My wife and I recently sailed on MSC Cruises aboard the ship MSC Armonia from 19 to 25 April. After a few nights in our cabin, we began waking up with multiple bite marks, which raised concerns about possible bed bugs.
We reported the issue onboard and were moved to a different cabin as a precaution. However, staff avoided clearly confirming whether bed bugs were involved. Even the onboard medical staff were reluctant to give a direct diagnosis, only stating that the bites were not caused by mosquitoes or a rash. In their later written response, MSC acknowledged that the doctor had been “ambiguous” in the assessment.
For the rest of the cruise, we felt uncomfortable and concerned about our luggage and belongings, worrying about potentially bringing pests home. We were not given clear guidance at the time, which added to the stress of the situation.
After the cruise, we submitted a formal complaint. MSC’s response stated that laundry services were available onboard as a goodwill gesture, but this was never clearly offered to us during the voyage. We would have used it if we had known. Instead, we had to take our own precautions after returning home, including additional cleaning and laundry costs to mitigate risk.
MSC has now offered £1,530 in future cruise credit as their final compensation. However, this can only be used toward another booking with them and does not cover our out-of-pocket expenses. While the amount is not insignificant, it requires us to spend more money with the same cruise line after a negative experience that affected our trust.
I am now unsure how to proceed. I am trying to understand whether future cruise credit is standard in situations like this, or whether it is reasonable to escalate further. I am based in Ireland and would appreciate insight from others who have faced similar cruise or hotel issues.
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