Cruise ships are filled with food, from all-you-can-eat buffets to classic dining rooms to specialty restaurants to ice cream, pizza, burgers, and more.
But what about when passengers want a little something in their stateroom? Can they bring their favorite snacks aboard?
One Carnival Cruise Line guest has reached out to the line’s official Brand Ambassador, John Heald, with less-than-polite demands about snacks, their availability onboard, and false information.
“I know Carnival needs to nickel and dime us but there should be free snacks at every bar counter,” the guest asked. “What snacks are we allowed to bring? I cannot find [an] approved list!”
It’s true that there is no “approved list” of snacks cruise travelers may bring onboard. To have such a list is impractical, as it would potentially include hundreds, if not thousands, of different items.
Furthermore, because Carnival cruise ships sail from homeports all over the world, regional snacks would add even more to such a list.
“Sometimes my hubby and me will want something to snack on and won’t want to leave the room. We usually bring lots of plastic tubes of Lays chips, Oreo Cakesters, Hostess snacks and Zingers,” the guest explained. “Now I am told that these are all banned since covid. Can you tell us what is allowed? If not why not!”
Despite the guest’s less-than-friendly inquiry, Heald did respond with confirmation that guests can bring their own snacks if they wish.
“You can indeed bring all of those with you,” Heald said. “Now I say that having not a sodding a clue what some of them are and will have to ask Uncle Google for his help with a Zinger and a Hostess. But the answer is if they are in factory sealed bags or tubes or packages they are allowed.”
The key is “factory sealed” – no open items or homemade treats are permitted onboard, including from ports of call. This includes any treats guests may want to bring for crew members, who cannot accept homemade items.
To be clear, no snacks have been “banned since covid.” Guests have always been able to bring their favorite treats onboard (though I prefer Little Debbies rather than Hostess) provided they are sealed.
As for why opened or homemade treats are not permitted, that is a safety issue. Unless items are in sealed packaging, there is no way to know whether or not they have been tampered with.
Similarly, homemade items might have certain allergens that could be dangerous to crew members, which is why these treats are not allowed.
Many other cruisers chimed in on the discussion, noting that there are plenty of other foods onboard and it isn’t necessary to pack snacks on a cruise vacation. Some guests, however, do prefer to bring their favorites along, especially items that may not be available onboard or in ports of call.
Similarly, some travelers prefer granola bars, protein bars, or similar healthier snacks that are especially welcome during long shore excursions or to appease picky eaters.
Another option many Carnival guests take advantage of is using a small plastic baggie or storage container to keep some breakfast pastries or cookies as snacks, or they may take a piece of fruit back to their staterooms to enjoy later on.
Should Carnival Provide Bar Snacks?
One of the more controversial statements the original poster made, however, is the idea that Carnival Cruise Line ought to provide “free snacks at every bar counter.”
It’s true that in many bars on land, free peanuts, pretzels, wasabi peas, mixed nuts, popcorn, or similar snacks for patrons. There is a bit of business savvy behind this tradition, as providing salty snacks can encourage customers to drink more and may keep them at the bar a bit longer, for a bigger tab.
On a cruise ship, however, health and sanitation concerns preclude the idea of offering such free snacks. Furthermore, many frequent cruise guests are certainly against the proposal.
Read Also: Free Carnival Cruise Dining Options You’ll Want to Know (With Menus!)
“I am very glad [Carnival] doesn’t offer free snacks laying around in containers for the public to dip their grubby greedy hands in,” one guest responded.
“I have witnessed many people use the bathroom and leave without washing their hands, the last thing I want to do is grab something where their hands have already reached into,” another guest described.
Communal snacks would also be a great risk of disease transmission, particularly illnesses like norovirus or other gastrointestinal infections that can rapidly spread among the big crowds on a cruise ship.
With multiple cruise lines already reporting outbreaks of norovirus and similar illnesses so far in 2025, it is certainly better if travelers bring their own snacks rather than expect shared food.
As for me, I’ll just go grab an extra slice of pizza, Guy’s burger, or a vanilla soft serve ice cream cone and call it delicious!
