Cruise FAQ

Yes! There are cruises designed to suit virtually every interest and personal preference. The choices include: boutique, luxury cruises with globetrotting itineraries; large, contemporary ships with a fantastic array of recreational and entertainment facilities; classic vessels evoking the time-honored traditions of cruising; special-interest or exploration cruises focusing on unique destinations with an emphasis on cultural enrichment; and river voyages into the heart of a destination. Cruise lines offer a wide variety of long, medium and short cruise options.

There are cruise lines that feature soft adventure expeditions to unique frontiers, such as Antarctica, the Amazon Rain Forest or the African Serengeti. You can discover historical legacies closer to home with enlightening itineraries to New England, French Canada, Colonial America, and America’s rivers. For experienced travelers, destination-focused cruises specialize in culturally-rich ports of call with itineraries dedicated to illuminating such historic, world-class treasures as the antiquities of classical Greece and Turkey, the Polynesian paradise of Hawaii, the fabled splendor of Norwegian fjords or the castles and museums along Europe’s rivers.

For many, the perfect vacation is all about the non-stop fun and sun of a tropical resort-style cruise to the Caribbean, where you can sample a variety of island cultures and cuisines in total relaxation.

Plus, many cruise lines create special “themes” onboard, with entertainment ranging from jazz festivals and classical music concerts to golf clinics and murder mysteries at sea. Whether you want to “get your feet wet,” or just relax, you’ll find a cruise to suit your lifestyle.

One thing is for sure…you’ll never run out of things to see or do on a cruise!

Absolutely! Cruising is for everyone! And cruising is especially ideal for people traveling alone because it’s so easy to meet other people. Some ships also have single staterooms and others offer rates designed for single travelers.

Cruising is the best vacation value! There are cruise vacations to suit every budget and taste. In general, the cruise price includes your choice of accommodations, as well as onboard activities and entertainment, most meals, plus transportation from port to port. You’ll know what your vacation will cost before you go. Your only extra expenses will be drinks, specialty restaurants, optional shore excursions, spa services, and any other optional incidentals you may choose to purchase while onboard or ashore.

While there are some variations from cruise line to cruise line, 90% of the item are the same across the board.

For safety and security purposes, the following items are prohibited on board.

Note: All ships conduct security scanning of all luggage and if prohibited items are found, they will be removed and disposed of and no compensation will be given.

Prohibited Items

The following items are prohibited and their possession is not allowed on board without a valid lawful reason:

– Any illegal narcotics/drugs including synthetic, designer drugs, Cannabidiol (CBD) and medical marijuana
– All firearms Including replicas, Imitations and their components
Air, BB or pellet pistols or rifles
– Any other projectile-weapon (e.g.  paint ball guns)
– All ammunition
– All explosives, including imitation explosives and devices
– Fireworks, flares, pyrotechnics (excluding those which are part of the vessel’s lifesaving equipment and which have been properly manifested)
– Sharp pointed weapons including throwing stars
– Knives with a blade longer than 4 inches / 10.16 cm, any blade length that is prohibited by local laws/regulation and all concealed bladed weapons such as belt buckle knives, cane and umbrella knives/swords, pen knives, credit card knives, etc.
– Open razors or scissors with a blade longer than 4 inches / 10.16cm
– Skean, Dhus or Kirpans
– Spears or spear guns
– Crossbows, crossbow bolts and long bow arrows
– Blunt weapons including knuckle dusters, brass knuckles, clubs, coshes, batons, flails or nunchaku
– Items containing incapacitating substances (e.g. gas guns, tear gas sprays, mace, phosphorus, acid and  other dangerous chemicals that could be used to maim or disable)
– Flammable substances and hazardous chemicals unless carried in limited quantities and in accordance with company instructions (e.g., petrol, methylated spirits, paint thinners etc.)
– Any other item made, adapted or intended for use as an offensive weapon
– Stun devices
– Handcuffs
– Items brought on board the vessel and not supplied by the Company containing any kind of heating element, such as but not limited to: immersion heaters, heating blankets, flat irons, water heaters, coffee machines with heating / hot plates, etc.
– Any remotely controlled or autonomously flying devices, toys or drones
– Self-balancing hover boards , air wheels, scooters, or Segway’s (except those provided by the Company for shore excursions)
– Compressed gas tanks, bottles, cylinders including dive tanks, propane tanks and aerosol cans
– Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRB), ham radios, communication scanners, wide-band receivers, satellite phones, transformers, lasers and laser pointers
– Clothing irons and steamers (All Carnival ships offer laundry facilities with irons and ironing boards. Fleet-wide valet laundry service is also available for a nominal fee.)
– Electrical and household appliances, such as a coffee maker, hot plate, toaster, humidifier, etc. (see Exemptions below)
– Heating Pads
– Hookahs
– Alcohol (hard liquor) and Beer
– Wine or champagne (sealed, unopened bottles brought on at embarkation) beyond the allowable limit of one 750 ml bottle per adult (21 years of age or older)
– Non-alcoholic beverages in containers other than a can or carton; excessive quantities per person (over 12 cans/cartons per person); excessive size per can/carton (over 12 ounces each)
– Large coolers
– Handcuffs
– Candles and Incense
– Knives with blades longer than four (4) inches
(Recreational dive knives are allowed but must be held in the custody of the Guest Services Manager or Chief Security Officer and must be checked out/in by the owner for dive excursions during the cruise.)
– Scissors with blades longer than four (4) inches (Large scissors of the type used by scrapbook and quilting enthusiasts are at times permitted with prior notification from the Security Services Department, but are held onboard in the same manner as dive knives.)
– Bicycles (see exemptions ‘For Port Use Only’ for folding bicycles)
– Surfboards, boats and canoes
– Scooters (only permitted if used for mobility – must be stored in guest’s stateroom)
– Inflatable Kiddie Pool
– Any footwear with wheels, such as, Heely’s type shoes Kava
– Fish of any kind; if fish are caught during an excursion, they must be shipped home.

Exemptions

– Personal grooming devices such as hair dryers, flat irons, curling irons and shavers are allowed on board when used with proper caution.  However, if such devices are determined to pose a hazard, they will be removed and returned the last day of the cruise prior to debark.

– Electronics such as laptops, cameras, cellular phones, etc. are allowed on board when used with proper caution.

– Electrical devices such as fans, power strips, multi plug box outlets/adaptors, and extension cords (without surge protectors) are allowed on board when used with proper caution.  However, if such devices are determined to pose a hazard, they will be removed and returned the last day of the cruise prior to debark.

– Medical gas bottles/oxygen cylinders are allowed in connection with a certified medical condition but cannot be packed in baggage. Oxygen cylinders must be delivered to Guest Services and stored in a designated safe area.

– If you use a CPAP machine, please note you will need to pack your machine with your carry-on luggage. Should you wish to bring your own distilled water with you to use with your CPAP machine, it must be hand carried along with your CPAP machine.

– For your convenience, Carnival carries distilled water which can be purchased either pre-cruise or once on board. For pre-purchase, you must contact our Fun Shops department at 1-800-522-7648, Extension 70039, Monday-Sunday from 8:00am-10:00pm ET. For purchase on board, you can contact Room Service.

– Coolers: Small, personal-sized coolers no larger than 12” x 12” x 12” for the purpose of housing small quantities of non-alcoholic beverages and/or medications are permitted as carry-on luggage.

– Live Animals:  Only qualified service animals once approved by Guest Access Services at time of booking.

– Flowers and Plants:  Only permitted on board if ordered through Carnival’s Fun Shops or delivered by a florist in the port of embarkation but are not permitted to be taken off the ship in the United States, per the U.S Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) Agricultural Division.

– Musical Instruments: We will allow musical instruments on board, however, if a noise complaint is received, the instrument will be confiscated by shipboard security and returned to the guest on the last day of the cruise prior to debark.

– Radios/Boom Boxes: For the comfort of all our guests, radios and boom boxes can be used with headphones or earpieces when used in public areas.

– Ham Radios/Amateur Radio Equipment: Permitted to be used on board Carnival Cruise Line ships.

– Google Glasses are permitted on board in public areas but cannot be worn at any gangway operation.

– Floatation Devices:  For the comfort of all our guests, rafts, tubes and floatation devices other than those used as life preservers (water wings) cannot be used in the swimming pools on board.

– Wrapped Gifts: Guests may bring wrapped gifts on board; however, due to heightened security, the gift may have to be unwrapped, upon request.

– Digital Cameras/Camcorders, DVDs/VCRs, USB sticks, iPods, Nintendo/X-Box Play Units cannot be used with the TV in the guest’s stateroom or suite as the connection ports are disabled.

– Food Items must be pre-packaged and unopened; homemade items or pre-cooked foods will not be permitted onboard.
– Limitations on permitted food items are directly related to concerns for food safety and contamination prevention. We are unable to provide food preparation, refrigeration or storage for personal food or beverage items.

– Seashells may be brought onboard from the ports visited if they appear to be clean and sanitized and do not have the odor of a living organism.

Exemptions – Items for Port Use Only

– Drone Cameras

– Snorkel Gear

– Segways

– Skateboards

– Golf Clubs

– Fishing Rods

– Tennis Rackets

– Kites

– Roller Blades or Skates

– Metal Detectors

– Boogie Boards (maximum 42 inches in length)

– Beach Chairs

– Beach Umbrellas

– Portable Folding Bicycles (maximum 20 inch tires)

– Collapsible Wagons – for the safety of our guests, the collapsible wagon may not be rolled onto/off off the ship during embarkation and debarkation and may not be rolled off/onto the ship while in port.Please Note – It is the responsibility of the guest to check with local laws of each port as Carnival will not be responsible for confiscated items by Foreign Governments.

Other Considerations – The following items cannot be taken off the ship in the United States during the cruise or no debarkation day.

U.S Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Port Officers perform agricultural inspections to protect the U.S from potential carriers of animal and plant pests of diseases the could cause serious damage to America’s crops, livestock, pets and the environment.

– Animal Products

– Unsealed Food Items

– Fruits and vegetables

– Agriculture and Horticulture Products

– Plants and Cut Flowers

– Ship Property