Cruise ship passengers warned against dangerous and 'disrespectful' trend

Cruise ship holidaymakers have been warned not to mimic a "dangerous" TikTok trend, which has also been slammed as "disrespectful" by fellow passengers. Social media influencers have been sharing videos of themselves dragging their mattresses onto the balconies of cruise ships, claiming it's a way to "maximise" their holiday experience by waking up to stunning sea views.

However, officials have highlighted "numerous reasons" why this trend is ill-advised, including concerns over "cleanliness and safety", as well as respect for other passengers.

One TikTok user posted a series of clips showing her hauling bedding onto the balcony during a Carnival Cruise Line journey, attracting criticism from unsympathetic commenters who argued that the move would make the mattress "dirty". Another cruise passenger faced even more backlash when she seemingly kick-started the trend in 2023, with members of an online cruise ship group labelling it as "incredibly disrespectful".

"You will [regret it] when your mattress is covered in salt and [moisture] from the humid air," one member commented.

John Heald, ambassador for Carnival Cruise Line, recently weighed in to reinforce the company's disapproval of the trend. "That is not allowed for safety reasons, cleanliness reasons, for all sorts of reasons," he stated in a Facebook post.

"You cannot take your mattress and put it on your balcony. Don't do it. Just don't."

Responding to queries from the firm's passengers on social media, Mr Heald confirmed that he had received letters of complaint from guests about other people sleeping with their balcony doors open.

He refuted the assertion that some people leaving their doors open affected the air conditioning in other cabins, but added that travellers who choose to enjoy the sea air overnight should be wary of a few things.

"Some people have said that passengers who leave the balcony door of their open open [are] selfish because it turns the air conditioning off for other cabins in that area," the ambassador said.

"That is not true. I have confirmed with the highest level, the chief engineers on the ships, and they [confirmed] that it only turns off the air conditioning in your cabin and does not affect those around you."

He added that leaving doors open could cause them to slam loudly in the night, potentially waking those in neighbouring cabins, and urged travellers to "watch their hands" to avoid injuries caused by the strong sea winds.

"Please be gracious and think of others," Mr Heald concluded.