April 27, 2026, 9:32 am | Read time: 3 minutes

With all their might, the mattress is lifted from the bed, dragged across the floor, and then spread out on the balcony. Then a sheet is added, along with a few pillows and a blanket—the new sleeping spot is ready, offering a view of the sea while cruising on the water. This is increasingly seen on social media. Many videos go viral, garnering hundreds of thousands of likes, and the “trend” continues to spread. But as unique as this balcony sleeping spot on a cruise ship may seem, the cruise lines are not pleased.

Balcony Trend Is “Absolutely Crazy”

Several cruise lines have already responded to the trend—Carnival Cruise Line’s brand ambassador, John Heald, calls the whole affair “absolutely crazy” on Facebook. In his post, he clarifies that a video viewed millions of times was not filmed on a Carnival ship. He also hopes that no one will ever attempt such a thing on one of their cruise ships.

With a wink, he reveals the consequences: Passengers caught doing this must spend the rest of their vacation working as cabin stewards, making beds, and cleaning cabins.

He further explains that if you want to sleep in the night air, you can simply leave the balcony door open. That’s perfectly fine.

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Cruise Lines Fear Risks

But why are cruise lines against placing the mattress on the balcony and sleeping there? According to the travel blog “Your mileage may vary,” the companies primarily see safety risks. Mattresses could block emergency exits or pose a tripping hazard, leading to falls and injuries.

Another issue mentioned, less dangerous but more annoying, is that the mattress and bedding become damp due to the high humidity of the sea air. The cleaning staff would then need to replace them entirely.

However, the house rules or terms of carriage of major cruise lines do not explicitly state that furniture in the cabin cannot be rearranged. Nor is there information that passengers cannot sleep on their balcony with a mattress.

In a query from TRAVELBOOK to Aida Cruises, there is no clear refusal for passengers wanting to sleep on their balcony with a mattress during the cruise. However, it is noted that all balcony cabins have a hammock where guests can enjoy the fresh sea air and listen to the ocean waves both during the day and evening. This combines the special outdoor experience at sea with a high standard of safety and comfort, the statement continues. Here, too, the focus is on safety.