A cruiser named Tom got more than he bargained for when he returned to his cabin on a Virgin Voyages cruise, he found something that I would not like to find in my cabin.

Tom was on a cruise around the Greek Islands onboard Resilient Lady, which was sailing between Santorini and Rhodes when this unusual incident occurred.

He decided to open the balcony door a fraction to get some fresh air. Soon afterwards, he realised there was a Bat in the room! Whether it had just flown in, or was in the cabin already, it was impossible to say!

The bat was flying around the room, and after a little while, Tom managed to trap the bat under a glass.

I think that was very impressive, I’d not have tried to catch it myself and instead would have probably run out the room!

Virgin were very lucky Tom didn’t open the cabin door, and let it out into the corridor. It could have caused utter chaos if it was flying freely about the ship!

He then called “Sailor Services” (as Virgin calls its customer services team), who said they would send “pest control” to remove it.

Tom was concerned that if he let the bat out on the balcony again, it wouldn’t make it back to land as they were so far out at sea.

It’s very kind of Tom to think about the bat’s safety!

After just over an hour, some crew members came to his cabin, removed the bat – and seemed in utter disbelief that this had happened!

They didn’t offer to clean the cabin or change the sheets or bedding where the bat had been flying free.

Tom didn’t sleep well after the bat was removed, as he was uncomfortable sleeping in the dirty room.

He was aware that Bats can carry diseases and viruses, so he thought the room should have been deep-cleaned at the very least.

Bats carry more diseases than just Rabies, which if excreted and unknowingly ingested or inhailed can have potentially fatal consequences

Tom

He tried to speak to Virgins customer services but said that they had the “Worst customer service he had ever experienced.”

They did nothing about his concerns at the time, and have done nothing since. Sailor Services dismissed the whole incident, and he has been trying to reach Virgin Voyages CEO – with no success.

Tom says the incident spoilt his cruise, and it isn’t an experience he wants to relive any time soon!

Looking at the photos the bat actually looks quite cute, but I’m sure I wouldn’t think that if it was flying around my room!

Get out Tom’s Full Video on Instagram Here

How Did The Bat Get There?

It is impossible to know how the bat got onto Tom’s balcony and into his room. Maybe he had hitched a ride from the last port, or maybe he was exhausted from flying and just stopped off for a rest!

According to a United States Government website:

Exhausted bats flying far at sea both individually and in flocks have been reported to alight on ships and be transported to unintended destinations.
Bats sometimes roost in or on ships in port and may be transported as a consequence. 

United States Government website – National Library of Medicine

Maybe the bat just wanted to go on a cruise!

Do Bats Carry Viruses and Disease?

Being carriers of diseases is probably one of the most damaging stereotypes for bats.

People often talk about Bats carrying Rabies, but contrary to popular belief, not all bats have it – in fact, the majority don’t.

Reportedly, less than 1% of all bats worldwide actually have the disease. Statistically, a higher chance of individuals contracting rabies from dogs than bats. 

The Bat Conservation Trust says:

There are more than 1,400 different bat species, the second largest group of mammals by species. Taken as a group, bats are considered ‘reservoirs’ (long-term hosts) of a number of viruses but most of these are not harmful and cannot be passed to humans.

Bat Conservation Trust

Thank you to Tom for letting me share this story.

Tom shares all of his cruise adventures over on Instagram so make sure you check that out here,

Hopefully, there aren’t anymore bats in his cruising future!

_tomvoyage

Before You Go

People often ask me, can I take my cat or dog onboard the ship? Find the answer here:

Can You Take a Dog or a Cat on a Cruise?

A poor cat was smuggled onboard Ovation of the Seas in a sweatshirt! Find out what happened here:

Cat Smuggled onto Cruise Ship in Sweatshirt – Discovered by Authorities