of the sea. here in NY there has been a major out break of bed bugs, every where the movies, Broadway, and Lincoln center.
We are leaving very soon for our trip and I've been worried about this, any input or info. would be great.

Check the National Bedbug Registry and the CDC website .Re bedbugs in NYC .Supposedly a movie theater was infested but that turned out to be untrue.

[Trip]

There have been outbreaks on board ships. I recently heard this tip on tv, which I will use, shortly...Hold the door open to the hotel room, or cabin with your luggage. Check the bed, especially at the seaming, [welts] of the matresss. If you spot tiny pin spots of blood, that is a sign. Store your luggage off the floor,and also check the chairs, and, couches, in the room.

Lets hope we all see, NOTHING!

[viv26]

I think I will bring some spray with me, I read this stuff steri-fab will kill them. I just hope there is nothing and if I do see anything I hope RCI will get rid of them.

[felix_the_cat]

Everything I've read says there is no store bought spray that will kill them.

I try to keep all cases off the floor. I pack everything I can in plastic bags. This serves 2 purposes - it also gives you more room in your suitcaes.

I'm told they will not be in drawers. Can't remember why. They want chairs, beds, couches - anywhere a body is going to be.

When we were on the Mariner (about 3 years ago) there was a guy walking around with a sign around his neck saying bedbugs - cabin ????. I assumed at the time they either wouldn't move them or fluffed them off. I never found out what happened after that.

[Trip]

At the very least they could have wrapped up the cruisers mattress in plastic,and, given him a new one...they have to have some in case of whatever, I would think....I might have carried a sign too

From everything I have heard, there is NO over the counter remedy

[viv26]

WOW, I sure hope they will do something, I called RCI and they said if there BB's in the room , they will do whatever is needed to do to help and make everthing in the room OK.

[Euphonic]

My mother is going with me on our first cruise, and she is worried to death about bed bugs. I never knew they were that big of a deal, but aparently they are.

[Lakers Fan]

You can't dwell on negativity .Enjoy the cruise

[Trip]

I truly dont think they are a "major deal." Every once in a while a post pops up, but being aware is a good thing. I am going to enjoy my cruise, once I take a peek

[Lakers Fan]

Bedbugs have been around for thousands of years . We can't spend our lives dwelling on them .

[viv26]

you guys are right, BB's have always been around, its just now the media has made a big deal about them. I will take a look around and then enjoy, thanks everyone.

[Aerogirl]

Originally Posted by Henry43

You can't dwell on negativity .Enjoy the cruise

Agree 100% Henry

[Landlubber]

It's only a matter of time,if places like N.Y. are infested and people from N.Y. go on a cruise. The little horrors are notorious hich hikers.

[Lakers Fan]

Bed bugs visit all over the globe not just NY

[Manuel]

Originally Posted by Henry43

Bed bugs visit all over the globe not just NY

And they have been around for many centuries.

TM

[Lakers Fan]

Along with cockroaches and numerous other insects

[Captain]

The most important thing about bed bugs is not to bring them back home with you. There is lots of information/tips on the web. They are pretty scary and very hard to get rid of. The second I get home, everything goes in the washer/dryer. The best thing to use to kill them is DDT. Good luck finding that.

[Snoozeman]

Originally Posted by viv26

WOW, I sure hope they will do something, I called RCI and they said if there BB's in the room , they will do whatever is needed to do to help and make everthing in the room OK.

Can't ask for more than that.

It's very rare on a ship. Occasionally they have come in on someones luggage, but again rare on a cruise ship.

[Lakers Fan]

If you check the CDC site you can see that what the Snoozeman states is 100% accurate

[Mike M]

I was listening to the local talk radio station and one of the babblers (hosts) was advocating bringing back DDT to stop the bedbug peril. I was amazed at the number of people who agreed with him.

Either these people were those who believe there was no history before they were born or have bad memories. DDT was the most lethal pesticide ever introduced and caused the extinction or near extinction of more than 20 species of birds and numerous species of beneficial insects. It almost wiped out our National Symbol, the Bald Eagle.

Use some basic precautions and don't be taken over by media hype and hysteria. As Henry and others have said: Bedbugs have been around for thousands of years and while they are a nuisance they are not the plague carriers like fleas.

Take care,
Mike

[Captain]

I think the feelings about bed bugs are very much like the old joke about the difference between a recession and depression.

“A recession is when your neighbor is out of work. A depression is when you are out of work.”

If your house get infected with bed bugs and you are getting bitten every few nights, some folks feelings about pesticides might change. Especially when nothing is working. There is a reason Bedbugs have been around for thousands of years. They are extremely hard to kill.