Fun is fun, but don’t let yours spoil someone else’s good times, Carnival Cruise Line is warning spring breakers.
“You will be sailing with us during Spring Break, which is traditionally a period of high occupancy,” a letter being sent to passengers says. “As part of our commitment to create the best environment to provide a fun and memorable vacation for all, we would like to remind you of our Safety First! guidelines, as we CHOOSE FUN TOGETHER.”
It follows a video posted by Carnival’s President Christine Duffy that the line is taking serious steps to keep everyone safe and if you try to get away with the kind of bad behavior that goes viral on social media, you’d better think again.
“We’ve all seen the news coverage and social media posts of people behaving badly,” she said in a video posted on YouTube. “It’s happening in stores, restaurants, at sporting events and schools, on airplanes, in theme parks and, yes, on cruise ships, too.”
Several fights on Carnival ships have gone viral on social media, and to head them off, Carnival has added security staff and is setting 1 a.m. curfews for guests under 18. Cruise tickets now specifically warn that disruptive passengers could be fined $500, forced to reimburse expenses, made to disembark early and banned from future cruises.
Carnival has also put up new signs in terminals and on ships reminding passengers of the rules, and new videos are being shown on stateroom televisions feature former basketball superstar Shaquille O’Neal, who is Carnival’s designated Chief Fun Officer.
The Safety First guidelines include rules about what cannot be brought onboard (hard liquor, beer, any form of cannabis or other drugs); how to listen to music or watch videos (with earphones) and to be courteous and not stake out loungers on the pool deck before you plan to use them.
Duffy specifically mentioned that marijuana is prohibited on board, even though many states and Canada have legalized cannabis. She says those who are using medical marijuana must seek out alternative therapies for the cruise. Smoking and vaping are prohibited everywhere except in designated outdoor deck areas. Carnival is enlisting drug-sniffing dogs to check out luggage, both at home ports and destinations.
And don’t crank up the volume. “This ship is a shared space,” fleet cruise director Mike Pack says in one of the videos. “So blaring music from your balcony, loud noises in the hall, hogging the chairs by the pool and crowding the elevators are not the way to show respect.”
Carnival spokesman Matt Lupoli notes the cruise line has been trying to reiterate its expectations for guests over the last six months, and with peak season coming up, “It does seem like Spring Break is a good time to remind guests.”
Wallace Immen, The Cruisington Times
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