Carnival Reminds Louisiana Cruisers of Two Controversial Policies

As we speak there are probably thousands of Louisiana residents on board a cruise ship. During Mardi Gras week more than a few Louisiana locals escape the "madness" of carnival and escape for the relative peace of the open water. With several cruise itineraries to choose from and with ships sailing from New Orleans, Galveston, and Mobile you're never too far away from a cruise getaway if you live in Louisiana.

Cruise destinations have been in the news over the past few weeks. The United States Department of State has issued travel advisories for several popular cruise destinations. So, if you do have a cruise that includes the Bahamas or Jamaica, make sure you're up to date on the possibility of dangerous threats while in port. Yes, even some of the highly patrolled tourist areas in those nations have seen an uptick in violence, so know before you go.

And while your safety on board is always the top priority of any cruise line they also hope to ensure that you have a great time while on board as well. For some regular cruisers that "great time" is had by leaving a little something behind.

Have You Ever Found a Rubber Duck on a Cruise Ship?

The practice of leaving a rubber duck behind in cruise ship cabins must have started several decades ago. It seems innocent enough. One passenger will "hide" a rubber duck bathtub toy somewhere in the cruise cabin or stateroom. The hider might also leave contact information so the person who "finds" the duck can contact them and let them know the duck was found.

Here's the issue that Carnival Cruise Lines has with that practice. They say many people instead of leaving simple contact information are attaching business cards to the ducks. This violates the Carnival "no solicitation" rule. And no, they aren't the only cruise line with such a policy.

However, a spokesperson for the cruise line said via social media that policing the policy would be nearly impossible. So, if you want to bring and duck and leave a message for another passenger you can, just don't tell anybody and don't attach a business card.

Most Cruise Lines Forbid You From Bringing This on Board as Well

We all know about the stuff you can and can't bring on board a cruise ship. It's very similar to air travel and even if cannabis is legal in every port you're visiting, you still can't bring it on the ship. But there is another very innocent gift that is banned from cruise ships too.

That gift is a homemade goodie for your cabin steward or members of the ship's crew. Many cruises that are regulars like to show up with handmade treats for the cabin crew that will be taking care of them. That is a big no-no in the world of cruise workers.

While you think you're doing them a  kindness there have been stories of crew members sickened by homemade treats brought on by passengers. Some crew members were even given cannabis-laced treats by guests. As you might imagine that did not go over well with the staff or management of the vessel.

So, even if you make incredible cookies or great brownies you're going to need to keep them to yourself because your cabin crew is not allowed to take them. And, if they do accept them chances are they will be thrown away immediately.