Sometimes, a cruise line has a rule that exists for reasons passengers may not think about. Sometimes it's something small like a certain ocean view or balcony rooms have to close their curtains at night because their cabin lights can impact the visibility on the bridge.
No cruise line wants to make rules about mobility scooters, but both Carnival and Royal Caribbean only allow scooters that fit inside cabins. That's not to be mean to people with mobility issues, it's a health and safety issue for other passengers.
Related: Carnival Cruise Line makes big in-cabin change passengers wanted
What might seem illogical to passengers often actually makes perfect sense when you fully understand the issue. Cruise lines, for example, don't allow passengers to use outside toilet paper. That's not because they have something against softer toilet paper, but it can clog up their plumbing and cause disastrous consequences for numerous cabins.
The provided toilet paper is designed to break down in a cruise ship's plumbing system. It's not a rule just to be bossy, it's a key measure designed to keep the plumbing system working.
Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald recently responded to an angry email explaining why a rule that seemed dumb, at least to the writer of the email, actually is very important.
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Carnival has a policy on feeding birds
Heald often shares messages sent to him where his answer might help the over half a million Carnival passengers who visit his page. He recently shared an email that was sent to him.
On our cruise on the Luminosa around Alaska and while on our own personal balcony me and my husband were throwing some leftover bread from room service in the air for the seagulls to eat. We were in Ketchikan. Some busybody reported us. We had someone from security knock on our door and humiliate us by telling us like we were school kids. Seagulls are God's creatures. I like them, they don't cause any bother (and their cries make you feel as though you are really on the high seas.? SMH that this happened John Heald.
SMH, if you don't know means "shaking my head," and the letter writer clearly seems aggrieved at being told not to feed the birds from their balcony. Heald, however, explained that the crew was not seeking to embarrass the couple.
"Thank you and I do understand, but I am sure the security team member did not 'humiliate' you but was doing his job to kindly ask you not to feed the birds. I know our wonderful naturalist on board will make announcements not to feed them. When you have dozens of birds attracted to the ship they can make a huge mess as they drop massive dollops of poo all over the ship," he shared.
Carnival has the no feeding rule for that very valid reason as well as others.
"Our housekeeping department thank you for not feeding them," Heald wrote. "There are of course strict environmental reasons as well. Throwing anything overboard is forbidden and so that includes feeding them."
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Carnival passengers speak up for Heald
Many of the posters on Heald's page stuck up for the Carnival crew.
"Not sure why the seagull feeding guests felt humiliated because security asked them to stop in the privacy of their cabin rather than letting them know via a ship-wide announcement with their details," posted Pam De Marco.
Some posters were very harsh in their responses.
"If you were humiliated by someone telling you you are not allowed to do that, that’s on you, not them. They make announcements and it’s well published…nothing overboard and that includes info the air. If you can’t follow the rules then maybe you do need to be treated like kids," added Teresa Meredith Campbell.
Many passengers also spoke in favor of not allowing passengers to feed seagulls.
"As far as the seagulls go, the policy of forbidding guests feeding them extends to most outdoor activities. I’ve seen many birds literally attacking plates of food at amusement parks because some started feeding them scraps. It’s unsafe and not sanitary," wrote Randy Schweingrouber.
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