Key Aspects:
- A recent Carnival guest is upset that the free playing cards they requested had clipped corners instead of being a brand new deck.
- Altering cards is not a cutback as the guest claims, but is a common practice to discourage cheating when casinos discard used decks.
- Carnival guests can ask for a free pack of used cards from the ship’s casino, but supplies are limited and the giveaway is not guaranteed.
It can be fun to get freebies on a cruise, whether it’s a small souvenir or something more coveted, like Carnival Cruise Line’s famous ship-on-a-stick. But have there been cutbacks on these giveaways?
One recent Carnival guest reached out to John Heald, the cruise line’s brand ambassador, about playing cards that might not be so fun to play with.
“Can I mention the cutback of not giving everyone free playing cards as Carnival used to!” the guest began.
“We were on the Greenland cruise on Pride. We asked at the front desk. They told us to go to the casino. We got a pack from the casino but they cut the corners cut off. We were forced to have to play with these. Carnival needs to do better.”
The guest does not specify which Greenland cruise they were aboard on Carnival Pride, but the ship does make these seasonal sailings from her Baltimore homeport. The most recent Greenland departure was August 17, 2025.
But as for the matter of the playing cards, Heald does confirm that Carnival used to provide cards when asked.
“Many years ago we did have playing cards available from the Guest Services or as they were known back then, The Pursers Office,” he said.
Because ship operations have changed, if guests would like to request free playing cards, they must do so from the onboard casino, not the Guest Services desk.
“Now if they can our friendly casino hosts will provide you with cards,” he noted.
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To be clear, Carnival Cruise Line has never “[given] everyone free playing cards” as the guest claims. The cards were not left in staterooms or just available for the taking, but could be requested.
At times, even now, packs of cards might also be given out as prizes for trivia contests or other games. Medallions, pens, or even free drinks might be other prizes, depending on the Fun Squad’s discretion.
Why Are Free Cards Clipped?
As for the corners of free cards being cut off, this is a common precaution taken for used casino cards. By trimming the cards in some way, it is easy to identify which cards are not unofficial casino cards.
In this way, used cards cannot be illegally slipped into active decks.
This tactic is not only used on cruise ships, but is common for land-based casinos as well. Sometimes, casino-used decks are sold as souvenirs or may be given away, just as they could be on Carnival ships.
Casinos replace their decks of cards regularly to ensure smooth and fast dealing. Older cards can become bent, torn, or sticky from frequent handling, and therefore must be replaced.
Different casinos might clip the used cards’ corners, punch a hole in the corner or center of the card, or cut a notch on cards that will no longer be legally used for official gambling.
That the Carnival guest claimed they were “forced” to play with the clipped cards is an eye-rolling accusation.
New decks of cards are sometimes for sale for just a few dollars in the Fun Shops, though they may have different designs so they are easily distinguishable from casino decks. Guests could also bring their own cards from home, no clipping necessary.
