A major new 40-minute cruise rule could change thousands of holidaymakers’ trips for the better.
The percentage of people planning a cruise holiday has doubled over the last two years, according to recent research. For 2026, one in five UK holidaymakers (20%) say they are planning a cruise for some point during the year, up from 9% in the early months of 2024, according to new research by AllClear Travel Insurance. However, there is still one thing that can be particularly frustrating when spending time at sea.
On busy sea days, pool decks can become one of the most competitive areas on board. Thousands of passengers often head out early to grab loungers, leaving towels, books or flip-flops behind to ‘reserve’ a spot even if they don’t return for hours.
To combat this, Carnival Cruise Line has now introduced a new system aimed at tackling the long-running problem of sunbed wars.
Carnival Cruise Line offers British passengers various itineraries, including departures from Southampton and Dover with itineraries to the British Isles, Northern Europe, Scandinavia and the Mediterranean.
Under the cruise line’s recently introduced system, if staff spot a sunbed with personal items left on it but no one actively using it, they place a timed notice sticker on the chair.
The sticker records the time it was placed and warns that belongings will be removed if the lounger remains unused for 40 minutes.
The Carnival Cruise Line website reads: “Shipboard team members, the ‘ChairShare Team’ monitor sun lounger usage and if they observe a seat that contains a towel or personal belongings (flip-flops, books, etc.) but appears to be unoccupied, a sticker is placed on the chair indicating the time the sticker was placed and when personal items will be removed.
“If the chair remains unoccupied for 40 minutes, the contents are removed and held for the guest’s safekeeping.”
The sticker that is placed on the belongings of ‘chair-hoggers’ reads: “We stopped by at _____ and found this chair empty.
“Hope you’re having a great time… but for the benefit of all we limit how long chairs can be left unattended. At _____ we’ll move your stuff to the towel hut for safekeeping.”
Announcements are also made over the ship’s public address system by the cruise director. In addition, the policy is displayed on signage around outdoor deck spaces, within the Carnival HUB App, and displayed on the Seaside Theater poolside screen.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
