Cyclists beware - Carnival Cruise Line prohibits bicycles on any kind

[kahtrav]

Last week I booked a transatlantic cruise on Carnival, for the purpose of transporting me, my husband and our folding tour bikes (Bike Fridays) in their suitcases to Spain for a six-week cycling trip. We have done this several times on other cruise lines. Imagine my surprise to find, only a couple of days later, - while casually looking at their website, to find bicycles on their “Prohibited Items – will be disposed of prior to boarding” list (along with fishing spears, knives and scissors, medical marijuana, etc.). I immediately called Carnival to explain that they were in regular size Samsonite suitcases, took up no extra space, and that, if necessary, they could be kept by the ship until disembarkation in Spain, all to no avail. They would make no exception to the rule and, since I had made a non-refundable deposit, would only credit toward another Carnival cruise (which would also refuse bikes). They also could not or would not tell me the reasoning for this policy.

 

Since it was a holiday weekend, this conversation took more than 9 hours over 4 days to finally get to a person high enough at Carnival to resolve the issue. I strongly explained (several times over the past 4 days) that I would be one very unhappy customer and wouldn’t hesitate to share my story with friends – in person and on internet cruise and travel websites.

 

Ultimately they still refused to take the bike – no exceptions for any reason (though they discussed a number of options amongst themselves) but would make a one-time exception and refund the deposit. So – we have had to cancel our cruise, but at least we will get our sizeable deposit back. This is actually a better outcome than I expected – although , obviously, would have preferred to take the cruise with our bikes.

[TerReuv]

Sorry to hear you could not take your bikes, but I am surprised that you did not read the information before you booked a trip with a non-refundable deposit. You are lucky they are refunding the deposit. Not a surprise that they could or would not tell you why. I am sure that every person you talked to has no idea why, just that it is a Carnival rule that they have to follow.

 

Anyway, glad you got your deposit back but the moral of the story is to read up before you book.

[mo&fran]

But I cannot see where any reasonable person would even suspect of such a rule. At least put it in storage for the trip. We have friends who have taken a folding bike on Celebrity cruises so he can ride in port.

[fergusonvt]

Why didn't you still take the cruise and just ship the bikes over there to the tour company?

[Ken076]

Why not ship the bikes? ken

[LandlockedCruiser01]

Glad you got at least the deposit back. I'm wondering at this point if it would have been possible to to disassemble the bike and pack it into a box or crate. For those in the know, does Carnival allow that, or do they prohibit bikes onboard in any form, period?

[LKYGSR]

Anyone venture a guess on why Carnival does not allow bikes? Are you not allowed to keep anything in "stowage" along the way when you are on a trip that starts and ends in different ports?

[DEBnGAB]

Glad you got at least the deposit back. I'm wondering at this point if it would have been possible to to disassemble the bike and pack it into a box or crate. For those in the know, does Carnival allow that, or do they prohibit bikes onboard in any form, period?

 

From what I can gather from the OP the bike folds up into suitcases but they were still told no.

[sparks1093]

Glad you got at least the deposit back. I'm wondering at this point if it would have been possible to to disassemble the bike and pack it into a box or crate. For those in the know, does Carnival allow that, or do they prohibit bikes onboard in any form, period?

 

They were packed in a suitcase so it sounds like prohibited in any form.

 

Anyone venture a guess on why Carnival does not allow bikes? Are you not allowed to keep anything in "stowage" along the way when you are on a trip that starts and ends in different ports?

 

I am envisioning drunken revellers(sp) racing each other around the Promenade but that's all that I can come up with.

[paper1122]

Yeah, I would imagine it has to do with a liability on the ship. Though I don't know why they couldn't hold them for you for use during port days?

[golfb4cruzing]

Are they letting you take the fishing spears, knives, scissors and medical marijuana though??

[sparks1093]

Yeah, I would imagine it has to do with a liability on the ship. Though I don't know why they couldn't hold them for you for use during port days?

 

Storage space, it is at a premium especially on a trans-Atlantic. My guess, anyway.

[bbohbbneedacruise]

Personally I would have gone further up the chain.

We own a mobility scooter that folds and fits into a suit case have had no issues.

People can also bring golf clubs and they are bulkier than a folded bike in a case.

 

Sorry but I just would not have settled without exhausting every possible person in authority.

[Kamloops50]

Anyone venture a guess on why Carnival does not allow bikes? Are you not allowed to keep anything in "stowage" along the way when you are on a trip that starts and ends in different ports?

 

A possibility is that illegal drugs can be stashed in the frame of the bike.

 

Meaning Drug Trafficking.

[crusinpsychRN]

They were packed in a suitcase so it sounds like prohibited in any form.

 

 

 

I am envisioning drunken revellers(sp) racing each other around the Promenade but that's all that I can come up with.

 

Not carnival but on the Mariner of the Seas the Captain rode a very small motorbike all over the ship!

[crusinpsychRN]

Wouldn't the suitcase with the bike in it just stay in the OP's cabin?

[PR0318]

You couldn't have just rented a bike for the day at a port?

[LKYGSR]

You couldn't have just rented a bike for the day at a port?

 

Seeing the OP is planning a six week bike tour in Spain.....I'm thinking....Nope!

[DEBnGAB]

Wouldn't the suitcase with the bike in it just stay in the OP's cabin?

 

Sounded like that was the plan..but afraid since the rules say items will be "disposed of prior to boarding" doesnt want to take the chance of having her bicycle tossed if security says no.

[Silent Penguin]

A possibility is that illegal drugs can be stashed in the frame of the bike.

 

Meaning Drug Trafficking.

 

 

Peddling drugs? I get it.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

When we first sailed on the Dream -- the captain was obviously a bike enthusiast!

 

 

 

Tom

[CourtneyLovesCruising]

I understand having to cancel the trip, however I personally wouldn't let this rest.

[mheinrich]

Some bikes can be a pretty high end item. Maybe one got damaged or turned up missing at some point and that's why the rule was created. All it takes is one complaint and up pops a stupid new rule.

[kc5grw]

I understand having to cancel the trip, however I personally wouldn't let this rest.

 

Why?

 

She got her money back and the cruise is cancelled.

 

Carnival is free to set their own rules. If you don't like it sail elsewhere. Why create additional aggravation beating a dead horse?

[Scott34787]

A possibility is that illegal drugs can be stashed in the frame of the bike.

 

Meaning Drug Trafficking.

 

Yup - dismantling and searching the bike

frames for contraband makes the screeners

two tired and cranky.

Edited September 5, 2012 by Scott34787