With bookings into 2025 and beyond selling fast, Carnival Cruise Line does not have significant upgrades available for already booked guests. While some travelers think they may have an insider secret to securing such upgrades, that choice is also not available.

This has been brought to the attention of Carnival’s Brand Ambassador, John Heald, with more and more people asking him for free upgrades or even just assistance with securing the desired upgrade.

Unfortunately, modifying bookings in this way is not something that Heald can assist with, no matter what the circumstances.

“I cannot help with upgrades,” Heald confirmed on his Facebook page. “I have been asked for this a lot these last few weeks but please, while I can help you with many other things upgrades are not on my menu.”

Heald is highly active on Facebook, responding to hundreds of comments, questions, and requests nearly every day from his more than 593,000 followers.

Typical requests that Heald can assist with are things such as changing a dining time, requesting a table for two in the Main Dining Room, planning to scatter ashes at sea, or recognizing a special occasion.

He also regularly responds to different rumors and incorrect information, such as whether or not Carnival Cruise Line will ban cruising ducks, charges for replacing lost stateroom keys, and passport requirement changes.

Even strange questions come to Heald’s attention, such as why Mardi Gras is named without the signature Carnival as part of her moniker or what the real name is for the onboard dining rooms.

Unfortunately, social media groups often promote incorrect information, tips, and “hacks” without verifying whether or not they are accurate. One such idea is that Heald can give anyone a free upgrade if they have enough special considerations – a suitable sob story, momentous celebration, or simply righteous indignation.

“There are many cruise bloggers and cruise news people who post tips on how to bag an upgrade,” Heald explained. “They should be ignored, they do not work.”

Some tricks proven to be ineffective are claiming claustrophobia after booking an inside stateroom, trying to plead sympathy due to a personal loss before sailing, or making numerous complaints about an assigned cabin.

“I often think to myself when I see these upgrade requests, why can’t you just be happy with the cabin you chose? Perhaps I am wrong to think that,” Heald mused.

Reputable travel agents and experienced cruisers will always recommend that anyone interested in taking a cruise book a stateroom they will enjoy, no matter what happens with any upgrades or promotions.

Some travelers really enjoy balconies, for example, while others want the extra amenities of a suite or prefer the total darkness of an interior cabin.

Booking a “guaranteed” stateroom in that category can be a way to save some money, but means that guests may be assigned a less desirable location onboard. A guaranteed balcony, for example, will likely be the lowest price for a balcony cabin, but may be in a noisier area or could have an obstructed view.

Of course, booking the stateroom you want right away is the only surefire way to not be disappointed at an assigned room or lack of upgrades.

Strong Bookings Mean No Upgrades Available

It should be noted that the high demand for cruises and strong bookings for Carnival cruises means that even if guests are willing to pay for an upgrade, there may not be any available.

“I should mention that in 2025 our bookings are so strong with people already finding out many cruises are sold out, it will be nigh on impossible to get an upgrade,” said Heald.

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

Many travelers are booking their cruise vacations further and further ahead of departure dates in order to secure preferred itineraries, favorite ships, and the most desirable staterooms.

This means, however, that anyone hoping to book a last-minute cruise may have fewer options available. And of course, upgrades are out of the question as ships are sailing a nearly full occupancy each week.

On December 30, 2024, Carnival Sunshine returned to the Charleston Cruise Port in South Carolina for the second to last time before switching to a new homeport. 

While nothing unusual happened as the Captain and his team docked the Sunshine-class vessel, it was a foggy morning that required the use of the ship’s foghorn for safety purposes. 

In low visibility conditions, foghorns essentially function as an “acoustic lighthouse” – warning other vessels of the cruise ship’s presence to prevent collisions and guiding ships away from other potential hazards. 

But for one passenger who was onboard the sailing – which was a 4-night cruise to Nassau, Bahamas – the noise of the foghorn took away from her beauty sleep. She was angry enough to write to Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald on his Facebook page to demand compensation. 

With safety always the top priority, Heald understandably could not provide any of the compensation she was looking for. 

Instead, he wrote out how he imagined the rather laughable conversation might go in a fictional world where he called the ship’s captain to ask him to minimize the noise: 

“Me: Hello Captain it’s John.

Captain: Who is?

Me: John Heald, Brand Ambassador.

Captain: Ahhh yes, why you call me on the bridge at 5 a.m.?

Me: Sorry to disturb you Captain but a lady has written to me. I know you have some thick fog this morning. You have the foghorn sounding as required by maritime and US Coast Guard law but this lady has asked me to tell you to “turn it off“ because it is disturbing their sleep.

Captain: “TURN IT OFF” ARE YOU STUNARD?!!!!!!!!! We have de bigamist John. We have a to sound de horn to warn other ships. It is for their safety.”

Heald ended the imagined conversation with the captain hanging up on his call. 

Guest Receives Backlash for Foghorn Complaints

It should go without saying that the lives of the up to 3,002 passengers and 920 crew members onboard are more important than one guest’s sleep – although she might want to pack ear plugs for future cruises so she isn’t woken up again. 

If Carnival didn’t use the foghorns to accommodate one annoyed guest – which have to be loud in order to be effective – people could be hurt or killed. 

In the over 650 replies Heald’s post received, his followers expressed their shock at how unreasonable the complaining passenger was being.

“I am on the Sunshine now and my cabin on Deck 12 is apparently right under the horn. Yes, it has kept me up since 3am ish, but I prefer to be awake instead of living a real life muster drill! Thanks for keeping us safe Captain,” a guest of the same sailing wrote. 

“This is outrageous!!! How dare Carnival follow the rules and use the necessary safety protocols to protect ship, passengers, crew, & anyone else that might be in proximity to danger. I mean what were they thinking keeping this poor lady awake just to maintain safety…. The Nerve of this, Captain!!!”, another follower quipped.

Read Also: What to Do Onboard a Cruise Ship in Bad Weather

But if it’s any consolation, this passenger can rest assured she will likely not have to experience another foggy morning in Charleston on a Carnival cruise ship again – or at least not in the near future – as the cruise line is ceasing operations at the East Coast port. 

This change was not a surprise, as the South Carolina Ports Authority confirmed back in 2022 that it would not extend its homeport pact with Carnival beyond 2024 so that it could redevelop Charleston’s Union Pier Terminal. 

After the frustrated guest and her fellow passengers disembarked, Carnival Sunshine carried out her final embarkation from the port on the afternoon of December 30, 2024, for a New Year’s voyage to the Bahamas – which will visit Nassau and RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay, the cruise line’s private destination. 

After this voyage, the 2013-launched ship will temporarily leave service to visit dry dock from January 4 to February 15, 2025, before being redeployed in Norfolk, Virginia. 

The world’s most popular cruise line certainly showed its popularity in the 2024 Cruise Hive Awards as Carnival Cruise Line has won the top slot as the Best Overall Cruise Line, as voted by Cruise Hive readers.

The victory was a sound one, with Carnival garnering 32% of the vote in a unique category when any cruise line could be nominated for the award. This gave every line the opportunity for top recognition, but Carnival was very much the clear winner.

Carnival Cruise Line sails a fleet of 27 vessels worldwide, ranging from the smaller, more intimate Fantasy-class vessels to the mammoth Excel-class ships. The great diversity gives cruise travelers amazing choice in the type of cruise experience they want to have, all while enjoying Carnival’s signature fun.

The Miami-based line, founded in 1972, offers something for everyone aboard every ship. From luxurious spas and the adults-only Serenity retreat areas to outstanding kids clubs and youth activities, all ages can enjoy themselves with Carnival.

All types of activities are available as well, which help ensure the cruise line’s popularity. Trivia contests, Bingo games, comedy shows, spectacular Playlist production numbers, live music, cooking demonstrations, game shows, high-stakes casino action, waterslides, miniature golf, and much more are all part of a Carnival cruise vacation.

To stay fueled up for all the fun, Carnival offers a wide range of delicious eatery options as well. The award-winning Guy’s Burger Joint and Shaq’s Big Chicken restaurants are always favorites, along with specialty dining, the classic Main Dining Rooms, and other decadent treats – including the signature warm chocolate melting cake!

It isn’t just the onboard fun and treats that make Carnival Cruise Line so popular, however. The cruise line does a great deal of good for the communities it visits and its homeport communities.

For example, in October 2024, Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy took on the challenge of skydiving over Tampa Bay in response to phenomenal fundraising efforts. More than $85,000 was raised to donate to hurricane relief efforts following the devastation of Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

This follows Carnival Cruise Line’s unique cowboy boots auction in February 2024 in conjunction with Carnival Jubilee‘s naming ceremony, which raised $50,000 for Operation Homefront.

Of course, the cruise line also maintains a strong partnership with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, including a commitment to raise a total of $50 million for the charity by 2030.

Furthermore, just days ago, Carnival Cruise Line made a $60,000 donation to ProMedical Vanuatu in the wake of the devastating 7.3 magnitude earthquake that struck Port Vila on December 16, 2024.

All these charitable efforts showcase Carnival Cruise Line as truly the people’s choice cruise line, as is shown not only by this year’s win as the Best Overall Cruise Line of 2024, but also numerous other honors in the Cruise Hive Awards.

The BOLT roller coaster was named the Best Cruise Ship Feature this year, and Carnival Cruise Line won in 2023 for Best Service and Crew, Best Booking Experience, and Best New Cruise Ship for Carnival Jubilee.

Both Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration have also won in previous years as best ships or new ships, while different Carnival restaurants have been awarded top honors for Best Specialty Dining and Best Burger Venue.

The 2024 Cruise Hive Awards, which featured seven distinct categories this year, opened for voting in mid-October. The final votes were cast on Sunday, December 22.

Other Top Cruise Lines

While Carnival Cruise Line is a clear favorite, other cruise lines certainly have their fans. Royal Caribbean took a strong second place for Best Overall Cruise Line with 20% of the vote.

Read Also: What Are the Best Cruise Lines for Families?

Celebrity Cruises came in third with 11%, followed by Norwegian Cruise Line with 9% of the votes.

To be fair, many other smaller lines were also mentioned in the category. Voters could write in their favorite line, giving every cruise line an opportunity for the recognition. Smaller lines, however, generally sail smaller or fewer ships and fewer passengers, and aren’t able to get the same scale of support as Carnival Cruise Line.

Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s Cruise Hive Awards! Stay tuned throughout 2025 to learn more about every winner and join in next year’s voting!

It is no surprise to any cruise passenger that weapons of any sort are at the top of the list of every cruise line’s prohibited items list. What surprised one Carnival cruiser recently, however, is that even obvious toys are still prohibited and will be confiscated.

The issue was brought to the attention of John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador. The upset guest wrote to him via Facebook, sharing their frustration and disappointment over bringing a Star Wars toy.

“We were at Disney before we embarked on the [Carnival Christmas] cruise. We had bought my son a Star Wars Nerf gun for a Christmas surprise at Disney and they confiscated it from us at Security at the port,” the guest explained.

“We had to go over to a special table where they took it, gave us a claim slip and at the end of the cruise, when back at port we claimed it back. Christmas ruined. How can anyone at Carnival Cruises think this is real? How would you like to see your children have no gift to open from Santa on Christmas morning? Who makes these stupid rules?”

While it is true that toy Nerf guns do not resemble any actual, legitimate weaponry, Carnival Cruise Line has a zero tolerance policy for such items onboard.

What is interesting is that gun-like toys are not specifically mentioned on the cruise line’s prohibited items list. The list does note that replicas are not permitted, however: “firearms (including replicas, imitations and their components).” Toy guns would certainly fall under that classification.

Heald did respond to the guest’s concern, confirming the prohibition.

“Of course I understand the disappointment both as a father and as brand ambassador, I really do,” he said. “But it is listed in the prohibited items and this is a great reminder for anyone thinking of bring on a replica toy, sword, light saber, or a replica weapon of any kind that it will be confiscated.”

No Weapons Permitted – Even If They Aren’t Real

The original poster has not received much sympathy from other cruisers, who largely express the sentiment that “rules are rules” and it is well known that weapon-like items are not permitted onboard.

Many commenters also noted that the excitement of being on a Christmas cruise after a vacation at Disney World would be a great gift for any child. Furthermore, the child would have received the gift at the end of the cruise to enjoy at home.

Other experienced cruisers shared their own mishaps with replica weapons, such as wooden toy swords and decorative sword-shaped artwork purchased in port. In every case, the items were confiscated and held until the end of the cruise, at which time they were returned to guests.

Some guests also note that a Nerf gun, even though it is just a toy, could be very irritating to other travelers if it was used onboard. Such disruptions might very well “ruin Christmas” for others onboard the ship.

Furthermore, the balls or darts the toy shoots could easily go overboard, creating environmental contamination that is also against Carnival’s rules.

Read Also: What Can You Not Bring on a Cruise?

Another thought is that the family could well have faced more severe consequences if the child had tried to take the toy gun off the ship in a port of call.

Many ports of call have very strict laws on guns and ammunition, as one cruise traveler learned in April 2024 when he was arrested and jailed in Grand Turk for having ammunition in a backpack.

After slashing the discount on Carnival gift cards twice in just over a month, AARP has now announced that the cruise line has decided to discontinue the offering through them.

AARP, which is a non-profit that caters to and advocates for people over 50 years old, previously offered a 10% discount on Carnival Cruise Line gift cards – which dropped to 8% in November of 2024. 

In late December, that discount was again decreased from 8% to 5% off. While cruisers were annoyed by the change, they still saved at least a little bit of money by using the discounted gift cards to pay for their sailing or book onboard experiences and packages. 

But as of January 1, 2025, the Carnival gift cards will no longer be available for purchase in any capacity through AARP.

“Carnival Cruise Lines has decided to discontinue offering their gift cards through the AARP Rewards Program. We understand that this may be disappointing news, and we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. We remain committed to providing you with valuable rewards and appreciate your understanding,” reads the AARP website.

Understandably, members of the cruise community were livid at the decision – expressing anger at both Carnival and AARP.

“Hearing from someone on the inside, this was a money grab for the Carnival beards and their decision to end it with AARP. Pure greed as shown by them lately on all fronts,” another person shared.

But while AARP (and many cruisers) have placed the blame on Carnival, it’s unclear how much of a role the Miami-based cruise line actually played in making the decision. 

When the discounts first began decreasing, Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald said that AARP functioned independently from Carnival. 

“I have received a large amount of bollockings this morning about a change to the percentage of something to do with the gift cards. This has nothing to do with the cruise line, this is all decided as all gift cards are by the people that distribute them,” he wrote on his Facebook page at the time.

We reached out to Carnival for a statement, and only received a brief response: “Effective Jan. 1, Carnival gift cards are no longer available for purchase through AARP.”

They did not provide any additional insight into why the AARP gift cards were discontinued.

How to Get Discounted Carnival Cruises

Unfortunately, it’s the way of the world for discounts to come and go. Although the AARP discount on Carnival gift cards has been around for a while, it was never meant to last forever. 

Even while available, AARP clearly displayed the caveat that the gift cards were a “limited time offer, while supplies last.” It’s unknown if the gift cards will ever be brought back in the future.

That said, AARP is continuing to offer discounted gift cards for other cruise lines and discounted cruise packages on Carnival-owned cruise lines, such as Princess Cruises and Holland America Line. 

Additionally, that doesn’t mean other discounts aren’t available – with most cruise lines offering promotions for different times of year and the major holidays.

As of the time of writing, for example, Carnival is offering 40% off cruise rates and reduced deposits on select cruises, including sailings bound for Celebration Key – which is the cruise line’s new private island destination in the Bahamas that is expected to open in July 2025. 

We are also now at the very beginning of Wave Season – which is essentially an extended Black Friday sale event for cruising. 

Peak Wave Season typically takes place in the first quarter of the year (January through March) – during which time the cruise lines offer deals, discounts, and extra perks to reward future guests for booking during what is usually a slower time for new bookings.

Read Also: Carnival Cruise Gift Cards: What You Need to Know

For cruisers who would prefer to stock up on Carnival gift cards, they can still be purchased directly through the Carnival Website (but not at a discounted rate) – and are often found at regional and nationwide chains like Lowes, Office Max, Publix, Target, and Walmart. Other discount websites and cash back websites may also offer better rates.

It might also be worth keeping an eye on Costco and AAA – which have both sold discounts on gift cards for a variety of things in the past (not just for travel) and offer discounted cruise packages through their travel services. 

Similarly, reputable travel agents may have access to discounts and deals that the general public wouldn’t be able to use on their own.