If you’ve ever been on a cruise ship, you know that a lot can happen before the staff steps in.
Usually, the crew will only get involved if one’s actions are affecting their safety or the safety of others. For example, some guests have discussed how they were punished for allegedly fighting on board, while others have claimed that staff got involved after they appeared to be intoxicated.
Still, one has to go relatively far before a cruise ship decides to have them removed. Now, a family has gone viral after claiming that a cruise ship kicked them off for a bizarre reason.
What Happened To This Family?
In a video with over 2.3 million views, TikTok user Qunisha (@qnotes1) shows her family leaving a Carnival Cruise ship.
“Y’all, they kicking us off the f—— Carnival,” she starts. “They done got us kicked off. Now, we looking stupid.”
Immediately, commenters began to question why her family had been removed.
“Nobody gets kicked off for no reason,” a user said.
“She’s complaining she’s getting kicked off but won’t say what happened,” another stated.
Eventually, the TikToker revealed the alleged reason—and it had commenters roiling.
“They caught my husband fishing,” Qunisha writes in a highly-favorited comment.
Can You Fish Off The Side Of A Cruise Ship?
Upon closer examination, it seems that Qunisha is joking. This is a trend on TikTok in which cruise passengers say they’re getting “kicked off,” only to reveal that the reason they were “kicked off” is because it’s disembarkation day—i.e., the day when their cruise journey ends.
After posting her video, Qunisha appeared to realize commenters weren’t in on the joke. Consequently, she messed with them, giving them various reasons for their supposed removal before eventually setting the comments section alight by claiming they were fishing off the side of the boat.
While this story may be fake, it has some people wondering: Can you fish off the side of a cruise ship?
The answer for most cruise lines is “no.”
Some cruise lines expressly ban fishing equipment. Others say it can be brought on the ship, but only used for certain excursions.
Earlier this month, Carnival’s senior cruise director and brand ambassador, John Heald, made a post on Facebook joking about being asked whether someone could fish off the side of the boat. While the post is largely humorous in tone, he says the idea of fishing off the ship is “strictly forbidden.”
Why Do They Restrict Fishing Off The Side Of The Ship?
There are a few reasons why a cruise would forbid customers from fishing off the side of a ship.
First, many cruise ships have policies in place about casting things overboard—whether it’s a fishing lure or an empty soda can. As such, any attempt to fish off the side of the boat would be a violation of this policy.
Second, there are many potential dangers of fishing off the side of the boat. One’s lure can snag another person—or, if the fisherman actually catches anything, there could be issues angling and handling the fish as it approaches and lands on the boat.
Finally, there are rules surrounding fishing in various cruise destinations. For example, a sport fishing permit is usually required when fishing from a non-Bahamian-owned boat. Fishing without one could pose legal issues.
People Have Tried To Fish Off Their Cruise Line
Just because fishing is against the rules, that doesn’t mean people haven’t attempted it.
In 2023, a TikTok of cruise passengers fishing off the side of a Carnival cruise ship went viral. The video showed a person successfully catching a fish off the side of the boat, then pulling it onto their balcony.
In response, Carnival banned the passengers, according to Fox Business. The company also clarified that fishing rods are allowed, but only for tag and release and use off-ship. When the rods are not in use, they must be stored in the guest’s stateroom.
In short, Qunisha’s family didn’t get removed for fishing off the boat—but that doesn’t mean that anyone should try to do so.
@qnotes1 We gettin kicked off the Carnival @carnival @Carnival Cruise Line AU @Royal Caribbean #carnival #fyp #foryoupage #portofmiami
BroBible reached out to Qunisha via Instagram and Facebook direct message and Carnival via email.