On a cruise ship with hundreds of friends, it’s inevitable that not everybody will share the identical style in music. However is Carnival Cruise Line singling out one explicit sort of music for an all-out ban?
That’s the declare made by numerous social media websites, that Carnival is banning rap and hip-hop music. So prevalent is the rumor that friends have reached out to the cruise line’s model ambassador, John Heald, for clarification.
“Did Carnival actually cease taking part in hip-hop music on their ships?” one visitor requested.
“Is the hip-hop/rap ban on all ships or simply the 3-5 day cruises?” one other chimed in.
Heald’s solutions have been much like all such questions, noting that everybody has totally different preferences and the cruise line is attempting to supply a wide range of totally different musical genres for everybody to take pleasure in.
“Due to the totally different musical tastes and pursuits of our friends, we at the moment are extending themed nights in our nightclub venues and can play music that matches with the theme for the night, together with R&B, Dance & Pop hits, Blues & Funk, Latin & Soul, and 80s and 90s hits, rap, hip-hop, and Cleveland Ohio drum and bagpipe amongst others,” he mentioned along with his attribute wit.
It’s true that new nightclub theme nights have begun to be scheduled on totally different Carnival ships, however an unique fashionable hip-hop evening shouldn’t be amongst them.
Is Present Hip-Hop Actually Banned?
Another friends have chimed in on the varied musical conversations, and one persistent omission has been observed. Some friends have been particularly upset that “present hip-hop” shouldn’t be performed onboard.
Whereas it’s actually true that one can discover a variety of musical notes coming from totally different nightclubs, levels, and sound techniques onboard, right this moment’s present hits on the hip-hop charts usually are not often amongst them.
There’s a good motive for the omission, nonetheless. Carnival Cruise Line strongly and loudly prides itself on being a family-friendly cruise line, and most of the lyrics for right this moment’s prime hip-hop hits aren’t essentially household pleasant.
Whereas there are various totally different rankings and hits charts out there, one in every of right this moment’s hottest hip-hop hits is “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar. Launched in Could 2024, the tune reached #1 on a wide range of important rankings, together with Billboard’s #1 of The 100 Finest Songs in 2024.
It was carried out on the Tremendous Bowl LIX halftime present in February 2025, had greater than 823 million on-demand audio streams within the US in 2024, and has been within the prime 10 on the UK Singles Chart, Australia’s ARIA Charts, and others.
Moreover, “Not Like Us” received 5 Grammy Awards in February 2025 – File of the Yr, Music of the Yr, Finest Rap Efficiency, Finest Rap Music, and Finest Music Video.
There’s no denying, then, that the tune is completely well-liked and a really present and much-requested hip-hop tune.
Why, then, will friends most definitely by no means hear it within the nightclub or on the Lido Deck of any Carnival cruise ship?
The cruise line doesn’t have any drawback with hip-hop or rap music as a style, however this particular person tune goes dramatically towards Carnival’s “family-friendly” vibe.
I can’t reprint the lyrics (not just for copyright causes), however I provides you with some hints. The three verses, two choruses, and ultimate bridge have a complete of roughly 900 phrases for the 4-minute, 34-second tune.
Of these phrases, six are the “f-word”, 17 are the “n-word”, six could possibly be that means a feminine canine, 9 check with one thing apart from a donkey, and one is actually not a cat.
The storylines of the tune appear to reference totally different prison and sexual acts, slavery, jail time, and extra. Granted, each tune is a musician’s private expression and is open to totally different interpretations relying on every listener’s personal experiences.
Learn Additionally: What to Anticipate When You Go on a Carnival Cruise
The catchy beat and rhythms of the tune do have an incredible membership vibe, however the lyrics would merely be too controversial to play onboard a Carnival ship.
To be clear, this is only one tune and there are various hip-hop songs that could possibly be performed for everybody to take pleasure in. It might be difficult, nonetheless, for Carnival Cruise Line to curate a play record of present songs and prime hip-hop hits that wouldn’t have some controversial elements that might upset a lot of their friends.
Moreover, Carnival would possible not play music of any style that had such probably controversial lyrics or storylines, whether or not it was a pop tune, nation tune, or perhaps a lullaby.
All Carnival friends can, nonetheless, carry alongside no matter music they take pleasure in to hear on personal headphones.
Whereas bluetooth audio system are banned and particular person music can’t be performed publicly, nobody is prohibited from having fun with their favourite songs as they sunbathe on the Lido Deck, stroll down the promenade, or in any other case take pleasure in their cruise trip.
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