If you’ve ever been on a Carnival cruise—especially the short ones out of Long Beach to Ensenada—you know there are two sacred times in life: All-aboard and Who crushed my daiquiri? On a recent 5-day sailing that wound through Cabo San Lucas and back, a clause of cruise etiquette was tested in the most dramatic, wildly inappropriate way possible.
Picture this: the sun’s setting, the ship’s horn’s been blown, and the gangway is still down. Why? Because a handful of folks are still on shore. We’re not talking your usual “Oops, I lost track of time” — we’re talking last-minute, sprinting like they left their credit card in the buffet line energy.
The first two stragglers make it back, apologies flying, hearts pounding, and the crowd cheers like it’s a rock concert. Welcome back! All forgiven.
But then… enter the Villain in Black. And no, she wasn’t dressed for Halloween. She was apparently too cool for punctuality — sauntering up to the gangway 20 minutes after departure time, flipping off the entire ship with both hands like she’s auditioning for a stand-up routine titled “How to Lose Friends and Miss Your Cruise.”
Now, let’s be clear: this wasn’t just a middle finger salute. No, no — it was the full choreography. There was flair, there was attitude, and yes, there was an impromptu booty-shake flourish mid-gesture (per witnesses). The crowd responded accordingly: boos, laughter, and more than a few “What in the sea-day carnival fun is going on?” murmurs.
Imagine the ship waiting for you and you’re still a jerk
byu/OpinionatedMinion inCarnivalCruiseFans
Other guests on deck quickly summed it up:
“Imagine the ship waiting for you… and you’re still a jerk.”
Honestly, it’s almost poetic. It’s like watching someone show up late to brunch, find out everyone already ate, and then flip off the waiter for not saving the avocado toast. But on a boat. In Mexico. With margaritas waiting. And karaoke at 8pm. And that’s why we cruise, right? For gastronomic mastery and human entertainment.
The takeaways from this floating sitcom:
- Punctuality matters — ships will wait if they can; they just don’t want to if you’re gonna flip them off about it.
- Pier running has become a spectator sport — complete with cheers for the willing and boos for the belligerent.
- Carnival vacations aren’t just about sunsets and sangrias — they’re about the questionable decisions you witness at every port.
So next time you’re watching someone race back to your Fun Ship with sand in their shoes and regret in their eyes… remember: smiling and cheering is more fun than flipping off the ship. Unless your goal is to go viral on CruiseTube — then, by all means, strike that pose.
Now, a quick reality check for anyone taking notes from the pier. Cruise ships do not operate on island time, vacation time, or I’ll-be-right-there time. If you’re late getting back from port, the ship may wait — but only under very specific conditions. If you’re on an official cruise line excursion, they know where you are and will almost always hold the ship. If you wandered off on your own chasing tacos, souvenirs, or a suspiciously long tequila tasting, you’re on your own. The captain will wait a short grace period if it’s operationally possible, but once that gangway comes up, the ship leaves. No dramatic speeches. No refunds. Just a very quiet moment where you realize your vacation now includes airfare, paperwork, and explaining to customs why your suitcase is sailing without you.
