Carnival Guest Claims Missing Treat Ruins the New Year
Key Aspects:
A Carnival guest feels their New Year’s cruise is ruined because of a cookie confiscation.
The guest was bringing homemade cookies to share, but Carnival does not permit homemade treats to be brought onboard.
Instead, John Heald will see that there are cookies at the meeting where the guest had hoped to share the treats.
From special dinners to festive drinks to decadent treats, food is an important part of the holiday season for many people. But would missing out on a treat spoil a New Year celebration? For one Carnival cruise guest, the answer seems to be yes.
The guest took the time to prepare a special homemade treat, only to have it confiscated at the cruise terminal for embarkation. Frustrated at the action, they reached out to Carnival Cruise Line’s brand ambassador, John Heald.
“I’ve had my themed homemade chocolate chip cookies confiscated and taken by the Carnival security at the terminal in Galveston. I bring these on the ship to surprise members of our Friends of Bill W group meetings,” the guest explained.
“Why is this not allowed in my carry on? Have the Carnival police not get anything better to do. This really sucks. Happy New Year to me! Not!!!”
While the guest did not reveal the ship they were sailing on or the exact date of the confiscation, they did indicate the holiday nature of the cruise with the “Happy New Year” comment.
Four Carnival cruise ships are currently sailing New Year voyages from Galveston:
Carnival Breeze – 5-night Western Caribbean sailing to Cozumel and Progreso that departed on Monday, December 29
Carnival Jubilee – 7-night Western Caribbean route to Cozumel, Costa Maya, and Roatan that left on Saturday, December 27
Carnival Dream – 8-night Bahamas cruise to Key West, Celebration Key, Half Moon Cay, and Nassau that set sail on Saturday, December 27
Carnival Legend – 10-night Western Caribbean sailing to Cozumel, Belize, Roatan, Jamaica, and Grand Cayman that left on Friday, December 26
While Heald is sorry that the guest’s thoughtful treats have been confiscated, he did promise to double-check on home baked goods. Previously, he has confirmed that such items cannot be given to crew members, but he was going to verify whether they are permitted onboard at all.
“I have said very clearly that home baked goods like cookies cannot be given to the crew. But I will have to take a look with the beards about if these should have been taken [by port security], or not,” he said.
Heald does note that he will make arrangements for cookies to be served at the Friends of Bill W meeting onboard, so those guests joining the meeting will still have delicious treats, even if they aren’t homemade.
Interestingly, this is not the first holiday treat complaint Heald has answered this year.
Earlier in December, another guest sailing aboard Carnival Venezia was upset at the absence of eggnog. Guests can bring their own small bottles of a favorite non-alcoholic beverage onboard if they wish, but no homemade eggnog would be permitted.
Guests Agree With Confiscation
While homemade treats may be a mainstay of holiday celebrations and can be a thoughtful gift to share, many other cruise guests note that the policy not to permit them onboard is a sound one.
“Sadly in the times we live in, I can’t imagine taking homemade baked goods from a stranger regardless of how good a person you may be. It’s just a fact of the times,” one guest commented.
“That would seem like a big liability – a stranger making cookies and serving to other guests. Who knows what went in them,” another commenter agreed.
Other guests do acknowledge the kindness of the gesture, but also fear allergies, food sensitivities, and other issues that could make homemade treats problematic.
It would also be possible for a less scrupulous guest to bake cookies with ingredients such as CBD that are not permitted onboard, and it would be impossible for the cruise line to tell without significant testing.
Read Also: Carnival’s New Year’s Gala Dinner Reveals Temptations You Won’t Expect
Furthermore, even if a guest claims the homemade treats will not be given to the crew or may only be for personal consumption, that cannot be guaranteed. Instead, the cruise line errs on the side of safety and its stated policies.
Prohibited Items Policy Is Clear – No Homemade Treats Allowed
Unfortunately, it does not matter what sailing a guest may be on and holiday cruises don’t get exemptions to Carnival Cruise Line’s prohibited items policy.
The policy clearly states:
“Due to concerns for food safety and contamination prevention, any food items brought on board must be pre-packaged and unopened. Homemade items or pre-cooked foods are not allowed.”
Guests can, of course, bring their favorite snacks onboard if the items are sealed in the original factory packaging. It may not be the same as homemade treats, but it can still be a kind gesture that others will appreciate.