Cruises From Texas and Louisiana Now Have Curfews and Drink Limits

(KMDL-FM) Ask anyone who is about to board an ocean-going cruise ship from the Port of New Orleans or the Port of Galveston what they are looking forward to the most while on board, and I am sure you'll get a variety of answers. On previous cruises out of both of those ports, being a nosy reporter type, I have asked just such a question.

The number one answer I have gotten in my unscientific survey of why people choose cruise vacations is sleep. Cruise ships are great for sleeping, except for those daily announcements and emergency drills. You could sack out in your stateroom for the whole trip and never know if it was night or day.

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The food is another reason that folks choose a cruise vacation. It's a chance to enjoy high-quality gourmet food and homestyle and home-grown favorites, too. And cruise ship desserts are epic as well. They do things with chocolate onboard a cruise ship that would make Willie Wonka summon the Oompa Loompas for lessons.

One answer I've never gotten when I have asked "Why did you choose a cruise vacation?" is this. I want to stay up all night and drink until I puke. While a lot of people don't plan to do that, it's what they wind up doing on the first night. I found that behavior to be especially true aboard the cruise line that bills itself as "The Fun Ships".

Has Carnival Taken the "Fun" Out of the Fun Ships?

Yes, I am speaking of Carnival Cruise Lines, and they do have a reputation, or is that subtly changing as the summer of 2025 unfolds? There have been reports in the media and from social media influencers that Carnival no longer wants that "Fun Ship" reputation. Instead, they want to have the "Have Fun, Be Safe" reputation when it comes to their guests.

Some guests have reported that the ships play fewer Hip Hop cuts on their dance floors, and they have deterred guests from packing and using Bluetooth Speakers and Clack Fans (sometimes called Clap Fans) in public areas. I had to look up what a Clack Fan was, so don't feel bad. 

Some guests have even complained that Carnival limited their drinks on their "unlimited alcohol" package. And they, Carnival Cruise Line, dared to send teenagers to their staterooms after one in the morning.

No, this isn't new; Carnival has had its Have Fun, Be Safe guidelines incorporated on all of their cruises since 2023. It's part of the paperwork that none of us read when we pick up our cruise packets, so I guess that's on us.

But unlimited drinks are indeed limited. You may have no more than 15 in a 24-hour period. I think that's for your own safety. And in case you were wondering, almost all cruise ships have daily Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. They're listed in your daily activity program as "Friends of Bill W".

Did You Know Your Cruise Ship Has a Curfew?

Carnival also has a curfew for guests 17 and under; you are required to be out of public areas by 1 a.m. Unless you are accompanied by an adult from their travel party who is over the age of 21. Teens can be at the onboard "Teen Club" at that hour, and staff supervision is provided.

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Clack Fans are not banned on board, but they are banned in nightclubs. You can clack your fan and your fanny all you want to the music on the Lido Deck, though.

And about the "ban on Hip Hop," all I can say is videos I've seen from recent Carnival sailings suggest that is not the case. There may not be as much of it played on the ships, but then again, it's hard to please everyone when it comes to party music. Especially when they're drunk on a cruise ship and sunburned.