Just days after eager guests spotted an outrageous rental fee for a very simple accessory on Celebration Key, Carnival Cruise Line has quietly dropped the price.
Now, instead of renting a foam pool noodle for $19.99 (USD) for the day, it will only cost visitors $10.99 to enjoy all the fun of a single noodle for their visit to the new Bahamian destination.
Carnival Cruise Line does describe the pool noodle rental as “the ideal way to float your worries away while soaking up the sun” – but is it worth $10.99 when you don’t even get to keep the noodle?
Already, one guest has emphatically disagreed, as there is a one-star review posted on the rental page that states:
“They’ve lost their minds. These are $1 pool toys for rent for a day for $20??”
The poster, by the screen name of dragonflyblue, rates the rental as a single star for value, with four stars for reliability/convenience as well as for fun.
Of course, that review was posted before the cruise line dropped the price by 45%, but $10.99 is still quite a hefty charge for such a common item that is widely available for much better discounts.
For example, stores such as Walmart and Target offer single pool noodles ranging from $1 to $5, depending on the size (length and diameter) of the noodle.
The simple toys are also available at discount chains such as Dollar Tree and Family Dollar for $1.25-3, or they are for sale on Amazon.com in multipacks that average $1.75-5 per noodle, depending on the overall quantity.
Many guests have responded to the fee with declarations that they would simply bring along their own pool noodles if desired, as one noodle can fit quite well curved along the inside of a suitcase.
Some travelers have even joked that they might bring a few along to sell, undercutting Carnival’s rental price. That would undoubtedly be frowned upon as guests aren’t typically permitted to offer business transactions onboard.
Aren’t Pool Noodles Prohibited Onboard?
Surprisingly, pool noodles are not on Carnival Cruise Line’s official prohibited items list. It wouldn’t be unreasonable for pool toys to be banned outright, but the only specific water-related items noted on the list are “inflatable kiddie pool” and “surfboards, boats, and canoes.”
The prohibited items policy does describe some items similar to noodles that may not be used onboard Carnival ships.
“For the comfort of all our guests, rafts, tubes and floatation devices other than those used as life preservers (water wings) cannot be used in the swimming pools on board,” the policy reads.
Guests are permitted to bring such items along to enjoy during beach days at ports of call, which may be a money-saving solution for travelers who want to enjoy pool noodles at Celebration Key without the rental fee.
Read Also: 12 Smart Tricks to Stop Wasting Money on Cruises
Carnival can, however, update the list at any time and add items that may cause difficulties, even if the items are typically innocuous.
For example, the cruise line recently restricted the use of handheld fans from certain areas, including Lido deck dance parties and onboard nightclubs. The foldable “clack” fans can cause injuries in crowded spaces when used for certain dance moves.
Could pool noodles join the list? There isn’t a water-wise kid anywhere who hasn’t taken a whack from a noodle in some way or other, so I suppose if they start to be considered dangerous items it might be a concern.
Carnival does – and rightly so – already ban all weapons or anything that could be “adapted” for use as a weapon, including blunt weapons, clubs, and batons.
What a way to (mis)use a pool noodle.
