Woman on cruise for her 70th birthday infested with bed bugs: “They were literally crawling all over me”

The family was eligible for a $500 credit toward a future cruise or a $250 refund.

An Australian woman celebrating her 70th birthday on a cruise ship was badly infested with bed bugs, which left many marks on her. Monica Robertson said she believed Pacific Encounter with P&O Cruises would be the ideal way to celebrate her mother’s 70th birthday, according to a report in the New York PostHowever, when they entered their cabin on the cruise ship, they sensed there was a problem.

“In the bathroom, one was literally crawling on me. In bed, I could feel things and I pulled back the sheets and there we saw a whole bunch of bugs in the bed with us. (It was) a very, very intense itching, almost a burning sensation. Very hot, then blisters formed. They eventually got to be the size of a 50 cent coin,” she said.

Ms Robertson said things got worse from that moment on. “There was a long black dress hanging in my walk-in closet with about six or seven small bugs on it. I called the stewards who took the samples. At that point we called the team leader again and asked what the result was of the first bug taken and he refused to answer,” she continued.

The woman then asked the cruise ship staff for a refund, but her request was denied. “We went back and asked if we could get the fee waived, we were bitten on your ship. The answer was no, they will not waive it,” she told the outlet.

The little bugs forced the family to throw away several items of clothing they had brought with them on holiday. Mrs Robertson continued: “We left everything on the lawn. I had to go through everything and decide what we could keep and what had to be thrown away. Most of the items couldn’t be washed.”

However, P&O Cruises told Ms Robertson that there was no evidence of bed bugs during the cleaning and room search. She denied this, saying she “obviously gave them bed bugs to look at throughout her stay”.

P&O Cruises told a local newspaper that its ships have “strict and robust health protocols” in place. The family was given the choice of a $500 credit toward a future cruise or a $250 refund from the cruise line. “The comfort, health and safety of our guests is of paramount importance to us. Just like hotels, we have implemented rigorous cleaning procedures to address and resolve any issues that arise,” a company spokesperson said.