Carnival Cruise Line is warning passengers about a viral social media trend that the company says has no place on its ships.
Recently, videos circulating on social media have shown travelers dragging their cabin mattresses out onto their private balconies to sleep under the stars. While it might look cozy in a TikTok clip, Carnival says the trend is unsafe and against the rules.
Carnival brand ambassador John Heald recently addressed the trend in a Facebook post, calling the behavior “absolutely bonkers” and reminding guests that moving bedding or furniture onto a balcony is not allowed.
Heald noted that the viral clip that’s currently making the rounds wasn’t actually filmed on a Carnival ship, but the cruise line still wanted to speak up before the trend spreads further among its own passengers.
Hauling mattresses outside can create several safety problems, including the potential to block emergency exit routes in a cabin. It also creates trip hazards and increases the risk of someone falling or getting hurt on the balcony.
It also creates extra work for crew members and possibly an added expense for the cruise line, since bedding that’s left outside overnight can get damp from ocean air, salt spray and humidity, meaning housekeeping staff may have to deep-clean it or even replace it.
Heald joked that anyone caught moving their mattress outside might end up spending the rest of their cruise working as a stateroom attendant. In reality, the consequences are a bit more straightforward. Passengers who violate the ship’s code of conduct could receive a warning or face a fine of up to $500.
According to Parade’s report, such social media trends have led to some unusual cruise behavior in recent years with “bedroom relocation” trends continuing to crop up. Some travelers have tried sleeping on balconies during frigid Antarctica expeditions, while others have moved entire beds (frames included) out onto Royal Caribbean decks.
For those who really want to enjoy the sea breeze while they sleep, Carnival says there’s a much simpler option.
Guests are allowed to leave their balcony doors open at virtually any time to let in fresh air. However, doing so typically causes the cabin’s air conditioning to shut off automatically.
There’s also another thing cruisers may want to consider. Ships often dock very close to one another in port, which means that your peaceful balcony view could quickly turn into an awkward situation when you wake up facing passengers on the neighboring vessel the next morning.
Carnival’s instructions are simple: Enjoy the ocean air if you’d like, but keep the mattress inside your stateroom where it belongs.