Key Aspects:
- Carnival Cabins include most amenities guests may need during their time onboard, but they do not have digital alarm clocks.
- One guest wrote to Brand Ambassador John Heald to ask that digital alarm clocks be added to cruise cabins.
- The cruise line has no plans to supply digital clocks at this time, and most guests feel that they are unnecessary in the era of smart technology.
Carnival cruise cabins nearly have everything, including comfy beds, linens, a television, storage space, the occasional towel animal, and more. But what these inclusive accommodations do not possess is a clock.
However, at least one Carnival cruiser thinks that this should change and brought the matter to Brand Ambassador John Heald on his public Facebook page.
Specifically, the cruiser believes that every room should have a digital clock that can also function as an alarm clock.
“Please put a digital clock in all the rooms John Heald. We need wake up alarm calls and to see what the time it is. This is not easy when you are in an inside room. Just saying,” the cruiser wrote.
Currently, Carnival guests are able to use their cell phones as alarm clocks. Guests should just make sure to switch their phones to airplane mode and join the onboard WiFi network to avoid excessive roaming charges.
If relying on your phone, it’s also important to make sure your phone is in the correct time zone, especially if the time zone is shifting. Phones are supposed to use GPS to update their time zone automatically, but you may need to do this manually in your system settings.
As an alternative (or additional) option, Carnival Cruise Line also provides wake-up calls, which can be easily set up using the in-cabin phones.
Would Carnival Consider Digital Clocks?
Showing off his classic sense of humor, John Heald replied to the guest’s message with comedy rather than a serious answer.
He did not indicate if the cruise line would ever consider adding digital clocks onboard, nor has Cruise Hive seen any sign of this being in the works anywhere else.
“I will speak to the beards and ask them to place an alarm clock in all the cabins that has my voice that shouts ‘GET OUT OF BED YOU LAZY SOD’ instead of beeping. You are all in for a rude awakening,” Heald quipped.
Read Also: Carnival Cruise Line Cabins and Suites: What Are the Options?
There are several logistical concerns that could make digital clocks an impractical addition, the first of which is cost. A basic digital clock can cost as little as $6 USD, but that adds up when you consider that every Carnival ship has hundreds, if not thousands, of staterooms.
The largest ship in operation, Carnival Jubilee, has 2,681 guest cabins. Putting a clock in each of those rooms at $6 each would cost over $16,000, and that’s just for one of Carnival’s 29 ships.
Time changes are also a potential issue. Guests would either have to adjust the clocks themselves to keep them accurate, which leaves plenty of room for user error, or it would be one more task for the busy room stewards.
Would Guests Want Digital Clocks in Cruise Cabins?
Always open to feedback, Heald asked his followers for their thoughts on if they would want digital clocks in their staterooms. As of the time of publication, he had received more than 680 responses.
In the era of smart technology, the majority felt that digital clocks weren’t necessary. Most couldn’t imagine traveling without their phones or smart watches and would automatically reference their smart devices, if only out of habit.
“If only people had a way to tell time by wearing something on their wrist or another device that could tell time. Maybe a phone or similar device,” one rather sarcastic cruiser replied.
“I use my watch or phone for the time. If there’s a clock in my cabin, I’m unplugging it and putting it in the closet. I don’t want the clock glaring at me,” another stated.
As a compromise, some guests suggested bringing portable, battery-operated alarm clocks from home for passengers who feel like they really need a physical alarm clock. There is nothing on Carnival’s Prohibited Items List restricting clocks, making this a reasonable alternative.
