Carnival Cruise Line takes its cruise rules very seriously — so seriously that it even has a team of people who monitor social media for posts about passengers doing things they shouldn’t on board its ship.
The cruise line is well aware that some social media influencers like to brag about “cruise hacks” for breaking cruise rules in an effort to get views on social media platforms like TikTok.
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Recently, one influencer thought it would be clever to wait until after her cruise to post a video about how she (allegedly) broke a crucial cruise rule during a Bahamas getaway aboard Carnival Conquest.
What she didn’t realize was that Carnival could still take disciplinary action against her after she disembarked from the ship.
Now, the TikTok influencer is changing her tune after her social media stunt landed her on Carnival’s “Do Not Sail” list for life.
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Some cruisers will always look for “cruise hacks” to try to beat the pricey drink package.
Image source: Carnival Cruise Line.
TikTok influencer banned from Carnival Cruise Line for smuggling alcohol
After her cruise on Carnival Conquest, Courtney Murley posted a video on TikTok that showed her travel companion checking their suitcase to see if the alcohol they (allegedly) hid in feminine product packaging and shampoo bottles made it on the cruise.
“Def waited until after I got home to post this…but it worked,” Murley wrote in the video caption, “Forget a drink package…okay we ended up drinking probably what we would of paid for a drink package anyways but still was fun to try and see if the rum runners would work.”
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Although Murley succeeded in her alleged cruise alcohol smuggling endeavor and racked up more than 300,000 views on TikTok, she’s now dealing with the consequences of her actions.
Carnival Cruise Line didn’t think her video, which she claims was created solely for entertainment value, was entertaining at all.
“This letter is to inform you that you will not be able to sail onboard any Carnival Cruise Line vessel in the future due to the smuggling of alcohol onboard the Carnival Conquest on March 31st, 2025, and subsequently posting about it on social media platforms,” Carnival wrote in a letter to Murley that she also posted in a TikTok video. “Your attempt to book a future cruise will result in cancellation and a possible loss of deposit monies.”
TikTok influencer wants apology from Carnival Cruise Line
After receiving the letter and sharing it on TikTok, Murley is now claiming that she’s being accused of something she didn’t do. In a more recent video, she defended herself saying that she did not smuggle alcohol on board, but faked it with juice to create a video that would drive engagement on TikTok.
She’s even suggested that Carnival owes her an apology.
“Can I get an apology, Carnival? Like can somebody reach out to me? Is there a good lawyer you guys know that I can talk to about this?” she asked her followers. “Because we did not break a rule.”
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“I didn’t smuggle alcohol. All I did was make a video,” she insisted. “You guys saw an edited video.”
Murley says that she’ll accept the ban, but asserts that she has integrity and will defend herself because she won’t accept being accused of something she didn’t do.
If you’re a loyal Carnival cruiser who wants to post cruise content on social media, let this be a lesson to you. If you’re going to post about “cruise hacks,” stick with helpful tips and entertaining posts that don’t encourage others to break cruise line rules.
