Carnival
Cruise Line is warning passengers about a viral social media trend that the
company says has no place on its ships.
Recently, videos
circulating on social media have shown travelers dragging their cabin
mattresses out onto their private balconies to sleep under the stars. While it
might look cozy in a TikTok clip, Carnival says the trend is unsafe and against
the rules.
Carnival brand
ambassador John Heald recently addressed the trend in a Facebook
post, calling the behavior “absolutely bonkers” and reminding guests that
moving bedding or furniture onto a balcony is not allowed.
Heald noted that the
viral
clip that’s currently making the rounds wasn’t actually filmed on a
Carnival ship, but the cruise line still wanted to speak up before the trend
spreads further among its own passengers.
Hauling mattresses
outside can create several safety problems, including the potential to block
emergency exit routes in a cabin. It also creates trip hazards and increases
the risk of someone falling or getting hurt on the balcony.
It also creates
extra work for crew members and possibly an added expense for the cruise line,
since bedding that’s left outside overnight can get damp from ocean air, salt
spray and humidity, meaning housekeeping staff may have to deep-clean it or
even replace it.
Heald joked that
anyone caught moving their mattress outside might end up spending the rest of
their cruise working as a stateroom attendant. In reality, the consequences are
a bit more straightforward. Passengers who violate the ship’s code of conduct
could receive a warning or face a fine of up to $500.
According to Parade’s
report, such social media trends have led to some unusual cruise behavior in
recent years with “bedroom relocation” trends continuing to crop up. Some
travelers have tried sleeping on balconies during frigid Antarctica
expeditions, while others have moved entire beds (frames included) out onto Royal
Caribbean decks.
For those who
really want to enjoy the sea breeze while they sleep, Carnival says there’s a
much simpler option.
Guests are
allowed to leave their balcony doors open at virtually any time to let in fresh
air. However, doing so typically causes the cabin’s air conditioning to shut
off automatically.
There’s also
another thing cruisers may want to consider. Ships often dock very close to one
another in port, which means that your peaceful balcony view could quickly turn
into an awkward situation when you wake up facing passengers on the neighboring
vessel the next morning.
Carnival’s instructions
are simple: Enjoy the ocean air if you’d like, but keep the mattress inside your
stateroom where it belongs.
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