Louisiana Cruisers Warned – Avoid a Gross Problem ‘Don’t Pack It’

By the time 2024 comes to a close thousands of Louisiana cruise ship guests will have embarked on a dream vacation out of the Port of New Orleans. Cruise traffic out of the Big Easy as well as Galveston, Texas, and Mobile, Alabama has been on the increase since the world came out from under the COVID pandemic.

With so many people going on cruises out of Louisiana, there are bound to be more than a few first-timers in the bunch. And when you're new to something you need to learn the lay of the land, you know what to do and what not to do. Even veteran cruisers, such as myself, learn something new on just about every voyage.

What I do know from my more than three dozen adventures in most of the world's major oceans, seas, and bays is this. Something as small as a handkerchief that could fit in your purse or pocket could ruin a cruise for thousands of guests. That's why major cruise lines such as Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Virgin, Disney, Holland America, and others are asking you to please leave one particular item at home.

There Are Certain Things You Should Not Bring on a Cruise

You may be familiar with the case of an American traveler who was facing lengthy jail time in the Turks and Caicos because they found ammunition in his bag. True, that should have been caught by several other security agencies but still, don't bring ammo and leave the weapons at home. And no, this isn't what the cruise lines are warning you about.

You might be aware that camouflage clothing is a no-no on many cruise ships. To clarify, yes you can bring it and wear it on board if you need to Rambo, but be warned camo clothing off the ship in certain countries will get you arrested. But no, that's still not the small handheld item the cruise lines wish had never been invented.

This Common Household Item Can Really Wreck a Cruise

No, we aren't talking about wrecks, as in that Costa Cruise Lines ship a few years back when the Captain was showing off for his girlfriend. We are talking more "reeking" than "wrecking" because the items the cruise lines want you to leave at home are those cool and refreshing "wet wipes" that many of you use to keep your bottoms clean and fresh.

The plumbing system on a huge cruise ship is one of the vessel's most delicate systems. The system is designed to work with certain kinds of tissue and those wet wipes do not meet the standards. They just don't flush well.  So, unless you enjoy walking the halls of a luxury resort that smells like the day after a crawfish boil you need to not use them. And the best way to avoid using them is to not bring them.

I know the label says flushable. I also know the label is wrong because I have been on a ship that smelled like "ship" spelled with a "t". And it was all because a guest on the same deck didn't think the toilet tissue in the Celebrity Theater bathroom was bougie enough for their booty.  The wipes don't flush despite what the label directions might implore you to believe.

If you must bring your wet wipes for the hierarchy that is your hiney then you're encouraged to dispose of them in the sanitary bag. That bag is also provided for feminine hygiene items and any other item that could clog a toilet or in the case of a cruise ship hundreds of toilets.

Besides you can always wash your bottom with the handy handheld shower that's in your stateroom bathroom or you can go sit with your dirty bum in the pool or the hot tub. Those features are just elegant international toilets when you think about it.  Now, I think we're all clear on why you should avoid the pool and the hot tub on a cruise ship, aren't we?