Carnival Cruise Line director issues Christmas gift warning as passenger complains about service

The world's largest cruise line has explained an innocuous security risk that you might encounter if you bring Christmas presents on its ships this festive period.

Despite Christmas Day and New Year celebrations being on our doorstep, the cruising industry will not stop for festivities, with many cruise lines throughout the world offering adventures on the open seas as a way to celebrate 25 December and 1 January.

Carnival Cruise Line, a Miami-based subsidiary company of the world's largest cruise line Carnival Corporation & plc, is among the cruising businesses offering that to those who want to enjoy something different in December and January.

Cruise ships and Christmas gifts

It begs the question; what about gifts?

Given you're packing to live - such as toiletries, clothes, and other electrical device essentials - there's little room to bring the wrapping paper rolls with you on top of a few presents.

Well, one customer has emailed in to Carnival on that exact issue, messaging Carnival's Brand Ambassador and senior cruise director, John Heald, with criticism about the cruise line's lack of service in this department.

"Why does Carnival not offer a gift wrapping service? We are joining on the Vista for Christmas," one customer emailed Heald saying.

"I am told on good authority that Carnival does not have gift wrapping. Really John! I am notable to pack a few gifts already wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper so what is Carnival expecting me to do?

"Celebrating Christmas on board with my dear husband and son. This is very disappointing and this is very poor service."

Carnival Dream is one of the cruise lines ships (CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)

Security risk highlighted

Responding, Heald explained policy on Christmas presents for Carnival Cruise Line. But in doing so, also revealed a security risk in bringing particular presents on board that you should probably leave at home for when you get back.

"I thought I would share this because while we do not have a gift wrapping service on the ship you can bring pre wrapped gifts on board," Heald wrote.

"That is not a concern. Please make sure you don’t wrap any toy weapon or anything that can could be mistaken for something like that. But you can bring them wrapped.

"Or you can do as I do for my wife and daughter’s gifts and choose gift bags instead of wrapping, not just out of pure laziness, but also because I have the wrapping skills of a drunken yak."

John Heald offered a fair response to the irritated Carnival cruise passenger (Desiree Navarro/Getty Images))

'Rolling my eyes'

The Carnival community following Heald's page said similar to the man himself, stating that gift bags were the way to go if you want to bring anything with you on to the vessel.

One person said it is not for the cruise line to hold your hand in the role of being Father Christmas. Kinda funny, we won't lie.

As for asking for a wrapping service, one user wrote: "Not sure if I should laugh, or just roll my eyes!"