Bedbug on Disney Dream

[m&mfamily]

Has anyone experienced bedbugs on any of the Disney Cruise ships? We were just on the Dream and found one on our bed the first night of sailing. Housekeeping changed the linens on the bed. The next day my husband and I were a little stressed about finding the bug and called down to Guest Services to ask to be moved to another room. After waiting all day for someone to contact us back, they said they only had one stateroom available (we had 2 staterooms that were connecting). We declined as to not separate our family. The new room was Aft and on a different deck. We are 2 adults with 3 small children. We mostly shared the one stateroom and used the "bug" room for the extra bathroom and closets. On our 3rd night, the Castaway Cay night, we found ANOTHER bug on our bed. I was furious! The deck manager from 7 and 8 came to our room to see the bug. The deck 7 mgr was very rude and insensitive. He said, "it's only one bug." Yeah, I'd like to know if he'd feel the same way if "only one bug" was found in his bed. Dh and I took the kids to the pirate party but were too stressed and disappointed to really enjoy ourselves. After the party we dropped the kids off at the kids clubs and went to Guest Services. We asked to speak with someone in charge. That was a big waste of time! All he kept saying was he saw our account was noted. Really? That's it? The next day we found 2 small stuffed animals (Phineas dolls) and some gold coins were left for our children in the room. They were addressed to our two boys, we're not sure why they left our daughter out. Meanwhile, dh and I are scratching our heads because the kids knew nothing about the bugs! I'm not sure why they chose to do something for them.

Basically, I'm looking for advice on where to go with this. My husband and I definitely think there should be some type of compensation. Am I wrong about that? I'm not sure why they didn't take it more serious? They really acted as if they didn't care and it was really just a bug.

It had been 7 years since our family has been able to go on a Disney cruise. We are still so disappointed in how things turned out less than magical.

Thanks

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

Has anyone experienced bedbugs on any of the Disney Cruise ships? We were just on the Dream and found one on our bed the first night of sailing. Housekeeping changed the linens on the bed. The next day my husband and I were a little stressed about finding the bug and called down to Guest Services to ask to be moved to another room. After waiting all day for someone to contact us back, they said they only had one stateroom available (we had 2 staterooms that were connecting). We declined as to not separate our family. The new room was Aft and on a different deck. We are 2 adults with 3 small children. We mostly shared the one stateroom and used the "bug" room for the extra bathroom and closets. On our 3rd night, the Castaway Cay night, we found ANOTHER bug on our bed. I was furious! The deck manager from 7 and 8 came to our room to see the bug. The deck 7 mgr was very rude and insensitive. He said, "it's only one bug." Yeah, I'd like to know if he'd feel the same way if "only one bug" was found in his bed. Dh and I took the kids to the pirate party but were too stressed and disappointed to really enjoy ourselves. After the party we dropped the kids off at the kids clubs and went to Guest Services. We asked to speak with someone in charge. That was a big waste of time! All he kept saying was he saw our account was noted. Really? That's it? The next day we found 2 small stuffed animals (Phineas dolls) and some gold coins were left for our children in the room. They were addressed to our two boys, we're not sure why they left our daughter out. Meanwhile, dh and I are scratching our heads because the kids knew nothing about the bugs! I'm not sure why they chose to do something for them.

Basically, I'm looking for advice on where to go with this. My husband and I definitely think there should be some type of compensation. Am I wrong about that? I'm not sure why they didn't take it more serious? They really acted as if they didn't care and it was really just a bug.

It had been 7 years since our family has been able to go on a Disney cruise. We are still so disappointed in how things turned out less than magical.

Thanks

Was it only one bug? Are you sure it was a bedbug? They usually don't travel solo.

 

[m&mfamily]

Yes, it was one bug on night 1 and 3. The manager came the first night and confirmed it was a bedbug.

 

[tinkerbell 766]

I am not doubting your account at all, but are you sure they were real bedbugs, or a native flying insects which had somehow got into the cabin? Did you have a veranda with open doors through which they could have entered? If they were indeed real bedbugs, I agree that there is a real hygiene problem there.

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Sorry, posts crossed. You confirm in your latest post that the manager said it was a bed bug.

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

Well that is not great. And being on a cruise, you were kind of trapped. I am interested to see if others have seen the bugs as well.

I wonder if they overlooked your daughter because the boys were listed as being in the bug room and the daughter was listed as being in the other room.

 

[m&mfamily]

I am not doubting your account at all, but are you sure they were real bedbugs, or a native flying insects which had somehow got into the cabin? Did you have a veranda with open doors through which they could have entered? If they were indeed real bedbugs, I agree that there is a real hygiene problem there.

Yes, we were just going by what the deck mgr said. Dh and I had never seen a bedbug before. The deck mgr was the one to confirm it.

 

[tajz90]

Unless you took a picture, asked for a confirmation in writing or an incident report, I'm it sure how you will prove anything. Your word against theirs.

Instead of looking for compensation, maybe thank your lucky stars you didn't bring the little boogers home with you. I hope you left your luggage outside and followed proper procedures to disinfect them.

 

[5forDis]

If there were bedbugs in the room, then you should be very careful to bring none of your luggage into your home. Having them on vacation is gross, but having them enter your home is very costly (to remove).

I would not have been satisfied with that response and would have demanded they do something. There is no way I would leave my belongings in a room with bedbugs. I mean I would have had the issue addressed right then. After the fact, is meaningless if your belongings have been infested. Also, changing bed linens will do nothing. Bedbugs get in the lining of the mattress. We travel a lot and our routine is strip the bed, check all linens, mattresses, between the headboard and mattress, etc..

I've seen other trip reports about bedbugs on the ship. Yuck.

 

[linetbo]

what room number was, I am treveling in march on the Dream.

 

[justmestace]

Trust me when I tell you this....there is nothing you can do.
Due to an error by a crew member, I fell onboard and broke three ribs. It was VERY well documented onboard. Xrays at the med center, talks with nearly every senior staff member except the Captain....onboard medical charges paid for, but assurances from everyone onboard that once I was home and contacted the name on the card that they gave me, someone shoreside, my cruise would be reimbursed, etc....HAH!!! The person I called shoreside basically said "Tough luck". It was my word against theirs, that it was a crew member's blatant mistake that caused me to fall.

Obviously I don't have the money to hire a bunch of attorneys to fight the slew of attorneys Disney has, so that was the end of it.

Do your best to let it go. It's been 2 and a half years, and I've obviously not forgotten, maybe never will, but I have cruised with Disney since then.

 

[tnkrbell]

What cabin number where you?? I would not bring any of your luggage in your home. If there were one or two there were probably many more. YIKES Im freaking out!!!
We go on the Dream the end of April I really hope they fumigate the room and really all the rooms since they spread easliy.

 

[Melissa S]

I stayed at a hotel (booked by my employer) for a business trip a few months ago. And several colleagues and I complained that the rooms had bugs in them (luckily not bed bugs- a native bug that stunk really, really bad). The attitude from the hotel after several complaints was tough luck. I am a clean freak but I have learned when you stay in a bed that is not yours (hotel, cruise, etc) you keep your fingers crossed and deal. Sorry this happened to you but unless you got bitten (and it was documented and confimed) or suffered medical trauma I don't think you are going to get anything from DCL.

PP knowing the room number and avoidng that room isn't really going to accomplish anything. The rooms get cleaned daily and by next month the problem will be solved. Even if it was a structural problem DCL works on the ship non stop so something that may be an issue on one sailing will most likely not be on another.

 

[over50visits]

Bedbugs happen in the best of hotels. As with many things, DCL (and other cruise lines) are defined by the choices they make. Choosing to treat you this way speaks volumes about their level of care and caring, at least in your case.

There are many wonderful stories about DCL going the extra mile to help people out. Unfortunately, they are sometimes balanced by such stories as yours. I'm sorry this happened, things happen, but I am VERY sorry the staff did not seem to care. Its behind you, and now your first priority now is to ensure none make it into your home.

 

[linetbo]

What cabin number where you?? I would not bring any of your luggage in your home. If there were one or two there were probably many more. YIKES Im freaking out!!!
We go on the Dream the end of April I really hope they fumigate the room and really all the rooms since they spread easliy.

I dont think they will fumigate the room, but after check in I wil be looking everywhere begore unpack.

 

[tinkerone]

just curious if you know what a bedbug looks like. if not did you google to find a pic? where on the bed did you find it?
not saying it wasn't one but it would be uncommon to only find one. the crew would have/should have checked the crevisis of the mattress. if there was one chances are there would be a lot more in that room. if it were truly a bedbug and your luggage was in the room then you brought them home. also, I would be surprised that they would allow you to stay in that room, bed bugs spread quickly and they would want to take care of proper cleaning right away, you don't sit on that. they would have for sure found you some place to stay.
just check the pics and make sure your positive it was a bedbug.

 

[mmmears]

I would check online (see what bedbugs look like) because if it really was a bedbug like the CM said, I would be scared to bring anything into my house. Like a pp said, bedbugs don't travel solo -- but if you found one there could have been more hiding under the mattress.

I would not have been satisfied with DCL's response...

 

[lilpooh108]

Did you buy trip insurance? B/c if you weren't actually able to stay in the room you paid for maybe you can go through them for partial compensation.

You'll have a hard time proving it was a bed bug though, I'm sure.

 

[m&mfamily]

Thanks for everyone's feedback.

My husband took a few pictures of the bug the first night. Unfortunately, they are blurry because the bug was moving around. I can post them on here, but not sure how.

We found the bug on the underside of the pillow.

I'm not sure how much they cleaned the bed other than changing the bed linens. We did not stay in the room while they were cleaning it up.

We were very concerned about them possibly being in our luggage. When we got home on Thursday we brought it in one suitcase at a time and washed the clothes as they came in the house. My husband took care of the luggage after they were empty. We've heard horror stories about people not being able to get them out of their house!

 

[m&mfamily]

Did you buy trip insurance? B/c if you weren't actually able to stay in the room you paid for maybe you can go through them for partial compensation.

You'll have a hard time proving it was a bed bug though, I'm sure.

No, we did not buy the insurance.