People who go on a cruise tend to have different reasons for seeking out that sort of vacation. But for many, the lure of rest and relaxation is a strong pull.
For some, that R&R involves sitting on a lounge chair, the sun warming your face, with a salty breeze ruffling your hair. If you’re by the pool, you may hear some quiet background music provided by the cruise line. If your cabin has a balcony and that’s where you’re enjoying your R&R, you can enjoy hearing the ocean and nothing else.
Well, unless there’s some selfish a-hole ruining your moment with their preferred choice of music blaring on a Bluetooth speaker.
Bluetooth Speakers: An Increasing Problem
See, some people think it’s OK to be in public and have phone conversations on speakerphone. Others have no issues with their kids playing their electronic games with no headphones on while on a plane, in the library, you name it. So it really shouldn’t be any surprise that some people go on a cruise, Bluetooth speakers in hand, and blast whatever “their” music is, as loud as it can go, either not thinking or not caring about anyone else within earshot.
As bluetooth speakers have become more the norm, it’s happened more and more often on most, if not all cruise lines (to be fair, I suspect it’s not quite as much of a problem on lines that tend to cater to older people, such as Holland America). And in both situations mentioned above, the intrusion of someone else’s music can turn a blissful time on your vacation into an annoying and angering one.
Carnival’s Response: Taking Action Against Bluetooth Speakers
Last summer, Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador John Heald wrote a Facebook post about his disapproval of passengers who use Bluetooth speakers while on Carnival ships. He included a poll in the post and of the 15,000 votes, 90% were in favor of banning Bluetooth speakers on board. Over 2,000 comments to the post only added to the overwhelming sentiment that passengers would like Bluetooth speakers to be banned on Carnival.
At the end of polling, Heald said the responses would be forwarded to upper management.
Fast Forward a few months and Carnival Cruise Line recently updated the safety information page of their website to reflect a new rule:
All speakers (including Bluetooth, portable, and wireless types) and radios are prohibited and will be held and returned at the end of the cruise. For safety reasons, public announcements must be heard by all guests and crew. Consequently, guests must use earphones when listening to music or watching shows/movies on personal devices in public spaces.
They were also added to the cruise line’s Prohibited Items list:
Boom boxes, radios and all types of speakers (including Bluetooth, portable and wireless)
If these items are discovered upon embarkation, they will be held as a contraband item (in the box with the knives, multi-plug power strips, and handcuffs). Some Carnival ships sell Bluetooth speakers in their gift shop; if purchased, they’ll be held for the passenger until disembarkation (just like alcohol purchased onboard).
An Industry First: Will Others Follow?
It appears this ban is a first in the cruise industry. Although other cruise lines may mention boom boxes or other item that can be a nuisance or a safety hazard, none mention Bluetooth speakers. Here are a couple of examples:
- Celebrity Cruises: Under “Guest Health, Safety, and Conduct Policy“, they state: “Boom boxes, loud radios, or other noise nuisance(s) are not permitted.” No Bluetooth, portable, or wireless devices mentioned.
- Disney Cruise Line: Under “Prohibited and Restricted Items,” they state the cruise line “…reserves the right to seize and secure any item deemed to be dangerous or pose a security or safety risk.”
As we said earlier, issues with passengers’ Bluetooth speakers are probably universal, except for a small handful of ships. Cruise lines tend to follow one another in terms of rules (read: once one prohibited fake handcuffs, they all did.), so it’s possible that others will follow, simply to save themselves from bickering on the ship that can lead to having Security called.
But for right now, Carnival stands out as the only cruise line that specifically bans all types of speakers (including Bluetooth, portable and wireless).
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