Debarkation morning on a cruise ship is chaotic, with early morning wake ups, multiple announcements, long lines, and anxiety about making flights, remembering where the car is parked, or other onward arrangements.

In all the confusion, it is not surprising that cruisers sometimes forget something on the ship, only to realize later that they have left it behind.

It can be upsetting to forget a critical item, and even more frustrating when you remember right at the cruise terminal but aren’t permitted to return to the ship for just a minute to retrieve it.

In response to a recent complaint, Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador John Heald has addressed exactly these scenarios, outlining what to do in case a traveler does leave something behind on their ship.

“In the chaos that is disembarkation morning, my hubby’s eyeglasses were left in our cabin,” the guest explained. “We realized as drove out of the parking lot. We went back and the staff in the terminal area told us we could not get back on the ship. We knew the eyeglasses were on the bedside [table].”

Bear in mind, the guest does not explain how long they were out of their stateroom before returning to the terminal to seek the lost eyeglasses.

It is possible they left their cabin and had breakfast before debarking the ship, passing through customs, and finding their vehicle. This could have been a couple of hours, during which time their stateroom may have already been cleaned.

“We demanded to speak to the Radiance guest relations manager. Again, we were refused. John this is terrible customer service,” the guest continued. “These were expensive eyeglasses. We need them returned to us immediately. … What do we have to do? This is not good enough for a company like Carnival.”

While the date of the guest’s cruise is not noted, Carnival Radiance is homeported from Long Beach, California year-round. The 102,232-gross-ton, Sunshine class ship (formerly Carnival Victory) offers 3- and 4-night Baja Mexico itineraries, with occasional longer Hawaii and Mexican Riviera sailings.

Heald is not unsympathetic to the guest losing such a useful item, but does explain that in Carnival’s fleet of 27 ships, a lot of items are left behind every week.

“We do have approximately 1,000 lost or forgotten items every week across the fleet, sometimes more,” he said. “We probably have more forgotten or lost glasses than anything else along with books, things left in the cabin safe, and various indiscriminate items such as a clothes, phones, a prosthetic leg (seriously) and many different items that people have left behind.”

I’m sure there’s a story behind the prosthetic leg, but that would take this story a step in the wrong direction.

Once debarking the ship, travelers are no permitted to return to the vessel for any reason. While this may seem extreme, it is a firm security policy that also involves US Customs and Border Protection as well as the cruise line’s security.

“Just like they tell you when you get off your flight and the flight attendant says remember all your belongings because you will not be allowed back on the plane, it is the same for the ships,” Heald explained. “Security protocols dictate this.”

Retrieving a Lost Item

If guests do leave something aboard – whether they realize it just minutes after debarkation or not until they reach home and can’t find a particular item in their luggage – they can contact Carnival Cruise Line for assistance.

There is a Lost and Found Item form to fill out, which includes information such as the type of item lost, the ship name and sailing date, and shipping address information if the item is recovered.

“Please complete the form,” Heald urged. “My colleagues at the Mother Ship will do their best to get the item if it is indeed found back to you as soon as possible but I should say, we so many items to deal with, it may take some time.”

If travelers are still onboard when they discover an item missing, they should report the loss to the Guest Services desk with a description of the item and where they believe they had it last.

Recovered items are turned in and held securely until they are claimed or reported after the end of the cruise, when every attempt will be made to return them to their rightful owners.

Have you ever lost anything onboard a cruise ship? Did you get it back? How long did it take? Share your experiences on the Cruise Hive boards!

Cruise vacations aren’t just for adults – they are for kids, too. On family-friendly cruise lines, such as Carnival, kids may get a bit more freedom than they are accustomed to at home.

One thing that parents will have to consider as they plan for their Carnival cruise is that their kids are required to have their own Sail & Sign onboard account – and the Sail & Sign card given to both kids and adults functions like a credit card. 

That said, parents can set spending limits during check-in or at the Guest Services Desk once onboard so that their kids can’t go breaking the bank with their newfound freedom. 

But for first-time cruisers or guests who have never sailed with Carnival before, the process of doing so can be a bit confusing, which prompted a future cruiser, named Bernadette, to turn to brand ambassador John Heald for guidance. 

“Is there a way to set up on board spending limits for children. I couldn’t figure out if that was a daily limit or a cruise limit. I want to set it at $100 hoping it was the total cruise. Can you please clarify? Also, can we adjust the child spending limit at the kiosks? Or does that have to be done face to face at guest service?,” Bernadette inquired on Heald’s Facebook page. 

Although Heald is typically an expert on all things Carnival, this was one of the rare instances where he didn’t have an answer – and was only aware of going to the Guest Services desk onboard to set and adjust spending limits. 

Luckily, former passengers were able to speak from experience in the comments section until Heald is able to follow up with an official response – which he promised he would do.

“We were told we had to go to guest services every day to add more money to my grandson‘s account,” said one former guest. 

“This is a great question! Yes, I have set limits on my grandson’s sail and sign card in the past. I do this at guest services. If I didn’t set limits, he’d spend all his money in the candy store!!!!,” added another.

The passenger response suggests going to Guest Services is the way to go – and checking in directly with crew members, such as the Guest Services team, is the best way to ensure you’re being given the correct and current information. 

How Much Freedom Should Kids Have on Cruise Ships?

As cruise ships are considered one of the safest forms of travel and kids are contained onboard, many parents will give their children more freedom to roam and play independently than they might at home or on other types of vacations. 

In addition to getting a temporary credit card in the form of their Sail and Sign account, some parents go so far as to let their children stay in their own cruise cabins. 

According to the Carnival website, this action is allowed with ground rules determined by the age of the children. 

For minors under the age of 12, they can stay in staterooms that are either directly across the hall from the parent or guardian, and may not be assigned to a balcony stateroom without an adult over the age of 25 staying in the same room. 

Teenagers (kids 13-17) get a little more flexibility, and can be separated from their parents or guardians by up to three staterooms. 

Read Also: Do Kids Need a Passport to Go on a Cruise?

These guidelines are put in place because parents and guardians still need to be responsible for their children – both for their safety and to prevent minors from becoming a nuisance to other guests. But how tightly parents want to hold the leash is up to their discretion – as they know their children best. 

On the flip side, parents who prefer more supervision can send their children to Carnival’s onboard kids’ clubs, which are divided by age. Kids can begin to receive “sign out” privileges at 9-years-old, meaning they can come and go from the clubs as they please, but only if parents give permission in advance.

Cruisers traveling with medical conditions face many challenges, not the least of which is ensuring any equipment they must use will properly function at their destination.

For CPAP users, this means a supply of distilled water to keep their machine producing the correct humidity for airway lubrication.

After many requests, Carnival Cruise Line has now added distilled water to their pre-purchase options of food and beverages, ensuring that guests who require a CPAP machine will have easy access to the fluid to keep their machine running efficiently.

“Finally, now available for pre-order,” Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador, John Heald, announced. “Thank you to the Bears for listening to me on your behalf.”

The new water is already available for purchase through Carnival’s website at a price of $5.90 per gallon. Guests can order multiple gallons, but smaller quantities are not available.

This is the least expensive water option available from Carnival, as the Crystal Geyser filtered natural spring water is priced at $5.31 for a 50.72-ounce bottle. A gallon has 128 ounces, but different CPAP machines may need different quantities.

Filtered spring water and distilled water are not the same, however. Filtered water, while treated to remove most impurities, may still have various electrolytes and minerals depending on the exact filtration process – reverse osmosis, sediment filters, UV filters, etc. – used to purify the water.

Distilled water is created through distillation, whereby steam is condensed directly into liquid water. This ensure the purest form of water without any chemicals or particles, and is used for many medical purposes.

Using distilled water in a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine is necessary to avoid buildup on the equipment that may cause it to malfunction, endangering the user’s breathing patterns. CPAP machines are common for those who have sleep apnea or other breathing difficulties.

It should be noted that distilled water has typically been available for use onboard Carnival ships, but could not previously be pre-ordered. Instead, passengers had to call for the water on embarkation day and wait for its delivery. There could also be added stress if delivery was not prompt or if supplies might not be adequate.

Alternatively, guests could have called Carnival directly prior to their sailing to arrange for distilled water delivery, but could still have anxiety about its delivery or availability onboard.

Now, with distilled water available for pre-order, the cruise line can ensure there will be enough for everyone’s needs on every sailing, and guests will not need to wait and worry in case a call-in delivery is delayed.

Has the Price Increased?

Some frequent users of CPAP machines who have ordered distilled water onboard for years do report that the price has increased with the new pre-order option.

When ordered via telephone either onboard or pre-cruise, distilled water has apparently cost $3.50, while now it is $5.90. It is not clear, however, whether the quantities are the same or if any tax or delivery charges are added to the online pre-order price.

Read Also: How Do Cruise Ships Get Fresh Water?

Carnival Cruise Line has increased the price of its bottled water several times over the past few years. The most recent price increase brings the price of a 12-pack of bottled water to $17.64 when pre-ordered online. Two years ago, the cost was just $4.95 per 12-pack.

Do you use a CPAP machine when you cruise? What water do you use for it? Share your tips on the Cruise Hive boards!

One passenger started her Carnival Cruise off on the wrong foot – but it’s brand ambassador John Heald who is taking the heat for it online. 

An anonymous passenger reached out to Heald on his popular Facebook page to complain after her mother wasn’t provided with a free wheelchair after twisting her ankle in the parking lot of the cruise port prior to embarkation.  

Instead, the 27-ship cruise line was able to arrange a wheelchair rental at $50 per day or offered a free crutch from the onboard medical center as an alternative. 

“First of all she was offered a wheelchair at $50 per day charge. She wanted it for free. We could not provide that. And yet we were able to offer a crutch from the medical center without charge,” Heald said in a Facebook post. 

Although Heald wasn’t physically present when the incident went down, he defended the crew members who were involved for following the protocols they had been taught. 

“It does not make them rude and it does not make them a person with no compassion. The crewmember was following the guidelines we have in place,” Heald continued. 

This statement then turned the ire of some of Heald’s followers, who sided with the recent passenger, directly onto Heald. In addition to attacks on his character, some implied that the cruise personality should have paid for the cost of the rental chair himself. 

“I was a wee bit surprised that I was accused of ‘showing no compassion’ for not paying for the ladies’ wheelchair rental following her trip in the parking lot. I try so hard each day to listen, show compassion and help as many people as I can, I really do,” Heald addressed in a subsequent post, which went up about an hour after the first. 

Carnival Cruise Line maintains that the health and safety of its guests and crew members are the brand’s top priority. While they are always ready and willing to offer assistance to guests experiencing a medical crisis, as was done in this case, the solution might not always be to their liking. 

Was Carnival’s Wheelchair Rental Unreasonable?

As with the other mainstream cruise lines, Carnival does have some wheelchairs on board that can be used by medical center personnel in emergencies.

However, the supply is limited and can’t just be given out for free – both because the chairs may be needed and out of fairness to other guests since there aren’t enough to go around. 

“The general rental of a wheelchair is just not possible. We do not have lots of spare wheelchairs on the ship so again if you feel that you might need one we do recommend that you rent a wheelchair or a mobility scooter before the cruise,” Heald advised.

The brand ambassador then directed his followers to Carnival’s preferred partner for renting equipment like wheelchairs and motorized scooters, which is called Scootaround. In fact, the company serves over 20 cruise lines at nearly 50 major ports across the United States, Canada, and Europe. 

Depending on the embarkation port and cruise duration, wheelchair rentals start at $125 for a 5-day cruise and $265 for a scooter over the same time period – with mobility devices easily reserved online or through the Scootaround smartphone app. 

Read Also: How to Stay Safe and Enjoy Your Cruise Vacation

Considering Carnival also offered a free alternative in the form of crutches, this passenger and her mother weren’t stuck paying for the rented chair if they didn’t want to or couldn’t afford it. 

This is also a reminder that it’s always a good idea to pay for travel insurance – which can be used to reimburse unexpected medical care or supplies that might become necessary during one’s cruise. 

Visits to the onboard clinics are notorious for coming with hefty bills – and depending on the policy, it’s quite possible the wheelchair rental would have been covered.

Of all the things cruise passengers could potentially get upset about, the free towels that are automatically provided in all staterooms is one of the last things one would expect. 

Even so, one future passenger felt strongly enough about not wanting to use the provided towels to write to Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald on his public Facebook page. 

Despite the fact that all towels are washed before being redistributed to new guests, and that housekeeping is happy to replace dirty towels throughout the voyage, some future passengers, who will be sailing onboard Carnival Venezia, were disgusted by the free option and requested to bring their own. 

“We hate to use towels that have been used by who knows how many people on the cruises before ours. We will want them laundered. Will there be a charge? If you say yes, why is that? Give me some real talk on this John! I don’t want to have to schlep extra towels,” the anonymous guest-to-be wrote to Heald. 

The cruise line ambassador didn’t advise on cost, but advised that bringing towels from home isn’t necessary.

“Our towels have been and always are washed to the highest of standards so there really is no need for her to bring her own,” reads Heald’s reply, in part. 

Since the cruise line provides and washes towels for free, there likely would be an extra charge not for bringing towels from home, but for using the ship’s laundry services. 

According to Carnival’s website, cruisers can do their own laundry for a low cost or pay extra for a valet service, which is handled through the stateroom attendants. 

Self service laundry is the most reasonable, starting at $3.50 per washer load and $3.50 per dryer load. Valet prices range from $15 to $50, depending on how quickly guests need their clothes returned and if they would like them to be folded or pressed. 

How Much Do Guests Worry About Free Toiletries?

John Heald followed up the post from the towel-bringing guests with a poll on his Facebook page. The brand ambassador was curious not just about the towels, but about other toiletries, such as the provided bar of hand soap. 

The poll gave Heald’s over 500,000 Facebook followers four options, and he encouraged them to select all that applied to them. As of the time of publication, the poll had received 24,629 votes. 

“The towels for the bathroom to dry off with after a shower are absolutely big enough for me” was the most selected option at 12,920 votes, which equates to 52%. 

Meanwhile, an additional 25% say that they “use the wash line in the cabin shower” and 21% indicate that they “use the hand bar of soap in the cabin bathroom. I like it.”

Read Also: What NOT to Do When Choosing Your Cruise Cabins

Notably, the option of “bring my own towels” received zero percent of the votes – with many commenting that they would never even have thought of bringing their own towels on both of Heald’s posts.

“I’ve never brought my own towels. I don’t even bring a beach towel. I wonder if these same people pack bed linens too. Some people are just down right ridiculous with how picky they are. It might be easier for them to just stay home,” wrote one Facebook user, which sums up the general sentiment in the comments section.

Cruisers were most likely to bring their own soap or shampoo and conditioner – which is primarily done out of personal preference.

Ultimately, the crew members do clean the staterooms from top-to-bottom, including washing towels and linens, so bringing towels from home is truly unnecessary.

But the action is not forbidden if it makes guests feel more comfortable – and it’s up to each cruiser to decide what will allow them to have the best vacation possible.