Carnival and Royal Caribbean embrace the idea of being family-friendly cruise lines. Both offer extensive programs for kids under the age of 18 and have ships packed with water slides, theme park-style rides, and other all-ages attractions.
Over the past 20 years, the two leading cruise lines have pushed the edges of what's possible on a cruise ship. That has included things like Royal Caribbean adding massive dry slides to its Oasis-class ships and Carnival putting a literal roller coaster on its flagship Excel-class ships.
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Royal Caribbean's (RCL) latest ship, Icon of the Seas, has taken family-friendly to new levels as all of the bars onboard offer non-alcoholic "mocktails" created so all ages (and non-drinking adults) could have a craft bar-like experience. That includes a milkshake bar in the ship's Surfside neighborhood, Desserted, as well as The Lemon Post bar, a family-friendly bar in the same neighborhood where all-ages, alcohol-free drinks are elevated far beyond the classic Shirley Temple or virgin pina colada.
Very few areas on Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line (CCL) ships actually have age restrictions. Kids can enter any bar (although there are very strict rules prohibiting parents or anyone else from offering alcohol to anyone under 21.) Basically, the only age restrictions on either cruise line are in the casino, where you must be at 18, and in adults-only pool deck/sundeck areas, where the same age applies.
Both cruise lines, however, do have comedy shows where you have to be 18 to enter. That's something that seems like an adequate warning for everyone that the topics covered get a little bit adult, but Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald recently answered a question from a passenger pushing for more.
Image source: Daniel Kline/TheStreet
Carnival passenger calls for trigger warnings
While Heald answered a specific question, the topic of the material of the 18-only comedy shows does come up often on various cruise-related Facebook groups. Some people think the shows are too adult, while others want their cruise to be a respite from political talk, even of the humorous kind.
Heald addressed a post on the comedy shows that didn't call for a ban on those topics, but asked for something else entirely.
"I think Carnival should do what is now required by U.S. Law on TV and put up trigger warnings before the adult comedy show. We've been afraid of what we would hear. In MY mind, adult means adult subjects, not gratuitous profanity and sexual references," the poster (whose name was redacted) shared.
Trigger warnings, for the record, are often used by television shows to share warnings on sensitive topics like suicide, violence, or mental health, but they are not compelled by law.
"We are now on Conquest and the comedian spent much of his show talking about sex and drugs and even politics. There should be trigger warnings at the start of each show with some details of the subjects the comedian will be using. This would be better for the comedian as people could leave before the show starts and not during it as we did last night," they added.
Carnival answer on trigger warnings (sort of)
"A trigger warning is a statement made prior to sharing potentially disturbing content. That content might include graphic references to topics such as sexual abuse, self-harm, violence, eating disorders, and so on, and can take the form of an image, video clip, audio clip, or piece of text, the University of Waterloo's Center for Teaching Excellence shared.
Heald suggested that maybe they would not be that helpful on a cruise ship for an adult comedy show.
"You know, I never experienced trigger warnings when I was younger. I mean, I don’t remember anyone telling me when I watched movies in the 80 and 90s , ‘By the way, in 'The Evil Dead' someone is going to be eaten by a zombie," he wrote.
In his usual irreverent but respectful tone, Heald wondered where it would end if Carnival opened that door.
"Do we really need trigger warnings in our lives? Do we really need them at our comedy shows? Should there not be trigger warnings on our the food we offer as well? ‘This will make you fat.' 'You may break out in acne.' 'You will fart,' he added.
Heald then called for comment and the vast majority of the hundreds of posters said that trigger warnings were not needed given that the cruise line already warns that the show will contain adult content.
"Trigger warnings are not needed. People should just not attend the shows," Ann Swearingin posted.
"The trigger warnings - this has gotten TOTALLY out of hand. I think, like you, we need to go back to the time where we didn't have to warn people of everything. Make them think for themselves and hold themselves accountable," Michael Gott added.
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