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Header photograph: illustrative cruise image, not Norwegian Joy or evidence from this case.
A couple secured £2,400 in bed bug compensation with Holiday Claims Bureau (HCB) after suffering bites on Norwegian Joy. Their 12-night cruise was disrupted by the discovery of insects in their bedding, a cabin move and worries about their belongings.
The bites continued to affect them after they returned home. Medical evidence later recorded discomfort lasting several weeks and anxiety about future hotel stays for around eight months.
The clients’ names have been withheld to protect their privacy.
How the problem unfolded on board
The couple had booked their holiday through Virgin Holidays. Their cruise aboard Norwegian Joy, operated by Norwegian Cruise Line, travelled from New York to Miami in October 2023.
They shared a cabin and had spent nine nights there before finding insects crawling on the bedding. Their accounts set out how the problem developed:
23 October 2023
The first bites
The husband noticed raised bites on his arms and legs. Over the following days, they became more numerous and uncomfortable.
24 October 2023
Both passengers affected
His wife developed bites too, mainly on her arms and legs. The bites were raised, inflamed and itchy.
25 October 2023
Insects found in the bedding
The couple photographed and filmed the insects, reported the problem and were moved to another cabin.
They also captured an insect and took it to guest services. This gave them a record of what they had found in the cabin, alongside the photographs of their bites.
A cabin move, damaged clothing and a disrupted holiday
The couple described their replacement cabin as a downgrade. They were also worried about the possibility that their clothing had been affected by the infestation.
Their clothes were laundered on board, and they reported that some items were spoiled or ruined in the process. The move therefore came alongside the discomfort of the bites and concern about their belongings.
In their later medical assessments, both described how the experience had spoiled their enjoyment of the holiday. The wife wore looser clothing to help manage the discomfort while her bites remained inflamed and itchy.
Two passengers, with different recovery times
The symptoms did not end when the cruise finished. Separate medical reports recorded the course of each passenger’s injuries:
The husband’s recovery
His bites were particularly distressing for around two weeks and resolved after approximately four weeks. He returned to work despite discomfort and reported no lasting scarring.
The wife’s recovery
Her bites were particularly inflamed and itchy for around two weeks. They gradually improved and had resolved by approximately five weeks. She also managed to work despite the discomfort.
Both passengers described anxiety about staying in hotel accommodation afterwards. The reports recorded that this had resolved by around eight months after the exposure.
How Holiday Claims Bureau built the evidence for the claim
The team arranged an independent medical assessment for each passenger. The reports, dated 10 April 2025, considered their accounts, the photographs and their medical records, and assessed how long the physical and psychological effects had lasted.
The doctor considered the photographed insects consistent with bed bugs and the bite injuries consistent with the reported exposure. This supported the account of what had happened on board and documented the impact on each person.
Holiday Claims Bureau pursued the claim against Norwegian Cruise Line. The claim papers addressed the physical injuries and psychological distress, as well as the loss of enjoyment of the holiday.
£1,200 secured for each passenger
The case settled in April 2026 for £1,200 per person, giving the couple a combined settlement of £2,400.
This was the settlement agreed in this particular case. Another claim’s outcome and value depend on its own circumstances and evidence.
Keeping your own record together
Our Bed Bug Evidence Checklist and Timeline provides a place to organise booking details, photographs, reports and related expenses. It can also help you set out when symptoms appeared and how they affected you after returning home.
To learn more about having your circumstances assessed, visit our bed bug bite claims page.
