Carnival guests looking to listen to their music will need to settle for headphones – at least for the foreseeable future. This is because the popular cruise brand has quietly banned all types of speakers and radios for safety reasons.
The primary reason cited by the cruise line is that personal speakers brought onboard by guests can make it hard for both passengers and crew members to hear public announcements, which can be particularly dangerous in an emergency situation.
“All speakers (including Bluetooth, portable, and wireless types) and radios are prohibited and will be held and returned at the end of the cruise. For safety reasons, public announcements must be heard by all guests and crew,” reads the “Prohibited Items Policies” section on Carnival’s website.
“Consequently, guests must use earphones when listening to music or watching shows/movies on personal devices,” the website continues.
Carnival’s Brand Ambassador also confirmed the news on his public Facebook page after receiving inquiries from his followers.
“I’m afraid they are not allowed on board. Bluetooth speakers will be collected and returned at the end of the cruise as they are not allowed anywhere on the ship,” Head wrote, in part.
It’s also unclear when the policy change officially took effect – as it didn’t come with a big announcement from the cruise line.
As recently as October 2, 2024, Bluetooth speakers were not included on Carnival’s Prohibited items list. But as of the time of publication, “boom boxes, radios and all types of speakers (including Bluetooth, portable and wireless)” can be found toward the middle of the banned list.
Carnival Fans React to the New Ban
Unsurprisingly, not everyone is pleased with the new rules – seeing the new policy as making the “Fun Ships” a lot less fun. Those who were upset at the new rule were quick to vent out their frustration on social media.
“It sucks. People bring them to the beach also. Annoying,” one cruiser wrote.
“Very frustrating that once again, the bad apples have ruined it for the rule followers. I’ve brought my Bluetooth speaker on every cruise with me and played music in our room while getting ready. Now we can’t even do that,” a previous guest wrote directly to Heald.
Perhaps adding fuel to the fire, it seems the confiscation of these devices has already begun.
“They confiscated over 100 from peoples checked luggage & hard telling how many from carry ons the other day. Not permitted at all,” a current passenger shared on November 18, 2024.
Read Also: 15 Mistakes to Avoid on a Carnival Cruise
At the same time, many suspected that the reason for the ban had more to do with disrespectful passengers than with safety concerns – and some whose vacations had been interrupted by noisy speakers in the past welcomed the change.
“It’s a well earned rule change…The problem is people being inconsiderate of others, walking around blaring their speakers,” said one former guest, who was in the apparent minority that appreciated the rule change.
Indeed, complaints about noise and lack of common courtesy from others seem to be constantly coming up among Carnival passengers.
Additionally, the family-friendly cruise line also has to contend with guests whose music and content choices might be too explicit for public consumption.
Heald even seemed to allude to this reason in the comments on his Facebook page: “We want people to please use headphones and also, it is important that if people were using Bluetooth speakers to play their own music, that music may not be appropriate.”
Carnival may also be hoping to encourage guests to take advantage of the cruise line-approved and thoughtfully curated entertainment options already onboard – including DJ jam sessions and performances from live musicians.
