Carnival Cruise Line issues four alternatives after passenger 'backlash' for critical boarding rule

Carnival Cruise Lines has responded to the backlash from passengers after asking them to follow one important rule when boarding the cruise ship.

While cruise ship holidays are all the rage right now, with more and more wanting to take to the seas for their summer holidays, this doesn't mean they don't come without their rules.

And it seems many have been ignoring one major one onboard Carnival cruises.

According to various reports, the issue stems from a policy requiring passengers to wait until their staterooms (cabins, for any non-experienced cruisers reading) are ready before heading to them.

In fact, it has become such a big issue for Carnival Cruise Line that they've had to call in the big guns - AKA their brand ambassador John Heald, who regularly speaks about issues directly with customers over on his Facebook page.

There are many rules to follow when holidaying on a cruise ship (Gerard Bottino/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Heald addressed the matter directly, asking guests to wait for the ship-wide announcement indicating rooms are ready before attempting to go to their cabins.

His plea came after a surge in passengers disregarding instructions, forcing crew members to repeat themselves and handle confrontations.

Heald also posted a photo of the onboard sign that asks passengers to not enter their rooms until 1.30pm while finishing touches are being added.

Heald started by posting a video on Facebook, pleading with passengers to 'allow housekeeping to do what they have to do to make sure your room is to the very highest of standards when you come back'.

The video received a mixed response, with many viewers giving the cruise line backlash over their policies.

Carnival's brand ambassador John Heald has issued a plea to passengers regarding checking into their staterooms (Facebook/John Heald)

One user recalled the 'early days of Carnival, you could go straight to your room because they started boarding around 1:00pm when everything was ready'.

The backlash led to Heald offering an update on what passengers should consider doing on embarkation day.

He gave passengers four suggestions:

1. Go straight to the Lido deck to eat.
2. If you have Diamond, Platinum, or have purchased Faster to the Fun, go straight to your cabin and drop off your bags.
3. Go to the muster station and check in.
4. Or finally, go to the bar and have a drink.

While the policy may seem inconvenient and annoying, it's necessary to ensure all cabins are properly cleaned and stocked properly.

Heald has given passengers four options while they wait for their cabins to be ready (Getty Stock Image)

Crew members often have a limited turnaround window between sailings, and interruptions are likely to slow down the process.

Carnival Cruise Line isn’t backing down from its boarding-day cabin policy, but it is trying to meet passengers halfway.

By offering alternatives and communicating more clearly, the company hopes to reduce tension and keep embarkation day running smoothly for guests and staff alike.

The advice comes weeks after Carnival threatened customers with a ban if they tried to smuggle on board banned items, such as booze. Yikes.