Sometimes a cruise line has a rule that exists for reasons that passengers may not consider. Sometimes it's something small, like a certain ocean view or balcony rooms that have to close the curtains at night because the cabin lights can affect visibility on the bridge.
No cruise line wants to make rules about mobility scooters, but both Carnival and Royal Caribbean only allow scooters that fit inside cabins. This shouldn't be a bad thing for people with mobility issues, it's a health and safety issue for other passengers.
Related: Carnival Cruise Line Seeks Big Changes in Passenger Cabin
What might seem illogical to passengers often makes a lot of sense when the problem is fully understood. Cruise lines, for example, do not allow passengers to use outside toilet paper. This is not because they have anything against softer toilet paper, but it can clog your pipes and have disastrous consequences in many cabins.
The toilet paper provided is designed to break down in a cruise ship's plumbing system. It's not a rule just to be bossy, it's a key measure designed to keep your plumbing system running.
Carnival brand ambassador John Heald recently responded to an angry email explaining why a rule that seemed silly, at least to the email's author, is actually very important.
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Carnival has a policy on feeding birds
Heald often shares messages sent to him where his response could help the more than half a million Carnival passengers who visit his page. She recently shared an email that was sent to her.
On our Alaska cruise on the Luminosa, while on our personal balcony, my husband and I were tossing some leftover room service bread into the air for the seagulls to eat. We were in Ketchikan. Some busybody reported us. Someone from security knocked on our door and humiliated us by calling us like we were school children. Seagulls are creatures of God. I like them, they don't cause any discomfort (and their screams make you feel like you're really on the high seas. SMH this happened John Heald.
SMH, if you don't know, means “shake your head,” and the letter writer clearly seems offended at being told not to feed the birds from his balcony. Heald, however, explained that the team was not looking to embarrass the couple.
“Thank you and I understand, but I'm sure the security team member wasn't 'humiliating' you but was doing their job to politely ask you not to feed the birds. I know our wonderful naturalist on board will make announcements so you don't feed them.” feed the birds “When you have dozens of birds attracted to the boat, they can make a huge mess by dropping huge amounts of droppings all over the boat,” he shared.
Carnival has a no-feed rule for that very valid reason, as well as others.
“Our housekeeping department thanks you for not feeding them,” Heald wrote. “Of course, there are also strict environmental reasons. It is forbidden to throw anything overboard and that includes feeding them.”
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Carnival passengers speak for Heald
Many of the posters on Heald's page represented the Carnival team.
“I'm not sure why guests feeding the seagulls felt humiliated because security asked them to stop in the privacy of their cabin instead of notifying them via a ship-wide announcement with their details,” he posted Pam DeMarco.
Some posters were very harsh in their responses.
“If you humiliated yourself because someone told you you're not allowed to do that, that's on you, not them. They make announcements and it's well publicized… nothing over the top and that includes on-air information. If you can't follow the rules, then maybe they need to be treated like children,” added Teresa Meredith Campbell.
Many passengers also spoke out in favor of not allowing passengers to feed the seagulls.
“When it comes to seagulls, the policy of prohibiting guests from feeding them extends to most outdoor activities. I have seen many birds literally attacking plates of food at amusement parks because some began feeding them scraps “It is unsafe and unsanitary,” wrote Randy Schweingrouber.
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