Latest news with #Lupoli
USA Today
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Did Carnival ban clacking fans, hip hop music on cruises? What to know.
Chatter has been circulating online about reported recent changes to Carnival Cruise Line's onboard policies. Nevertheless, some of those rules are not new additions, while others have not been introduced at all. Those include an alleged ban on clacking handheld fans – used for dancing to the song 'Boots on the Ground' – in parts of the ship, a ban on the 'Wobble' line dance, and limits on rap and hip hop music onboard. Some on social media said they felt the cruise line was unfairly targeting Black customers. 'Unfortunately, certain media outlets have blown this matter out of proportion,' Carnival spokesperson Matt Lupoli told USA TODAY in an emailed statement. 'We have always had a wide variety of entertainment options and for the last several years we have communicated our expectations about guest behavior.' What recent changes did Carnival make? Carnival did ban Bluetooth speakers in late 2024. The cruise line also introduced a 1 a.m. curfew for guests 17 and under – if they are not accompanied by an adult – but that policy dates back to 2023, Lupoli said. Jasmine Ramnarine, who runs the travel and lifestyle YouTube channel A Rich and Jazzy Life with her husband, Richard, said she thinks the narrative that the cruise line is cracking down on onboard behavior is not necessarily a bad thing – even if it's not entirely accurate. That can help counter negative attention from viral videos of fights among passengers, for instance, she said. 'At the end of the day, it's their business, you know,' she told USA TODAY. Did Carnival ban clacking fans and the 'Wobble' line dance? No. Handheld clack or clap fans are not banned, though they are prohibited in nightclubs and other indoor dance floors for safety reasons as of June, Lupoli said. However, Ramnarine said that particular change did feel 'pointed towards Black people' given the song and dance's popularity within the Black community. 'And as someone who leads a community of Black cruisers on cruises, it's kind of disappointing because there's so many other things that are more important,' she said. Carnival did not immediately respond to an additional request for comment on Ramnarine's experience. The 'Wobble' is not banned either, according to Lupoli. The cruise line recently refreshed its Sail Away playlist, so guests may not hear the V.I.C. song there, but it is still played at other events. The cruise line also expanded its nightclub theme nights, Lupoli added, but still plays hip hop and rap among a variety of other genres. Richard Ramnarine said he felt Carnival could have been more vocal about dispelling false narratives circulating online. 'This is the age of social media, where videos are going to go viral and people are going to believe and only hear what they're hearing and seeing on social media when they're not hearing (enough) from Carnival's leadership,' he said.
Business Insider
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
No, Carnival Cruises is not banning rap music
The cruise line has responded to claims circulating online that DJs aren't including hip-hop music in their sets or honoring song requests, with some social media users saying the alleged move is racially motivated. Matt Lupoli, the senior manager for public relations, denied the allegations. "Unfortunately, certain media outlets have blown this matter out of proportion," Lupoli told BI in a statement. "We have always had a wide variety of entertainment options and for the last several years we have communicated our expectations about guest behavior." It's not just the music claims — two notices about Carnival have also been making the rounds and fueling misinformation. A snapshot of safety guidelines from Carnival was posted on social media in June and includes a curfew for minors, a ban on handheld drinks and fans on dance floors, and a prohibition on radios. Some online criticized the supposedly new rules — but Lupolisaid that though the snapshot is authentic, those rules rules have been in place for more than two years. A video from Carnival posted in February 2023 outlines some of the rules. Lupolitold BI that the only recent addition is a prohibition on "clack fans," which are handheld fans that make a loud sound. To make matters more complicated, another graphic circulating on TikTok is entirely fake, Lupoli told BI. It reads "Effective June 2025" across the top and lists some of the same rules. Versions of the fake graphic include typos— minors must follow curfew unless they're with an "ault" and "solo cruslers must be 21+ or sall with someone 25+" — but nonetheless got significant pickup online. Some TikTok users also said that Carnival implemented a 15-drink daily limit on its Cheers! drink package, and ramped up enforcement. Lupoli told BI that the limit has existed for years. A Pew survey last year found that American adults are less concerned about disinformation on TikTok compared to other social media platforms. Of those surveyed, 71% reported seeing inaccurate news on TikTok "sometimes" or "extremely or fairly often," compared to 76% on Instagram, 84% on Facebook, and 86% on X. In April, TikTok announced that it's piloting a new feature called "footnotes," which are similar to the community notes on other social media platforms. The feature lets users add context to videos and is first being trialed in the US. Unlike Meta and X, TikTok is not getting rid of professional fact-checkers. Earlier this year, TikTok made changes to its US Content Advisory Council, adding three new members with libertarian or conservative backgrounds. One of them co-authored a blog post for the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, that argued, "The First Amendment does protect misinformation and hate speech."
Business Insider
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
No, Carnival Cruises is not banning rap music
You can still dance to rap on Carnival Cruise Lines, but your social media feed might indicate otherwise. The cruise line has responded to claims circulating online that DJs aren't including hip-hop music in their sets or honoring song requests, with some social media users saying the alleged move is racially motivated. Matt Lupoli, the senior manager for public relations, denied the allegations. "Unfortunately, certain media outlets have blown this matter out of proportion," Lupoli told BI in a statement. "We have always had a wide variety of entertainment options and for the last several years we have communicated our expectations about guest behavior." It's not just the music claims — two notices about Carnival have also been making the rounds and fueling misinformation. A snapshot of safety guidelines from Carnival was posted on social media in June and includes a curfew for minors, a ban on handheld drinks and fans on dance floors, and a prohibition on radios. Some online criticized the supposedly new rules — but Lupoli said that though the snapshot is authentic, those rules rules have been in place for more than two years. A video from Carnival posted in February 2023 outlines some of the rules. Lupoli told BI that the only recent addition is a prohibition on "clack fans," which are handheld fans that make a loud sound. To make matters more complicated, another graphic circulating on TikTok is entirely fake, Lupoli told BI. It reads "Effective June 2025" across the top and lists some of the same rules. Versions of the fake graphic include typos— minors must follow curfew unless they're with an "ault" and "solo cruslers must be 21+ or sall with someone 25+" — but nonetheless got significant pickup online. Some TikTok users also said that Carnival implemented a 15-drink daily limit on its "Cheers!" drink package, and ramped up enforcement. Lupoli told BI that the limit has existed for years. A Pew survey last year found that American adults are less concerned about disinformation on TikTok compared to other social media platforms. Of those surveyed, 71% reported seeing inaccurate news on TikTok "sometimes" or "extremely or fairly often," compared to 76% on Instagram, 84% on Facebook, and 86% on X. In April, TikTok announced that it's piloting a new feature called "footnotes," which are similar to the community notes on other social media platforms. The feature lets users add context to videos and is first being trialed in the US. Unlike Meta and X, TikTok is not getting rid of professional fact-checkers. Earlier this year, TikTok made changes to its US Content Advisory Council, adding three new members with libertarian or conservative backgrounds. One of them co-authored a blog post for the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, that argued, "The First Amendment does protect misinformation and hate speech." TikTok is still trying to find a US owner to comply with a divest-or-ban law. Multiple bidders have emerged, and the app might end up selling to a group of US investors.
