Carnival Cruise Line shares warning about item you may want to pack
Planning for how to keep cool is key when packing for a cruise to warm, sunny destinations like the Caribbean, and lightweight, breathable clothing may not be the only thing you want to bring along for optimal comfort.
Many cruisers also pack one travel item that's often overlooked by new cruisers. While you may think to bring sun hats and other gear to help you stay comfortable outdoors, you might not consider one thing that you may want in your cabin to help you catch a cool breeze as the ship sails to tropical destinations: a fan.
Like most hotel rooms, cruise ship cabins aren't outfitted with ceiling fans and the air conditioning may not get as cool as you'd like, especially if you're sailing in a balcony cabin where outdoor heat often comes in through the balcony door.
If you're someone who likes to sleep in a cold room, bringing a small, portable fan with you on a cruise is probably a good idea so you don't end up heated like one Carnival cruise passenger who expected one to be provided on board.
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Carnival Cruise Line doesn't provide fans on board
Carnival's brand ambassador, John Heald, shared a couple of key warnings about fans in a video for his 669,000 Facebook followers after receiving an angry message from a passenger whose request for a fan to use in their cabin was denied on board. Although Carnival does keep a supply of fans on each of its ships, they're only reserved for special circumstances.
"Fans are not going to be given unless there are unforeseen circumstances or if indeed you have a medical situation. Those are the times when we give you a fan," Heald explained.
If you want a fan for your cruise cabin, you need to make sure to pack one. Portable electric fans are permitted on board Carnival cruise ships as long as they are no larger than 12 inches in diameter.
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"If you want to be guaranteed you have a fan, please bring your own. Please bring your own 12 inches or smaller. You can put it in your carry-on bag or your checked-in bag," Heald said.
If you don't pack a fan and find that your cabin isn't as cool as you'd like it to be, you probably won't be able to get one on board.
"Please don't ask on the ship because we can only give you one in certain and very specific circumstances," Heald added.
Don't try to hang a fan from your cruise cabin ceiling
If you do bring a fan on your cruise, keep in mind that you can set it up anywhere you'd like in your cabin, as long as you don't try to hang it on the ceiling. Creating your own ceiling fan is prohibited on board for safety reasons.
"Also, a reminder, ceiling fans are not allowed. People put a fan on the ceiling and magnet up or tape it up. You can't use tape. You can't use magnets. You can't do anything on the ceiling because of safety," Heald said.
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The brand ambassador explained that the movement of the ship could easily cause the fan to fall from the ceiling onto you below it. That's why creating your own ceiling fan isn't a good idea and something Carnival doesn't allow passengers to do.
Besides bringing a portable fan to use in your cabin, some cruisers also like to bring handheld fans to use on deck or in port. These are also permitted on board, but Carnival does not allow handheld clack (or clap) fans to be used in the nightclub or on any indoor dance floor for safety reasons.
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This story was originally published April 17, 2026 at 5:16 AM.