Princess Cruise Lines slapped with bedbug lawsuit alleging rampant infestation
Plaintiffs seeking a jury trial and at least $75,000 in damages
A new lawsuit accuses Princess Cruise Lines of overlooking a bedbug infestation, causing a Netflix actress and her husband to be “massacred by bed bugs” during a 2018 trip.
When actress Connie Flores, who played “arguing woman” in “Marriage Story,” and her husband, Alvin Flores, boarded the Emerald Princess cruise ship in November 2018, they discovered their room was “infested with hundreds of bed bugs.” They are now seeking a jury trial and at least $75,000 in damages, court papers show.
Connie Marie Flores attends the Premiere of Netflix's "Marriage Story" at DGA Theater on Nov. 5, 2019, in Los Angeles, California. (Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images)
THE BEST TIME TO BOOK A CRUISE IS NOW, HERE’S WHY
“The bed bugs latched onto the Plaintiffs while they slept and sucked their blood until they were gorged,” states the 13-page lawsuit, which was filed late last year in California federal court. They described suffering “severe skin rash, painful bed bug bites” and resulting injuries throughout their entire bodies, according to the document. Their clothes and property were also damaged as a result.
FILE: The Princess Cruise Line ship Emerald Princess docked at the Port of Los Angeles (Photo by Scott Varley/MediaNews Group/Daily Breeze via Getty Images)
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
“The sheer number of bites that the plaintiffs demonstrated is an indication that there was a severe bed bug infestation in their Stateroom about the vessel,” the court papers further state. “[They] sought medical treatment immediately following the incident… [and] were diagnosed with bed bug bites.”
Images of alleged bedbug attack (Courtesy: Brian Virag / My Bed Bug Lawyer Inc)
A spokesperson for Princess told FOX Business in a statement the company was sorry to learn of the Flores' troubles, but ship employees never found any traces of bed bugs.
"Princess Cruises is committed to following and often exceeds stringent sanitation and health guidelines. Given that this is an active lawsuit, we are limited in what information we can share right now, however it is worth noting, our room attendants are highly trained to identify bed bugs and ALL staterooms are thoroughly inspected each month as a preventative measure," according to the statement. "Following the guests’ complaint onboard, the ship conducted a thorough investigation and no evidence of bed bugs were found."
Spokespersons for the cruise line, which is headquartered in Los Angeles County, California, did not immediately respond to FOX Business’ multiple requests for comment.
WATCH: CARNIVAL CRUISE SHIPS COLLIDE AT COZUMEL
The plaintiffs notified the ship’s medical staff and workers and requested to be moved, but they refused, delayed the couple’s requests “and ridiculed Plaintiffs and their injuries,” according to the suit.
Ship officials were “fully aware” of the existence of bedbugs but failed to do anything about it, according to the suit, which further alleges they “concealed” the rampant infestation.
ROYAL CARIBBEAN SUED BY FAMILY OF TODDLER WHO FELL TO HER DEATH
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CCL | CARNIVAL CORP. | 14.12 | -0.47 | -3.25% |
Court papers state: “Defendant’s conduct… was so extreme and outrageous as to go beyond all bounds of decency.”
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS
This report was updated to include a statement from Princess Cruise Lines.