There are many delicious treats onboard a Carnival cruise ship, and one of the most popular is the never-ending sweetness of self-serve ice cream or frozen yogurt.

Want a cone by the pool? No problem. How about a dish as a second dessert? You got it. Craft your own float with a glass of soda? Go wild. Add some ice cream to your hot chocolate? That’s my personal favorite.

The reason you can do all these fun things – and more! – with ice cream is because the machines are self-service. This lets every guest be as simple or creative as they wish, but it does lead to other issues.

One concerned guest reached out to John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador, with a potential solution to a common ice cream problem.

“We love cruising with Carnival. Just got off the Celebration this past Sunday and it was the best most spectacular vacation we’ve had,” the guest said. “I only have one question or maybe suggestion. Would it be possible if a crew member served the ice cream?”

At this time, the various Swirls ice cream stations onboard Carnival cruise ships are strictly self-serve and open until midnight (availability hours at different stations may vary).

I enjoy the perfect formation of a smooth cone, tapering as I go to ensure maximum ice cream for minimum mess as it begins to melt. I’ve had lots of practice on plenty of Carnival cruises! Not everyone is equally skilled at dishing up their own cones, however.

“I understand it’s not easy for the crew as they already have enough on their plates, but oh my god the mess these kids and adults as well make at the stations is just awful,” the guest explained. “Makes more work for the crew that have to clean. It’s so sad to see how wasteful people are with food.”

It’s true, I’ve seen my fair share of ice cream machines on the Lido deck with melting piles of soggy soft serve dripping onto the floor, with broken cones or other detritus nearby.

While Carnival crew members work diligently to clean the area, it only takes one unsteady hand to create a new mess just minutes later.

Heald has noted, however, that Carnival Cruise Line will not be changing their offering of soft serve anytime soon.

“It’s been like this for well as long as I’ve been here so almost 40 years. There are busy times of busy parts of the year when we have lots of children, and some of those children are so excited to be able to serve their own ice cream sometimes yes there is a mess,” he acknowledged. “But the crew are constantly cleaning it up.”

Of course, if guests notice an extremely messy ice cream spill, they can always alert a nearby crew member and it will be promptly attended to.

Self-Serve Ice Cream Is an Experience

Some other cruise lines do indeed have crew members staffing their ice cream stations, serving up cones or dishes to guests. This can create long lines, however, and there is less personalization available for cone size or any other variations a traveler might want to try.

Dishing up one’s own ice cream is simply part of the fun experience aboard a Fun Ship.

“I don’t want us to take away the excitement of this not just for the little kids, but the big kids like us,” Heald said.

Read Also: How Not to Overeat on a Cruise Ship – And Why It Matters

There is a fair bit of nostalgia for guests to dish up their own soft serve cone of vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, or a combo twist, no matter what their age.

Whether it’s remembering a long-ago summer job or just the sweet taste of a favorite youthful treat, there’s something special about crafting your own cone on a cruise ship.

Carnival Cruise Line’s upcoming Excel-class ships – which are currently under construction at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany – will be more innovative than ever before. But sometimes, progress means saying goodbye to previously loved amenities to make room for bigger and better.

One key change that is coming to the next two Excel-class ships – named Carnival Festivale and Carnival Tropicale – is that the Family Harbor lounge and staterooms will no longer be available.

Currently, this area is featured onboard the Vista-class ships (Carnival Vista, Carnival Panorama, and Carnival Horizon) and the first three Excel-class vessels (Carnival Celebration, Mardi Gras, and Carnival Jubilee).

The lounge in particular is well-liked because it provides a more kid-friendly atmosphere for families – featuring an exclusive breakfast spot and family-centric activities like video games, movies to watch, and board games.

However, this option will be traded in for more connecting staterooms that can better accommodate vacationing families.

“Carnival sails more families than any other cruise line, welcoming one million children per year; and to better serve those families, Carnival Festivale will feature 1,000 interconnecting rooms, nearly 70% more than on the first three Excel ships,” Carnival President Christine Duffy revealed during a recent press event.

“The expansion of the interconnecting rooms is in lieu of the Family Harbor staterooms on the existing Excel ships,” she continued.

Her statements were focused on Carnival Festivale, likely because this ship will debut first in spring of 2027. However, this update also applies to Carnival Tropicale, which will enter service a year later in the spring of 2028.

Connecting cabins are often ideal for families because they offer a bit more space, privacy, and the convenience of an extra bathroom – and usually at a more affordable price. They are also a good option for parents who would like their own room while still staying close to their kids.

This also helps families adhere to Carnival’s policy regarding kids staying alone in staterooms, which states that “guests 14 years of age or younger must be booked with a relative or guardian (25 years of age or older) in the same cabin or a connecting cabin.”

Families Already Miss the Harbor Lounge

While families can still take advantage of the Harbour Lounge on other Carnival cruise ships, many were sad to see that it won’t be onboard the new-builds.

“Going to miss the Family Harbor lounge on the newer ships,” one cruiser posted on Reddit. “I know the newer ships will have more connected rooms, which is great, but I am still sad to see the FH concept being abandoned.”

As many in the comments section agreed, the Harbor Lounge offered unparalleled convenience – with some expressing appreciation for the top notch customer service from the crew members who work there.

“Waking up early with the kids and only have to walk down the hall to get breakfast was amazing. They also have an espresso machine where I can make all sorts of coffees that are much better than what they have at the buffet upstairs,” the cruise fan continued.

“Anytime we didn’t know what to do on the ship, we would swing by there and the kids would be entertained. We would play a board game or they could watch a movie. There were snacks and desserts,” she added.

Read Also: Carnival Cruise Line Cabins and Suites: What Are the Options?

But while it’s valid to feel disappointment when changes are made, Carnival really is trying to enhance the experience for families through these strategic decisions.

While many details about the new ships are still forthcoming, Carnival did already announce that the new additions will revamp all of the youth spaces onboard.

“Carnival Festivale will also introduce a dedicated space for Carnival’s Turtles program which is for children six months to two years, and more experiences for them on the open decks. Overall spaces for Carnival’s youth programs will also be enhanced to support additional programming,” Duffy’s announcement said.

Additionally, the BOLT Ultimate Sea Coaster that can be found on the existing Excel-class vessels will be replaced by a new offering, called Sunsation Point, that will feature an expanded water park and other outdoor family-friendly fun that spans across three decks.

Whether it’s an outstanding cruise vacation or a career dedicated to providing those outstanding cruise vacations, all good things must eventually end. For one popular Carnival cruise director, that end has come after nine years aboard various Fun Ships.

Jake Miller has announced his retirement from Carnival Cruise Line with an emotional post on social media to his more than 8,000 followers, sharing his thanks to everyone who has been part of his journey.

“After 9 unforgettable years, it’s time to say goodbye to a chapter that changed my life forever,” Miller said. “Leaving Carnival is one of the most emotional things I’ve ever done—not because it’s the end, but because of everything the journey has meant to me.”

Miller notes that he’s had uncountable adventures along the way, both at ports of call and in sharing the time with various team members during his years with the cruise line.

Both onboard and shoreside team members have been part of Miller’s years with Carnival Cruise Line, from first beginning as an intern to becoming an official cruise director in 2021.

“It was the people I met along the way who made it truly special. Thank you to all of the incredible team members who I had the privilege to work with—your talent, heart, and friendship made every day something I looked forward to,” Miller said.

Read Also: Carnival Cruise Director Schedule for 2025-2026 – Updated!

On every sailing, it was also the guests who made Miller’s career with Carnival so enjoyable and memorable.

“But the best part? Getting to create joy for millions of guests. Being a part of your vacations and celebrations was an honor I never took for granted. It kept me going and gave me purpose,” he explained.

Miller was the face of fun for guests across the Carnival fleet, including aboard Carnival Magic, Carnival Legend, Carnival Glory, Carnival Spirit, Carnival Sunrise, and more.

His service to the cruise line was also marked with exceptional charitable service. In February 2024, Miller was awarded the St. Jude Champion award at the cruise line’s Entertainment Leadership Conference, in part for his shipboard fundraising efforts in 2024 that raised more than $150,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Miller has not shared what his next plans may be, other than he’s likely remaining on dry land for the time being. He signed off with his signature catch phrase, one that has brought smiles to countless guests for the past nine years.

“Here’s to new beginnings, endless gratitude, and a heart full of memories. Here’s to land life! And for the very last time… Jake It Easy.”

How Long Is the Career of a Cruise Director?

It may seem as though nine years is a short career for a Carnival cruise director, but in fact, the high intensity demands of cruise ship life mean many careers are far shorter than land-based jobs.

Some move on to shoreside jobs, such as company promotions to Fleet Cruise Director, while others, such as Chris “The Flying Scotsman” Williams, retire for family considerations or other opportunities.

Another of Carnival’s most popular cruise directors, Kyndall Fire, offered an insight into the career as she reflected on Miller’s retirement.

“Jake and I started in the Summer of 2016 as a part of the Inaugural Internship at Sea Program. There were 13 of us selected out of thousands of applicants, and up until today we were the only 2 left from that first class,” she noted.

Carnival cruise directors come from many walks of life and set sail all over the world, bringing great fun to millions of passengers every year. Even with a relatively short career, that impact can never be overstated.

Loyalty can create big benefits for cruise travelers, with cruise line loyalty programs offering highly coveted perks for their most frequent guests.

It is important to remember, however, that some of those most desirable benefits cannot typically be shared.

Carnival Cruise Line has one of the most desirable loyalty benefits with its priority boarding perk. This exclusive opportunity is available only to guests who have reached the Platinum or Diamond levels of the Very Important Fun Person (VIFP) program.

These guests are able to bypass what can be long lines in the cruise terminal and check in more quickly, getting right on the ship to start the fun of their cruise vacation as soon as possible.

This very popular benefit, however, cannot be shared with others – even in the same travel party – as one upcoming Carnival guest has learned.

The guest reached out to John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador, hoping to find a solution.

“I will be cruising on the Mardi Gras in August with a large family group. We are all Platinum or Diamond except except for my parents,” the guest explained. “For them this will be their first cruise. I am trying to figure out a way for them to board with the rest of us.”

Read Also: Which Cruise Lines Match Loyalty Programs?

The guest does have legitimate concerns and is simply hoping that Heald may be able to offer a solution or even an exception to policies.

“[My parents] do not use phones or technology for anything and I am afraid they would not do well navigating the boarding process alone. Is this something you could help me with or suggest any other options for how to arrange this?” they asked.

The solution Heald offers, however, is not one the guest may appreciate.

“We have to be very strict with the priority line, which I’m sure you can understand because if we allowed everybody to bring guests through the line, it would be a line that would be never ending,” he explained.

“What you can do is in this particular case, please wait for them to board. As priority guests you can board at the later time with them and help them and give them all the comfort they need to get on the ship. I hope that helps a little bit, probably not what you wanted, but I’m afraid this is the only way.”

Other Options May Not Be Possible

Other than the loyalty perk, there are two other ways guests can enjoy priority embarkation. Purchasing the Faster to the Fun add-on package gives travelers the same perk, as does booking a suite stateroom.

These options, however, do not appeal to this guest and their traveling party, and may not even be possible.

“Faster to the Fun is not available and they don’t want to move to a suite away from the rest of the group,” the guest continued.

Because this guest’s sailing is at least three months away, it is possible that more reservations for Faster to the Fun might be made available as the sailing date approaches.

This is not guaranteed, however, as the number of packages depends on the size of the ship, how many loyalty guests are onboard, and how fully booked the sailing may be. With a summer cruise, it is possible that Faster to the Fun may already be fully sold out.

While the loyalty benefits can be exciting to take advantage of, guests need to remember that such benefits are never guaranteed.

Carnival Cruise Line regularly removes the priority embarkation perk from longer Carnival Journeys sailings that have so many high-level loyalty guests aboard that the perk becomes meaningless.

This problem has been growing in recent years, and it is possible that the perk may be redefined or removed entirely as the cruise line updates its loyalty program. Such updates have been announced as forthcoming this summer, with full implementation of the new program likely in early 2026.

How could the priority embarkation perk be adjusted so it is more readily available to those guests who have earned it? It might only apply to the very top tier of the loyalty program.

Another option could be making the perk a one-time benefit rather than on every cruise. There is precedent for this, as another benefit is a one-time cabin upgrade for Diamond level guests, as well as a one-time complimentary specialty dining reservation, also for Diamond level guests.

In the meantime, guests do not absolutely NEED to use every benefit they have earned, and instead, could simply embark a couple of hours later to keep their travel party together.

It’s been a rather tumultuous month for the cruise industry – and the cruise lines are proving that they won’t tolerate breaches to their code of conduct, and especially not acts of violence.

Multiple cruise guests were arrested in April 2025 alone between Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line for acts of violence. For example, one guest of Liberty of the Seas was taken into custody after striking another passenger in the face in one of the elevators.

Just a couple days ago on April 26, 2025, a large brawl broke out in the Galveston Cruise Port between Carnival passengers – which ultimately led 24 people to be placed on Carnival’s Do Not Sail list.

These recent events have sparked curiosity among members of the cruise community who want to know if that ban could extend to other cruise lines for the safety of guests who might run into past offenders while sailing with other brands.

“Do banned guests from RCCL get banned from other cruise lines as well? Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Disney, and MSC should share info on guests that get banned for particularly egregious misbehavior so they can’t cruise again. I’m not talking about puking in the hot tub–but violent assaults, sexual harassment, etc…,” one cruise fan wrote on Reddit.

“I’m actually starting to wonder if I should even let my responsible kids walk around the ship without an adult after reading recent news stories,” they continued.

As of now, the cruise lines do not share data about banned passengers amongst themselves – at least not publicly. Carnival Cruise Line even said as much in a statement to Cruise Hive following the recent Galveston brawl.

“We will not tolerate such behavior, and 24 people have been placed on our Do Not Sail list. They can go on another cruise line if they want but are never welcome back with us,” the statement read, in part.

The only exception to this is that guests who are banned by a bigger parent company are usually also banned from sister brands – although this may be determined on a case by case basis.

For example, guests who are banned from Royal Caribbean could also be automatically prohibited from sailing with Celebrity Cruises, which is owned and operated by Royal Caribbean Group.

The same applies to Carnival Cruise Line – which is the name brand for the parent company that also owns Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, and P&O Cruises.

There are also rare occasions where cruisers who have been convicted of certain crimes may be denied boarding, which is a situation where a ban could transcend different companies, but this likely wouldn’t be connected to another specific incident that landed a person on a Do Not Sail list with one cruise line.

Cruise Lines Do Not Tolerate Bad Behavior 

Once someone makes it onto a Do Not Sail list, their cruising career with that particular brand is over. The ban is almost always for life.

On rare instances, cruisers can appeal their ban if the decision was made due to a misunderstanding or the circumstances have been resolved in an acceptable way – but most of the time the decision is final.

All of the mainstream cruise lines – including Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line – enforce strict codes of conduct that ensure the safety of all guests and crew members.

In Royal Caribbean’s case, the policy clearly states that any guest who poses a threat will be met with a variety of consequences – including being detained in their stateroom or a holding cell, early removal from the voyage, and receiving a “denial of boarding on any future Royal Caribbean Group cruise vacation.”

Loyalty benefits may also be suspended temporarily or permanently, and guests could also receive a demotion from their current tier status in the Crown and Anchor Society depending on the circumstances.

As another example, Carnival has no problem levying these same consequences – but also takes things a step further by issuing a $500 fine to cruisers who violate their code of conduct.

“Consistent with our commitment to safety, disruptive behavior is not tolerated and any guest whose conduct affects the comfort, enjoyment, safety or well-being of other guests or crew will be disembarked at their own expense and banned from sailing on Carnival in the future,” Carnival’s policy states.

“All guests must acknowledge and commit to our code of conduct during the check-in process, and any violation may result in a fine of $500, possible stateroom confinement and removal from the ship,” it continues.

Read Also: Are Cruises Safe? What You Really Need to Know

With this no tolerance stance in place across brands, rest assured that you will not be in danger if you encounter a past offender while sailing with another cruise line. 

Most likely, that person will have learned their lesson and will be keeping their head down to avoid another lifetime ban – so you likely wouldn’t even know it if you crossed paths.

Additionally, cruise ships are under constant surveillance and have their own security teams onboard to address any possible issues that might arise.