Carnival cruises warn travelers not to bring drugs or get in fights

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Carnival Cruise Line has a message for spring breakers planning to set sail: If you think you can get away with the kind of bad behavior that’s going viral on social media, think again.

“We’ve all seen the news coverage and social media posts from people misbehaving,” Carnival Cruise Line president Christine Duffy said in a video address posted to YouTube on Feb. 15. “It happens in stores, restaurants, at sporting events and schools, on airplanes, in theme parks and yes, even on cruise ships.”

Duffy said in the video that all of the line’s ships have hired more security personnel and the company has introduced drug-sniffing dogs at homeports to screen baggage. Drug dogs may also be present at destination ports, she said.

About two weeks after the news was posted to YouTube, Carnival sent a letter to customers on upcoming cruises, reminding them of their expectations for onboard behavior.

“You will be sailing with us during spring break, which is traditionally a period of high occupancy,” read a Feb. 28 letter to passengers. “As part of our commitment to creating the best environment to ensure everyone has a fun and memorable holiday, we would like to thank you for our Safety First! Guidelines as we CHOOSE FUN TOGETHER.”

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Safety first! Policies include rules about what is not allowed to be brought on board (liquor, beer, or any type of marijuana or other drugs); how to listen to music or watch videos (with headphones) and how to get only a lounger on the pool deck (show up early, no reservation allowed).

Smoking on Carnival ships is only permitted in designated areas, and lighting in any other location will result in a $500 fine. so will throw everything overboard.

The cruise line has been warning of consequences for unruly behavior for months and routinely communicates with passengers before trips. A series of fighting on Carnival ships in June, July and September drew widespread attention, prompting the operator to make changes to visitor policies on its ships.

Carnival introduced a curfew for guests under the age of 18 in September. In October, the operator updated its cruise ticketing agreement to warn that disruptive passengers could be fined $500, forced to reimburse expenses, forced to disembark early and banned from future cruises. Carnival has also installed new signs in terminals and on ships reminding passengers of the rules, and new videos will be shown on in-cabin TVs. Many star basketball legends Shaquille O’Neal, dubbed Carnival’s “Chief Fun Officer.”

The videos, which were broadcast on board in mid-February, include information on youth curfew, safety, food waste, dress code and “being a team player”.

“This ship is shared space,” says fleet cruise director Mike Pack in one of the videos. “Blanking music from your balcony, loud noises in the hall, hogging the poolside chairs and crowding the elevators is not the way to show respect.”

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Carnival spokesman Matt Lupoli said that while the cruise line has tried to reiterate its expectations for guests over the past six months, another round of reconnaissance makes sense.

“It seems spring break is a good time to remind guests,” he said.

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