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Sometimes a cruise line will have a rule in place for reasons passengers may not think about. Sometimes it’s as small as a particular ocean view or balcony rooms have to close their curtains at night because their cabin lights can affect the view over the bridge.
No cruise line wants to set rules about mobility scooters, but both Carnival and Royal Caribbean only allow scooters that fit inside cabins. This does not mean dealing with people with mobility issues, but rather it is a health and safety issue for other passengers.
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What may seem illogical to passengers often makes perfect sense when you fully understand the problem. For example, cruise lines do not allow passengers to use external toilet paper. It’s not because they have nothing against soft toilet paper, but it can clog the plumbing and cause disastrous consequences for many cabins.
The toilet paper provided is designed to fail in the cruise ship’s plumbing system. Not only is it a rule to be bossy, it is a key measure designed to keep your plumbing system working.
Carnival brand ambassador John Heald recently responded to an angry email explaining why the seemingly stupid rule, at least to the email writer, actually matters.
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The carnival has a policy regarding bird feeding
Heald often shares messages sent to him as his answer may help the more than half a million carnival passengers who visit his page. He recently shared an email sent to him.
On our Luminosa cruise around Alaska, while on our personal balcony, my husband and I would toss some leftover bread from room service into the air for the seagulls to eat. We were in Ketchikan. Some busy people informed us. We had someone from security knock on our door and insult us by telling us like we were kids in school. Seagulls are God’s creatures. I love them, they don’t cause any disturbance (and their screams make you feel as if you’re really on the high seas). Did this happen, John Heald?
SMH, if you don’t know means “shake my head”, and the letter writer clearly seems annoyed at being told not to feed the birds from his balcony. But Heald clarified that the crew was not seeking to embarrass the couple.
“Thank you, I understand that, but I’m sure the security team member didn’t ‘insult’ you but was doing his job to ask you not to feed the birds. I know the wonderful naturalist on board will be making announcements not to feed the birds. When dozens of birds are attracted to the ship “They can make a big mess, dropping large amounts of feces all over the vessel.”
Carnival has a no feeding rule for this very good reason as well as others.
“Our housekeeping department thanks you for not feeding them,” Heald wrote. “There are of course strict environmental reasons as well. Throwing anything into the sea is prohibited, and this includes feeding them.”
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Carnival passengers speak on Held’s behalf
Many of the posters on Heald’s page are of the carnival crew.
“I’m not sure why the seagulls feeding the guests felt insulted that security asked them to park in the privacy of their cabin instead of being told to do so via a ship-wide announcement with their details,” Pam DeMarco posted.
Some posters were quite harsh in their responses.
“If you’re insulted by someone telling you you’re not allowed to do that, that’s on you, not on them. They make announcements and they’re well publicized… nothing exaggerated and that includes information in the air. If you can’t follow the rules, then “Maybe she needs to be treated like a child,” Teresa Meredith Campbell added.
Many passengers also spoke in favor of not allowing passengers to feed the seagulls.
“With regard to seagulls, the policy of prohibiting guests from feeding them extends to most outdoor activities. I have seen several birds literally attacking food plates in parks because some started feeding them leftovers. It is unsafe and unsanitary,” he wrote. Randy Schoengruber.
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