Everyone wants to enjoy beautiful sunshine and perfect weather during their cruise vacation, but what if Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate? Should cruise lines provide supplies to counteract bad weather?

One guest believes Carnival Cruise Line should freely equip guests on rainy days, and they reached out to John Heald, Carnival’s brand ambassador, with their suggestion.

“Do we need to bring our own umbrella? I would think Carnival would hand them out at the gang plank if it was raining in the islands. Better yet have them in the room closet,” the guest asked. “Will Carnival give umbrellas? If not why not?”

Not to rain on the guest’s idea, but since when is a cruise line responsible for providing supplies for contingencies during one’s cruise vacation? There would be too many options and far too much for a cruise line to be prepared for, particularly with thousands of guests onboard every sailing.

“We don’t have umbrellas for guests I am afraid,” Heald responded. “That would be a heck of a lot of umbrellas some of which would possibly not be returned.”

“Possibly” is likely an understatement, considering some guests have made off with the luggage mat from their stateroom, using it as a souvenir blanket.

Furthermore, to fully equip all ships in the Carnival fleet, even just for double occupancy, which might not provide an umbrella for every guest onboard, the cruise line would need to invest in 94,200 umbrellas, not counting extras for loss or breakage or to equip future ships.

Would Umbrellas Work Well on a Cruise?

Other guests noted that umbrellas aren’t always the best option in the rain, as wind can bend, twist, break, or simply blow them away. The outer decks of a cruise ship, higher up on the vessel, tend to be even windier, and it would be inevitable that some umbrellas would blow overboard. This would be a violation of environmental policies and could subject Carnival Cruise Line to significant fines.

If umbrellas were only handed out at the gangway, they could be collected when guests return to the ship. The same issue might be a problem, however, if umbrellas were “wind-assisted” on the piers, which can be quite breezy.

Many guests suggested just packing along an inexpensive plastic poncho, which can easily fit in a pocket, purse, or bag without taking up much space.

Both umbrellas and ponchos are generally for sale in ports of call, and buying one if needed helps support the local economy. Other travelers just enjoy the rainy experience, even if it might not be what they’d originally anticipated for their cruise vacation.

“You get stuck in the downpour and enjoy the memory,” one guest suggested. “Here’s looking at you Bimini! Stuck in a good sized downpour on a golf cart with our kids. It was the best time ever. Soaked to the bone but laughing.”

Of course, umbrellas are not on Carnival Cruise Line’s prohibited items list, and it’s perfectly acceptable to pack a small travel umbrella in your luggage in case of rainy weather during a cruise.

Other Items Carnival Cruise Line Will Not Provide

This isn’t the first time that guests have reached out to Heald with unusual, and often unreasonable, requests for items Carnival Cruise Line “ought” to provide.

For example, in July 2025, a guest complained that Carnival did not have “water spritzers” to help control sunburn, and many times Heald has been asked about slippers to wear in staterooms.

Fans are another commonly requested item. While Carnival does have a few fans onboard each ship that guests can borrow for the duration of their sailing, they are not guaranteed.

If Carnival Cruise Line were to provide all these items, where should it stop? Aqua shoes for rocky beaches, gloves and coats for Alaskan itineraries, translation dictionaries in Europe?

Ultimately, the best option is if guests think they may need or want a particular item, they should always pack it along themselves (checking to be sure it is not prohibited first!).

Carnival Shuts Down Guest Request for Free Umbrellas in Rainy Weather